Bruins’ 2024 Offseason Moves Not Aging Well

DeBrusk scored a career-high 28 goals in Vancouver this season, a tally that would have been good for third on the Bruins behind Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak. His 48 points would have come in the same place on the black and gold. DeBrusk seemed to be due for a change of scenery heading into last offseason, and the jury is still out on whether or not the nearly $40 million the Canucks gave him will be money well spent, however the Bruins certainly could have used his speed and scoring ability this past season.

Ullmark’s talents could have also helped. The Swede posted a record of 25-14-3 during the 2024-25 regular season with a respectable .910 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.70 goals-against average (GAA). These numbers far outperform the Bruins’ tandem of Swayman and Korpisalo, who combined to win just 33 games, posting a .892 SV% and 3.31 GAA along the way. 

Signings

The Bruins signed three players to long-term deals last offseason: Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Jeremy Swayman. Year one of each of these three deals was not a good one. At his best, Zadorov is a big body defenseman who can provide a physical presence on the blue line to be reckoned with. The Bruins got that at times in 2024-25, however, it felt that more often than not, Zadorov was in the spotlight for making mistakes that hurt the team. His 145 penalty minutes led the NHL. While some were for timely fights that got the TD Garden crowd going, many were careless errors that put the opponent on the man advantage.

The Bruins’ biggest need ahead of last season was a legitimate top-six center, something the team lacked in 2023-24 after the departures of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. The team filled that hole by signing Lindholm. He was a solid two-way player for the Bruins this season, however, he was not the top-six center they paid for and badly needed. If they hope to take a step up offensively next season, they will need Lindholm to take a leap forward.

Swayman’s contract is perhaps the largest cause for concern out of these three. The Bruins committed $66 million over eight years to their young netminder just days before opening night, and they have not received the play to back up that number just yet. Part of this may be a result of the fact that Swayman did not have a full offseason; however, his save percentage sank below .900, and he allowed over three goals per game, both for the first time in his career. Bruins fans should be optimistic that their young goalie will be able to turn things around next season and into the future: for most of his career he has been spectacular, particularly during the 2024 Playoffs. That said, if Swayman is unable to go back to his old self, the Bruins are in trouble.

A Concerning Offseason

The 2024 offseason was not kind to the Bruins. Between letting DeBrusk and Ullmark go, both of whom played great hockey in 2024-25, and committing major term and money to Zadorov, Lindholm, and Swayman, all of whom underperformed, it is no wonder that the Bruins regressed as a team. These latter three are all players who management may consider moving in 2025-26 and beyond if their play does not turn around.