Biggest roster questions after Bruins hit NHL free agency originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins made a splash as they began NHL free agency by signing top-six center Elias Lindholm (seven years, US$54.25 million) and the four best defenders Nikita Zadorov (six years, US$30 million) shortly after the market opened on Monday.
The Bruins entered free agency with about $21.67 million in salary cap space, and they now it’s about $10.two million remaining. Much of that is expected to go to goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who needs a new contract as a restricted free agent.
It would behoove the B’s to enter the regular season with a little cap space so they have room to make moves if injuries or poor performance are a factor. The Bruins could still make more moves before training camp in September, but it’s hard to imagine any substantial changes taking place.
So what’s next for the Bruins after making a splash on the first day of free agency? Here are the biggest remaining questions.
When will Jeremy Swayman sign and for how much?
Swayman is a restricted free agent and remains unsigned at this time. However, Sweeney reiterated on Monday that negotiating an extension with the team’s top goaltender remains a top priority.
“Sway is a big part of this whole dynamic of what we’re trying to put together,” Sweeney said. “It is a priority for us, we will continue to find a negotiated landing site and the timing is what matters. It is, no matter how long it takes. It is not impacted by what we did today. We are in a great position to find, as I said, the best negotiated agreement we can find for both sides.”
There are five goaltenders who will have a salary cap hit above $6.4 million next season, by CapFriendly. That group combined to win six Vezina Trophies and three Stanley Cup titles. Swayman doesn’t have the same hardware, but he has proven to be a fantastic goaltender in his first three full seasons as an NHL player, including a Stellar performance in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The most ideal outcome for the Bruins is to find a long-term extension with Swayman, and if that comes with a salary cap hit of between $7 and $8 million, so be it. He is one of the top 10 goalies in the league and is only 25 years old. He could be the backbone of the team for the next 10 years.
There is no immediate rush or urgent deadline for both sides to meet. But eventually, they will need to find some common ground.
Who will be the reserve goalkeeper?
The Bruins were in the enviable position of having two Vezina-caliber goaltenders the past two seasons in Swayman and Linus Ullmark. It was a luxury that almost no other team had during that period.
Trading Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators last week broke this set and now there is a question mark on the network. Who will be Swayman’s backup: Joonas Korpisalo (acquired in the Ullmark trade) or Brandon Bussi?
Korpisalo has 276 games of NHL experience. Bussi never played above the AHL. Korpisalo was statistically one of the league’s worst goaltenders last season, posting a .890 save percentage and a 3.27 GAA while also ranking near the bottom in goals saved above expected. But Korpisalo has shown in previous years that he can be a competent or even above-average goaltender. And if anyone can get the best out of him, it’s Bruins goaltending coach Bob Essensa, who has a track record of Hall of Fame-level success.
Bussi has played very well for the Providence Bruins the last two seasons. He’s ready to get a chance to compete for an NHL job. However, if he makes it to the NHL, he would need to clear waivers to return to Providence, and it’s hard to imagine any team claiming him given his talent.
But if Bussi is clearly better than Korpisalo in camp and preseason, he could land the backup job.
“I don’t want to lose sight of Brandon, in the sense that he’s paid his dues and wants the opportunity to be in the National Hockey League. If he wins, in this case, probably Joonas, then we’ll have to give him the opportunity,” Sweeney said. told reporters in Las Vegas last Thursday, ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft. “It requires waivers, so it’s part of every player’s cycle, and when they start to mature and an opportunity arises, then yes, we have to make a difficult decision.”
Which internal candidates can fill vacancies on the list?
The Bruins only have about $1.5-3 million in cap space to spend if we assume Swayman signs in the $7-8 million range at some point. That’s not a lot of money to spend, and there isn’t much left on the free agent market after Monday’s transactions around the league.
If the Bruins want to fill some of their holes on offense, the improvement will likely need to come from within. This could come in the form of veteran players like Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic taking their offensive production to a higher level, as well as young players/prospects like Matt Poitras, Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov stepping up and earning a permanent role in the NHL.
“I think this year in Poitras and (John) Beecher were good examples of that,” Sweeney said Monday when asked about young players trying to make an NHL roster. “They played well enough, they earned the opportunity, and I would say (Georgii Merkulov) and (Fabian Lysell) or Riley Duran remain on the list. with the intention that there is an opportunity here. If you’re the best player, we’ll find a way to get you into the lineup.”
The Bruins really need another scorer on the wing. Jake DeBrusk’s departure – he signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Canucks on Monday – was a setback on that front. Sure, DeBrusk was often inconsistent offensively, but his 71 goals over the past three seasons were third-most on the team behind David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.
In an ideal world, Lysell would finally make the jump from the AHL to the NHL next season and provide a scoring boost on the wing. He has fantastic offensive talent, including an NHL-caliber shot and speed. The upcoming training camp and preseason will be extremely important for 2021 first-round team selection.
The Bruins integrated some young players into their roster last season, most notably Poitras, Beecher and Mason Lohrei. Will they be able to do it again during the 2023-24 campaign? Otherwise, they may have to spend valuable assets to trade what they need. It is always advantageous to find these updates internally.
