It has been a difficult past year for Boston Bruins fans. The 2024-2025 campaign saw the team fire their head coach midseason, trade a franchise icon and endure a number of injuries that sent the team spiraling towards the bottom of the NHL standings.

Now, under the leadership of first-year Head Coach Marco Sturm and a revitalized roster full of new faces, the Bruins are set to turn the page and begin a new chapter in their storied history.

However, the team opened the new season without naming a captain for the first time since the 2001-2002 season. The role of Bruins team captain has remained vacant since the team traded then-captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers last season. It made sense not to rush the decision and immediately elevate someone else to the role — it would be unreasonable to expect anyone to replace Marchand so soon. With that being said, starting a brand new season without a team captain is an embarrassing look for the franchise.

Following an offseason that featured numerous changes to the roster and coaching staff, it is clear that the Bruins are trying to find a new sense of identity and get back on track. Having a captain helps create a bridge between coaches and players, with their steadying presence fostering a stronger sense of cohesion throughout the team. That same presence can resonate with fans as well, serving as a symbol of the values, attitude and style of play the organization is striving to build.

Instead, Bruins management appears content to play the waiting game and not force any decisions.

“I think eventually somebody will emerge as the guy who should be the next captain. It comes with a lot of responsibility, so I’d like to see more of an organic, natural progression of it,” Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney said back in September.

This would be one thing if the team lacked any reasonable options, but that is simply not the case for the Bruins.

Both David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy are well-suited candidates as they are the team’s two longest-tenured players and both currently serve as alternate captains.

Pastrnak is one of the NHL’s elite talents, having recorded over 100 points in each of the last three seasons. “Pasta” is also one of the league’s most recognizable and popular players, with his jersey frequently seen in and around Boston. Ask just about any Bruins fan who their favorite player is, and there’s a good chance the answer is Pastrnak.

McAvoy is also incredibly worthy of consideration. The tough, physical defenseman has been a fixture for Boston’s backline and was named to Team USA’s 2026 Winter Olympics roster. McAvoy, who attended Boston University, understands what it means to play and thrive in Boston, and he’s committed to the team long-term, with his contract running through the 2029-2030 season.

The Bruins could even consider players like Elias Lindholm — who is the team’s third alternate captain — or Morgan Geekie, both of whom have been reliable, consistent performers and recently signed long-term extensions.

For a franchise with such a storied history, going without a captain feels like a disservice to the standard set in place. For years, the team embraced a winning culture under the captaincy of Zdeno Chara, who was then succeeded by Patrice Bergeron and, eventually, Marchand.

Staying in this stalemate suggests a complacency among team leadership that risks keeping the Bruins stuck in mediocrity. They are one of only two NHL teams without a captain — the other being the San Jose Sharks, a young franchise that has struggled near the bottom of the standings for years.

If the Bruins are to right the ship and get back to their winning ways, they need to sew a “C” on someone’s jersey. Whether it is Pastrnak, McAvoy or another player, Sweeney and the Bruins’ front office need to officially endorse a new face to lead the franchise forward.