Ty Anderson: Bruins Need To Reinforce The Offense
On Monday’s edition of Toucher & Hardy (which was hosted by Ryan Johnston, Michael Holley, and Mike Lockhart), Ty Anderson joined the show and made the point that the Bruins main priority this offseason should be to reinforce the team’s offense.
That’s Got To Be Priority Number One…
Ryan Johnston: So if you’re Don Sweeney, what is at the top of your priority list today?
Ty Anderson: I think you got to get a center and you got to get a scoring wing. You might need to get two wings. Honestly, and you’re going to have to make a value play somewhere else. Maybe that’s on the back end or one of these wingers that you want to sign. You got just under 22 million. Jeremy Swayman is not signed as of right now, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen by the days end, and that money can go quicker than you realize. So there’s an element here of, if you want to be in on the frenzy, the madness, whatever you want to call it. You also have to make moves that make fiscal sense for your team. I I think if you’re the Bruins – attack the right areas. Which for them is down the middle, and on the wings, and I can deal with them making a smaller add on the back end. I think this market might be good for that. But you sort of look at what’s happening and you mentioned off the jump here. Sam Reinhart and Jake Hansel like the scoring talent, the real scoring talent could dry up pretty quickly. So you got to be in on one of those guys, in my opinion. You look at the way their season ended losing one goal games, I think they had what they had five goals. I want to say over their final three playoff games, like you got to reinforce the offense here. So that’s got to be priority number one, and two in my opinion if you’re Don Sweeney.
Ryan Johnston: Did I read it right that Sweeney the other day seemed to indicate that. Defense might be more at the top of their list, and there’s rumors out there about Nikita Sidorov today. Did I read that right? Because I’m with you – center and wing are higher up on my priority list than adding a big body defensively. Who’s going to cost a decent amount of money. I know they need some reinforcements back there, but it would not be something that I would necessarily be shopping for on day one.
Ty Anderson: No, and I would agree with you especially, I think if you look at sort of the the names that are out there on the back end, the names linked to the Bruins, as Nakita Zadorov. He split time last year between Calgary and Vancouver. He’s an exciting player for good and bad reasons. He’s massive, six foot six, but sometimes his hockey sense eludes him and he’ll put himself woefully out of position in search of a big hit. He’s gotten better at carrying the puck. His offensive instincts have gotten better for a big man. But to your point, you know, he rejected a $5 million a year contract in Vancouver. I’m not necessarily super hot on the idea of paying Nikita Zadorov five and a half or 6 million for 6 or 7 years. The other part of that, Ryan, is that he’s going to probably age into a bottom pairing role. He might be a bottom pairing guy for your team right now based on your ideal complexion of your top four. At the very best, I think he’s the second pairing guy for your team. So when you have these glaring needs, and especially in a top heavy market up front, like we look at the free agents here, and you look at that free agent center group and its Elias Lindholm. It’s Chandler Stevenson, it’s Sean Monahan. You can put Steven Stamkos and Matthew Duchene in there, even though they’re probably more wingers than centers moving forward. Then it’s a cataclysmic drop in terms of the quality of the guys available. Like, you got to get one of those guys and because you can get a good defenseman, I think on day two or by 7 p.m. on day one, I don’t know if you can get a good center at that same time frame. So that part is confusing. It would really shock me if that’s where they went. But those are the rumblings right now. There there is sizable chatter or heat, whatever you want to call it in terms of them getting Nikita Zadorov.
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A complete guide to 2024 NHL free agency
Centers
EDMONTON, CANADA – MAY 14: Elias Lindholm #23 of the Canucks faces off against Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Oilers during the third period in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
At the top of the Bruins’ wishlist this summer is a high-end center. Still recovering from the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, the Bruins did the best they could this past season with Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha at the top of their depth chart. The Bruins also got a career year out of Morgan Geekie, and Matt Poitras was a pleasant surprise for the club before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
But this is a position that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney knows he has to strengthen for 2024-25 if the Bruins want to play hockey beyond the second round for the first time since 2019.
