A major concern surrounding the Boston Bruins is their ability to address the team’s biggest needs this offseason.
Before getting into said needs, it’s worth looking at what the Bruins’ division rivals have done. The Florida Panthers knocked one out of the ballpark by keeping all three of their big-ticket free agents. The Panthers retained Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and former Bruins captain Brad Marchand.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been wheeling and dealing, trying their best to offset the loss of Mitch Marner. Of course, the Maple Leafs weren’t going to replace Marner’s 100-point season with a single player. But the team has done its best to soften the blow.
The Detroit Red Wings added a legit starting goalie in John Gibson. The club has also addressed some of its depth concerns this offseason.
The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens have been active in trying to acquire as many pieces to keep them in the playoff picture this upcoming season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres haven’t made earth-shattering moves, but have tried their best to remain as competitive as possible.
So, that brings us to the Bruins. The team has made savvy bottom-six additions. But it has lacked major, top-six additions or key blue liners to help the club get back on par with the big guns.
That situation means the Bruins could be a wild card hopeful at best. The Bruins don’t seem to have the firepower to compete with the Panthers, Maple Leafs, and Lightning. The Bruins could struggle to keep pace with the Senators, Canadiens, and Red Wings.
The latter three will be teams Boston has to leapfrog in order to have a shot at a postseason berth. Yes, the Bruins can do it. The team’s core ethos and brand identity make it one of the toughest teams to play against.
But reality may sink in at some point this upcoming season. When it does, the focus will shift from the playoffs to the 2026 NHL Draft.
Bruins could be sellers again at trade deadline
The Boston Bruins are on track to be sellers at next year’s trade deadline. The club still has valuable pieces that could be transferred for other valuable chips like draft picks and prospects.
Aside from David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman, just about everyone on the roster could be fair game. While it might be tough to move Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm, the Bruins could be prepared to take calls on everyone and anyone.
Unless Pastrnak, McAvoy, or Swayman demand a trade, they won’t be going anywhere. If anything, the trio will become the core of the new Boston Bruins identity. That identity will be looking to move beyond Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara.
That being said, the Bruins’ fate could be sealed by Thanksgiving. If the Bruins are not at least within a couple of points of a playoff spot, the team could pivot quickly and sell. It’s worth keeping in mind that this year is special because of the Olympics.
Teams could be looking to make moves before the Olympic break in February to give newcomers time to adjust during the three-week hiatus.
So, fans shouldn’t be surprised if the Bruins are active one way or another. Whether that’s buying or selling, the Bruins could be big players after the New Year.