NHL free company is only a day outdated, and the Bruins may have already got accomplished all of their offseason heavy lifting.
Common supervisor Don Sweeney utilized newfound wage cap area Monday, doling out practically $100 million in contracts. The majority of that monetary may went to a pair of gamers: heart Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
In fact, in a wage cap league with gamers coming in, gamers are going out. The Bruins mentioned goodbye to a handful of stalwarts, most notably Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort.
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery will get some deserved day off after improvement camp wraps up this week, however as he begins waiting for the 2024-25 season, he and the hockey operations workers have some lineup choices to make.
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Right here’s our greatest guess at how issues may shake out, assuming full well being and potential.
FORWARDS
Pavel Zacha — Elias Lindholm — David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand — Charlie Coyle — Fabian Lysell
Trent Frederic — Matthew Poitras — Morgan Geekie
Jon Beecher — Mark Kastelic — Justin Brazeau
Lindholm is being paid like a top-line heart, and he’ll doubtless assume the function from Day 1 in Boston the place he’s been tied to the group for fairly a while. He performs a accountable two-way recreation, and his manufacturing may bounce again to 2022 ranges (42 objectives) on a line with Zacha and Pastrnak. It may additionally do wonders for a participant like Zacha, particularly within the playoffs, shifting him to wing and taking some stress off whereas nonetheless understanding he can play down the center if wanted.
Sweeney tipped his hand on a few different roster issues Monday. Proper now, there’s a reasonably apparent gap on the suitable facet of the ahead group. The Bruins are comfortable about their ahead depth and flexibility, however signing Zadorov took them out of the working for a top-six winger who can put the puck within the internet. Sweeney additionally talked about Lysell by title, admitting there’s a “hole the place we wish to see any individual take benefit.” The 21-year-old was the one participant he mentioned by title relating to that emptiness. The 2021 first-round choose has precisely zero video games of NHL expertise, however 29-58-87 totals in 110 AHL video games over the past two seasons is likely to be sufficient to get him a glance to open the season.
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Sweeney additionally talked about getting Kastelic within the Linus Ullmark commerce, citing “fourth-line versatility.” Faceoffs have been a problem for the Bruins, particularly within the playoffs, however Montgomery ought to be ok with sending a fourth line with Kastelic and Beecher over the boards to win a defensive-zone draw; Kastelic has received 56.3% of his faceoffs in his profession.
DEFENSEMEN
Nikita Zadorov — Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm — Brandon Carlo
Mason Lohrei — Andrew Peeke
If every thing goes proper, this unit is the power of the Bruins’ workforce. McAvoy has been a top-10 vote-getter for the Norris Trophy 3 times in his profession. Hampus Lindholm completed fourth in voting two seasons in the past, main the NHL in plus-minus. That’s their ceiling. Carlo may give you 20 exhausting minutes per night time, whereas Lohrei confirmed flashes of potential that might make him Boston’s high two-way D-man in brief order. Zadorov brings a wanted component of nasty to the combination. That may very well be much more important within the playoffs. He’s no goon, both, and may very well be an awesome complement to the group over the course of his hefty contract.
Sweeney didn’t supply a lot when it comes to the defensive plan, however he did briefly notice that Zadorov may skate with McAvoy. Spitting these two up may give the Bruins probably the most depth all through an 82-game schedule, nevertheless it wouldn’t be shocking to see Montgomery tab the duo as his No. 1 pairing when the spring rolls round.
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GOALIES
Jeremy Swayman
Joonas Korpisalo
There was a pure inclination to wonder if Korpisalo was lengthy for Boston after the Bruins landed him within the Ullmark commerce. Given how Sweeney and the B’s have been capable of navigate the free company waters with Korpisalo’s cap hit on the books, it seems for now the backup job is his to lose. The massive query stays when Swayman’s long-term contract will come to fruition. Sweeney insisted a deal that satisfies all remains to be the “precedence” together with his No. 1 goaltender and doesn’t appear too infatuated with any form of timeline for a brand new settlement.
