5 Boston Bruins who are as good as gone this summer

Matt Grzelcyk

The Bruins have been the only NHL team that the Boston native has called home after his college career at Boston University, but after eight seasons in the organization, Matt Grzelcyk's time is up. The 5-foot-10 left-shot is undersized, battled through injuries the last couple of seasons, and fell out of Jim Montgomery's playoff rotation the last two seasons.

After a career year in 2022-23, Grzelcyk had 11 points in 63 regular season games this past season with a plus/minus of plus-13. He averaged 17:35 a night. He was one of the better puck-moving defensemen during his time wearing the Black and Gold, but the Bruins need to go in a different direction going forward with the emergence of youngster Mason Lohrei.

Derek Forbort

Over the last three seasons, nobody has sacrificed their body more than Derek Forbort. Talk about being a shot-blocking machine, the former Winnipeg Jets defenseman was a key penalty-killer along with Brandon Carlo, but his 2023-24 season was cut short to 35 games because of injuries.

In three seasons donning the Spoked-B, the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2010 Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings recorded 253 blocked shots and dished out 307 hits while averaging 17:55 a night. He was a Bruins' fan-favorite with his play in the defensive end blocking shots and taking the body, but like Grzelcyk, the emergence of Lohrei on the left side and Sweeney looking to add another left-shot defenseman in free agency or through a trade has Sweeney going in another direction for next season and beyond.