That said, this is an extremely top-heavy free agent class down the middle, with a staggering drop coming after the top four centers put the pen to paper sometime this week.
Elias Lindholm: A player linked to the Bruins for well over a year now, Lindholm seems to be at the top of the Black and Gold’s summertime shopping list. This a connection that’s felt natural, and the rumblings have not stopped. Splitting last year between Calgary and Vancouver, Lindholm is entering the market following a 2023-24 season that included 15 goals and 44 points in 75 games. It was a definite dip from what had previously been established as Lindholm’s norms (always help when you play with elite talent such as Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk), but Lindholm responded well in the postseason, with five goals and 10 points in 13 games for the Canucks.
Lindholm’s appeal to the Bruins has to come with the fact that he’s a strong two-way center (third top-10 Selke finishes, including a second-place finish in 2022), as well as the fact that he’s always excelled when playing with high-end talent. Putting him with a player like David Pastrnak may be the best way to return him to point-per-game status.
Steven Stamkos: A player that’s probably downright shocking to see on this list, it’s entirely possible that the Lightning and Steven Stamkos are heading for a break-up after Tampa’s reported signing of Jake Guentzel. On the board with 40 goals and 81 points in 79 games this past season, there’s no denying that Stamkos still has it. And though he may age into a full-time wing, Stamkos can still get it done at center when his usage is managed. Stamkos would immediately become Boston’s best offensive weapon behind No. 88, though the Bruins have not been mentioned much in the pre-frenzy rumblings, with Stamkos instead linked to teams like the Red Wings, Predators, and even the Golden Knights (absolutely no clue how they’d pull that one off).
Sean Monahan: The sixth overall pick from the 2013 NHL Draft, Sean Monahan is coming off his best season in half a decade, with 26 goals and 59 points in 83 games between the Canadiens and Jets In 2023-24. The lefty-shooting Monahan was also productive at the face-off dot, with a 54.9 percent success rate, marking his third straight season of at least 53 percent. Monahan’s two-way presence goes beyond the faceoff wins, though, and with his scoring touch back on the table, he may be a somehow ‘underrated’ potential addition given the other star power of this class.
Chandler Stephenson: A Vegas standout, the 30-year-old Stephenson has put up three straight seasons of at least 16 goals and 50 points, and had a career-high 65 points for the Golden Knights in 2022-23. Stephenson, who plays with a tremendous motor, also recorded 10 goals and 20 points in 22 games during their run to a Cup in 2023.
Adam Henrique: A 34-year-old lefty, Henrique split his 2023-24 season with Anaheim and Edmonton, with 24 goals and 51 points in 82 games. Henrique, who still wins his fair share of faceoffs (and was actually the best faceoff option on the block around the trade deadline), also found himself back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and recorded three goals and six points in 15 games in a bottom-six role for the Oilers.
Jack Roslovic: The 6-foot-1, right-shooting Roslovic posted nine goals and 31 points in 59 games with the Blue Jackets and Rangers this past season. And while he’s a center, Roslovic is not what you consider a passable faceoff option (43.2 percent in his career), and is probably best suited for a bottom-six role.
Alex Wennberg: Another player who finished his season with the Rangers (though he began his season in Seattle), Wennberg totaled 10 goals and 30 points in 79 games during the regular season. His most notable Ranger contribution came with an overtime goal in New York’s third-round series against the Panthers. Wennberg, who had reportedly drawn interest from the Bruins ahead of his trade to the Rangers, recorded a career-high 59 points as a member of the Blue Jackets all the way back in 2016-17.
