(Photo Credit: Len Redkoles - Getty Images)
With Boston's season set to begin, it's time to predict how many points each Bruin - up and down the roster - is expected to produce in 2024-2025.
Due to the sure to happen - yet unpredictable nature - of healthy scratches, injuries, and illness, let's assume that the big names on the roster play just about every game, while guys lower on the depth chart may be in and out a bit.
Without further ado.
David Pastrnak - 54 Goals, 60 Assists, 114 Points
Among the best scorers in the world, Pastrnak will once again dominate offensively. As amazing of a goal scorer as he is, he's just as good of a playmaker, and assist man. He has established chemistry with Pavel Zacha, and will quickly create it with newcomer, Elias Lindholm. Having scored 113PTS, and 110PTS in his last 2 seasons respectively, expect Pastrnak to produce in that range - maybe post a career-high.
Elias Lindholm - 33 Goals, 41 Assists, 74 Points
The top UFA center this past offseason, Lindholm is in great position to be an excellent two-way forward for Boston. Coming off of a down year offensively in 2023-2024 between his time in Calgary and Vancouver - the hope is that playing in a top role alongside Pastrnak can catapult him back up toward career high production - which was 42G, 40A, 82PTS in 2021-2022. While a point per game out of Lindholm would be spectacular for Boston, expect him to land around 10PTS shy of that.
Brad Marchand - 29 Goals, 39 Assists, 68 Points
After undergoing three offseason surgeries, the Bruins captain is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. For 6 seasons from 2016-2017 through 2021-2022, Marchand produced at well over a point per game pace - with his career high in points being 36G, 64A, 100PTS in 79GP in 2018-2019. In the 2 seasons since 2021-2022, Marchand has produced at under a point per game, albeit, slightly. Is it a sign of age, injury, line-mates, or a combination of? Tough to say. Either way, Marchand is still an extremely high-end player, and should enter the season healthier than he has been in years. While Charlie Coyle is anticipated to be Marchand's center, the RW on that line may be a revolving door. For that reason, chemistry and line stability could be a question. Ultimately, Marchand has scored 67PTS in each of his last two seasons, and while he may get off to a slow start due to little preseason action, and needing to gain chemistry with a new RW - an offensive drop-off isn't expected for No. 63.
Pavel Zacha - 25 Goals, 40 Assists, 65 Points
With the addition of Lindholm, Zacha is expected to play left wing on Boston's top line. This move should free up the former 6th-overall draft pick for more transitional offense. Of course skating alongside Pastrnak will also provide major benefits. The trio of Zacha, Lindholm, and Pastrnak will undoubtedly be Boston's top scoring line - with each player getting their fair share of residual assists. Expect Zacha to continue increasing his year over year point totals in Boston with a career high in 2024-2025.
Charlie McAvoy - 13 Goals, 45 Assists, 58 Points
Coming off of an overall down year offensively (47PTS), McAvoy did record a career high in goals (12) in 2023-2024. His career high in points is 56, which he posted back in 2021-2022. What does he have to do to get back to that level of production, or exceed? Two main things come to mind: health, and power play production. Throughout his 7-year career, McAvoy has yet to play an entire regular season's worth of games. He will have to do so, or come very close to it, to reach his offensive ceiling. But mainly, he needs to become the power play quarterback both he, and the Bruins hope he can be. McAvoy has struggled to generate during his time on PP1, BUT if he can improve in that area - he could be able to eclipse the 60 point mark for the 1st time in his career.
Charlie Coyle - 23 Goals, 34 Assists, 57 Points
Coming off a career season that saw him score 25G, 35A, 60PTS - Coyle is once again expected to be a key offensive contributor for Boston. The question, is whether or not he'll be able to match the career high point pace he set last season. Centering Marchand for the 2nd consecutive season should produce advanced chemistry - but who will be their right wing, and will the line completely connect? Another possible hinderance to Coyle's offensive output in 2024-2025, could be the addition of E. Lindholm - which may take some situational, offensive reps away from Coyle that he had on a lesser roster in 2023-2024. It's very conceivable that Coyle again reaches or exceeds 60 points, but for now, we anticipate that he'll come in just shy of that total.
