Regardless of Success, This is the Team Bruins Fans Love
Boston Bruins Team President Cam Neely called it “piss and vinegar”. Some others might call it “jam” or “being hard to play against”. Whatever the label for this edition of the Bruins, the early returns show a team constructed to make NHL clubs circle the Bruins on the calendar as a physical, heavy, and grinding opponent. All of those adjectives are exactly what will endear this team to its own fans.
Wednesday’s season-opening win at the Washington Capitals featured the top line of Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, and David Pastrnak, while surprising depth scoring, grit, and passion helped the Bruins slide past the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime in the home opener. It is only two games, but Bruins fans were fully engaged in the first game of the season at TD Garden and already loving the nastiness and togetherness on display. From Nikita Zadorov cross-checking Blackhawks young star Frank Nazar to Sean Kuraly driving Andre Burakovsky into the ice, this is what Bruins fans want.
“We all wanted to do well, but it turns out it was not the flow we probably wanted. All of a sudden, we got into a little bit of a grinding game,” Sturm said after Thursday’s victory. “Those are the games you have to win. … Those grinding games will help bring us together as a team.”
Four different Bruins scored Thursday, including 21-year-old Fraser Minten with a snipe off a 2-on-1 in overtime and Bruins’ forward Tanner Jeannot, fresh off his new five-year contract, with a second-period goal at the net with grease. Boston totaled an uncharacteristic 33 shots on goal but also outhit the smaller Blackhawks 25-10 and blocked 16 shots. This was the type of effort that blue-collar Boston fans love.
Sprinkled into the mix was some young talent and a goal for Minten, who was acquired in a trade last season for longtime defenseman Brandon Carlo. The Bruins need youthful skill, and Minten is a key member of this Bruins team.
“It’s nice to come in and play (in the NHL environment) right away,” Minten said. “Obviously, (the top line) gets paid the big bucks to (score), but all of us want to help, too. … There’s no reason every line can’t contribute.”
Bruins fans will pay “big bucks” to watch this product, which is much different than last season’s disappointing group, which saw former captain Brad Marchand traded away and a once-promising season turn into a top ten draft pick. In some ways, Bruins fans would rather see a hard-hitting, hard-working team than an inconsistent, skilled team. With this 2025-26 Bruins team, they might have their wish.
Ben Johnson just gave Lions fans another reason to despise him
After the Detroit Lions lost to the Washington Commanders in last year's playoffs, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson pretty quickly left to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears. With how that loss went, a strong section Lions' fans leaned into the idea Johnson's focus was elsewhere when it shouldn't have been.
Leaving to become the head coach of a division rival adds a significant layer to how Lions fans feel about Johnson. Add in what he said upon arriving at Halas Hall, and Bears' defensive coordinator Dennis Allen later revealing when Johnson first contacted him about possibly being on his coaching staff, and Lions' fans have plenty of fuel for their disdain won't ever be assuaged just by their team beating Johnson's new team.
The Lions' offense did plenty well enough in that playoff loss to the Commanders, but five turnovers was the ultimate undoing.
One play from the playoff loss to Washington that drew particular ire ire from Lions fans was a trick play where wide receiver Jameson Williams threw a pass.
A costly interception followed, when the Lions were trailing by 10 and in striking distance.
Johnson’s creativity as a play caller is generally appreciated. But occasionally straying from simple things, and instead digging into his creative bag, was a point of critique at times when he was the Lions’ offensive coordinator.
Ben Johnson invites more ire from Lions’ fans
Johnson’s Bears are taking on the Commanders in Week 6. So the last time he faced them came up during his session with the media on Wednesday.
“Yeah, I think when I look back at that game there were, we had a lot of turnovers”, Johnson said.
“I felt like within that setting, that as good as that (Commanders) offense was clicking, you know, you feel a little bit of pressure on offense to go score for score and you don't want to fall behind by two scores against a good team like that," Johnson said. "So, might have been a little bit more aggressive with the play calls and got away from the game plan a little bit based on how that game went.”
“End of the day, you take care of the football, that game maybe goes a different direction.”
A segment of fans though Johnson wouldn’t leave the Lions until they won a Super Bowl, even if that was never a logical reason for him to continue to brush off head coaching opportunities. Then when he did leave, he went to a division rival.
Now, Johnson has acknowledged mistakes he made in his final game as Lions offensive coordinator. If fans needed any more fuel to their hatred fire, they have it now.
