The Boston Bruins’ future is as unsure as ever. Following a tumultuous 2025 NHL Commerce Deadline, throughout which the workforce capitalized on a vendor’s market, the Bruins are projected to have simply over $66 million in contracts heading into the offseason, with a number of essential choices to make. Whereas it’s doubtless they’ll discover frequent floor with pending restricted free brokers like John Beecher, Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko, and Mason Lohrei, in addition to figuring out an extension for Morgan Geekie, one pending unrestricted free agent stands out as notably intriguing: newly-acquired Henri Jokiharju.
Because it stands, the Bruins are lacking their high two defenders Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm, who each stay out because of accidents and are unlikely to return for the rest of the season—McAvoy has an opportunity to return, but when the Bruins proceed to fall additional out of playoff rivalry, it could be clever to only shut him down till subsequent season. Past that, the Bruins additionally traded away their next-best defender Brandon Carlo, that means each of the workforce’s top-four right-shot defenders are out of the image. That is the place Jokiharju has come into play.
Evaluating Jokiharju’s Impression So Far
Although the Bruins acquired Jokiharju for a fourth-round choose within the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, that doesn’t preclude him from leaving within the offseason and signing elsewhere if the 2 sides can’t discover frequent floor on a contract extension. The Bruins haven’t appeared like a workforce eager on dropping out on the 2024-25 season and buying Jokiharju might have been an try for the workforce to stay aggressive whereas additionally retooling their roster on the fly; on the similar time, it appears unlikely that they’d throw away a draft choose for a rental once they had already determined to maneuver on from a big chunk of their core. Proper now, the Bruins are evaluating Jokiharju and the early outcomes have been promising.
When discussing the Bruins’ latest blueliner, interim head coach Joe Sacco supplied some reward.
“What’s stood out I believe is the power to assist us come out of our zone, exit out of our zone cleaner. He has the power to make some good first passes on our breakouts or popping out of our D-zone protection. That’s one thing that may assist our group and alleviate a few of the stress once we’re in our defensive zone. I believe his play on the offensive blue line has been good. Once we go low to excessive and we’re making an attempt to get the puck…regardless of the d-man’s making an attempt to execute at that individual time, he’s been fairly good there up to now.”
Associated: Bruins’ Deadline Acquisitions Making Good Impression
At simply 25 years outdated, Jokiharju is about to enter the prime of his profession. A primary-round choose from the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Jokiharju has discovered prompt chemistry alongside Nikita Zadorov which has been a nice shock for the Bruins. Jokiharju has been proud of this pairing as nicely.
“We are able to maintain the sport easy,” stated Jokiharju. “He’s an incredible defenseman on this league, for certain. Each workforce needs a participant like him on their workforce, so it’s simply very nice to play with him.”
Although the Bruins haven’t began extension talks with Jokiharju but, the Finnish defender made it clear he’s open to discussions earlier than hitting free company.
“100% I’ll be prepared to speak, for certain,” Jokiharju stated.
If the Bruins can discover a method to maintain Jokiharju within the fold on an inexpensive contract, they’d be clever to try to get one thing achieved. He’s already been capable of fill a void in his brief stint with the workforce, and when McAvoy returns to the lineup, the Bruins might have a proper aspect that includes McAvoy, Jokiharju, and Andrew Peeke. The workforce might do a lot worse throughout their retool, and if Jokiharju is in line for a slight pay bump from his present $3.1 million contract, something within the $3-4 million vary ought to nonetheless be palatable for the Bruins.
