Bruins’ Sean Kuraly in a Tough Spot After Poor Preseason

The Boston Bruins aren’t done building the roster yet, and after another preseason game this week, both prospects and veterans want to earn a spot in the lineup. Dans Locmelis, Matthew Poitras, and Sean Kuraly are some names in the mix for a role in the Bruins’ bottom six.

Poitras and Locmelis have played their hearts out to earn a spot on the 2026-27 Bruins roster.

But with heightened competition for the third and fourth-line center positions, is Kuraly a lock for the fourth line? Kuraly is your typical fourth-line grinder, who plays a heavy game to wear down the opposition through attrition.

Kuraly’s had a good tenure returning to the Bruins organization after his four-year stint with his hometown Columbus Blue Jackets.

In his four years as a member of the Blue Jackets, Kuraly played 292 games, recording 90 points (30 goals, 60 assists) and winning 50.1% of his faceoffs. Last season, he returned to Boston, playing 82 games and recording 22 points (six goals and 16 assists)

His reliability is proven in the circle (51.1 FOW%); he can add secondary scoring when needed, and he has added 250 hits in the last two NHL seasons. However, his performance during the two Bruins preseason games gives us pause.

The last game he played against the Philadelphia Flyers showed signs of struggle, leaving the ice with a minus-2 rating, two hits, two giveaways, and playing 18 shifts for 15:51 of ice time.

Kuraly is a legitimate workhorse and has contributed to the team’s success in the past with Mark Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot on his flanks. But with the 2026-27 season upon us, there are doubts about whether or not Kuraly is a lock for a spot in the Bruins lineup.

Poitras and Locmelis have played compelling hockey for the Bruins during the preseason and deserve a look in the NHL.

Causeway Crowd is correct that Kuraly’s past performances have been good enough to keep him in the lineup. But it doesn’t seem so certain with multiple prospects aiming to make the NHL.

The good news for Kuraly is that his line built up so much good fortune last season that it’d be hard for him to lose his spot, as long as he kept up a certain level of play.

But does he deserve a roster spot over Poitras or Locmelis?

Matthew Poitras

One saving grace for Kuraly is the fact that Poitras was taken out of the lineup and didn’t play in the Bruins’ last preseason game, making the case for him to make a full-time jump to the NHL a bit more difficult despite his ability to create offense in the bottom-six.

Poitras added an assist in the one preseason game he played in, with four shots on goal, two penalty minutes, 20 shifts, and 16:42 against the Washington Capitals.

What could Poitras offer the Bruins, centering Kastelic and Jeannot? Poitras is a capable playmaker and could provide the team with a fourth line with some grit and offense, as Poitras would be able to play with speed while dishing pucks to Jeannot and Kastelic.

In return, both forwards could shelter Poitras on the fourth line and allow his abilities on the ice to flourish. It’s a win-win for the Bruins, who add versatility to their lineup, which Kuraly couldn’t offer before. The only question that remains is what will happen with the prospect while he’s injured?

“Those short camps, you want to show. You want to deliver,” Sturm said of Poitras’ injury. “You want to prove to the coach, to the team, whatever. If you have one injury, then all of a sudden with only a week to go … you’re behind. As a player, you don’t want that. So that’s hard on the kid, for sure.”

The Bruins have been put in a difficult position by Poitras and Kuraly. Will the Bruins stick to grit or opt for a new-look team with speed and versatility in the bottom six?