Due to their salary cap trouble, the Boston Bruins were forced to move on from several players from their 65-win roster this offseason. Although it is disappointing seeing notable names like Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov, and Garnet Hathaway gone, it does open the door for other players to become breakout candidates in 2023-24. As a result, let’s discuss three specific players who could take that next step in their development this upcoming season.
Jakub Lauko
The 2022-23 season was successful for young forward Jakub Lauko. The 23-year-old made his NHL debut with Boston, where he had four goals, three assists, 44 hits, and a plus-2 rating in 23 games played. Although he was not dominant, he made a clear impact when utilized because of his tenacity and high-energy style of play. We saw that he has the tools to become a bottom-six forward in the NHL, and this could be the year when he becomes a full-time NHL player.
Lauko will be in the running for a spot in the Bruins’ bottom six at the start of the season. Remember, they lost Hall, Hathaway, Tomas Nosek, and Nick Foligno this summer, so there are jobs to compete for. When noting that Lauko showed signs of improvement during this past season, I could see him taking a notable step forward in this upcoming campaign.
Morgan Geekie
The Bruins made an intriguing move when they signed Morgan Geekie to a two-year, $4 million contract. The 24-year-old center surprisingly was not sent a qualifying offer from the Seattle Kraken, even after having the best season of his young career. In 69 games with the club, he scored nine goals and recorded a career-high 28 points. The potential for him to be a quality middle-six forward is there, and perhaps this move to Boston could be the jolt he needs to successfully become one.
When noting that Geekie is still quite young and is a player on the rise, I could see him taking a big step forward in 2023-24. Just last season, we saw Pavel Zacha improve significantly after being dealt to Boston, and Geekie stands out as a player who could as well. Geekie also stands a chance of receiving notable minutes with the Bruins when noting that Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci also may not be back next year.
Mason Lohrei
Mason Lohrei is a prospect to pay close attention to during training camp. The 22-year-old left a great impression at development camp this past week, and general manager (GM) Don Sweeney stated that he is “excited” about him. When noting that he is arguably the Bruins’ top prospect at this juncture, there is reason to believe that he could earn himself a spot on the NHL roster for the start of the season. This is especially so if the Bruins end up moving one of their left-shot defensemen for cap relief.
As a sophomore with Ohio State University this past season, Lohrei posted four goals to go along with 32 points in 40 games. The 22-year-old has all the tools to become a top-four defenseman in the NHL later down the road, as he contributes offensively, is defensively responsible, and plays a heavy game. Thus, perhaps we will see the 6-foot-4 defenseman make a notable difference with Boston this season. The potential is certainly there.
We will need to wait and see if these three players have breakout campaigns for the Bruins next season. All three of them have the potential to, but now it is a matter of them making it come to fruition. If Lauko, Geekie, and Lohrei all can make an impact for the Original Six club, they should be in good shape this upcoming season.
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