Bruins stars Charlie Coyle, Matt Poitras and teammates 'hit the course' at Boston Bruins Foundation Golf Tournament

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Sep 14, 2024 12:18 GMT

The Boston Bruins held their 21st annual Boston Bruins Foundation Golf Tournament on Thursday at Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The event, which supports Special Olympics Massachusetts, featured over 50 former and current Bruins players.

Photos shared by the Bruins on Instagram showed players like Charlie Coyle and rookie Mason Lohrei enjoying a day of golf. The team highlighted the event with the caption,

“Hit the course for a good cause."

Notable attendees include Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Tuukka Rask and Mark Recchi. Other participants were Nikita Zadorov, Brandon Carlo, Andrew Peeke, Morgan Geekie, Mason Lohrei and Hampus Lindholm.

The tournament was a fun day of golf to support a worthy cause which reflects the Bruins’ dedication to community service.

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Boston Bruins have gained average weight this offseason

The Boston Bruins are preparing for the new season with a revamped roster. They have acquired players like Nikita Zadorov to boost their defense which has made the team notably bigger. Heading into the start of training camp on September 18, the Bruins are the heaviest team in the NHL, averaging 207 pounds per player. They are also tied for the tallest team, with an average height of 6-foot-2.

Players like Trent Frederic and Mark Kastelic have noticed the team's size. Frederic now feels average-sized compared to his teammates, while Kastelic said that he fits in with the team’s bulk. The roster includes several players over 6-foot-3 such as Nikita Zadorov (6-foot-6) and Brandon Carlo (6-foot-5).

"It’s crazy walking around. I feel like I’m pretty average size or smaller on our team now," Frederic said during the golf tournament.

“I think that’s something that stood out to me when I got traded here, is how big and heavy everybody is,” Mark Kastelic said after captain's practice on Sept. 5. “So, I fall into that category, and it’s definitely different not being one of the biggest guys around. I think I feel pretty average here.”

The Bruins’ increased size reflects a trend in the NHL toward bigger and tougher teams. Zadorov pointed out that the Bruins’ size matches other strong teams in their division like the Florida Panthers who won the Stanley Cup last season.

The Bruins plan to use their physicality effectively in both offense and defense. Coach Jim Montgomery expects the team to be strong in both areas.

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Jeremy Swayman's contract situation is still not taken care of

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery expects Jeremy Swayman to join training camp, but the goalie remains unsigned. Montgomery avoided discussing contract details during Bruins Fan Fest in August and added that it was not part of his job.

"Him and I had a great conversation about leading, becoming a leader as part of the Bruins,” Montgomery said. “I don’t have anything to do with the contract situation. That’s not part of my job detail. My job is my connection with the players, and how we’re going to be good this year. And I have no doubt Jeremy Swayman will be a Bruin at the start of camp, and we’ll be ready to go.”

The team's captain, Brad Marchand said that the situation is normal and players don’t get involved.

“This is part of the business. We all are really looking forward to when it does get done and the process is over and he's back with the group, but that's obviously out of our hands and we don't get involved in any of that. So, it'll be great when everything gets kind of squared away," Marchand said.

Similar situations happened before with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy who signed just after camp started. Reports suggest there’s a $3-4 million gap in contract negotiations, but some believe a deal could be close. Bruins preseason games begin on September 22, with the regular season starting on October 8.