Boston Bruins fans are in full-on panic mode—and honestly, they might have a point. The team’s vibe feels off, like someone unplugged the locker room aux cord and left Brad Marchand alone to DJ awkwardly. After the Bruins saw several locker room leaders depart the team before the season, the Bruins are lowkey spiraling—you can see it in the standings. And now the fanbase is taking to Reddit to bemoan the lack of leadership.
So, Brad Marchand’s doing his best, but this ain’t a one-man show — and without real leadership depth, the cracks are showing hard. And the fans have been reminiscing the loss of key figures. First up was Pat Maroon who wasn’t with the Bruins for long before leaving for the Chicago Blackhawks but his presence was important. As Brandon Carlo said last year, “Everyone takes care of what they’re going to (do) based off of his [Maroon’s] words, just from his experience and his leadership. He’s a great resource for all of us and a great leader as well.”
The fans also discussed James Van Riemsdyk, who spent one year in Boston before leaving for Columbus during the offseason. He recorded a respectable 38 points during that time, which weren’t amazing numbers, but like Maroon, he did have an impact in other ways, like with his leadership and experience.
And lastly, the fans have also been missing Kevin Shattenkirk, who was also with the Boston Bruins for just a season and has since retired in December 2024. Just like Maroon and van Riemsdyk, Shattenkirk’s leadership contributions were highly valued. For instance, in the first round of the playoffs last year against the Maple Leafs, Shattenkirk made an inspiring speech to the team that propelled them to win Game 7. “Shatty gave the group an incredible speech,” said Marchand after the win.
But now all 3 are gone, leaving Marchand the most senior veteran on the team. The leadership void isn’t just a vibe check—it’s showing up in the results. In the last month, they have only won 3 games out of a possible 8. Now, that is sad, given the Boston Bruins’ legacy and their 8-season playoff streak (tied with the Maple Leafs for the longest active streak), which looks to end this season.
Wait, isn’t there still a veteran presence in the Boston Bruins team?
Some fans clapped back at the leadership crisis talk, saying, “They have Coyle, McAvoy, Carlo, Pastrnak and plenty of other guys who have been in the league long enough to be considered Vets. So maybe there’s a lack of leadership but certainly no lack of a veteran presence.” Technically, they’re not wrong—but here’s the tea: Veteran ≠ Leader. Coyle’s been in the league since 2013, but his whole career has been a rollercoaster of inconsistency. Charlie McAvoy is a beast on the ice, but leadership-wise? He’s still figuring it out. Although to be fair to the fan, David Pastrnak has certainly stepped up his leadership game these past few seasons.
One fan clearly disagreed: “Coyle’s career has been defined by inconsistent play, he’s not someone you turn to for leadership.” They’re spitting facts. When the Bruins snagged Coyle from the Wild in 2019, everyone was hyped about his potential. Some nights, Coyle looks like a legit power forward—others, you forget he’s on the ice. If leadership is about steady presence and leading by example, Coyle’s track record is… let’s call it questionable at best.
Then there’s the emotional gut punch. One fan said, “I was just thinking I miss Big rig ” And who wouldn’t? Pat Maroon isn’t just a big dude who can throw hands—this man is someone who can influence the entire locker room and is respected by all. He won three straight Cups, including dragging the St. Louis Blues to their first-ever Cup win in 2019.
Another fan threw Danton Heinen into the convo, “Couldn’t agree more, think Heinen was important too.” Heinen’s career path has been a winding road. Following a short stint back in Boston for one year, Heinen has moved around the league. But more importantly, he was with the Bruins in the 2010s and playing with the likes of Patrice Bergeron, Tuukka Rask, and Zdeno Chara. That has to count for something.
The lineup chaos isn’t helping either. One fan summed it up perfectly: “Eh, we also just have people playing in the top 6 that have no business in the top 6.” Let’s look at who’s eating big minutes. Obviously, you’ve got Pastrnak and Marchand—no problems there. But then you’ve got Pavel Zacha (solid, but a Top 6 star? Debatable), Morgan Geekie (56 games, trying his best), and Elias Lindholm (solid pickup but still adjusting).
Put it all together and you see the problem—the Boston Bruins lost their emotional core, with no real replacement, and now the leadership group feels like a group project where only Marchand did the homework. Fans aren’t just being dramatic—they’re spotting the culture rot in real time. And unless someone steps up (or they go trade shopping for some locker room glue), this “leadership gap” could turn into a full-blown identity crisis.
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