Boston Bruins finalize roster ahead of season opener

The Boston Bruins have finalized their 23-man roster ahead of their season opener against the New York Rangers. A key move involved placing veteran defenseman Henri Jokiharju on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to the AHL's Providence Bruins. Jokiharju, who is in the second year of a three-year, $9 million contract, was surpassed on the depth chart by rookie Frederic Brunet.

The roster adjustments also include the inclusion of 19-year-old James Hagens, the team's 2025 seventh-overall draft pick. Other transactions include assigning forwards Riley Duran and Dans Locmelis to Providence, and placing center Matthew Poitras on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury.

The Bruins' defensive unit will be impacted by the absence of Charlie McAvoy, who is serving a six-game suspension carried over from the previous postseason. In his absence, the workload will be handled by players including Will Borgen, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Jonathan Aspirot, Mason Lohrei, and Connor Clifton.