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The Boston Bruins marauded their way through the NHL during the 2022-23 regular season. After setting league-wide records for points and wins during their first 82 games, they stormed their way into the Stanley Cup playoffs — and promptly lost in the first round.
The Bruins appear to be a much different team as they prepare for the 2023-24 season. There are expectations that veteran centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will retire. While nothing is official in mid-July, it appeared the two opted to play last season to make one final run at Stanley Cup title. With both players in their late-30s, there may not be enough left in the tank to overcome the painful defeat in last year's playoffs and dominate once again.
The Bruins may have licked their wounds after their stunning seven-game defeat to the Florida Panthers, they have made some moves during free agency to help them regain their swagger. One of those moves was to bring back hard-nosed winger Milan Lucic, a former Boston star who had played a key role in their 2011 Stanley Cup and was a throwback to former Bruins like Terry O'Reilly and Wayne Cashman.
During his first run with the Bruins, Lucic was just as likely to beat opponents with his fists as he was with his goal scoring. At this point in his career, Lucic does not have much foot speed and his goal scoring is not what it was, but he is thrilled to be back in a Bruins uniform and knows how to set an example for his teammates.
In this piece we look at the team's free-agent record, and grade general manager Don Sweeney's work in the offseason.
Free Agent losses
The Bruins made several moves during the regular season to bring in key performers who would strengthen their team. Players like Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway were brought in to supplement the team's overall strength.
While those moves looked good in the regulars season, they could not get the Bruins past the first round of the playoffs. In addition to falling short in the playoffs, the Bruins were in a limited position because of the salary cap. As a result, they could not hold on to the players they had surrendered draft choices to get.
Bertuzzi signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Orlov inked a deal with the Carolina Panthers and Hathaway found a new home with the Philadelphia Flyers. In addition to those losses, defenseman Connor Clifton left the Bruins and signed with the Buffalo Sabres.
Losing those four players while waiting on Bergeron and Krejci to decide their future will undoubtedly diminish the Bruins in 2023-24.
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Free agent signees
While the Bruins did not have a lot of room to go after star players in free agency, Sweeney traded left win Taylor Hall to the Chicago Blackhawks to regain some salary cap flexibility. As a result, the Bruins were able to sign a few free agents who came at a relatively low cost.
The signing of Lucic should return some snarl to the Bruins lineup. In addition to his physical style, Lucic will go to the front of the net and create some level of havoc. Lucic has not scored 20 or more goals since the 2017-18 season, but he could be a solid fourth-line addition as he returns to Boston with enthusiasm.
Morgan Geekie signed a tw0-year, $4 million deal after spending the last 2 seasons with the Seattle Kraken. The 6-3, 200-pound Geekie is coming off a 19-goal, 28 assist season, and he will play a vital role for the Bruins if Bergeron and Krejci decide to retire.
The Bruins have also added defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, winger James Van Riemsdyk and center Jesper Boqvist. Shattenkirk's signing should make up for the loss of Clifton, while the Bruins hope that Van Riemsdyk can be a net-front factor on the power play. The Bruins saw their power play hit a rut in the second half of the season and Van Riemsdyk could give them a lift.
The 24-year-old Boqvist is not a high-scoring player, but he plays a solid 200-foot game and had 10 goals and 11 assists with a plus-8 rating in a limited role with the New Jersey Devils.
Overall assessment
The Bruins lost a lot of talent when they could not sign Bertuzzi, Orlov, Hathaway and Clifton. However, Sweeney knew that it would be difficult to hold on to those players when he made the move to acquire them.
The addition to Lucic, Geekie, Shattenkirk and Van Riemsdyk could provide a surprising payoff. Many observers are writing off the Bruins this season, but they may have more than enough to gain a spot in the postseason.
Give the Bruins a hard-earned B-minus for their offseason free-agent effort.
