Bruins roll out surprising new defense pairings before Charlie McAvoy’s return

Marco Sturm got much more creative than Bruins fans expected in his lineup for Charlie McAvoy's return.

By Nate Duffett · Causeway Crowd

Published: Monday, 12 October 2026 at 10:15 PM

Key Things to Know

Head coach Marco Sturm is pairing Charlie McAvoy with Hampus Lindholm upon McAvoy's return from suspension.
The Bruins are keeping their young defensive pairing of Frederic Brunet and Mason Lohrei together.
Lindholm and McAvoy have historically outscored opponents 51-25 over 896 five-on-five minutes together.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Boston Bruins head coach Marco Sturm is introducing reshuffled defense pairings ahead of Charlie McAvoy's return from suspension. Sturm is opting to unite McAvoy with Hampus Lindholm on the blue line rather than keeping them separated across the top four. Additionally, the coach is keeping the young defensive tandem of Frederic Brunet and Mason Lohrei together.

Historically, the McAvoy and Lindholm pairing has outscored opponents 51-25 at five-on-five over 896 minutes. Meanwhile, the Brunet-Lohrei pairing has posted a 53.3 percent expected goals share, giving Boston improved defensive depth to open up creative lineup combinations.

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Bruins roll out surprising new defense pairings before Charlie McAvoy’s return

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