The news came fast and furious at the start of NHL free agency last week.
From the Bruins’ own signings to a schedule release to development camp, just about everything that could have been thrown at Bruins fans was indeed thrown at Bruins fans last week. It was enough to make your head light up like the Esplanade.
And in case you missed it during the ‘frenzy’ that is the opening week of NHL free agency, here’s a look at where every (now former) Bruin landed when the deals started flying.
Jake DeBrusk: Canucks
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 02: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring against Ilya Samsonov #35 of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the shootout at TD Garden on November 02, 2023. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
After almost a decade-long run with the Bruins, Jake DeBrusk officially moved on by way of a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Canucks. Now, to be clear, this wasn’t a DeBrusk and DeBrusk alone kind of decision. The writing for a split had been on the wall for some time, especially after DeBrusk expressed legitimate disappointment that a deal did not get done during the season, almost as if he knew it meant that his time in Boston was over.
But after the Canucks approached him with a “very aggressive” pursuit, and after the Bruins had tied up significant money with the signing of both Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, DeBrusk found his next home and in a potentially premier spot, with DeBrusk slated to skate next to Canucks star Elias Pettersson.
Drafted with the No. 14 overall pick in 2015, DeBrusk totaled 138 goals and 266 points in 465 games with the B’s. His 138 goals are actually the 35th-most in franchise history, while his 27 career playoff goals rank are the 15th-most in the century-long history of the Bruins.
Danton Heinen: Canucks
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 09: Danton Heinen #43 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the game against the New York Islanders during the first period at TD Garden on November 09, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
While Vancouver will present DeBrusk with a new opportunity, the Canucks will give Danton Heinen the chance to go home, with the Langley, B.C. native signed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract ($2.25 million cap hit).
The contract comes with just about everything Heinen could’ve asked for, too. He got some term, a sizable raise from the $775,000 he skated on last year, and he even got a limited no-trade clause on this deal. The Bruins were interested in keeping Heinen around, and the club met with his reps multiple times leading up to the start of free agency, but the Bruins were clearly not in position to offer Heinen everything he got from Vancouver.
The 28-year-old Heinen posted 17 goals and 36 points in 74 games with the Bruins last season.
Milan Lucic: Still unsigned
Sep 26, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Milan Lucic (17) looks for the puck during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)
The reunion between the Bruins and Milan Lucic was looking like a potential home run for both sides.
Not only did Lucic arrive to camp in tremendous shape (speaking from a pure fitness standpoint, he honestly looked better in 2023 than he did in his final season with Boston), but Lucic was looking like someone who could be a legitimate bottom-six presence for the club.
But a lower-body injury put him on the shelf after just four games with the Bruins, and then came a domestic violence arrest that by all means ended his season and perhaps his NHL career, as Lucic remains unsigned over a week into the start of NHL free agency and with updates on him few and far between.
Pat Maroon: Blackhawks
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 15: Pat Maroon #61 of the Boston Bruins looks on against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena on April 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Whether it was BS or not, Pat Maroon had glowing praise regarding his time in Boston. He loved the city, the team, and the locker room. Maroon also made it clear that he felt like the Bruins didn’t get the best version of him (Maroon arrived to Boston after undergoing back surgery and had a rapid-fire ramp-up to get ready for the playoffs), and wanted to come back and show them what he could really do for their team.
But Maroon ultimately did not get that chance, as the Bruins appeared to go in a different direction in regards to their fourth line, with Mark Kastelic brought in and both Jakub Lauko and Jesper Boqvist moved out before free agency even began. So, with Boston off the table, Maroon landed where a lot of ex-Bruins have landed of late, with the 36-year-old signed to a one-year, $1.3 million contract by the Blackhawks.
Maroon had two assists and 31 hits in 13 playoff games for the Bruins.
Jayson Megna: AHL Colorado
Sep 26, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Jayson Megna (20) looks to make a pass during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)
A veteran tweener, Jayson Megna was one of Providence’s top talents a season ago, with 19 goals and 56 points in 69 games for the B’s top minor-league affiliate. And after sitting on the sidelines without a deal for the first week of free agency, July 9 came with a contract for the 34-year-old Megna, as he signed a two-year AHL deal with Colorado.
Anthony Richard: Flyers
Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Anthony Richard (90) skates against the New York Rangers during the first period at TD Garden. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bruins clearly liked what they saw out of Anthony Richard and his limited NHL sample in 2023-24, with one goal and three points in nine games. So much so that the Bruins actually sent him back down to Providence one game before he would’ve required waivers to be reassigned down to the AHL.
But that did not keep the 27-year-old Richard in the Bruins’ plans for 2024-25, as Richard landed with the Flyers on a two-year, two-way contract with an NHL cap hit of $775,000.
In the minors, Richard was one of Providence’s go-to scorers, with 25 goals and 55 points in 59 AHL contests.
