BOSTON -- Marco Sturm did not think Jonathan Aspirot would be in the NHL in 2025-26. Aspirot himself never dreamed he would play 61 games for the Boston Bruins without ever making an NHL appearance before this year.
Circumstances, such as injuries to Hampus Lindholm and Jordan Harris and a so-so recall by Michael Callahan, opened the door for Aspirot to turn a promotion from AHL Providence into a full-time job. The 26-year-old is now a top-pair fixture next to Charlie McAvoy and preparing for Sunday's Game 1 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Aspirot scored three goals and 10 assists. He was on the ice for 29 five-on-five goals against, per Natural Stat Trick. It was the lowest sum among the 157 defensemen with 900-plus five-on-five minutes. Quinn Hughes, in comparison, led this cohort with 82 goals against.
Before all this happened, general manager Don Sweeney and his pro scouting staff made a determination. Even though Aspirot had never played an NHL game, they saw enough competitiveness, athleticism and footwork to give the undrafted defenseman a one-year, $775,000 offer.
Aspirot's performance cannot be evaluated in isolation. The minimum-wage signing has been a snug top-pair fit with Charlie McAvoy because of their shared assets of closing speed and physicality. This has let Sturm optimize his blue-line deployment.
He can use Hampus Lindholm and Mason Lohrei in matchup situations. He can roll Nikita Zadorov and Andrew Peeke against third and fourth lines.
"The job he's done really, really helps the slotting part of things," said Sweeney of Aspirot. "We can start to spread the minutes out if he can handle them. He's done a good job."
It was a grand-slam signing because of its efficiency and effect. It was just one of Sweeney's four-baggers. The on-the-fly turnaround from No. 28 to No. 8 highlighted an organizational advantage: identifying strengths others did not see.
The Bruins liked Justin Brazeau. After the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brazeau's hometown team, declined to bring him back following two pro seasons, the Bruins were the only club interested in extending an AHL contract. In 2024-25, Brazeau broke through with 10 goals in 57 games.
But when the Bruins decided the unrestricted free agent-to-be wasn't part of their future, they swapped him for an undersized AHL forward. A year later, Marat Khusnutdinov has become a Sturm favorite because of his speed, versatility, puck-hunting doggedness and willingness to work in dangerous ice.
"Capable of more," Sweeney said of what his scouts saw in Khusnutdinov."Koozy's taken advantage of it. It's a testament to all the work they did including the player and coaches' belief in him."
It wasn't just Khusnutdinov.
- Casey Mittelstadt, who arrived from the Colorado Avalanche, has grown into a trusted No. 2 left wing.
- Fraser Minten, classified as expendable by Toronto, won NESN's 7th Player Award for exceeding expectations after scoring 17 goals and 18 assists as the No. 3 center.
- Viktor Arvidsson, let go by the Edmonton Oilers for a 2027 fifth-rounder, was No. 3 in five-on-five points per 60 minutes of play among players with 800 or more minutes. The only two players with higher rates than Arvidsson’s 3.07 points per 60 were Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon, likely Hart Trophy candidates.
- Mark Kastelic, acquired from the Ottawa Senators with Joonas Korpisalo, set career highs in goals (12), time on ice (12:37 per game) and penalty minutes (140). In the latter category, Kastelic earned five of those PIMs the hard way: by fighting the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Mathieu Olivier, the NHL’s toughest heavyweight.
"Tanner set the stage," Sweeney said of Tanner Jeannot's fight with Erik Gudbranson that preceded Kastelic's tilt. "But that's a tough spot for another player of Mark's ilk to know what's coming next, in all likelihood. For him to meet that challenge without even thinking about it, it just permeates with the whole room."
As well as the trades have worked out, they represent just part of the revival. Aspirot is not the only free agency success. Jeannot has been a good fit on Kastelic's flank because of his straight-line approach, presence between the dots and gloves-off willingness. Sean Kuraly, brought back for a second spin, has been a trustworthy No. 4 center playing with Jeannot and Kastelic.
It took a sharp mind and a good communicator to maximize all of their play.
"As soon as I'm around the rink, I'm a very confident guy," Sturm said. "I always believed in myself. I know I'm a good coach and I can push some buttons. One guy can't do it. You always need the whole team to do it. I'm a big guy, a big believer that it's all about the team."
The 47-year-old Sturm has been patient. He served as Todd McLellan’s assistant for four seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. He ran the operation in Ontario, L.A.’s AHL club, for three seasons. He was a finalist for the San Jose Sharks opening that went to David Warsofsky.
In retrospect, Sturm is probably happy he didn't get the Sharks job. San Jose has missed the playoffs seven straight times. The Kings, meanwhile, have turned to interim coach D.J. Smith after firing Hiller.
In returning to the club he represented as a player for 302 games, Sturm oversaw the comeback of a spirited roster. The Bruins competed hard. They learned his hybrid zone system. They executed his 1-2-2 forecheck.
It didn't take long for Sturm to grab his players' attention. By Week 2 of the regular season, they were already in the weeds of a losing streak that would stretch to six games.
"As a manager, you're definitely wondering if it's going off the rails," Sweeney said. "But watching behind the scenes and how the group was coming together and how Marco was getting his hands on things, it led me to believe we would find our way."
The Bruins are back in the playoffs, perhaps earlier than expected. This is not the record-setting roster of 2022-23. But Sweeney and his colleagues are well on their way to pulling off a two-track turnaround.
James Hagens practiced on Thursday as the No. 3 left wing next to Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov. The 19-year-old’s trajectory is shaped like the blade of a hockey stick. Hagens projects to be a long-term top-six catalyst, either at wing or center. His first two NHL performances signaled that the Bruins proceeded the right way with Hagens: supporting a move to the wing as a Boston College sophomore; encouraging his defensive growth; starting him in Providence instead of Boston on an amateur tryout contract.
"He's playing within a structure that everybody has been building," Sweeney said."That's communication throughout our whole organization.You want that with every player."
There's more coming, including Dean Letourneau,Hagens' former BC teammate.If the lottery breaks for the Bruins and the Leafs fall out of the top five picks,the Bruins will nab their 2026 selection.
Last year was a catastrophe.But the Bruins have laid out the blueprint for a one-year,180-degree reboot.Today and tomorrow are looking sunny.