Change has begun for the Boston Bruins this offseason, but there is still work that needs to be done. So far, general manager Don Sweeney has addressed some needs, but he hasn't addressed all of them. There are still some additions and subtractions that need to be made before training camp begins in September.
Moves can still be made, and some likely are. However, it's never too early to look ahead to opening night in the fall and here are three players who won't be on the opening night roster for second-year head coach Marco Sturm.
3 Boston Bruins who won't be on the opening night roster
Mason Lohrei
There has been a lot of trade smoke surrounding defenseman Mason Lohrei, and it feels like eventually a trade is coming. Just what the return would look like remains to be seen, but there has been too much chatter going all the way back to January, when he was rumored to be part of a trade that would have landed the Bruins Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames. There are always players around the league who are change-of-scenery trade candidates each offseason, and Lohrei fits that bill this year.
Alex Steeves
Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alex Steeves signed last offseason with the Bruins in free agency, and he began the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins. He was called up in November and scored against his former club. He played so well and became a regular in Sturm's lineup. He ended up getting a contract extension in the middle of the season, which was very premature on Sweeney's part. If Boston wants to inject more youth into the lineup, or they make another trade or two, then Steeves will be the odd man out.
Henri Jokiharju
There needs to be some subtractions on the right side of the defense next season. At the top of the cut list should be Henri Jokiharju. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline in March of 2025, he was re-signed to a three-year deal with an AAV of $3 million last summer. What a disaster of a signing that was. He spent half the season as a scratch and never found consistency in the lineup. Sweeney needs to cut ties with him in a trade, regardless of what the return would be. Boston can't have a $3 million blueliner scratched for half of their games again in 2026-27.
Add us as a preferred source on Google