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Bruins’ nightmare scenario in 2025 NHL Free Agency

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Steve Silverman | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 7:22 PM ET

The 2024-25 season was a disaster for the Boston Bruins. This perennial playoff team stumbled badly at the start of the season and head coach Jim Montgomery was fired early in the year. After a brief surge that indicated a return to playoff form was possible, the Bruins fell of a cliff in the Eastern Conference and descended all the way to last place in the Atlantic Division.

The Bruins will have a new look in the upcoming season, and it starts behind the bench. They hired former Bruin Marco Sturm to be the team’s next head coach. After his NHL playing career came to an end, Sturm returned to his native Germany and began his coaching career. He paid his dues by coaching the German national team, becoming an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings and then a minor league head coach.

Bruins fan can expect a determined and driven leader who helps restore the team’s defensive skills and achievements.

The Bruins need goaltender Jeremy Swayman to return to top form after an inconsistent year that followed a nasty holdout that caused him to miss all of training camp. Defensemen and Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm suffered major injury setbacks last year and both should be healthy at the start of next season’s training camp. McAvoy suffered a shoulder injury while playing for the U.S. team in the 4 Nations Face-Off while Lindholm suffered a knee injury that kept him out nearly all of last season.

The Bruins are also expecting more from holdovers Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha and defenseman Nikita Zadorov. None of those players met the expectations that general manager Don Sweeney and the Bruins coaching staff had for them.

Free agency will be a key for the Bruins

Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

It is clear that Boston needs an infusion of new talent, and they are likely to be involved in free agency. While there are a couple of huge names that head the free agent market this season, it does not seem likely the Bruins will go after Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs or defenseman Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers.

It’s not that the Bruins couldn’t use a scorer of Marner’s ability, but a contract that is expected to reach $13 million or more per year does not appear to be what Sweeney and the Bruins want to pay. Bouchard has one of the league’s hardest shots from the blue line and he is a dynamic offensive factor, but his contract could also be prohibitive.

The Bruins may believe that adding a couple of solid free agents that are not at the level of Marner or Bouchard may help the team return to the upper echelon and allow them to become a playoff factor once again.

One of the players that should be high on their list is Brad Marchand. The Bruins’ former captain was traded at the deadline to the Florida Panthers for a future first-round draft pick. Marchand was injured at the time of the trade but he has returned to full health and has performed at a superior level for the Panthers.

Marchand will be a free agent July 1. Management appeared to come to the conclusion that Marchand’s days with the Bruins were in the past, but they need to bring him back because the 37-year-old still is highly skilled and brings incredible energy to the team.

If the Bruins ignore him or are outbid for him by an opponent, it could be disastrous for the organization.

Other key free agents would be helpful for Bruins

Free agent forwards like Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks, Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, Ryan Donato of the Chicago Blackhawks and Kappo Kakko of the Seattle Kraken could all be strong fits for the Bruins.

The 27-year-old Boeser may be the most explosive player on this list. He was a 40-goal scorer with the Canucks two years ago, but he was held to 25 goals last year. Donato is a former Bruin who scored a career-high 31 goals last year.

Adding the high-priced free agents like Marner and Bouchard would not be a bad idea, but only if the team could also have the depth that is needed to complete a full 82-game season.

Sturm would certainly like to see the Bruins add big-time offensive talent, but the team’s calling card has been defense. That should not be ignored going forward.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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