Something’s got to give on log-jammed D corps
The Bruins will be significantly shorthanded on their blue line entering the 2026-27 season, with Charlie McAvoy suspended for six games after whacking Zach Benson with his stick in Boston’s season-ending Game 6 loss to Buffalo.
As such, it should come as little surprise that the Bruins are placing a premium on depth on D as they wait for their top blueliners to return. But as of right now, that means Boston is still set to open camp with 10 waiver-eligible defensemen on its roster: McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, Will Borgen, Connor Clifton, Mason Lohrei, Jonathan Aspirot, Henri Jokiharju, Jordan Harris, and Frederic Brunet.
But, even with McAvoy’s absence for the first few weeks, the Bruins are looking at a scenario where multiple D-men are either sitting for extended stretches — or Boston outright loses a player like Brunet or Harris for nothing out on the waiver wire.
Getting some clarity on contracts looms large for Bruins
Be it Macklin Celebrini making $18.8 million per year on an extension or the Penguins signing Ville Koivunen — a player with just seven points in 39 career games in the NHL — to an eight-year, $32 million extension this month, the fiscal landscape across the NHL is rapidly shifting.
As the NHL’s salary-cap ceiling continues to soar, the market is seemingly getting a reset every few months, with Boston’s long-term contracts in place with franchise stalwarts like David Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman destined to age better and better over the next few years.
But, Boston still has some work to do when it comes to staying ahead of the curve with their cap and overall asset management.
Near the top of the list should be Boston hammering out a long-term extension for Fraser Minten, especially before the 22-year-old center’s value continues to rise with another full season under his belt.
Minten’s profile as a two-way, middle-six center might already be shifting after he scored 17 goals and 35 points over 82 games last season. Another season stapled next to David Pastrnak in a top-six role could see the youngster approach 50-plus points.
If that’s the case and the Bruins have a legitimate 2C on their roster, it’d be a prudent move for Boston to sign him a long-term deal ASAP — especially before the current CBA expires on Sept. 15 and teams can’t sign their own players to eight-year deals.
There might be some initial sticker shock if the Bruins can sign Minten long-term to a deal worth $5.5 – $7 million per year this fall. But it’s an investment that could quickly turn into a steal if Minten emerges as a franchise fixture for Boston in the coming years.
Boston should lean into youth instead of combing the bargain bin
Despite making numerous tweaks to their roster between late June and early July, the Bruins still have some wiggle room to make an upgrade or two this offseason — especially up front.
According to PuckPedia, the Bruins still have more than $5.3 million in cap space this summer, with several intriguing options still out on the open market like Vladimir Tarasenko, Eeli Tolvanen, Michael Bunting, and Patrik Laine.
Waiting things out after the free-agent feeding frenzy subsides to sign a veteran sniper to a short-term, affordable deal is a smart move for the Bruins. Well, the Bruins of yesteryear.
If we’re talking about the Patrice Bergeron-led Bruins roster that was desperately looking to put itself over the top? Then sure, signing a 34-year-old Tarasenko on a one-year deal makes sense as a middle-six sparkplug.
But, one of the top priorities for this retooling Bruins team in 2026-27 should be giving its burgeoning pipeline of young talent an extended runway to grow, succeed, fail, and hopefully thrive in the NHL ranks.
Rather than shore up spots on the depth chart with short-term investments, the Bruins should be giving those reps to the likes of James Hagens, Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Matt Poitras in hopes they can find their respective footing at hockey’s highest level.
Boston shouldn’t kick can down road with naming a captain
On Monday, Cam Neely seemed to signal a willingness for Boston to not stitch the “C” on a player’s sweater for the second year in a row.
“I don’t know if you necessarily need to have a guy unless there is that one guy that really stands out,” Neely said Monday while appearing on the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. “We’ve been blessed to have great captains here.
“From [Ray] Bourque, [Zdeno] Chara, [Patrice] Bergeron. We like leaders, not followers. So you can hopefully have 20 leaders. That’s the one thing that we look at: who is going to help lead the team? Maybe it’s more of a tradition in hockey where you have a letter on your sweater. Don [Sweeney], Marco, and I are going to sit down shortly to talk about that.”
Boston’s collective leadership core — led by David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy — did an admirable job navigating through a transitional year and welcoming in several newcomers to the Bruins’ dressing room.
A supporting group of veterans like Nikita Zadorov, Hampus Lindholm, and Sean Kuraly has also emerged, while other lineup regulars like Morgan Geekie have become more vocal.
But if Boston wants to take another collective step forward in its ongoing retool, it would serve the Bruins well to put a single player atop its leadership hierarchy — building a stable chain of command ahead of a continued influx of top young talent.
Conor Ryan can be reached at conor.ryan@globe.com.
