The Boston Bruins will have $20+ million to spend this offseason. The Hockey News is evaluating potential targets leading up to July 1.
With NHL Free Agency opening on July 1, the Boston Bruins will have decisions to make on both their expiring contracts as well as players leaving other teams that they could make a run for on the open market.
Earlier this month, we ranked the top 10 most important Boston Bruins free agents, consisting of the players with expiring contracts and their relative value to the team.
This time, we’ll be covering 10 free agents from other teams that could be attractive to Boston. These are not ranked in any particular order, but it will ultimately focus on the Bruins’ biggest needs: a top-six forward (or two) and a left-shot defenseman. Backup goalie was also a potential need, but after the Bruins traded Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators on Monday, Joonas Korpisalo -- one of the returning pieces -- is poised to compete with Brandon Bussi for the job.
There will be a new name covered every day leading up to the start of free agency.
Previously, we looked at forwards Elias Lindholm, Tyler Bertuzzi, Tyler Toffoli, Vladimir Tarasenko and Chandler Stephenson, as well as defensemen Brenden Dillon, Shayne Gostisbehere and Joel Edmundson. Today, we look at another forward:
Sean Monahan, Forward
Age: 29
2023-24 team(s): Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets
2023-24 stats: 83 GP, 26G-33A-59P
Previous Contract AAV: $2 million
Expected New AAV (per AFPAnalytics): $5.32 million
The Bruins picked their potential center of the future in Dean Letourneau at the 2024 NHL Draft on Friday, but in the meantime, the Bruins are hoping to find another center for 2024-25. Depending on how the free agent market plays out, Monahan could be an option for them.
After he was limited to 90 games over the previous two seasons, Monahan played 83 games in 2023-24, getting an extra game after he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets from Montreal in February. It was a bit of a resurgent year for Monahan, who fell just short of 60 points, which he had not come close to touching since he scored 82 with the Calgary Flames in 2018-19.
Monahan is coming off a bargain contract and could be due for a substantial pay raise. AFPAnalytics projects a four-year, $21.3 million contract for him. Would the Bruins be comfortable paying that to a player coming off his first strong season in nearly five years? I’d imagine they’d prefer to focus elsewhere.
However, if the price comes down and other options go elsewhere, the potential is there. His play-making ability would complement David Pastrnak and any other scoring winger they might also acquire this offseason.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney also emphasized improving on the face-off dot, and Monahan’s 54.9 win percentage from last season would help that cause, especially with Johnny Beecher and Pavel Zacha as the only reliable left-shot face-off takers.
A signing like this would likely depend where the chips fall on July 1, but Boston could do a lot worse than adding Monahan to the fold, especially if he stays on track following his course-correcting 2023-24.
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