The Boston Bruins have made their final roster decisions — and they’re choosing grit over skill once again. Jeffrey Viel beats out Matej Blümel and Matthew Poitras for the last forward spot, signaling Marco Sturm and Don Sweeney’s commitment to a heavy, hard-to-play-against identity heading into the 2025-26 NHL season.

Host Ian McLaren breaks down what Viel’s inclusion means for Boston’s lineup philosophy, the ripple effects for Poitras and Blümel, and whether the Bruins risk losing scoring depth for free.

Then, Jeremy Swayman’s 30-save performance in a 4-1 preseason win over the New York Rangers proves he’s ready to anchor the team’s redemption campaign. We also highlight Nikita Zadorov’s two goals, Fraser Minten’s breakout play, and the new Bruins defensive pairings featuring Mason Lohrei, Charlie McAvoy, and Hampus Lindholm.

Finally, we zoom out to the big question: Is this a redemption story or a repeat of last year’s struggles? Can Marco Sturm’s structured system and Don Sweeney’s roster philosophy coexist with the offensive creativity Boston needs to compete in 2025-26?

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David Pastrnak has been left out of the NHL’s Top 10 player rankings again — sitting at No. 11 despite leading the league in goals over the past three seasons.

Host Ian McLaren breaks down why Pastrnak deserves Top 5 recognition, reacts to Charlie McAvoy being ranked 38th and Jeremy Swayman 85th, and recaps the Boston Bruins’ 3-1 preseason win over the Washington Capitals.

Brett Harrison scored twice in his debut, Joonas Korpisalo stopped 33 of 34 shots, and Don Sweeney announced new roster cuts as the team gets closer to opening night.

Locked On Boston Bruins is your daily podcast for analysis, reactions, and all the latest news on the Black and Gold — part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

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FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)