Where will the Bruins go from here?
In the 2022-23 season, the Boston Bruins put together one of the most impressive regular seasons in NHL history. Their incredible 65 wins ranked as the most in regular season history. So their decline to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings just two years later comes as a bit of a shock.
As of now, the Bruins hold a 31-38-9 record across 78 games. Their .455 points percentage is also fourth-worst in the league, and the team was officially eliminated from playoff contention.
A lot of things went wrong for the Bruins this season. Among them, the team struggled to score goals, and their once elite goaltending ended up being an issue.
With the Bruins outside the playoff race, they opted to sell at the trade deadline. Some smaller pieces were shipped out, with the team trading both Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau. However, the team also moved long-time veterans. Defenseman Brandon Carlo was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs, forward Charlie Coyle was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche, and captain Brad Marchand was traded to the Florida Panthers.
As a result, the Bruins find themselves in rather unfamiliar territory. The team had previously reached the playoffs in eight straight seasons and were one win away from a Stanley Cup in 2019.
So, with some questions as to what comes next, below are three predictions for the Boston Bruins this offseason.
Bruins avoid a full rebuild
While the Bruins had a huge sell-off at the trade deadline, we can also expect the worst of this is over. Some teams in the Bruins' position might opt for a full rebuild, rather than a quick retooling. However, it seems unlikely that a roster teardown continues.
Before the deadline, Boston primarily dealt away players who had limited term remaining on their respective contracts. They were able to recoup future assets and avoided signing players to extensions. But at this point, the Bruins' biggest remaining pieces are all locked into long-term contracts.
Between David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Elias Lindholm, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Jeremy Swayman, this group of players is all under contract for the next half-decade. Meanwhile, key restricted free agents Mason Lohrei and Morgan Geekie are both likely to be extended. As a result, selling any other core pieces seems unlikely.
Moving any of the players above would represent a full rebuild. Instead, the Bruins will likely look to get back to a more competitive spot soon.
Bruins are active in free agency
Last summer, the Bruins made a splash in free agency. The team signed Elias Lindholm, as well as Nikita Zadorov, to long-term contracts. Both arrived after stints with the Vancouver Canucks. While the additions didn't stop the Bruins from a disastrous year, we can expect Boston to be active once again this year.
Assuming the Bruins don't want to enter a full rebuild, there are limited other pathways to getting better in the near future. If the team tries to build through the draft and solely wait for young talent to develop, it'll be a longer process. Plus, the Bruins aren't likely to part with future assets in a trade. So, free agency is the best route to try to improve quickly.
The team does have quite a bit of cap space, setting them up to have a shot at attracting a bigger name. Based on the Bruins' offensive struggles this year, targeting a top forward or two is the most likely bet. The team ranks 29th in the NHL in goals per game, and David Pastrnak is their only high-producing forward. As a result, look towards an active free agency period for the Bruins.
Future assets are protected
While Boston may look for upgrades this offseason, trading any future assets should be out of the question.
Before the trade deadline, Boston managed to add a great mix of prospects and draft picks. Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten were both acquired, who could emerge as long-term building blocks. They also acquired a first-round pick in 2026 and several second-round picks. Plus, their first-round pick this year could potentially come inside the top five.
Based on their additions at the deadline, the Bruins are in a better position to build long-term. However, we can imagine those future assets they've acquired are likely to be off-limits in any trade. Adding via free agency can help short-term, but protecting their future assets is still key for longer-term success.
The only way the Bruins are likely to part with any major future assets is if they can acquire a younger roster player. If they were able to add a forward who could both help now and be around long-term, there's a case to be made that selling future assets isn't a bad move. But while the Bruins may still add short-term, they shouldn't lose sight of a long-term build.
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