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), a left-shot defenseman and – potentially – a backup goalie for Jeremy Swayman.
There will be a new name covered every day leading up to the start of free agency.
Previously, we looked at Elias Lindholm and Brenden Dillon, but today we shift back to forward:
Tyler Bertuzzi, Forward
Age: 29
2023-24 team(s): Toronto Maple Leafs
2023-24 stats: 80 GP, 21G-22A-43P
Previous Contract AAV: $5.5 million
Expected New AAV (per AFPAnalytics): $5.29 million
A year after last offseason’s drama surrounding the free agency destination of Tyler Bertuzzi, could a reunion be in the works?
After arriving in Boston around the 2023 Trade Deadline from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a first- and fourth-round pick, Bertuzzi quickly won over the hearts of Boston fans with his brash on-ice personality and his offensive production, which gave the record-breaking 65-win Bruins of 2022-23 even more depth.
Despite Boston’s first-round upset to the Florida Panthers last year, Bertuzzi (five goals, five assists) shared the team lead in playoff scoring with Brad Marchand. At the same time, he was a major culprit in the Bruins’ team-wide turnover issues that ultimately contributed to Florida making a series comeback from down 3-1.
Come free agency, there was mutual interest in coming to terms on a new contract, but ultimately the Bruins couldn’t meet Bertuzzi’s demands and wound up filling out their roster with bargain signings such as Morgan Geekie, James van Riemsdyk and eventually Danton Heinen. Bertuzzi, meanwhile, couldn’t find a long-term partner and signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A year later, Bertuzzi is not coming off his best season, but he reached 20 goals and 20 assists for the third time in his career. With more cap space to work with this summer, and Jake DeBrusk’s time in Boston looking all but finished, perhaps the Bruins would try to work things out with Bertuzzi.
The Bruins were able to do just fine without him this season, but his production during his short stint in Boston is noteworthy. His 16 points in 21 regular season games extrapolates to 68 points in a full 82-game season. On the 2023-24 Bruins, only David Pastrnak (110) had more than that, with Marchand the closest at 67. Of course, Bertuzzi didn’t reach that scoring rate last season with Toronto, but his time in Boston makes him an intriguing option.
AFPAnalytics projects a four-year, $21.1 million contract, which would be a sizable commitment. However, given the uncertainty of the free agent market, perhaps the Bruins will be compelled to go with ‘the Devil they know,’ especially with DeBrusk poised to exit.
