Bruins’ defensive numbers suggest Marco Sturm needs to shake up his pairings

Not everything was good with the Bruins' performance in their win over the Penguins.

By Nate Duffett · Causeway Crowd

Published: Friday, 6 November 2026 at 10:35 PM

Key Things to Know

Nate Duffett argues that Marco Sturm should adjust Boston's defensive pairings despite a 6-2 victory over Pittsburgh.
Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy excelled as the top pairing, outscoring opponents 4-1 during the game.
The writer notes that Nikita Zadorov and Will Borgen recorded a disappointing 42.2 xGF% at five-on-five.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Nate Duffett argues that Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm should consider reorganizing his defensive pairings despite the team's 6-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins. While acknowledging the strong play of the top pairing consisting of Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, the article highlights concerning underlying analytics from Boston's lower defensive units.

According to Duffett, Nikita Zadorov and Will Borgen posted a subpar 42.2 xGF%, while Mason Lohrei struggled analytically alongside Frederic Brunet. Duffett proposes reshuffling the blueline by pairing McAvoy with Brunet, reuniting Lindholm with Borgen, and testing a third pair featuring Zadorov and Lohrei.

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Bruins’ defensive numbers suggest Marco Sturm needs to shake up his pairings

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