2 Defensemen the Bruins Should Target This Offseason

Kesselring shouldn’t be targeted because of his offensive prowess; he does have that potential to be a factor, scoring seven goals and 29 points in 82 games in 2024-25. Where it matters is in the defensive zone, since he’s willing to sacrifice his body and play a 200-foot game, and he’s willing to explore his options. This season, he added 38 blocks and 25 hits to his career totals.

His $1.4 million average annual value (AAV) contract expires at the end of the season, and could be a sneaky addition by general manager Don Sweeney if he’s a fit in Boston.

The right-shot defenseman has played 190 games in the NHL, split between the Arizona Coyotes, Utah Mammoth, and Buffalo Sabres. He’s recorded 55 points (12 goals, 43 assists) and could be a low-risk, high-reward signing, and is a pending unrestricted free agent.

Filip Hronek, Vancouver Canucks

Right-shot defensemen are coveted in the NHL due to the need they fill.

Defensemen who can play the right side seal a hole that is often difficult to fill, increasing the demand for them. Some of the best left-shot NHL defensemen who play the right side, like Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Shea Theodore – (from ‘Why right-handed defenseman are so rare and valuable in the NHL’, The Athletic, 03/05/2024, Joshua Kloke)

We’ve seen numerous trades where teams have received a generous cache for right-handed defensemen, for example, the Chicago Blackhawks retained a percentage of Seth Jones’ salary and acquired their starting goaltender from the Florida Panthers, Spencer Knight, and a 1st-round pick for the veteran.

The Vancouver Canucks have a chance to use Filip Hronek as a trade chip to push their rebuild forward by acquiring draft capital, in addition to $43.5 million in value they still have to pay out to the defenseman for the next six years (an AAV of $7.25 million).

Hronek recorded a career-high 49 points in 2025-26 as a Canuck, and could provide an intriguing top-four option for a Bruins’ blue line that is anemic.

With the Bruins looking to accelerate their retool, reshaping the blue line could help the team achieve its goal of winning a Stanley Cup. But they’ll have to spend in order to add the kind of talent that will get them there.

At the moment, they have only $889,000 in salary cap space, so they’ll have to find a way to include a third team in the transaction, or move off other players who don’t fit their timeline.

The Cost To Acquire Hronek

What would a trade for Hronek, a right-handed defenseman who could provide offensive firepower missing on the blue line?

If we reference the trade that brought him to Vancouver, it doesn’t seem too far off from what the Canucks could get in return for Hronek.

The Red Wings received a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, which the Canucks acquired when they traded Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders, and a second-round pick in 2023 draft. The Red Wings also received a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft. The first-round pick the Red Wings received could potentially move to the 2024 NHL Draft.

Contending NHL teams need players like Hronek who could play up and down the blue line. His last partner before rookie Zeev Buium? Quinn Hughes.

Hronek could slot in Henri Jokiharju’s spot on the second pair and provide Hampus Lindholm a consistent partner. He’s capable of playing over 20 minutes a night, with an ATOI this season of 25:00, and a Corsi-for percentage of 49.9% per Hockey Reference.

The Bruins Need To Re-evaluate Their Blue Line

After an easy-out of the first round, the Bruins need to go back to the drawing board this offseason, as Kesselring and Hronek are two intriguing options for the Original Six team that hasn’t seen a Stanley Cup since 2011.

Kesselring provides a bargain option, and Hronek is the “big-ticket” candidate in this scenario, but either would be worth it.