We are three weeks into the Boston Bruins' 2025 offseason, and things are happening quickly. On Monday night, the Black and Gold got the seventh pick in next month’s NHL Entry Draft, the lowest possible spot they could have fallen to. To be honest, it’s a fitting result to go with the 2024-25 season the team had on the ice.
After the draft, all eyes will turn to free agency and just how general manager Don Sweeney will make changes to the roster for next season. Not only which free agents does Sweeney intend to pursue, but what happens with the Bruins' own restricted (RFA) and unrestricted (UFA) free agents. After signing Patrick Brown to a one-year, two-way deal on Tuesday, let’s predict the outcome for the remaining free agents and whether or not they’ll re-sign in Boston or go elsewhere.
In a previous post, we predicted that three free agents, John Beecher, Parker Wortherspoon, and Cole Koepke would. That said, here are some of their other free agents with a prediction.
Morgan Geekie: RFA
This one should be a no-brainer, but we have seen contract negotiations between the team and players go sideways when they really shouldn’t (remember Jeremy Swayman last summer?). Morgan Geekie is coming off his second straight career-year with 32 goals, something nobody saw coming. His current deal is a bargain with an AAV of $2 million, which is expected to see a significant pay raise. You have to think this gets done before too long, you would hope.
Prediction: Re-sign
Mason Lohrei: RFA
Young defenseman Mason Lohrei is a player who struggled this season and honestly, if there was a year to struggle and learn from his mistakes at the NHL level, it was this season. He got a lot of time on the top power play unit after Charlie McAvoy was lost for the season in February and actually looked good. There is just too much upside, and he should be a left-shot blueliner for the long term in Boston.
Prediction: Re-signing
Marat Khusnutdinov: RFA
Acquired from the Minnesota Wild in March as part of a deal that sent Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild, Marat Khusnutdinov never really turned into the player that the organization was hoping he would. For a short sample size, the change of scenery worked as he had three goals and two assists in 18 games in Boston. He has good speed and the willingness to shoot the puck. He is someone who can find a bottom-six role next season with the Bruins.
Prediction: Re-signing
Jakub Lauko: RFA
Another piece going from Minnesota to Boston in the Brazeau deal was former fan favorite Jakub Lauko. After the Wild acquired him last year from the Black and Gold, Minnesota didn’t get the player they thought they were. Moving on from him quickly was certainly a decision, and you could tell when he was reacquired by the Bruins, there was a jolt of energy in him. He plays hard, causes problems for other teams on the forecheck, and is not afraid to get to the dirty areas of the ice. This could go either way, closer than people think.
Prediction: Coin Flip
Henri Jokiharju: UFA
Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the deadline for depth after moving on from Brandon Carlo, which should tell you the lack of defensive depth in the organization. Henry Jokiharju paired up with Nikita Zadorov and was actually a pretty good pairing. This decision will come down to whether or not the Bruins have an idea and option in mind in free agency that will be an upgrade or not. If not, re-signing Jokiharju makes sense and is the likely cheap way to go.
Prediction: Re-signing
Sweeney is going to have around $28 million this summer in cap space, and most of these, aside from Geekie and maybe Lohrei, depending on whether they go short-term or not, will be AAVs that leave the front office money to spend to make some splashes.