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Bruins Need More Than Just Speed and Skill This Summer
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- Bruins Need More Than Just Speed and Skill This Summer
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Boston Bruins ' front office said they need speed and skill. They need more than that.
There is a glaring hole on the right side of defense, and while that is not a problem specific to just the Bruins, it is one they will have to prioritize this summer.
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The Bruins have Charlie McAvoy , who has been a pillar of the Bruins' defensive corps for years. That responsibility is not changing anytime soon, as he is coming off a career-high season in assists (50), points (61), and power play points (23).
Behind McAvoy is where it becomes an issue.
Henri Jokiharju is the only other NHL right-handed defenseman under contract next season.
Jokiharju , who only played 41 games this season, found himself as the odd man out when he returned from an injury in January. Nonetheless, he represented his country at both the Olympics and the World Championships, and said he achieved the goals he set at the beginning of the season.
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At the end-of-season press conference, Don Sweeney credited Marco Sturm for putting "the best lineup" together on a nightly basis, and said that Sturm "doesn't dislike" Jokiharju.
"To me, it's allowing a coach to make his own assessments of how players are playing and systematically, and on Henri to respond to that," Sweeney said. "From a capable standpoint, a lot of it's still on the player to be able to provide what the coach is looking for and adjust. And then the coach has to reset. If he does do that, you've got to give him a little rope to allow it to play out."
Andrew Peeke , who played valuable right-side minutes this season, is on an expiring contract.
At the trade deadline, Sweeney talked about doing his "due diligence" on the pending UFAs, but ultimately believed that the group deserved to stay together.
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Had the Bruins been outside of the playoff picture, Peeke is a likely trade target for a team looking to bolster their defensive depth. The same applies to the offseason, though the Bruins now risk losing him for nothing if he walks on July 1.
Before the trade deadline, the Bruins reportedly tried to address the need, attempting to land then-Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson .
The Bruins do have internal options to play on the right side, and defensemen played on their off-hand throughout the season. However, banking on that to be a long-term solution might not be in the black and gold's best interest.
Mason Lohrei played on the right side late in the NHL season, as did Jordan Harris . P-Bruins defenseman Ty Gallagher did the same, playing to the right of Frederic Brunet . Gallagher is still on an AHL contract.
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The Bruins also have questions on their left side, with multiple NHL defensemen locked up into next season and beyond. Players like Mason Lohrei may factor into offseason discussions as the Bruins evaluate how to improve the club.
Billy Sweezey is the only right-shot defenseman locked up outside of the NHL. He signed a one-year extension on April 22, 2026.
Victor Soderstrom , who played eight games with the Bruins this season, is on an expiring contract. As is Max Wanner , who the Bruins acquired in the Trent Frederic trade.
Mason Langenbrunner , son of recently departed AGM Jamie , is the only one on the depth chart who has not joined the organization yet. He finished his fourth year at Harvard, and the Bruins have until August 15, 2026, to sign him before he can test free agency.
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Wanner's entry-level deal is expiring, and Langenbrunner does not have one. Outside of that, there are no more right-handed defensemen in the Bruins' prospect pool . They drafted two left-shot defensemen at the 2025 NHL Draft.
The Bruins need more speed and skill, but they also need more stability on the right side before it disrupts their long-term plans.
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The post Bruins Need More Than Just Speed and Skill This Summer appeared first on Boston Hockey Now .
