{"id":803249,"date":"2026-08-05T07:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T07:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/803249\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T07:22:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T07:22:11","slug":"bruins-still-havent-found-what-they-need-most-a-true-no-1-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/803249\/","title":{"rendered":"Bruins still haven\u2019t found what they need most: a true No. 1 center"},"content":{"rendered":"

What general manager Don Sweeney failed to find, be it via trade or free agency: a much-needed No. 1 center. The hunt for a franchise pivot continues, three years after Patrice Bergeron<\/a> and David Krejci went from front-line centers to front-porch rockers.<\/p>\n

Get Starting Point<\/p>\n

A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n

The story of the summer across the NHL has been the gargantuan pay boost for primo pivot talent, which soared to annual payouts in the $15 million-$18.8 million range (note: these are not typos) for top young centers Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, and Macklin Celebrini<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It was the Flyers\u2019 offer sheet to Anaheim\u2019s Carlsson<\/a> (five years, $90 million), then a restricted free agent, at the start of July that got the fire started, and the raging dollar inferno made certain that the Bruins will enter 2026-27 with Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha again penciled in as their top two pivots. <\/p>\n

Based on what we watched the last two seasons, that\u2019s just not good enough for the Bruins to be Stanley Cup candidates.<\/p>\n

Sweeney views a \u201cby committee\u201d approach as the answer to the No. 1 pivot question, which includes the hope that the promising Fraser Minten can grow more into the role, and perhaps newbie James Hagens<\/a> can seize the day in his first season out of Boston College. Both are young. Both have slick, promising skills. Both look to have a shot to be a No. 1 rainmaker, eventually. <\/p>\n

\"CouldCould James Hagens be the future No. 1 center for the Bruins? That’s the big question as the former Boston College star guns for a lineup spot when training camp opens in September. David L Ryan\/ Globe Staff<\/p>\n

However, the development game remains the raison d\u2019etre of the American Hockey League, not the NHL. The new 84-game season<\/a> opens on Causeway Street on Sept. 29, with the Rangers in town, and both Minten and Hagens factor as on-the-job trainees, with Minten returning at center and Hagens most likely eased in as a winger. (A method that worked just fine for a quick-to-learn Bergeron, about to enter the Hall of Fame.)<\/p>\n

With Lindholm and Zacha at the top of the order in 2025-26, the Bruins caught their stride at midseason and finished with 100 points and a wild-card playoff spot. The committee approach turned out OK largely thanks to Zacha\u2019s No. 2 line, with wingers Casey Mittelstadt<\/a> and Arvidsson providing a huge boost over the second half.<\/p>\n

With Arvidsson having bolted for Detroit, it will be up to Peterka, acquired from the Mammoth for a pair of first-round draft picks, to fill the \u201clittle weasel\u2019s\u201d void. Peterka, 24, averaged just shy of 27 the last three seasons, two of those with Buffalo. He has solid scoring tools and says he\u2019s compelled to deliver the goods after what he feels was a disappointing one-year tour with Utah. <\/p>\n

On the back end, where Borgen and Clifton will be among 10 training camp candidates vying for seven roster spots, coach Marco Sturm also remains in search of his best power-play quarterback. It\u2019s a role nearly as vital as the No. 1 center job. <\/p>\n

Charlie McAvoy<\/a>, posting up at right point, has been the most adequate. About to enter his 10th season, he returns as the resident franchise defenseman. He also remains a woefully reluctant shooter, which too often makes him a funky fit for the QB role.<\/p>\n

McAvoy dealt with a boatload of injuries the last season-plus. Now that he\u2019s had months to recover, he\u2019ll undoubtedly be pushed hard by Sturm and power-play specialist Steve Spott to fire away back there. If he remains hesitant, look for more \u201cHammer\u201d time out of Hampus Lindholm.<\/p>\n

\"WillWill it be No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy (left) back running the power play for sniper David Pastrnak, or will somebody else step up in the role? Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n

An unknown, potentially deciding factor? The left-shooting Peterka and the right-shooting David Pastrnak will be the top shooters up front. The point man who meshes best with those two stands to win the quarterback spot on PP1.<\/p>\n

With the exhibition season<\/a> truncated to four games, it could be 2-3 weeks into October before Sturm has his answer. It could be the difference between holding or chasing a playoff spot all season.<\/p>\n

With Joonas Korpisalo dished to the Rangers, newcomer Michael DiPietro<\/a>, elevated from Providence, becomes Jeremy Swayman\u2019s<\/a> new net partner. They\u2019ll both be 27 upon reporting to camp. <\/p>\n

Swayman again will take 55 or more starts, albeit working for the first time here with a partner eager to establish his own NHL footing. No telling if that slight change in competitive tone within the partnership will influence Swayman\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

The countdown is on. Rookies report to Brighton Sept. 11, and the big boys come marching in five days later. It all unfolds quickly now in the dog days of summer. <\/p>\n

Puck down for real Sept. 29, 8 p.m., possibly the same night the Red Sox<\/a> play at Fenway as host to a wild-card playoff game. We are a city of constant surprises.<\/p>\n

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What general manager Don Sweeney failed to find, be it via trade or free agency: a much-needed No.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":803250,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[19859,385,99],"class_list":["post-803249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-bruins","tag-nhl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=803249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/803249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/803250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=803249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=803249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=803249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}