Bruins’ Offseason Should Include Boeser – The Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

If the Boston Bruins wish to add a top-six ahead to their lineup this offseason, they need to emphasize signing a participant like Brock Boeser. The 28-year-old right-winger is about to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1 this 12 months and has been one of many NHL’s most constant scorers all through his profession. With the Bruins aiming to shortly retool reasonably than absolutely rebuild their lineup, Boeser may supply precisely what the crew wants behind David Pastrnak.

Boeser scored 25 objectives and 50 factors in 75 video games with the Vancouver Canucks this previous season after having a breakout 40-goal, 73-point marketing campaign the season prior. Whereas a return to Boeser’s 2023–24 kind could be supreme, the fact is his profession manufacturing has extra intently aligned with what he posted in 2024-25. Any crew signing Boeser ought to anticipate simply over 20 objectives per season and round 50 factors, and that’s greater than sufficient for what could be the Bruins’ second-line proper winger for the foreseeable future. For extra context, 16 of Boeser’s 25 objectives got here at even power, whereas 9 have been scored on the ability play. He added 14 even-strength assists and 11 extra with the person benefit, totaling 30 even-strength factors and 20 power-play factors final season.

Brock Boeser’s Worth

The rationale Boeser needs to be on the Bruins’ radar over a participant like Mitch Marner, for instance, comes all the way down to the contracts every participant is projected to signal this offseason. Whereas Marner is without doubt one of the NHL’s elite abilities, able to scoring and shining as a playmaker, that sort of manufacturing is usually rewarded handsomely in free company. Even with critics stating playoff performances as a slight in opposition to Marner, the very fact stays that he’s scored 221 objectives and 741 factors in 657 regular-season video games and 13 objectives and 63 factors in 70 playoff contests. This postseason, Marner scored two objectives and 13 factors in 13 video games and was removed from the issue for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Realistically, Marner will command over $13 million per season on the open market and which will show too wealthy for the Bruins. This isn’t to say they shouldn’t attain out to his camp, nonetheless, as he’ll undoubtedly enhance any crew he joins this offseason. If Boeser is predicted to signal a contract that’s nearer to the $8 million to $8.5 million annual vary, nonetheless, then the Bruins could be clever to think about this; Boeser doesn’t produce at Marner’s degree—few do—but when the Bruins can land Boeser and one other $4.5 to $5 million participant, that would go a good distance towards accelerating this retool.

Whereas the Canucks would virtually actually like to hold Boeser within the combine, that doesn’t look like within the playing cards for both facet because the offseason shortly approaches.

“Actually, it’s unlikely at this level,” stated Boeser of returning to the Canucks subsequent season. “It sucks, it’s unlucky. I’m simply attempting to play good hockey, after which I’ll fear about every part after that. Everyone knows it’s been a curler coaster of a 12 months. There’s been a number of various things.”

Maybe essentially the most unlucky half about this complete dialogue is the truth that the Canucks signed Jake DeBrusk from the Bruins final offseason for a seven-year contract that carries a $5.5 million annual cap hit. For reference, DeBrusk performed in all 82 video games for the Canucks and would rating 28 objectives and 48 factors in his first season in Vancouver. Letting DeBrusk stroll for such a team-friendly deal after which probably changing him with a comparable participant for considerably more cash one offseason later is finally a shedding technique on the finish of the day. Nonetheless, the crew can’t keep away from making strikes simply because they may look unhealthy in hindsight. It may be unlucky, however it shouldn’t deter the crew from making strikes to assist with optics.

Associated: 2 Bruins Who Must Step Up Subsequent Season

Boeser is an effective NHL participant and dependable scorer, one thing the Bruins sorely lack exterior of Pastrnak. If the crew can discover a option to hold Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie rolling on the crew’s prime line after which roll out Pavel Zacha and Boeser on the second line, they’ll be in first rate form early within the offseason. It’s additionally attainable that Zacha may return to the highest line to affix Pastrnak, with Lindholm becoming a member of his former teammate on the crew’s second line.

At this level, the Bruins have choices and a few flexibility with their cap house. Whereas there might not be a clear-cut “proper reply,” there are actually decisions that would maintain them again greater than they’d like. Boeser seems to be a strong match for Boston’s wants, however whether or not either side share mutual curiosity and might agree on phrases stays to be seen.