Poke the Bear

What stood out at start of Bruins training camp?

September 18, 2026·30 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Conor Ryan goes solo on Poke the Bear to break down the biggest takeaways from the Bruins’ first training camp practice. Conor starts with James Hagens and Boston’s young forward group, including the early look at Hagens alongside Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov and why giving the Bruins’ young players meaningful opportunities will be crucial this season. He also dives into Frederic Brunet opening camp next to Charlie McAvoy and why Brunet’s skating, puck movement and transition game could make him an intriguing fit on Boston’s blue line. Later, Conor examines the Bruins’ top six, David Pastrnak’s early line combination with Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie, and whether Fraser Minten could eventually be an option alongside Pastrnak. Plus, he discusses Boston’s captaincy decision, Nikita Zadorov’s dark-horse case, and the latest on Pavel Zacha’s contract talks and uncertain long-term future with the Bruins. 0:00 Intro 2:43 James Hagens & the Bruins’ Young Line 8:55 Frederic Brunet’s Opportunity With Charlie McAvoy 14:49 PrizePicks 16:16 David Pastrnak & Bruins Top-Six Lines 19:00 Pavel Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt & JJ Peterka 21:32 Bruins Captaincy & Nikita Zadorov 22:20 Pavel Zacha’s Contract Situation 25:36 Training Camp Takeaways & Outro Bruins on CLNS Media is Powered by: 💰 PrizePicks - Sign up at http://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS & Download the app today and use code CLNS to get $150 instantly in Lineups if you win your first $5 Lineup! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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