Oskar Steen: Färjestad BK (SHL)
Dec 15, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Oskar Steen (62) skates against the New York Islanders during the second period at UBS Arena. (Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)
It’s been known for quite some time that Oskar Steen was leaving the B’s organization this summer, and the Black and Gold actually gave his camp permission to talk to other teams before the start of free agency. But after almost two weeks without an NHL offer on the table, Steen will join Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League.
A 2016 sixth-round pick of the Bruins, the 5-foot-9 Steen recorded four goals and eight points in 60 NHL games with the Bruins, and scored 53 goals and 116 points in 221 games with AHL Providence.
James van Riemsdyk: Still unsigned
Feb 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing James van Riemsdyk (21) celebrates the first of his two goals during the first period as Los Angeles Kings right wing Alex Laferriere (78) skates away. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)
Signed to a one-year, $1 million contract last year, James van Riemsdyk was looking like the steal of the 2023 free agent class at the halfway point of the campaign, with eight goals and 32 points through his first 45 games with the Bruins. But a second-half cooldown — worsened by a late-season sickness — led to a quiet finish for ‘JVR’ and has kept him on the outside looking in through the start of free agency.
The N.J. native is still a strong net-front option for a team’s power play, and at this point in his career is likely just looking for the team that gives him the best chance at winning a Stanley Cup.
Derek Forbort: Canucks
May 8, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort (28) controls the puck against the Florida Panthers during the first period in game two of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bruins and Canucks finalized their unofficial trade on the first day of free agency with Derek Forbort joining Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen in Vancouver, and on a one-year, $1.5 million. Following what was an injury-plagued 2023-24 season that by all means sealed his future fate with the B’s, Forbort departed the Bruins after three seasons with the club, and with 30 points and 253 blocked shots in 165 total games with Boston.
Matt Grzelcyk: Penguins
TEMPE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 09: Matt Grzelcyk #48 of the Boston Bruins passes the puck during the NHL game at Mullett Arena on January 09, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Bruins 4-3 in overtime. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
One of the more predictable moves involving a now ex-Bruin involved Matt Grzelcyk, as the Charlestown, Mass. native decided to take his talents to Pittsburgh on a one-year deal worth $2.75 million. In Pittsburgh, Grzelcyk will be reunited with ex-BU head coach David Quinn (now an assistant with the Pens), and will have the chance to potentially play on a pairing with either Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson depending on how the Pens utilize him.
The 5-foot-9 Grzelcyk put up two goals and 11 points in 63 games with the Bruins this past season after a career-high 26 points in 2022-23, and seemingly knew he was on the outside looking in when it came to his B’s tenure following a postseason that saw him scratched for all of the club’s second-round series against the Panthers.
Dan Renouf: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 17: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers anbd Dan Renouf #44 of the Boston Bruins are separated during a fight in the second period at TD Garden on October 17, 2022. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
In the minor-league ranks, veteran defenseman Dan Renouf, who had been with the B’s organization for the last two years, found a new home by way of an AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Renouf recorded six goals and 32 points in 117 games with AHL Providence over his two-year run with the organization. He also made one NHL appearance for the Bruins over that span, and took his lumps in that outing, with a minus-3 rating in that game.
Kevin Shattenkirk: Still unsigned
Jan 2, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (12) celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena. (Russell LaBounty/USA TODAY Sports)
Another veteran still looking for work is right-shooting defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.
Inked to a one-year deal worth just over a million dollars with the hopes that he could be Connor Clifton’s replacement on the right side of Boston’s third pairing, Shattenkirk gave the Bruins what you realistically could have hoped for out of his game at this point in his career, with 24 points in 61 games played during the 2023-24 season.
Shattenkirk is just 48 games away from hitting 1,000 games as an NHLer.
Reilly Walsh: Kings
Sep 24, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Reilly Walsh (92) skates in the neutral zone during the third period against the New York Rangers at TD Garden. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
One of three Group 6 free agents the Bruins had to make calls on this offseason, Reilly Walsh hit the free agent market after putting up nine goals and 28 points in 60 games for AHL Providence last season, and landed with the Los Angeles Kings on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.
The North Falmouth, Mass. native has recorded 32 goals and 127 points in 234 career AHL games.
Kyle Keyser: Kunlun Red Star (KHL)
Sep 26, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Kyle Keyser (85) makes a save during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)
A long-term project in goal for the Bruins but ultimately not in the team’s future plans following some in-house shuffling below the NHL level, Kyle Keyser will play next season with the Kunlun Red Star.
In goal for five AHL games this past season, Keyser posted a 1-2-2 record and .873 save percentage, and fell way off the organizational depth chart behind Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro. It wasn’t much better in the ECHL for Keyser, either, with five wins and an .868 save percentage in 16 appearances for the Maine Mariners.