Left-shot wings
Feb 29, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bertuzzi (59) carries the puck past Arizona Coyotes defenseman Matt Dumba (24) during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. (John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports)
Left-shot wings are nothin’ new to the Bruins. In fact, they had about a billion of them on their roster this past season, including some notable ones set to hit the open market this season between Jake DeBrusk, James van Riemsdyk, Pat Maroon, and Danton Heinen. Lefty-shooting wings remain a strength of the Bruins, too, with Brad Marchand, Trent Frederic, and Pavel Zacha (who bounces between wing and center) all signed for 2024-25.
But with a few names to replace on that front, here are some of the top lefty options set to hit free agency.
Tyler Bertuzzi: After a hot scoring finish and playoff run with the Bruins set him up for a massive payday last season, Bertuzzi’s misreading of the market led to a one-year stint in Toronto, where he tallied 21 goals and 43 points in 80 games for the Maple Leafs. The belief is that it will be a one-and-done in Toronto, too, as Bertuzzi and the Leafs were unable to come to terms by the end of Sunday’s last push before free agency. Per TSN’s Darren Dreger, Bertuzzi will be seeking a four-year contract worth over $5 million per season.
Matt Duchene: Bought out by the Preds a year ago, Matt Duchene took a gamble on himself in Dallas, and it paid off, with 25 goals and 60 points in 80 games for the Stars. Duchene is capable of playing some center, too, and his 360 faceoff wins in 2023-24 were his most since 2019-20 (390), but at 33 years old, Duchene’s best impact is likely going to come with the majority of his reps coming on the wing.
Jake DeBrusk: One of the most polarizing talents in recent Bruins history, it feels like Jake DeBrusk and the Bruins are indeed going their separate ways after almost a decade together. The writing was on the wall pretty much all season, and DeBrusk’s impossible-to-hide disappointment on break-up day seemingly confirmed that it was over. An incredibly hot-and-cold scorer, DeBrusk is expected to draw a ton of interest from teams out West like the Flames and Canucks, but there could also be opening for him in cities like Carolina and Pittsburgh.
Vladimir Tarasenko: A two-time Stanley Cup winner, Tarasenko proved to be a tremendous fit in Florida following his trade from Ottawa, with six goals and 14 points in 19 regular-season contests, following by a playoff run that featured five goals and nine points in a complementary role. Tarasenko’s 20 even-strength goals were tied for the 52nd-most in hockey. His 1.18 goals per 60 minutes of even-strength ice time, meanwhile, ranked 30th out of 182 forwards with at least 1,000 even-strength minutes in 2023-24.
Teuvo Teravainen: Typically considered more of a distributor than a shooter, Tervainen shot the lights out this past season, with a career-high 25 goals and 17.6 shooting percentage. Teravainen, who’s hit the 60-point mark three times in his career (most recently in 2021-22) is wrapping up a five-year deal that came with a $5.4 million cap hit.
Anthony Mantha: Standing at a more-than-noticeable 6-foot-5 and 234 pounds, Mantha is entering the free agent market after hitting the 20-goal mark for the first time since 2018-19 after scoring 23 goals between Washington and Vegas in 2023-24. Playoff scoring success, however, has eluded Mantha throughout his NHL career, as he has zero goals and six assists in 14 career playoff games.
Jeff Skinner: The Sabres moved ahead with a buyout of veteran Jeff Skinner this past week, and has allowed the 32-year-old to pick his next destination after scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 74 games this past season. The 5-foot-11 Skinner has scored 92 goals over the last three seasons (43rd-most in the NHL), and his 191 points over that 233-game sample rank 64th among all forwards. The most insane stat of all? Skinner, a veteran of 1,006 NHL games since 2010, has yet to play in a playoff game in his NHL career.
Anthony Duclair: After beginning his 2023-24 season with San Jose, (16 goals and 27 points in 56 games), a trade out of NHL hell allowed Duclair to finish strong and playing meaningful hockey. Duclair rewarded that fresh start with eight goals and 15 points in 17 games for Tampa Bay., and added two assists in the Lightning’s five-game series loss to the Panthers in round one. Duclair is value-add to any team’s middle-six scoring punch.
