The Boston Bruins will have $20+ million to spend this offseason. The Hockey News is evaluating potential targets leading up to July 1.
With NHL Free Agency opening on July 1, the Boston Bruins will have decisions to make on both their expiring contracts as well as players leaving other teams that they could make a run for on the open market.
Earlier this month, we ranked the top 10 most important Boston Bruins free agents, consisting of the players with expiring contracts and their relative value to the team.
This time, we’ll be covering 10 free agents from other teams that could be attractive to Boston. These are not ranked in any particular order, but it will ultimately focus on the Bruins’ biggest needs: a top-six forward (or two) and a left-shot defenseman. Backup goalie was also a potential need, but after the Bruins traded Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators on Monday, Joonas Korpisalo -- one of the returning pieces -- is poised to compete with Brandon Bussi for the job.
There will be a new name covered every day leading up to the start of free agency.
Previously, we looked at Elias Lindholm, Brenden Dillon, Tyler Bertuzzi, Tyler Toffoli and Vladimir Tarasenko, but today we look at another option on defense besides Dillon:
Shayne Gostisbehere, Defenseman
Age: 31
2023-24 team(s): Detroit Red Wings
2023-24 stats: 81 GP, 10G-46A-56P
Previous Contract AAV: $4.125 million
Expected New AAV (per AFPAnalytics): $4.97 million
This one might be ambitious given the expected salary required for Gostisbehere’s services, especially since the Bruins have more pressing needs. However, if the money could work, Gostisbehere would make an already-strong Bruins defensive corps even deeper.
Gostisbehere eclipsed 50 points in a season for the third time in his career, and his ability on the power play (two goals, 27 assists in 2023-24) could help a Bruins team that was 1-for-16 (6.25 percent) in its second-round series loss to the Florida Panthers, especially with Kevin Shattenkirk likely to depart in free agency.
Gostisbehere would fill out the top four, perhaps fitting best with the more defensive-minded Brandon Carlo, and also allow Mason Lohrei the opportunity to develop even further without the pressure of delivering in a top-four role.
Lohrei spent the latter part of the season playing alongside Carlo or Charlie McAvoy in the top four, and while he certainly didn’t disappoint – in fact, his performance in Game 1 against Florida was tabbed by many as his “breakout” performance – both Lohrei and the Bruins would benefit by continuing to ease him into a larger role.
Obviously if Lohrei earns a permanent top-four spot, that’s where he’ll play, but having another defenseman like Gostisbehere in the mix would make Boston’s success next season less dependent on Lohrei’s growth.
Chances are the Bruins will spend more on the forward group, which could put Gostisbehere out of range on the open market, but if for some reason they whiff on their top options and focus on defense instead, Gostisbehere would be a major upgrade when playing at his best.
