The Bruins are in a position to do some damage this summer.
The Bruins are in a position to do some damage this summer.
The 2023-24 season has been a successful one for the Bruins. Even after losing several significant players in the offseason, they are once again one of the top teams in the NHL standings.
While the Bruins should be happy about their regular season, changes are no doubt coming this summer. The Bruins are entering the offseason with over $20 million of cap space, as many players like Matt Grzelcyk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Derek Forbort, and James van Riemsdyk are coming off the books. As a result, the Bruins are in a prime position to bring in notable talent.
Of course, the Bruins will need to sign Jeremy Swayman to his big-boy contract. Jake DeBrusk, the club's top pending UFA, could also get a new deal with the Bruins. Even with this, the Bruins will still have money to work with in free agency and should look to make big splashes.
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin will be on the Bruins' radar if he hits the market, as he has been on the club's wish list since his draft year. The Bruins need to improve their left side, and bringing in a high-impact defender like Hanifin would do just that. A nice consolation prize that could hit the market is Brady Skjei.
The Bruins are also expected to bring in help down the middle, with centers like Steven Stamkos, Elias Lindholm, Matt Duchene, Sean Monahan, and Chandler Stephenson being the best of the bunch.
The Bruins would also free up more cap space if they traded Linus Ullmark and his $5 million cap hit this offseason. He reportedly blocked a trade at the deadline, and there's a general expectation that he will be shopped because of Swayman's soon-to-be raise.
Nevertheless, this should be a very eventful summer for the Bruins. They will have the cap space to make at least one significant move, and we will need to wait and see what they do.
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