Warren Foegele: 2023-24 was a breakout year for the 28-year-old Warren Foegele, as he set single-season career-highs in goals (20), assists (21), and points (41) in 82 games for the Oilers. Overall, this was the third straight season that Foegele’s offensive production ticked upwards across the board, and it hasn’t come with a shooting percentage bender that makes you think it’s unsustainable. Foegele also had tremendous value when deployed on the penalty kill (just four goals against in over 70 minutes of on-ice penalty kill work), and could be a perfect fit for the Bruins given what they’re likely losing from their penalty kill with the expected departure of some other players up front.
Max Pacioretty: The Bruins want more secondary scoring, that much is clear. And if they’re in the market for buy-low, dependable options there, Max Pacioretty could be a potential fit. Limited — derailed, in fact — by devastating injuries in recent years, Pacioretty put up four goals and 23 points in 47 games for the Capitals last season. But with a 4.2 shooting percentage, the odds indicate that Pacioretty will find the back of the net with a bit more frequency in 2024-25. So long as he remains healthy, which of course is the No. 1 question at this point in his career.
Danton Heinen: The Bruins and Danton Heinen were unable to find a landing spot ahead of midnight on July 1, and after playing last year on a pro tryout that turned into a league-minimum contract and knocking it out of the park with his most productive season since 2017-18, the 28-year-old Heinen may find some stability (read as: a multi-year deal) on the open market. That said, Heinen has made it clear he would like to be back with the Bruins (and his versatility is of definite value), so I wouldn’t completely close the door on a potential return just yet.
Jakub Vrana: It’s been a long, arduous road for Jakub Vrana in recent seasons. Between his struggles that led to time in the NHL/NHLPA’s player assistance program to countless trips back and forth to the minors, the Czechia-born might just be looking for a road back to the NHL. He could potentially find that in Boston if the Bruins are on the hunt for take-a-chance type talents for low money. Vrana, who is still just 28 years old, put up 16 goals and 36 points in 42 games for AHL Springfield a year ago, but has also scored 13 goals and 22 points in 46 NHL games over the last two seasons. There’s clearly some talent in that stick, and with Czech talents like David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha in the mix for Boston — as well as the family-type atmosphere of the Bruins’ dressing room where the person is often put before the player — perhaps there’s a feeling that this is the right environment to bring it out.
Right-shot wings
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 21: Tyler Toffoli #73 of the Winnipeg Jets plays in his 800th NHL game against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on March 21, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The biggest right shot of the entire market jumped off the board just before midnight, with the Panthers and stud goal scorer Sam Reinhart agreeing to an eight-year contract just before their window had expired.
But that’s not to say that all the talent from this class has gone out the window with his signing.
Tyler Toffoli: A player who has seemingly been an Almost Bruin for half a decade (if not longer), Toffoli is back on the market after scoring 33 goals and 55 points between New Jersey and Winnipeg last season. Now, the early indications are that two of Toffoli’s former teams, the Canucks and the Kings, are interested in bringing him back into the fold. But for a Bruins team that’s routinely put left-shot wingers on their off side, Toffoli would undoubtedly represent the best bang-for-your-buck type of scorer to put on the right-side depth chart behind Pastrnak.
Jonathan Marchessault: Similar to the Stamkos situation in Tampa Bay, it’s honestly hard for me to imagine Jonathan Marchessault not being a member of the Golden Knights. But the reporting out of Vegas is that Marchessault, who put up 42 goals and 69 points a year ago, will be taking calls and potentially looking for a new home on Monday. To put his potential loss in its proper context, the 33-year-old Marchessault is the Golden Knights’ franchise leader in goals, assists, points, game winning goals, and games played.
