The Bruins must address these roster needs this off-season.
With their 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6, the Boston Bruins' playoff run officially came to an end. As a result, the Bruins' off-season is here, and it's a big one.
While the 2025-26 season was ultimately a success for the Bruins, it is clear that they should be looking to make some upgrades to their roster. They have multiple roster needs to address, so let's take a look at them now.
Bruins Need A Top-Four Defenseman For Their Right Side
The Bruins need to look to add a top-four defenseman for their right side. Blueliners like Mason Lohrei, Henri Jokiharju, and Andrew Peeke have not been answers for the right side of their second pairing. Therefore, the Bruins have yet to find a proper replacement for Brandon Carlo since trading him to the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
Rasmus Andersson, Darren Raddysh, Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, and Connor Murphy are among this year's top pending UFA right-shot defenseman. Colton Parayko, Braden Schneider, and Simon Nemec are a few right-shot defensemen who were in the rumor mill leading up to the deadline.
Bruins Need To Add A Top-Six Winger
The Bruins must also look to bring in at least one new top-six winger during the off-season. That remains the case whether they end up re-signing veteran forward Viktor Arvidsson this summer.
The Bruins simply do not have enough fire power in their top six, and this was undoubtedly exposed during their first-round series against the Sabres. Because of this, the Bruins should be on the hunt for another impactful winger this off-season.
Alex Tuch is the top pending UFA forward, and the Bruins should consider making a big push for him if he does not re-sign with Buffalo. A few other pending UFAs include Evgeni Malkin (61 points in 56 games), Bobby McMann (29 goals in 78 games), and Anthony Mantha (33 goals and 64 points in 81 games). Overall, the Bruins' free-agent options for a top-six winger are pretty limited.
As for trade candidates, a few notable wingers who were the subject of trade speculation leading up to this year's deadline included Jordan Kyrou, Brock Boeser, Matthew Knies, and Owen Tippett.
Bruins Need To Add A Top-Six Center
The Bruins should also be looking to add a top-six center this off-season. It is clear that they need more skill down the middle if they hope to be a more significant threat in the Eastern Conference.
This year's free-agent market is not the strongest when it comes to centers, so the Bruins would likely need to address this need through trade. Robert Thomas, Vincent Trocheck, Nico Hischier, and Elias Pettersson are among the top center trade candidates heading into the summer.