When Marat Khusnutdinov broke training camp with the Boston Bruins, little did head coach Marco Sturm or any fans know just how important he would be early in the 2025-26 season.
Looking to find some offense, Boston's first-year coach moved lines around. When center Elias Lindholm went down with an injury last Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres, Khusnutdinov became a staple on the top line. The Bruins' top-line pivot is expected to be out week-to-week, and so far, the speedy Khusnutdinov is making his presence felt alongside David Pastrnak.
Down 3-2 late in the third period, the Black and Gold were supplying pressure on the New York Islanders, and a grinding shift led to the game-tying goal.