David Perron: A feisty veteran, the 36-year-old David Perron put up 17 goals and 47 points for the Red Wings a year ago, including 17 points on the power play. The Bruins had just two players who had at least 17 power-play points this past season (Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak), and could be in the market for a power-play lift with the expected departure of players such as James van Riemsdyk and Jake DeBrusk.
Daniel Sprong: If you’re looking for a bottom-six, depth-scoring assassin, Daniel Sprong is your guy. One of 40 players to play at least 100 games and average under 12 minutes per game over the last two seasons, Sprong has recorded 39 goals and 89 points. His 39 goals are 19 more than the second-place players in this category, while his 89 points are tops (and by 46 points over the next-best skater in that respect).
Stefan Noesen: A journeyman of the highest order, Stefan Noesen clearly loved his time in Carolina. In fact, his final season in Carolina came with career-highs in goals (14), points (37), and hits (118) for that matter.
Viktor Arvidsson: If this offseason goes like many think it will for the Bruins with at least one — maybe even two — high-priced free-agent additions, there’s going to have to be a budget add of sorts somewhere along the way. An addition that comes at low money, but with serious boom potential. And if the Bruins are looking for that on the wings, a gamble on Viktor Arvidsson may be the move.
Limited to just 18 games last year between back surgery and then a lower-body injury, Arvidsson is on the market after a season that was productive nevertheless, with six goals and 15 points over that 18-game run, along with three assists in five playoff games. Arvidsson is also not that far removed from a 59-point year with the Kings in 2022-23 (his best since back-to-back 61-point years from 2016 through 2018), and presents the Black and Gold with the kind of skillset that can slot in a variety of roles.
Tyler Johnson: A veteran capable of playing wing and center, the 33-year-old Johnson is looking for a new home after scoring 17 goals for the Blackhawks in 2023-24 (his most goals since 2018-19), and actually tied his single-season career-high in power-play goals this past season, with eight. If the Bruins are looking for another Heinen-esque player in terms of sturdiness and versatility within their lineup, Johnson is a definite candidate.
Cam Atkinson: Another potential buy-low candidate, Atkinson (a former 41-goal scorer) is hitting free agency after scoring 13 goals and 28 points in 70 games for the Flyers last season. Atkinson’s low goal total may not tell the full story, however, as his 4.27 individual high-danger chances per 60 ranked 50th among 428 players with at least 800 minutes of five-on-five time on ice last year. In essence, perhaps a team out there realizes that his luck is bound to turn around. (The Bruins made a similar bet on van Riemsdyk last year and were rewarded until a late-season illness basically left him a shell of himself for the remainder of the season and playoffs.)
Corey Perry: Corey Perry has a Stanley Cup ring at home as a member of the 2006-07 Ducks, yeah, but the curse that’s followed him in recent seasons has been downright absurd. Perry was on the 2020 Stars team that lost in the Stanley Cup Final, then he was on the 2021 Canadiens team that lost in the Stanley Cup Final. Perry then lost the 2022 Stanley Cup as a member of the Lightning, and then suffered yet another Stanley Cup Final loss in 2024 as a member of the Oilers. That’s just plain unbelievable. But at least we know who’ll lose the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
Left defense
May 8, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov (91) celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports)
Nikita Zadorov: One of the top defensemen available, Nikita Zadorov has already been linked to the Bruins. Some inside hockey circles have even started to believe that Boston may be the favorite. The 6-foot-6 defenseman was apparently willing to reject a deal with the Canucks that would’ve come with a $5 million average annual value, so this bidding war for the 29-year-old may get insane in both years and dollars. Zadorov, who can be exciting in both good and bad ways, scored six goals and 20 points last year, and has three straight seasons of at least 20 points. Oliver Ekman-Larsson: A member of the 2024 Panthers, Ekman-Larsson certainly repaired his once-tarnished image as an impact defenseman in the NHL this past season, with nine goals and 32 points