Trent Frederic - 21 Goals, 26 Assists, 47 Points
Frederic's year over year improvement has been an awesome development for the Bruins. After accumulating just 5PTS in 59GP over his first 3 seasons, Frederic has dramatically increased his offensive output recording 18PTS, 31PTS, and 40PTS in his 3 most recent seasons. Assuming this trend continues, Frederic could be in for a 45 point season or so in 2024-2025. Now this is under the guise that he'll again be a 3rd liner with little to no power play minutes. What if he ends up playing alongside Coyle, and Marchand and gets a promotion to 2nd line RW? What if he gets a more permanent role on one of Boston's power play units as a net front presence? These are possibilities that could see Frederic perhaps score 50 points. For now, we'll play it down the middle and predict he scores between 45-50 points - good enough for yet again, another career high.
Morgan Geekie - 22 Goals, 24 Assists, 46 Points
After a slow start to his NHL career, Geekie is another player - similar to Frederic - who has recently shown dramatic year over year improvement, scoring 22PTS, 28PTS, and 39PTS in his last 3 seasons. Having previously bounced around from Carolina, to Seattle, Geekie took advantage of an increased role during his inaugural season in Boston - posting a career high of 17G, 22A, 39PTS. Again, similar to Frederic, Geekie should naturally improve next season, even if in the same 3rd line role - but if given a more consistent role in the top-6 or power play - he could potentially reach or exceed 50 points in 2024-2025.
Matt Poitras - 13 Goals, 22 Assists, 35 Points
Poitras surprised most everyone making the Bruins roster out of training camp last season, at 19 years old. His rookie campaign was shortened due to injury - but in 33GP, he scored 5G, 10A, 15PTS. Carried out over an 82-game pace, that's approximately 12G, 25A, 37PTS. Again, there are many players who may play up and down the lineup at different times, and maybe even in different positions. Will Poitras spend most of his shifts at 3C? Or will be spend time at RW alongside Marchand, and Coyle? It all remains to be seen. Poitras is going to have to shake off any rust, and get back up to NHL speed after not playing a regular season game since January. And he'll be sure to have some sophomore slumping and teaching moments. Still, expect him to score around 35 points with potential further upside if he can stay healthy for most of the season.
Mason Lohrei - 10 Goals, 21 Assists, 31 Points
Mason Lohrei has a high offensive ceiling - but his first full season in the NHL may not yet be the one he reaches it. As a rookie, Lohrei recored 5G, 12A, 17PTS in 52GP - regular season and postseason combined. That's an 82 game-pace of 8G, 19A, 27PTS. It appears the smooth skating, creative defenseman may start the season on Boston's 3rd pair, but he should see a lot of time quarterbacking one of Boston's power play units.
Tyler Johnson - 13 Goals, 17 Assists, 30 Points
Johnson, who is expected to earn a contract at some point soon following his professional tryout, is an established NHL veteran, who's won multiple Stanley Cups, and can play up and down the Bruins lineup. He's coming off of back-to-back 30+ point seasons on a rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks team - it's conceivable that pace continues on a contending Bruins team, even if he doesn't play a full 82-game slate. His most recent 32, and 31 point seasons came having played 56, and 67 games in those years respectively. Johnson can play up and down the lineup and will likely do just that - if he plays 60+ games, he should be effective enough to be a half a point per game player.
