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 just under 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 they 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.
You can find the rest of the list so far below:
Today we look at No. 7:
7. Jesper Boqvist, Forward
Age: 25
2023-24 stats: 47 GP, 6G-8A-14P
Previous contract: 1 year, $775k
Total Years with Bruins: 1
Boqvist joined the Bruins after playing 189 games with the New Jersey Devils to start his career. Although he posted double-digit goals and assists in his last two seasons, the Devils did not extend a qualifying offer, making Boqvist an unrestricted free agent.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney scooped him up for the league-minimum, and Boqvist entered Bruins training camp with an inside track to a bottom-six role. However, after failing to make the opening night roster, Boqvist started the season in AHL Providence and played just two NHL games before the calendar flipped to 2024.
He finally earned a permanent spot in January, locking down the fourth-line center position while the wingers beside him constantly switched as the season went on. The highlight of Boqvist’s season came in February, when he recorded seven points (three goals, four assists) in a seven-game stretch.
The main reason why he isn’t higher on this list is the amount of depth forwards the Bruins have. Their biggest need on the open market will be a true No. 1 center, or at least a top-six scorer. Assuming Boston brings at least one in, the new player(s) will join Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha as top options down the middle. Morgan Geekie and Matt Poitras should fall in behind, with Johnny Beecher in the mix after he started this past season as the fourth-line center before shifting to Boqvist’s left wing.
Prediction: He re-signs
The fact that Boqvist is a restricted free agent makes it more likely he stays to begin with, but there’s more to it than that. Jim Montgomery liked what Boqvist brought to the fourth line, despite his struggles at the face-off dot.
With Beecher and Pat Maroon on his wings by the end of the season, Boqvist brought speed and a higher level of puck possession that I’d imagine Montgomery and the rest of Bruins management will want to keep in the mix, but it won’t be without competition.
Boqvist played all seven games of the Toronto series, but did not play in Game 1 against Florida. After returning for Boston’s 6-1 loss in Game 2, he did not play again for the rest of the playoffs. Given how the season ended for him, he’s far from a lock to return. But the Bruins need to offer just $813,750 to retain his rights, according to CapFriendly, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to make something work if they want him as a depth forward option.
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