in 80 games for the Panthers. It was actually the first time that ‘OEL’ had recorded nine goals and at least 30 points since 2019-20, and his plus-10 rating was actually the best of his career. The Bruins were interested in Ekman-Larsson prior to acquiring Hampus Lindholm, and it’ll be worth watching to see if Boston’s interest returns to the table with a definite need for another stabilizing presence on the left side of their defense. Brady Skjei: Another beneficiary of Carolina’s defenseman-friendly system, the 6-foot-3 Brady Skjei is entering the open market after posting a career-high 47 points for the Hurricanes in 2023-24. And over the last two years, Skjei’s 31 goals are the fifth-most among NHL defensemen, trailing only Nashville’s Roman Josi, the Avs’ Cale Makar, Shark-turned-Penguin Erik Karlsson, and Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin. Brenden Dillon: No stranger to the nasty stuff, veteran Brenden Dillon is coming off a 2023-24 campaign in Winnipeg that featured a career-high eight goals and 241 hits, while his 111 blocked shots were his most since 2013-14 (149). What’s been impressive about Dillon’s evolution is that while he’s always been known for bringing the heavy (and has seemingly always played for teams with that identity), the 6-foot-4 has incorporated more offense into his game, with that aforementioned career-best in goals this past season to go with a career-high 21 assists in 2022-23. Shayne Gostisbehere: A definite offensive threat, the 5-foot-11 Gostisbehere’s 56 points ranked 13th among NHL defensemen last year, while his 29 power-play points were the seventh-most among that group. Alec Martinez: The 36-year-old Alec Martinez, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, has never seen a shot he didn’t want to block. In fact, his 165 blocks last season were second among all Vegas defensemen (and 23rd in the NHL), and was actually a step back from his 244 blocked shots in 2022-23 (most in the NHL). Given what the Bruins may be looking for out of their next left-shot defenseman (a ton of defensive-zone minutes to ease up on that workload for guys like Mason Lohrei and Hampus Lindholm), Martinez may be a natural fit for the club. Nate Schmidt: Bought out by the Jets on Sunday, veteran Nate Schmidt could be a potential buy-low candidate on the backend. Capable of playing in a variety of roles, Schmidt may be a fit for a team like Boston should they want to maintain a balanced ‘blend’ on their backend in the event that they want to shake things up from their current projected pairings, which feature Lohrei in a premier spot. Dmitry Kulikov: Another member of the ’24 Panthers, Kulikov put up one goal and 20 points in 76 games for the Panthers during the regular season, but made his impact on the physicality front, with 145 hits and 84 blocked shots while averaging 16:31 per night. Matt Grzelcyk: A career-long Bruin, the expectation is that Matt Grzelcyk will be playing somewhere else next season. A team I’d wonder about with him? The Penguins. Pittsburgh has an analytics believer in general manager Kyle Dubas, and a potential move to Pittsburgh would reunite Grzelcyk with David Quinn, his former head coach at Boston University, as he’s now an assistant on Mike Sullivan’s staff.
Right defense
SUNRISE, FLORIDA – MARCH 26: Brandon Montour #62 of the Florida Panthers pushes Charlie Coyle #13 of the Boston Bruins during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena on March 26, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Chris Tanev: A lot of the suspense has been zapped out of this one, as the expectation is that Tanev will sign a long-term deal with the Maple Leafs once free agency begins. Tanev, who played for both Calgary and Dallas this past season, was one of six players to block at least 200 shots in 2023-24.
Brett Pesce: Similar to the Tanev-in-Toronto situation, the belief around the league is that Brett Pesce will sign with the Devils once free agency begins. Pesce had been a Carolina mainstay, with 627 games for the Hurricanes, which is actually the sixth-most in team history since the team moved from Hartford to Carolina in 1997.
Brandon Montour: One of the more intriguing situations to watch when free agency begins will be the decision between the Panthers and defenseman Brandon Montour. An undeniably huge part of their success in recent seasons, Montour is staring down a jump into free agency after winning a Cup with the Cats this past season. In a hard cap league, you can’t keep ’em all, so it’ll be interesting to see where Montour lands.
