Bruins Kick Off Season in Plymouth: 23rd Annual Golf Tournament Supports Local Special Olympics
PLYMOUTH, Mass. — On a crisp Wednesday morning in Plymouth, fairways took the place of ice rinks as the Boston Bruins gathered for a long-standing early-autumn tradition. The 23rd annual Boston Bruins Golf Tournament returned to Pinehills Golf Club, serving as the unofficial launching pad for the upcoming hockey season.
For a single afternoon, players, coaches, and staff traded their hockey sticks for golf clubs, trading the high pressure of the rink for a cause that extends well beyond the sport. Joining the roster on the greens were local Special Olympics athletes, who shared the fairways alongside the Black and Gold. All proceeds from the annual charity event go directly to supporting the Boston Bruins Foundation and the Boston Bruins Alumni Association, funding youth programs, sports development, and community outreach initiatives across New England.
The afternoon atmosphere was relaxed, offering players a final brief breather before intense preparation begins.
“It feels like it’s a kickoff for everyone for having a good season,” said Bruins Head Coach Marco Sturm. “Everyone is relaxed, everyone is having fun, and there’s no better day than being out there for a good cause and also having fun.”
A Condensed Preseason Brings New Roster Pressures
That relaxed tone will pivot quickly as formal training camp opens next week. With the NHL streamlining schedule dynamics, the Bruins face a condensed four-game preseason schedule—a shift that places heightened demands on coaching staff and players alike to evaluate talent efficiently.
For younger prospects aiming to crack the opening-night roster, the trimmed slate leaves virtually zero margin for error.
“Players don’t even realize yet how challenging it is for them—maybe not the older guys, they’re happy, but the younger guys, you don’t really have the opportunities anymore,” Sturm noted regarding the reduced game count. “It’s going to get harder for all of us: coaches, organization, players. So it will be interesting to see how it turns out.”
Building Consistency in Year Two Under Sturm
The team enters camp aiming to build momentum after establishing a foundational framework during Sturm’s inaugural season behind the bench. That campaign culminated in a return to postseason hockey, though it ended abruptly in a hard-fought first-round exit against the Buffalo Sabres.
Rather than viewing the exit purely as a setback, key figures in the locker room view the experience as a vital stepping stone toward sustained success.
“Making the playoffs was the main thing, and obviously once you’re there, you’re there,” said Bruins center Elias Lindholm. “Looking back at last season, that was definitely a couple steps forward, so we’re looking to take another couple steps this year.”
A major component of that targeted progression comes down to tactical familiarity. With a full season operating under Sturm’s structural overhaul, returning players anticipate a much smoother ramp-up phase compared to last year’s transition period.
“Having the systems and the changes that we made under our belts for another year is going to make a huge difference,” added center Morgan Geekie. “It will allow us to kind of get to our game a little earlier than we did last year.”
The Countdown to Opening Night
With charitable duties complete and fairways behind them, the focus now turns entirely toward the regular season. The Bruins will officially drop the puck on their schedule at home when they host the New York Rangers at TD Garden on September 29.
