The Boston Bruins have consistently remained as one of the toughest teams to play against in the NHL. The Bruins have maintained a physical, hard-hitting edge as part of their default game plan.
But it seems the Bruins might have taken things a little too far this season. According to a new study, the Bruins led the league this past season in a dubious category.
A study by the folks at Canada Sports Betting revealed that the Bruins topped the league in most money lost due to suspensions and fines this past season. The data showed that Boston lost a total of $301K this season, mainly driven by Charlie McAvoy’s six-game suspension.
The Bruins blueliner received the six-game ban last month following an egregious slash on the Buffalo Sabres’ Zach Benson during the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The six-game suspension included forfeiture of salary, approximately $296K, thus driving the monetary amount lost this past season.
In total, over NHL players forfeited over $500K in suspensions, compared to $355K in fines.
It’s worth pointing out that because McAvoy’s suspension came in the Bruins’ final game of this season, the veteran blueliner will serve the ban to start the 2026-27 season.
Bruins’ Division Rival Topped Individual Number of Incidents This Season
The Boston Bruins were not the only team to see severe repercussions for their antics this past season. A division rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, racked up a total of nine combined fines and suspension incidents.
The Lightning got a little carried away this past season, being involved in multiple incidents this season with division rivals like the Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and the Sabres. In total, the Bolts forfeited nearly $200K in fines and suspensions combined.
The forfeited amounts may not seem like an overwhelming amount of money, but they do add up across the league. While the Bruins led the league in money lost to fines and suspensions, the overall cost to NHL clubs amounted to over $850K this season.
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Vegas Golden Knights Had to Pay Up for Unusual Reason
One of the most unusual reasons an NHL team had to pay up was the Vegas Golden Knights’ fine during the postseason.
Unlike the Bruins, the league fined the Golden Knights for an off-ice incident. During the postseason, the league issued a $100K fine on Vegas for former coach John Tortorella’s reluctance to honor a media appearance.
The incident occurred following the Golden Knights’ Game 6 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2026 NHL playoffs. In addition to monetary punishment, the organization was docked a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
When looking at the money the Bruins paid in fines and suspension, it seems like a pittance compared to losing a draft pick.
It pretty much goes without saying that any club, not just the Bruins, would be willing to fork over the dough instead of draft picks over disciplinary issues.
Fans hope the Bruins lead the NHL in other categories next season, and not fines and suspensions.
Bruins Lead NHL in Dubious Category, New Study Shows