TAMPA, Fla. — The Boston Bruins opened a new chapter with a promising victory as they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Saturday, marking their first game since a significant roster shake-up at the NHL trade deadline. Cole Koepke shined brightly for the Bruins, scoring a career-best two goals, contributing significantly to the triumph. His impressive performance came against his former team, while teammates Mark Kastelic and Nikita Zadorov also found the back of the net.
Koepke, Kastelic, and Zadorov are all in their inaugural season with the Bruins, who recently underwent substantial changes. One of their most notable transactions was sending captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers—Marchand was the last player from the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup-winning squad. The decision to trade Marchand was bittersweet for many, including forward David Pastrnak, who remains one of the few recognizable faces in the Boston lineup.
As part of the deal with Florida, Boston received a second-round draft pick, with the potential for it to upgrade to a first-rounder should the Panthers advance two rounds in the playoffs and if Marchand participates in half the games. The Bruins also decided to part ways with other key players, including Justin Brazeau, sent to Minnesota, Charlie Coyle to Colorado, Marc McLaughlin to New Jersey, and Brandon Carlo to Toronto. Trent Frederic was previously moved to Edmonton, highlighting the team’s strategy to rebuild.
Despite these major changes, General Manager Don Sweeney remains optimistic about the team’s future, insisting the restructuring doesn’t equate to starting from scratch. Although the Bruins find themselves among several teams vying for a playoff wild card spot, the absence of many long-standing team members adds a layer of complexity to their journey forward.
Pastrnak candidly discussed the emotional toll of these changes during an intermission interview, lamenting the business side of the sport. The storied franchise’s management has chosen to pursue a new direction, following historically strong performances in regular seasons. The Bruins have consistently amassed over 100 points in their last six non-pandemic seasons, yet their only noteworthy postseason achievement in recent times was reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2019.
