As the 2023 NHL offseason begins in full swing, the Boston Bruins will enter the offseason with full knowledge that next season's team will look much different than the team that won the President Trophy while setting new NHL single season records with 65 wins and 135 points. One of the key players from this past record setting season in Nick Foligno will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Despite Foligno's valuable leadership, resolve, and grit he brought the Bruins in 2022-2023, there is a chance that he may not be back with the team in 2023-2024. In an event that Foligno does not return to the Bruins on a new deal, Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney will need to figure how he would replace such an important figure in the Bruins locker this past season.
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There is one player the Bruins should strongly consider signing as a potential replacement should Foligno depart in free agent.
Washington Capitals forward Conor Sheary.
The 31 year old unrestricted free agent had spent his last three seasons with the Washington Capitals. Sheary just played his second and final year of a 2 year, $3 million dollar with annual average value of $1.5 million per season. In an offseason where saving money and getting value for the buck will have to be the name of the game for Sweeney, Sheary would bring great value to the Bruins bottom six if signed to a team friendly deal.
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Sheary this past season scored 15 goals with 22 assists for 37 points while playing all 82 games for the Capitals this season. Sheary would be an excellent option for the 3rd or even the 4th line in terms of flexibility and option for Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery.
Bruins GM Sweeney has a monumental challenge ahead of him this offseason. Sweeney has to create cap room as the Bruins are just under $5 million dollars in salary cap room. This is where being able to make shrewd moves will be so important for the Bruins in case of the unrestricted free agents departing for elsewhere. This past season, the Bruins benefited greatly from having offensive balance on all four lines. If Foligno departs for free agency, signing a player like Sheary would not only add offense to the bottom six but also provide value for the money that he would be worth in the role he would be in.
The name of the game this offseason for the Bruins is savings and value. Conor Sheary would provide both in the event Nick Foligno departs elsewhere.