Bruins shuffle lines before Panthers at TD Garden

The Bruins hit the ice Saturday without James Hagens, and Marco Sturm says the rookie will be out a few weeks ahead of Sunday's game against Florida.

It's a tough break for the 2025 seventh overall pick, who has 12 points in 17 games this season. Sturm had been preaching patience with James Hagens just days ago, and now the Bruins have to move on without him for a while.

Jim McBride of the Boston Globe laid out the Saturday practice lines and defense pairs, and the top six looks locked in.

Sturm didn't sugarcoat the Hagens news when he spoke to reporters. The team's official account shared his comments, and the coach said it's "definitely going to be a few weeks" and that Hagens "needs some time to heal."

The good news for Boston is where it plays next. The Bruins are 12-4-1 with 25 points, and TD Garden has been the difference: 7-1-0 at home, compared with 5-3-1 on the road.

Florida arrives Sunday with Boston riding a three-game winning streak, capped by the 6-2 win at Pittsburgh on Thursday. The Bruins also carry a +24 goal differential into the weekend.

Who steps up in Hagens' absence

The answer sits in the middle of the lineup. Fraser Minten has 6 goals and a +10 rating, Matthew Poitras has 4 goals in 12 games, and Morgan Geekie has 13 points. That trio gives Sturm a second line he can trust.

Behind them, Elias Lindholm has 14 points and 3 game-winning goals, and he centers Casey Mittelstadt and Marat Khusnutdinov. That's real production from a third line, the kind most teams don't have.

The top line of John-Jason Peterka, Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak stays together, and Peterka is a +11. If those four lines hold up, the Hagens injury won't hurt Boston much, at least at home.

Still, a few weeks is a long stretch for a rookie who was exceeding expectations. Sturm now has to prove Sunday that the depth chart is deep enough, with the Garden crowd behind him.

Quick hits

OTTAWA SENATORSTim Stutzle and the Senators are running back the same lineup against Utah tonight. The team confirmed it on its official account. When it's working, why touch it?

SAN JOSE SHARKSRobert Tiffin reports that Ryan Warsofsky is starting Alex Nedeljkovic in goal for the Sharks tonight at Dallas. A road start against a tough opponent.

NEW JERSEY DEVILSThe Devils confirmed that Jake Allen will start in goal tonight against the Islanders, not Connor Hellebuyck or David Rittich. That's a call worth watching.

LOS ANGELES KINGSThe Kings have officially activated Alex Turcotte from injured reserve, and he's set to play tonight against the Penguins. A welcome lift for the lineup.

ANAHEIM DUCKSMighty Ducks cast members will be at Honda Center for Sunday's game against the Penguins, the team announced. Expect plenty of nostalgia in the building.