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Bruins Report Card: Injuries Leave Questions on Blue Line
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- Bruins Report Card: Injuries Leave Questions on Blue Line
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Outside of their core group, the Boston Bruins spent much of the 2025-26 season searching for an answer with their blue line depth. They struck gold with Jonathan Aspirot , who made his NHL debut and played in 61 games this season.
But injuries changed the season for both Henri Jokiharju and Jordan Harris .
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Jokiharju was injured in November, and once he returned, he was no longer a regular in the lineup. His game became plagued with inconsistent play, but he did show upside on offense. Harris, who also has offensive upside to his game, only saw action four times after he came back from injury, not giving the Bruins enough time to get a full evaluation.
The Bruins acquired Jokiharju at the 2025 trade deadline, and they brought Harris in four months later at free agency.
Jokiharju is signed for two more years, and Harris is a restricted free agent this summer.
HENRI JOKIHARJU: D+
Season Stats: GP: 41; G: 2, A: 13, Pts: 15; +/-: +2, PIM: 14; ATOI: 17:48
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Playoff Stats: GP: 2; G: 0, A: 0, Pts: 0; +/-: +1, PIM: 0; ATOI: 15:50
Expectations
Buried in the late shuffle of the 2025 trade deadline, the Bruins acquired Jokiharju, 26, from the Buffalo Sabres for a previously acquired fourth-round pick. He joined the Bruins and quickly found a home with Nikita Zadorov on the first pair while Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm were out with injuries.
While not the flashiest defenseman, Jokiharju peaked with 20 points (3-17–20) in the 2023-24 season with Buffalo. His offense dipped in 2024-25; he finished with 10 combined points (3-7–10) over 60 games.
Last summer, Sweeney acknowledged the Bruins' need on the right side, then signed Jokiharju to a three-year deal with a $3 million cap hit.
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Season Review
Jokiharju and Zadorov started the year together on the third defensive pair. That lasted until Mason Lohrei was scratched in late October , and Zadorov was moved to the top pair.
In late November, Jokiharju was hurt and did not return to the lineup until January. Before the injury, he had five assists (two on the power play) but was a minus-6. Once he returned, he flipped his minus-6 into a plus-2, but he only dressed for 16 of the Bruins' last 40 games. He also scored his first goal as a Bruin, then scored again in the penultimate game of the season.
With Jokiharju on the ice, the Bruins had 33.84 expected goals for and 40.54 expected goals against (45.5%). The Bruins allowed 153 high-danger chances as well.
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He showed flashes on offense and looked very composed when he jumped back into the lineup. However, his game was inconsistent, and that was something Don Sweeney mentioned at the end-of-season press conference.
"There are times he did really well," said Sweeney. "A lot of times Henri came back in the lineup, and his first game was really good, and maybe it drops off a little bit."
Future
While Sweeney also said Marco Sturm "doesn't dislike" Jokiharju, his lineup decisions may have tipped their hand as to where Jokiharju fits into his system. And yes, while injuries changed the trajectory of his season, his play before the injury was nothing special. If anything, it looked much better after, but Jokiharju still did not find a regular spot in the lineup.
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He is under contract for two more years at a $3 million cap hit, making him movable if the Bruins were to explore the trade market. He had a no-movement clause for the 2025-26 season, and that goes away for the last two years of his deal.
Right-shot defensemen are a need throughout the league, but they are also a need in Boston. That's why Jokiharju is here, and that is why Sweeney felt comfortable with the extension last summer.
He has found success at the IIHF World Championships this year, posting eight points (2-6–8) through the preliminary round. Last year, the tournament helped Jeremy Swayman regain his confidence after a down year, and the Bruins will hope the same can happen for Jokiharju.
JORDAN HARRIS: INC
Season Stats: GP: 8; G: 1, A: 2, Pts: 3; +/-: even, PIM: 0; ATOI: 15:54
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Playoff Stats: GP: 1; G: 0, A: 0, Pts: 0; +/-: -2, PIM: 0; ATOI: 13:37
Expectations
Jordan Harris , 25, was signed to a one-year deal worth $825,000 last summer. The Northeastern alum was coming off a year where he was in and out of the Columbus lineup, and he was going to compete for the seventh defenseman role on the Bruins.
It was a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Bruins. At best, Harris could force his way into the Bruins' long-term plans. At worst, it cost the Bruins $825,000.
Season Review
Harris gets an incomplete due to the lack of games played this season.
Harris won the seventh defenseman spot out of training camp, dressed for five games, then was hurt. Before his injury, he demonstrated his ability to be an offensive defenseman , and he also played some penalty kill minutes.
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While Harris was hurt, Jonathan Aspirot was called up for left-side depth, earned a roster spot, and signed a two-year extension in January .
Harris returned from his conditioning stint on February 2, but only played in three regular-season games after his call-up. He made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut during the first round in Buffalo, but it was not one of his best performances, and he came out of the lineup for Game 5.
He also played on the right side down the stretch, his off-hand.
Future
Harris is a restricted free agent in July. He is due a qualifying offer of $866,250, and he is eligible for arbitration.
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The Bruins bought low on Harris, and there was upside. Unfortunately, injuries prevented Harris and the Bruins from seeing what that upside looks like, though in the eight games he played, he did show some signs.
There is little risk in keeping him around. By giving him another year, Marco Sturm can see when and where Harris fits into the Bruins' lineup, and it bolsters the blue line depth in the case of an injury. The Bruins talked about adding more speed and skill, and while most of that conversation centered around the forward group, Harris brings some of that to the back end.
He also spent last summer, and his time injured, working closely with skills coach John McLean, who coached Harris since he was 10 years old.
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