Hampus Lindholm - 6 Goals, 23 Assists, 29 Points
Just two years removed from a 53 point season in 2022-2023, Lindholm's offensive production from the back end took a major step back last year - scoring just 26 points. Now his production in 2022-2023 may have been inflated and difficult to repeat due to the fact that he was playing on a stacked roster, and was also was Boston's No. 1 defensemen for the first few months of the season with McAvoy rehabbing offseason surgery. Conversely, in 2023-2024, Boston had a lesser roster on paper, and the defense core played a more stay at home style to overcompensate the team's lack of offensive firepower. The 2024-2025 roster is somewhere in between, and Lindholm should be expected to improve upon last season's totals while not quite reaching his career high production from 2022-2023. In fact over the course of his career, Lindholm has usually hovered around 30 points a year on average.
Justin Brazeau - 17 Goals, 11 Assists, 28 Points
6'5", 220lbs, Brazeau's size and offensive instincts were a welcomed addition to Boston in the latter half of last season. In the first 28 games of his NHL career, regular season, and postseason combined, the 26-year old delivered 6G, 3A, 9PTS. Over 82 games, that's a pace of 18G, 9A, 27PTS. It's certainly achievable, and similar to what's expected of him in 2024-2025, even if he plays lower down the lineup at times throughout the year.
Nikita Zadorov - 5 Goals, 19 Assists, 24 Points
One of Boston's main offseason acquisitions, Zadorov is notably a big, mean, physical, and intimidating force adde to Boston's back end. But he also provides more skill and puck-moving ability than many give him credit for. Anticipated to start the year as McAvoy's partner on the Bruins top pair, he'll have the opportunity to collect some even strength points. But overall, primarily logging minutes as a shut down defensemen at even strength, and on the penalty kill isn't a recipe for offense. Zadorov's career high in points is 22 back in 2021-2022 with Calgary - We project he'll produce around their for Boston, even slightly reach a new career high.
Max Jones - 9 Goals, 12 Assists, 21 Points
Jones has size and speed that can't be taught. He has an offensively ceiling - if given the right opportunity - that is believed to be higher than what he's shown throughout his career in Anaheim. His career high in points was 9G, 10A, 19PTS, in 69GP for the rebuilding Ducks. Can he exceed 20 points playing in a consistent bottom-6 role on a playoff bound team in Boston? If he plays close to a full season's worth of games? Absolutely he can.
John Beecher - 8 Goals, 11 Assists, 19 Points
Beecher recorded 7G, 3A, 10PTS in 52GP during his rookie season. With developed confidence, and hopefully closer to 82GP this season - look for his point production to roughly double in 2024-2025.
Brandon Carlo - 4 Goals, 14 Assists, 18 Points
Entering his 9th season, Carlo is the longest tenured, home-grown veteran on Boston's blue line. A high caliber shit down defensemen, offense, has never been his strength - his career high in scoring was 4g, 15A, 19PTS in 67GP in 2019-2020. Look for Carlo to get back to that range in 2024-2025 on a BOS defense core that can do it all.
Mark Kastelic - 6 Goals, 10 Assists, 14 Points
Over the last two seasons, Kastelic has averaged 11PTS (rounding up) and 64GP. In a more stable role on a contending team, can he bump his totals up a few points? Absolutely - in fact it wouldn't be a major shock if he finished between 15-20PTS. But until he proves that, he'll be projected around 14-15PTS.
Andrew Peeke - 3 Goals, 11 Assists, 14 Points
Peeke is bound to benefit in all areas of his game in his first full season in BOS. More of a stay at home, 3rd pair defensemen, Peeke did prove he was capable of putting up a respectable amount of points as a depth player on the back end. The last time he played a full 82 game schedule he recored 2G, 13A, 15PTS. The following year, he tallied 6G, 7A, 13PTS in 80GP. His game started to fall off the following year, but a change of scenery from Columbus to Boston helped turn that around. Expect him to get back in the range of his previously accomplished offensive highs.
Parker Wotherspoon - 1 Goal, 6 Assists, 7 Points
Boston's 7th defensemen, Wotherspoon will give be a tough opponent to play against each time he's in the lineup - but providing much offense? Not so much. Still, look for Wotherspoon to potentially record his NHL goal at some point this season.
Cant wait to see how the season plays out!