It would be a huge surprise for the Boston Bruins to be a better team next year than this season, but their Cup contention window might not be over, writes Adam Proteau.

With the NHL off-season just kicking off, the hockey community’s main focus turns to what could occur in the weeks and months ahead. 

To that end, we’re looking at the present-day state of every NHL franchise and analyzing where they’re heading this summer.

We began this analysis with a breakdown of the Anaheim Ducks’ immediate future, and on Thursday, we moved alphabetically through the league’s teams and focused on the Arizona Coyotes. Today, we shift our attention to the league’s best regular-season team in 2022-23, the Boston Bruins.

2022-23 Grade: A-

Biggest Positive Heading Into the Off-Season

How do you improve on one of the greatest regular seasons in NHL history? Well, of course, you don’t get eliminated in the first round, and, even worse, get eliminated after building a 3-1 series lead. 

That’s the legacy of the 2022-23 Bruins. They have to own their collapse, just as they get to own their incredible dominance over the course of the 82 games that preceded the playoffs.

The good news entering the summer is that Bruins GM Don Sweeney has much of the roster under contract for 2023-24. In particular, Boston’s defense corps has seven D-men signed for the upcoming season. Granted, they don’t have trade-deadline acquisition Dmitry Orlov signed, and with only $4.9 million in salary cap space as per CapFriendly, they can’t afford to bring him back.

Up front, the Bruins have seven forwards signed for next season, including superstar winger David Pastrnak and veterans Brad Marchand, Taylor Hall, Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha and Jake DeBrusk. 

If veteran stars (and current UFAs) Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci choose to return, it likely will be on similarly bargain-basement contracts. But that’s far from assured. Just like Orlov, they likely can’t re-sign UFA veteran winger Tyler Bertuzzi, who will be one of the most prized UFAs on the market this year.

Boston still has the makings of two solid forward lines, but the drop-off after that is significant. That said, the Bruins are bound to be an attractive destination for free agents looking to sign cheap contracts and set themselves up for bigger paydays down the line.

Biggest Need Heading Into the Off-Season

If Bergeron and/or Krejci decide to retire, there’s going to be a major vacuum in Boston’s leadership core. That’s certainly not going to be easily dealt with.

Regardless, Sweeney needs to free up some cap space by creatively remaking the balance of his roster. For instance, does he look at trading No. 1 goalie Linus Ullmark (and his $5-million cap hit) and going with youngster Jeremy Swayman as well as a cheaper backup option in net? Or does he trade veteran blueliner Derek Forbort and his $3-million cap hit? 

Regardless, Sweeney will face a huge challenge to improve on the roster that finished this past season. Boston almost assuredly will be a playoff team again in 2023-24, but it is probable they won’t be nearly as much of a powerhouse as they were last season.

This is what happens under the cap. Talent is redistributed regularly from season to season, and the job Sweeney has is to bring in more big-bargain talents to augment the core they have left over from last year.

Bottom Line for Them This Off-Season

The Bruins were such a steamroller last year, there’s really nowhere for them to go but down – at least in the regular season. 

Perhaps that’s a good thing – maybe Boston needs to play with more urgency than they showed in the final three defeats to Florida in the first round. The Panthers were playing must-win hockey for weeks leading up to the post-season, but the Bruins had amassed such a massive lead in the Atlantic Division standings that they couldn’t flip a switch when the momentum of the first-round series shifted to Florida’s favor. There’s no question Sweeney and coach Jim Montgomery will focus on bringing Bruins players to their peak once the playoffs begin.

It may well be the end of an era if Bergeron and Krejci retire, but that doesn’t mean Boston still can’t contend for a Stanley Cup. Pastrnak is one of the most valuable players on the planet, and Marchand will continue to give the Bruins the edge they need. 

The reputation of the franchise as a proven winner makes them an easy sell to UFAs as well. It remains a long shot that Bertuzzi and Orlov will return to Boston, but Sweeney’s task is to find economic solutions that add tenacity, skill and depth to the current roster.

Sweeney has done very well in that regard in recent years, so Bruins fans have good reason to be confident he’ll do so again.