Seventeen games are remaining in the 2024-25 season for the Boston Bruins and there is a lot to play for. They are two points out of the final Eastern Conference wild card spot, but there are a handful of teams they have to jump to get there. It would, however, be such a Bruins thing to somehow grab a spot in the postseason.
Whether they do or not, there is a lot on the line for some players in terms of getting a spot on the roster next season. A lot of eyes are going to be on players just acquired and whether or not some will be retained following the season when a lot of tough decisions have to be made. Here are three players acquired at the trade deadline that are trying to impress for a spot on the roster next season.
Marat Khusnutdinov
Just how the Bruins bottom-six ends up shaking out next season remains to be seen, but there are a handful of players currently on the roster that could be the answer and one of them is Marat Khusnutdinov. Part of the return for Justin Brazeau from the Minnesota Wild, he had a noticeable first game as a Bruins against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In 13:15 in time on ice, he was aggressive on the forecheck and played aggressively. The 22-year-old had two goals and seven points while winning 44% of his face-offs. The former sixth-round pick by the Wild in the 2020 Entry Draft is someone who will push some of the younger players with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Henri Jokiharju
An under-the-radar acquisition from the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, defenseman Henri Jokiharju, is one of the players acquired who really has a lot to play for. He told media in Tampa Bay on Saturday that he requested a trade from Western New York. In 43 games with the Sabres, he had three goals and three assists this year. In his first game with the Bruins, he logged 18:38 in time on ice against the Lightning.
He signed a one-year, $3.1 million deal last summer with Buffalo coming off his best season in the NHL with three goals, 17 assists and a plus/minus of plus-14 on a Sabres team that wasn’t very good. What direction Boston on defense next season is going to be interesting and Jokiharju is someone who could carve out a bottom-pairing role on the right side.
Jakub Lauko
Bruins fans know all about Jakub Lauko as during his first stop in Boston, he was a fan favorite. He is frustrating to play against, he causes problems on the forecheck, and the 24-year-old was reacquired from the Wild after being traded there over the summer. It is interesting that Boston took him back, as in doing so, you think that they see him as part of the future.
Like Khusnutdinov, Lauko is someone who could earn a roster spot next season with a good finish to the season. He would be a fourth-liner and that wouldn’t be blocking any of the top prospects who would be in the top-nine. There is an open path for Lauko to be on the roster next season.