Even with the start of free agency being less than two weeks, the Boston Bruins have not shut the door on keeping around their top two pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). According to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta [https://x.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2068071457473618423], the Bruins are continuing to have contract talks with both forward Viktor Arvidsson and defenseman Andrew Peeke. The Bruins looking to keep Arvidsson around is not surprising one bit. The skilled forward certainly played a big role in the Bruins turning things around this past season, as he worked beautifully on their second line. The veteran winger posted 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games with the Black and Gold in 2025-26. Yet, there would be some risk in the Bruins giving Arvidsson a multi-year deal. This is because Arvidsson will be turning 34 years old next season and has had injury trouble over his career. Due to this, a short-term deal would likely be the best course of action if the Bruins want to keep him in Boston. When it comes to Peeke, the Bruins give him much of a raise from his previous $2.75 million AAV to get him to stay put in Boston. The 28-year-old is fine as a bottom-pairing defenseman, but with the Bruins needing a true top-four right-shot defenseman, they should not be paying a lot to keep him. In 77 games this season with the Bruins, Peeke recorded five goals, 14 points, 105 hits, and 135 blocks. On a short-term and affordable deal, Peeke could be worth bringing back. However, if he is looking for a notable raise, the Bruins should look elsewhere for blueline help.
