"Boston Bruins Opt for Dual Leadership: Pastrňák & McAvoy Share Alternate Captain Roles"

The Boston Bruins' surprising decision regarding the team's captaincy could be the best path forward this season.

The Boston Bruins ended the 2024-25 season without a captain. After the club traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, the team’s captaincy remained vacant. While unsurprising, the expectation was that the Bruins would name a new captain for this upcoming season.

However, that’s where things have taken an unexpected turn.

Leading scorer David Pastrnak was passed over for the Bruins’ captaincy this past season. So was Charlie McAvoy. As it stands, the Bruins have chosen to forego naming a captain altogether, at least for this upcoming season.

In fact, it was McAvoy himself who revealed the Bruins were planning to roll without a captain this upcoming season. In an interview in the Boston Herald, McAvoy revealed that the Bruins would go with a dual-role split between Pastrnak and himself.

McAvoy stated the following per the Herald:

“Going into this year, we’re both going to have A’s. That’s what I know. I don’t think there’s any fire under them to do anything with that. And guess what? That’s totally fine.”

Interestingly, the Bruins passed over McAvoy as well. While Pastrnak seemed like the heir apparent to Marchand, it’s also surprising that McAvoy didn’t get more consideration.

Of course, things could change from now till the start of the season. The club could see the benefit in naming McAvoy or Pastrnak as the team’s next captain. In the meantime, the Bruins will not bestow the captaincy on anyone.

Why Bruins Made Right Call by Not Naming a Captain

The Bruins made the right call by not naming a captain for this upcoming season. The club risked rubbing Pastrnak or McAvoy the wrong way by passing one over for the other. The situation could have led to some animosity between the players and the club.

So, why not take a step back and let things play out for themselves? Both Pastrnak and McAvoy are leaders on the ice and in the dressing room. It worked well last season following Marchand’s departure. That’s why the team’s decision to pass on a captain is a good move for now.

Also, the Bruins are going through a transition. The final remnants of that 2011 club are virtually gone. The Bergeron-Chara-Marchand era is over, leaving the Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman to usher in a new era in Bruins history.

That’s why the Bruins may need a little more time before eventually settling on their next captain.

Boston Will Need to Name Captain Soon Enough

The Bruins will need to name a captain sooner rather than later. Fans and the media can understand the need to delay that decision this season. But beyond this year, the Bruins will face pressure to anoint their next official captain.

That decision could depend on what happens on the ice in 2025-26. If both McAvoy and Pastrnak have strong seasons, it will be virtually impossible to name a captain. But if one of them struggles, the decision could get easier.

However, if both struggle, the decision could be even worse. Naming a new captain won’t be as easy this time around. For better or for worse, Marchand was the clear successor to Patrice Bergeron.

But that’s not quite the case this season. Naming a new captain now could sow division among the team and fans. So, the Bruins will just kick that can down the road and see what happens.