SUNRISE, FL - MAY 14: Boston Bruins left wing Pat Maroon (61) celebrates a win with Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie (39) after game five of the Eastern Conference round 2 playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Five Players To Keep An Eye On For Bruins When Free Agency Begins
Boston has plenty of money to spend in free agency
With the NHL Draft complete and the Bruins selecting prospects who can potentially help the franchise in the distant future, it’s time to shift gears to free agency.
After trading Linus Ullmark and Jakub Lauko, the Bruins have a projected $24 million in available cap space to spend. Of course, some of that money is most likely earmarked for Jeremy Swayman’s contract extension. Still, general manager Don Sweeney made it clear at the end-of-season press conference that the Bruins plan to be aggressive to complement the core group in Boston.
With the depth the Bruins have on the blue line, targeting a top-six forward seems to be the bigger priority for Sweeney and company.
Here are five players the Bruins could target on July 1 to increase scoring, speed and toughness in the lineup.
C Jonathan Marchessault
Except for the 2021-22 season, Marchessault has been a 20-plus goal scorer since the 2016-17 season when he played for the Florida Panthers. The 33-year-old wing won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the 2022-23 Stanley Cup playoffs, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to their first championship in franchise history. Last season with Vegas, Marchessault lit the lamp 42 times and added 27 assists in the second-greatest offensive output of his career. His last contract was for six years, with an annual cap hit of $5 million. Vegas doesn’t have much room in their cap to give Marchessault an extension, so he could be available for the Bruins to sign.
