With the NHL Draft full and the Bruins deciding on prospects who can probably assist the franchise within the distant future, it’s time to shift gears to free company.
After buying and selling Linus Ullmark and Jakub Lauko, the Bruins have a projected $24 million in out there cap house to spend. In fact, a few of that cash is probably earmarked for Jeremy Swayman’s contract extension. Nonetheless, normal supervisor Don Sweeney made it clear on the end-of-season press convention that the Bruins plan to be aggressive to enhance the core group in Boston.
With the depth the Bruins have on the blue line, focusing on a top-six ahead appears to be the larger precedence for Sweeney and firm.
Listed below are 5 gamers the Bruins may goal on July 1 to extend scoring, pace and toughness within the lineup.
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C Jonathan Marchessault
Apart from the 2021-22 season, Marchessault has been a 20-plus purpose scorer for the reason that 2016-17 season when he performed for the Florida Panthers. The 33-year-old wing gained the Conn Smythe Trophy within the 2022-23 Stanley Cup playoffs, main the Vegas Golden Knights to their first championship in franchise historical past. Final season with Vegas, Marchessault lit the lamp 42 instances and added 27 assists within the second-greatest offensive output of his profession. His final contract was for six years, with an annual cap hit of $5 million. Vegas doesn’t have a lot room of their cap to provide Marchessault an extension, so he could possibly be out there for the Bruins to signal.
C Elias Lindholm
Lindholm was rumored to be a Bruins goal on the commerce deadline this previous season, however Calgary dealt the 29-year-old to Vancouver within the closing yr of his six-year contract. Lindholm has scored 20 or extra objectives 4 instances in 11 seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, Flames and Canucks. His career-high 82 factors (42 objectives, 40 assists) got here within the 2021-22 season. He completed second to Patrice Bergeron for the Selke that yr. An upside to Lindholm is he’s 53.5% in faceoffs in his profession. Vancouver has north of $12 million in cap house, however he could possibly be too costly for the Canucks.
LW/RW Jake DeBrusk
Though talks with the Bruins UFA have stalled, Boston and DeBrusk may nonetheless work out a deal after the winger exams the open market. DeBrusk is a homegrown expertise who has amassed 138 objectives and 128 assists in 465 video games for the Black and Gold. Regardless of breaking his hand in late January, he performed a career-high 80 video games for Boston and went on to have the very best postseason efficiency of his profession — main the group with 11 factors in 13 video games. The 27-year-old is coming into the prime of his profession and is due a increase from the $4 million per yr he made on his final contract. The Bruins have loads of cap house to supply DeBrusk an extension if the 2 sides ought to attain an settlement.
LW/RW Tyler Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi labored phenomenally with the Bruins as a rental in the course of the 2022-23 season. He was a direct match within the Bruins system, posting 16 factors in 21 regular-season video games and 10 factors in seven postseason video games. With Boston up towards the cap for the 2023-24 season, the Bruins couldn’t provide Bertuzzi an extension, so he signed a one-year cope with division rival Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs have north of $18 million in cap house, however the membership has 9 gamers coming into free company and 4 different restricted free brokers to take care of. Bertuzzi may discover himself on the lookout for a brand new group. The 29-year-old ahead is already acquainted with Boston, so it could possibly be an ideal match — particularly if DeBrusk indicators elsewhere.
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RW Sam Reinhart
Reinhart helped lead the Florida Panthers to their first Stanley Cup in franchise historical past. The 28-year-old ahead tallied 10 objectives and 6 assists in 24 playoff video games for Florida, together with six factors towards the Bruins within the second spherical. He has scored 20 or extra objectives in eight of the ten seasons he’s been within the league, with a career-high 57 objectives within the 2023-24 season. Reinhart has amassed 254 objectives and 285 assists in 696 NHL video games with the Panthers and the Buffalo Sabres. His expiring contract was $6.5 million per yr, and the Panthers have slightly below $20 million out there with 11 gamers coming into free company. Reinhart could possibly be a casualty of the cap and a participant the Bruins may signal.
