Bruins re-sign trio before free agency, but fans question Sweeney’s blue line plan

Bruins re-sign Jokiharju, Beecher, and DiPietro as Don Sweeney finalizes key depth moves before NHL free agency window opens.

Jokiharju stays in Boston, but blue-line help still feels incomplete

Don Sweeney isn’t waiting around for July 1 to make things happen.

After securing a long-term extension with Morgan Geekie, the Bruins’ general manager continued his early offseason push by locking up three more names: Henri Jokiharju, John Beecher, and Michael DiPietro.

Jokiharju, who arrived from Buffalo at the deadline, has signed a three-year deal carrying a $3 million average annual value. He played a steady role alongside Nikita Zadorov down the stretch and did enough to earn trust in key minutes. But if the plan is to move forward without adding another right-shot defenseman, fans have every reason to feel underwhelmed.

This doesn’t feel like the final piece to the puzzle, it feels like the opening move before something bigger.

Whether through trade or free agency, the expectation is that Boston will still pursue another upgrade on the back end. If not, they’re risking a repeat of last year’s limitations.

Beecher gets a second chance, but it may be his last

John Beecher’s one-year deal worth $900,000 says everything. This isn’t just a bridge contract, it’s a test. After flashing potential in a limited fourth-line role, Beecher now enters the season needing to prove he’s more than just a fringe depth option.

He’s got the tools: speed, defensive reliability, solid work on the penalty kill. But the Bruins have been waiting for more. This deal puts the pressure squarely on the former first-round pick to deliver. One step forward, and he could earn a bigger role. One step back, and Boston may look elsewhere.

Quiet DiPietro signing could lead to louder consequences in net

Michael DiPietro wasn’t supposed to be the storyline, but here he is.

The 25-year-old goaltender re-upped on a two-year contract worth $812,500 per year. And while the numbers are modest, the implications aren’t.

There were teams hoping DiPietro would reach free agency, one NHL source admitted. But Sweeney was quick to shut that down.

DiPietro’s steady development and low cap hit give Boston an affordable insurance policy in goal. More importantly, it raises questions about Joonas Korpisalo’s future. With Korpisalo reportedly frustrated and the Bruins in need of cap space, DiPietro’s signing may have just opened the door for a change in the crease.

Sweeney’s plan becomes clearer: control the controllables

In less than a week, the Bruins have handed out deals to Mason Lohrei, Marat Khusnutdinov, Michael Callahan, Morgan Geekie, and now Jokiharju, Beecher, and DiPietro. None of these moves grab headlines on their own, but collectively, they signal something deliberate.

Sweeney is laying the foundation. Before the market explodes, he’s ensuring Boston has internal stability and roster flexibility.

It’s the kind of methodical approach that leaves room for a bigger swing, whether that’s a surprise signing, a cap-clearing trade, or a calculated wait to pounce on a late bargain.

Free agency officially opens Tuesday. But make no mistake, the Bruins have already started shaping their future.