It’s close, and the Flyers have a stronger case for being a bit better (or at least on more even footing with higher upside) after the 2026 offseason, though the Bruins remain competitive with elite talent.
Last season the Bruins finished with a slight edge (45-27-10, 100 points vs. the Flyers’ 43-27-12, 98 points), but both made the playoffs. Philadelphia’s moves emphasize youth, goaltending stability, and continuity, while Boston’s center on adding scoring skill and defensive depth.
Key Flyers Offseason Moves
- Goaltending upgrade: Acquired Joseph Woll (with D Simon Benoit) from Toronto in exchange for Samuel Ersson, Emil Andrae, and a third-round pick. This creates a stronger tandem with Dan Vladar (who also got a long-term extension).
- Retained core talent: Re-signed RFA Trevor Zegras (4 years, ~$9.125M AAV) and Jamie Drysdale (4 years, $6.5M AAV). Extended Tyson Foerster long-term.
- Depth and physicality: Signed Noel Acciari (2 years) for the bottom six/faceoffs; added other depth pieces (e.g., Zach Aston-Reese). Drafted big defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii after trading down.
- Youth pipeline: Strong young group (Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone who debuted late last year, Zegras, Owen Tippett, etc.) continues developing under Rick Tocchet. David Jiricek also fits into the D mix.
These steps address prior goaltending questions and lock in rising pieces after a surprise playoff run (first-round win over Pittsburgh, second-round loss to Carolina).
Key Bruins Offseason Moves
- Scoring addition: Acquired JJ Peterka from Utah for the 2026 first-round pick (No. 23) and a conditional 2028 first-rounder. The 24-year-old brings speed, skill, and recent 25-goal production for the top six alongside David Pastrnak.
- Defense depth: Traded for Will Borgen and signed Connor Clifton (2 years, $2.25M). Traded backup Joonas Korpisalo (clearing path for Michael DiPietro behind Jeremy Swayman).
- Losses: Viktor Arvidsson (signed elsewhere) and Andrew Peeke (UFA) departed.
The core (Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Swayman, Morgan Geekie, etc.) remains strong, and Peterka addresses a need for secondary offense/speed.
Overall Assessment
The Flyers’ offseason looks like a more complete step forward: better tandem goaltending, retained young talent on team-friendly (or reasonable) deals, and continued build around a promising core. The Bruins made a high-impact skill addition in Peterka and shored up the blue line but lost production and did not transform as much relative to their needs. Some analyses ranked the Flyers’ summer solidly (around the mid-teens in offseason rankings) and noted their upward trajectory.
Projections remain fluid (injuries, chemistry, and development matter), and the Bruins still have more proven star power. Heading into 2026-27, the Flyers appear to have closed or slightly flipped the gap from last season’s near-parity, making them “a bit better” on paper right now—especially with their youth and goaltending stability.
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