The Boston Bruins have decisions to make on their expiring contracts before free agency opens on July 1. Based on factors such as roster needs and players' talent, we are ranking the 10 most important free agents and predicting their future in Boston.
With exactly one month remaining until free agency opens, we will be going over the top 10 free agents for the Boston Bruins.
These are all “in-house” options that the Bruins will have to decide between keeping or letting go. This is not covering potential free agent targets on other teams.
Additionally, the ranking has less to do with the talent or production of the player, but rather the importance of the decision. Obviously each player’s ability factors into that determination, but based on the make-up of the roster and the team’s most-pressing needs, a ‘better’ player may not be as big a priority as a player in another position.
We’ll kick off with No. 10:
10. Kevin Shattenkirk, Defense
Age: 35
2023-24 stats: 61 GP, 6G-18A-24P
Previous contract: 1 year, $1.05 million
Total Years with Bruins: 1
After the departure of Connor Clifton last offseason, Shattenkirk came in as a low-cost, veteran defenseman to slot in beside Derek Forbort on the third pair. After three years in Anaheim playing a larger role, Shattenkirk didn’t need to be what he once was. His average time on ice this season was a career-low 15:47 compared to his next-lowest: 18:54 in 2019-20 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
An offensive defenseman to complement Forbort, Shattenkirk also was one of the few players on the roster who had won a Stanley Cup – in 2020 with the Lightning – and could bring deep playoff experience to a roster hoping to contend.
However, despite not being asked to do as much, the season didn’t go quite as well as Shattenkirk hoped. He played just 61 games, often getting scratched as the season drew on and other options such as Mason Lohrei and Parker Wotherspoon began to emerge. He got some looks on the power play, but otherwise had six goals (two on the power play) and 24 points.
He falls in at 10 on the list because he's arguably the most replaceable based on what the Bruins already have. The playoff experience is one thing, but after Lohrei's emergence both on the power play and at even strength, there's less of a need for Shattenkirk's calling cards.
Prediction: He walks
The Bruins, barring significant changes, have six of seven defensemen under contract for next season. Could they decide to bring Shattenkirk back as the No. 7 without having to spend much money? Yes.
But is that what Shattenkirk wants? And with the Bruins having over $20 million in cap space, is that what the team wants?
My guess for both of those questions is no. Based on his comments during end-of-season media availability, Shattenkirk understands he won't be getting "Charlie McAvoy minutes" at this stage of his career, but he wants to play for a competitive team, whether that's Boston or elsewhere.
"I think at this point, I'll be looking at somewhere that is a good fit for me and I think that's going to be probably the same thing for teams," Shattenkirk said. "It's not like they're trying to bring in a young guy with maybe a higher or different ceiling than me. I think it's something that I'm going to have to just see how it plays out and see what teams are looking, and like I said, hopefully it's Boston."
The Bruins will be competitive, but how often would Shattenkirk get to play? Looking at the right side of the defense especially, McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and Andrew Peeke are each in their prime and under contract for multiple years. Injuries are always a factor, but I think "a good fit" in Shattenkirk's eyes is somewhere he can realistically compete for an everyday third-pair spot, and unlike the 2023-24 Bruins, the 2024-25 squad will not be able to offer that.
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