Matt Roy: I may be biased here because I’ve always felt this way, but I think this signing will be the best of all the defensive signings this summer. Matt Roy is a super, super underrated defenseman in this league.
Ilya Lyubushkin: Back in Toronto after a deadline deal between the Ducks and Leafs, Lyubushkin posted four assists and 64 hits over a 19-game run with the Maple Leafs, and totaled eight points, along with 176 hits and 168 blocks, in 74 games between Anaheim and Toronto this past season. The 6-foot-2 right shot has played for four different teams over the last three seasons, and that’ll like be five-in-four when the Leafs sign Tanev.
Sean Walker: The 5-foot-11 Walker enjoyed an undeniable breakout year with the Flyers and Avalanche in 2023-24, with 10 goals and 29 points to go with a plus-11 rating. Now comes seeing if he can parlay that into a long-term signing or if teams remain unsold on the odds of Walker, who turns 30 this year, repeating that on a consistent basis.
Adam Boqvist: Bought out by the Blue Jackets on Sunday, the eighth overall pick from the 2018 NHL Draft will be looking for work after a 2023-24 season that featured just one goal and nine points in 35 games for Columbus. Just an all around bad Sunday for the Boqvists, as his brother, Jesper, was not extended a qualifying offer by the Bruins.
Goalies
Apr 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot (39) defends the goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at Crypto.com Arena. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
Undoubtedly the weakest position of this year’s free agent class, teams looking for goalie help are going to have their pick their poison, and hope that the voodoo that is NHL goaltending ultimately bounces their way next season.
Cam Talbot: The best goalie available, the soon-to-be 37-year-old Cam Talbot posted 26 wins and a .913 save percentage in 54 games for the Kings in 2023-24. That .913 save percentage was the ninth-best save percentage among goaltenders with at least 40 appearances to their name in 2023-24. Talbot is a veteran of 486 NHL games over 11 seasons, and has played for seven different teams over that span.
Ilya Samsonov: A 2015 first-round pick, Ilya Samsonov is what he is at this point in his career. This is a goalie whose confidence can just absolutely melt down and make him a borderline unplayable puddle (Samsonov was rough in the first four games against Boston), and he’ll have to be in the perfect situation. The Russian-born netminder is coming off a 2023-24 campaign that included 23 wins and a career-worst .890 save percentage in 40 games.
Anthony Stolarz: An underrated figure in the Panthers’ regular season success, the 6-foot-6 Stolarz went 16-7-2 with a .925 save percentage in 27 outings for Florida this past season. Anytime your backup goalie can secure you 34 of a possible 50 points when given the nod, you’re going to be the driver’s seat for home-ice advantage.
Scott Wedgewood: The backup to Jake Oettinger in Dallas for the last two seasons, Wedgewood won 16 of his 28 decisions for the Stars a year ago, but experienced a noticeable drop in his save percentage, going down to .899 this past season after posting a .915 for the club in 2022-23.
Laurent Brossoit: The 31-year-old Brossoit’s second stop in Winnipeg came with his best Jets run to date, as he won 15 of his 22 starts and posted a .927 save percentage along the way. Including his numbers with the Golden Knights in 2022-23, Brossoit has actually been one of the best backups in the entire league, with a 22-5-5 record and .927. Will he simply remain one of the best backups in the league or does a team try to elevate him to 1B status?
Kevin Lankinen: Playing backup to Juuse Saros for the last two seasons, Lankinen had a solid run for Nashville, with 20 wins and a .912 save percentage in 35 starts for the Preds.
Jack Campbell: Mercifully bought out by the Oilers on Sunday, Campbell will hope to find an NHL gig to put himself back on the map following an Edmonton run that absolutely stunk up the joint, with 22 wins and a woeful .886 save percentage in 41 games played.
