Bruins: 5 Players Who Would Have Been Great Additions

The Boston Bruins have made plenty of additions this off-season, but none are necessarily game-changers. Because of this, the Bruins have still not addressed some of their most notable roster needs this summer.

Due to this, let's discuss five players who could have been excellent additions to the Bruins' roster had the Original Six club landed them.

The Bruins were rumored to be one of the teams interested in Brock Boeser leading up to free agency. While the 28-year-old winger ended up hitting the market as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1, he surprisingly signed a seven-year, $50.75 million contract to return to the Vancouver Canucks.

Had the Bruins signed Boeser, he would have finally given them a legitimate answer for their second-line right wing spot. This is because the 2015 first-round pick has been an impactful scorer throughout his career, and there is no question that the Bruins could use another one. Thus, he would have been a big-time pickup for the Bruins, but he will instead be staying with the Canucks for a very long time.

In 75 games this past season with the Canucks, Boeser recorded 25 goals, 25 assists, and 50 points.

With the Bruins trading Brad Marchand at the 2025 NHL trade deadline and not finding a replacement for him yet, there is no question that they would benefit by adding another star left winger. Because of this, Nikolaj Ehlers certainly stood out as a possible target for the Bruins heading into this summer. However, after spending a few days on the market as a UFA, Ehlers signed a six-year, $51 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.

When looking at the Bruins' lineup, Ehlers would have been a massive addition to their group. With his high offensive talent, he could have fit perfectly on the Bruins' first line and made some real magic with superstar David Pastrnak. Yet, with Ehlers signing this long-term deal with the Hurricanes, the dream of him coming to the Bruins can be forgotten.

In 69 games during the 2024-25 campaign with the Winnipeg Jets, Ehlers recorded 24 goals, 39 assists, 63 points, and a plus-14 rating.

It was no secret that the Buffalo Sabres were shopping winger JJ Peterka this off-season. The 23-year-old forward wanted a change of scenery, and the Bruins certainly stood out as a potential fit for the skilled winger. However, the Utah Mammoth were the lucky team to land him, as they acquired him from the Sabres in exchange for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan.

Peterka would have been an amazing addition to the Bruins' roster if they had acquired him. This is because the 23-year-old has already proven himself as a legitimate top-six forward and is still young enough that he could get even better. Thus, he would have been a perfect fit for a Bruins club that is retooling and needs more offensive talent.

In 77 games this past season with the Sabres, Peterka scored 27 goals and recorded new career highs with 41 assists and 68 points.

The Bruins were one of the teams linked to forward Andrew Mangiapane in free agency this year. However, the 2015 sixth-round pick ended up signing a two-year, $7.2 million contract to join the Edmonton Oilers.

Mangiapane certainly would have the potential to be a strong pickup for the Bruins. When looking at the Bruins' lineup, Mangiapane could have slotted very nicely in the Bruins' middle six due to his ability to provide solid secondary offensive production. This is especially so when noting that he can play both left wing and right wing because of his strong versatility.

During this past season with the Washington Capitals, Mangiapane recorded 14 goals, 14 assists, and 28 points in 81 games. While it was a down year for the Toronto native, he recorded at least 40 points in his three previous seasons with the Calgary Flames. Thus, he is a prime bounce-back candidate heading into the 2025-26 season and could have been a solid addition for the Bruins because of it.

Since trading Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, the Bruins have been in need of another top-four right-shot defenseman. Because of this, Dante Fabbro was viewed as a possible UFA target for them, but he ended up re-signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets before July 1.

If Fabbro had hit the market and the Bruins signed him, he would have given the right side of their blueline a major boost. After being claimed off waivers by Columbus last season, Fabbro thrived in a top-pairing role, posting nine goals, 17 assists, 26 points, and a plus-23 rating in 62 games. With this, he would have been a very good addition to the Bruins' roster, but he, unfortunately, never became available for them.