Bruins GM Don Sweeney Confirms Team Will Start 2025-26 Season Without Captain, Leadership Group to Emerge
As the Boston Bruins gear up for the 2025-26 season, the big question hanging over the team is who will wear the coveted ‘C’ on their jersey. General Manager Don Sweeney has confirmed that the Bruins will begin the season without a designated captain, opting instead to let the team’s leadership group develop organically.
“We’ve been honest with the team that we’re going to start without a captain,” Sweeney said during the Bruins’ annual golf tournament in Plymouth, as reported by WEEI. “It’s important that the leadership group develops naturally, and I have no doubt that someone will emerge as the right person to lead. We’re going to give it time and let the process unfold—this is about finding the right fit for the Bruins.”
The Bruins finished last season without a captain after Brad Marchand was traded to the Florida Panthers at the deadline. Marchand, who had served as the team’s captain, signed a six-year extension with Florida over the summer, leaving a leadership void. David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy continued to wear the ‘A’ as alternate captains for the remainder of the season, with McAvoy missing some time due to an AC joint injury.
Sweeney stressed that the decision regarding the captaincy would not be rushed. “It comes with a lot of responsibility,” he added. “So I’d like to see a little more organic, natural progression of it.”
New coach Marco Sturm echoed Sweeney’s thoughts, emphasizing the importance of the captaincy but noting that he wasn’t in a rush to make a decision. “If you’re a Boston Bruin, it’s a big deal,” Sturm said in June on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “I’m not going to make that decision alone. It’s a big decision for the team, and we’ll talk about it and make sure we’re both on the same page when the right guy emerges.”
The Bruins’ captaincy has historically seen smooth transitions, with Zdeno Chara passing the torch to Patrice Bergeron, and Bergeron to Marchand. However, after a difficult season that saw Boston miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the team has undergone significant changes, including the firing of Jim Montgomery and the hiring of Marco Sturm as head coach.
Pastrnak and McAvoy are expected to take on increased leadership roles moving forward as the Bruins aim to return to playoff contention.
Sweeney wrapped up his comments, saying, “We’re moving forward with the leadership group that’s going to be established, and Marco will have his own communication with them. Let them work together and figure out what direction they want to take this team.”
The Bruins will enter the season with no official captain, but with a strong leadership group ready to guide the team back to its winning ways.
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"Incredibly Fortunate...": Ellyse Perry On Australia's Squad For Women's ODI World Cup 2025
On September 5, the defending champions, Australia, announced a star-studded 15-member squad for their upcoming ODI World Cup.
Australia Women's all-rounder Ellyse Perry believes that the defending champions are "incredibly fortunate" as they have great depth in the squad which has been picked for the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, which will take place later this year in India. The record seven-time champions will attempt to defend their crown on the turning tracks of the sub-continent, with their campaign beginning on October 1 against New Zealand. While ball tweakers will have a say on such surfaces, Australia have been handed a massive boost with left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux set to be on track to be fit for the marquee event.
"We're really conscious of the fact that we're incredibly fortunate to have some huge depth on our side, both batting and bowling," Ellyse Perry said at a sponsorship announcement for Chemist Warehouse ahead of the team's departure to India.
"So, from that aspect, I think we've made a really conscious shift towards wanting to take the game on from the very start and probably keep our foot down for as long as we can. Obviously, you've got to adapt to conditions and certain circumstances, but it just feels like there's a real ethos within the group to make sure that we can utilise everyone's talent on the day. It's going to be one person's day most of the time, not everyone's, but if we can kind of really be consistent with that, we've got a good chance of being successful more often than not. I think that's been a big shift for us," the player added.
Earlier on September 5, the defending champions, Australia, announced a star-studded 15-member squad for their upcoming ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2.
Alyssa Healy will lead the side with Grace Harris occupying the final batting spot and Georgia Voll making the cut after enjoying a breakout maiden year in international cricket. Healy recently returned to on-field action after recovering from the foot injury she sustained in the Ashes last year. She announced her return with flamboyance and notched 137* off 85 deliveries against India A.
Voll is one of five players, alongside Molineux, Wareham, Phoebe Litchfield and Kim Garth, who made the cut for their first 50-over World Cup squad. For the three ODIs against India, Australia will be supplemented with the uncapped duo of Nicole Faltum and Charli Knott. After the conclusion of the series, they will fly back home for the WNCL season.
Australia squad for Women's ODI World Cup: Alyssa Healy (capt), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
