Free Agent Focus: Boston Bruins

F Oliver Wahlstrom – The Bruins claimed Wahlstrom off of waivers from the Islanders in mid-December. He joined the squad for two months of action but could only muster two points and 28 penalty minutes in 16 games before Boston had seen enough. They waived Wahlstrom and assigned him to the minors in late-February. But then he thrived in the AHL, netting nine goals and 15 points in just 19 games – the highest scoring pace of his professional career at any level (save for a 10-game stint in Sweden in 2020-21). Wahlstrom is a hard bet after spending the last six seasons trying, and failing, to secure an NHL role. But a wave of strong play could be exactly what the doctor ordered. A cheap, two-way deal this summer could set Boston up to be the beneficiary of any resurgence next year.

F John Beecher – Beecher spent the full season on the NHL roster for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, the promotion didn’t spark any one part of his game. He ended the year with just 11 points in 78 games – just one more point than he was able to score in 52 games last season. Beecher carries first round precedent, having heard his name 30th-overall in the 2019 class. But now a few years removed, Boston should have a reasonable glimpse at what he brings to the lineup. If they’re looking for a big-body to continue holding down the fourth line, Beecher should come at little cost. But the open market may have more productive options to shore up Boston’s depth.

F Marat Khusnutdinov – Khusnutdinov joined the Bruins in the waning moments of the Trade Deadline. Boston seemed to have a carved-out role in the bottom-six for the Russian youngster, and he rewarded them with five points in 18 appearances. That may be moot, but it’s just two points shy of his totals in 57 games last year. The 22-year-old Khusnutdinov seemed to catch a spark in the Bruins’ system. He’ll offer the team a glimmer of upside on a new deal – but it could be tough to narrow down the price point of a former second-round pick with 91 games of experience but just 16 points.

F Jakub Lauko – Lauko joined Khusnutdinov in the late-Deadline move. He had spent the last two seasons in the Bruins organization, but traveled West for 38 games with the Minnesota Wild at the start of this season. Through the move, Lauko’s emposing physical presence continued to shine through – even as he ran into persistent injury issues with the Wild. Combined between Minnesota and Boston, Lauko finished the year with 11 points, 47 penalty minutes, and a minus-13 in 56 appearances. Those numbers don’t jump off the paper, but his continued bruiser role and Boston’s desire to re-acquire him this season both point towards a new deal coming soon.

Other RFAs: F John Farinacci, F Trevor Kuntar, F Georgii Merkulov, F Jaxon Nelson, D Ian Mitchell, D Daniil Misyul, D Drew Bavaro

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

D Henri Jokiharju – Jokiharju rounds out the trio of Trade Deadline acquisitions. He scored the lowest of the bunch – netting four assists in 18 games, one point fewer than either forward. But that number shouldn’t be the highlight of Jokiharju’s first stint in Boston. Despite low-scoring, the 25-year-old defender looked plenty comfortable on the Bruins’ blue-line – and played upwards of 24 minutes a night while filling in for Brandon Carlo’s second-pair vacancy. Boston needed help on the backend and Jokiharju supplied it en masse. He scored 20 points in 74 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season – a mark that could look mighty fine with a continued minutes in Boston. Jokiharju will be one of the Bruins’ pricier re-signings – albeit among a cheap bunch – but the shimmer potential he has as a top-six lock will make the deal worth it.

F Cole Koepke – Boston led with a quiet bottom-six all season long – and Koepke’s role on the fourth-line highlighted the group. He scored just 17 points in 73 games on the season, but never looked too terribly out of place with the big club. Koepke entered the year with just 26 games of NHL experience under his belt, all coming with the Tampa Bay Lightning over the last two seasons. He had otherwise been a productive minor-leaguer, with flashes of goal-scoring upside and two-way play. Those attributes could still shine through as he becomes more adjusted to the top flight. Boston will be left with the question of whether that upside is worth buying into, or if they’ll be able to find a better depth-winger on the open market… or in their prospect pool.

D Parker Wotherspoon – Wotherspoon operated as Boston’s true bottom defenseman this season, with his 18 minutes of average ice time the lowest of any blue-liner to spend the bulk of their year with the NHL club. He recorded seven points, 10 penalty minutes, and a minus-10 in 55 games to show for the role, falling one point shy of his career-high eight points from 41 games last season. Wotherspoon will be 28 years old by the time the 2025-26 season begins, and could be better suited for a return to the minors after platooning between leagues over the last two seasons. If not a demotion, Wotherspoon will likely continue on in a low-depth role for the Bruins – offering a low-cost, but low-upside option.

G Michael DiPietro – The Bruins will lose both of their minor-league goaltender to free agency this season. Both carry fantastic cases to be re-signed after effectively splitting starts this season. DiPietro performed best in the spotlight, though – ending the year with a .927 save percentage and 26-8-5 record through 40 games. He was once a top goalie prospect for the Vancouver Canucks, before injuries and lack of opportunity sent him on a spiral through the minors. DiPietro finally seems to be on the other side of those struggles, and could find a push back to the NHL on whatever new deal Boston can construct. That will make him worth a long look this summer, even if backup Brandon Bussi offers a plenty suitable replacement.

Other UFAs: F Tyler Pitlick, F Riley Tufte, F Vinni Lettieri, D Michael Callahan (Group-6), G Brandon Bussi

Projected Cap Space

The Bruins will enter the summer with a projected $26.27MM in cap space. That should be plenty of space to not only re-sign their top options entering free agency, but also take runs at aggressive free agent singings or summer trades. The Bruins missed the postseason for the first time in eight years – and just the third time since 2007-08 – this year. That’s an unacceptable result for the fixture of summer hockey. Ample signing room, strong candidates for re-signing, and open lineup spots should all give freshly re-signed general manager Don Sweeney a chance to show he can still build a playoff contender.

 Photo courtesy of Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports. Contract information courtesy of PuckPedia.