Bruins Solidify Their Roster Depth With Callahan & Khusnutdinov

Khusnutdinov is fast, and at his best, he can provide a speedy presence on the ice who can make plays as a member of the bottom six. The Bruins saw flashes of what he can contribute towards the end of last season, and with a contract of under $1 million per year, he provides a low-risk, high-reward presence in their forward group. At just 22 years old, there is room for Khusnutdinov to continue to build on his game, and he will look to do just that in Boston over the next two years. He was set to become a restricted free agent, and the Bruins are likely happy to have him locked down without going through the arbitration process.

Michael Callahan

The Bruins also inked Callahan to a deal on Sunday, a one-year contract worth $775,000. He has appeared in 17 NHL games for the Bruins. He was drafted in 2020 by the Arizona Coyotes and made his debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 14, scoring his first goal at the NHL level on April 8 in the Bruins’ second-to-last game of the campaign against the New Jersey Devils.

Like Khusnutdinov, Callahan is on the younger side. A native of Franklin, Massachusetts, and an alum of Providence College, the defenseman has been in the Bruins’ organization since 2022, spending most of the time since then in Providence. Callahan’s signing likely indicates that pending free agent defenseman Parker Wotherspoon will depart ahead of next season, as Callahan will slot in as the team’s seventh defenseman. Though Callahan’s contract is a two-way deal, if Wotherspoon indeed does not re-sign, Callahan will likely see more NHL playing time than he did a season ago.

Depth Options

Khusnutdinov and Callahan are two depth additions that will look to make an impact on the ice for the Bruins next season. One issue the 2024-25 Bruins ran into was a lack of contribution from players in supporting roles. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie were spectacular; however, they did not receive enough support from the depth around them. This shortcoming was particularly evident on the defensive end of the ice; after Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy went down with injuries, the Bruins struggled to replace the contribution they received from their two best defensemen. Khusnutdinov and Callahan will look to make meaningful contributions on the ice for the Bruins in 2025-26.

At low prices, these contracts are low risk; however, both of these players have the potential to make a sizeable impact. Callahan has the chance to step into a full-time NHL defenseman role for the first time in his career, and Khusnutdinov will look to continue his development as an offensive playmaker, possibly solidifying himself as a member of the Bruins’ top-nine forward group.