By: Ryan Bosworth | Follow me on Twitter / X @RyanJBosworth
As the Bruins head into the 2025 National Hockey League offseason, several questions are arising, and one of the most prominent is what to offer their restricted free agents.
AFP Analytics recently released their contract projections for the Bruins’ upcoming top restricted free agents, who are Morgan Geekie, Mason Lohrei, Johnny Beecher, Jakub Lauko, and Marat Khusnutdinov.
With AFP’s projected values for these restricted free agents, it’s important to compare projected value versus market value, as some of these projections aren’t appropriate for the player. Starting with Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, who was red hot through the 2024-25 campaign after he found his groove back in November. Currently playing on a two-year, $4 million contract signed back in free agency in July 2023, Geekie has more than proven his worth, posting 33-24-57 through 77 games played.
Once a healthy scratch in the same season he posted over 30 goals, Geekie made a case for himself for a healthy pay raise. As Brian DeFelice posted on X, AFP Analytics is projecting Geekie’s new contract to be $6.5 million annually, with the term sitting at four years.
$6.5 million annually doesn’t break the bank this off season, as the Bruins have around $28 million in cap space, and four years is a healthy mix of locked up but not for the rest of his career, allowing both parties to revisit his value at the end of the four years. With that said, the increase in salary and term for the 26-year-old winger is certainly appropriate.
Mason Lohrei is extremely offensively minded when it comes to his style, and while he has a great play-making ability on the blueline, it sometimes hinders his ability to defend. His team-leading -43 during the 2024-25 season, the 24-year-old has a lot to improve on when it comes to defending.
Let it be known, however, that AFP Analytics provided two different contract projections, one being long-term and one being a shorter-term bridge deal. The long-term deal, as reported by DeFelice, has Lohrei making $5.4 million annually over the course of six years.
On the contrary, the short-term, “bridge deal” style contract projection that has Lohrei making $3 million annually over the course of two years, and the ladder is certainly more appropriate for the Baton Rouge, Louisiana native.
He’s shown promise in his short tenure with Boston, but still has a lot to prove, and signing him to a shorter-term bridge deal would allow him to tighten up his game defensively before getting a pay raise to the degree of $5 million or more annually.
John Beecher was a late first-round draft pick of the Bruins back in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Drafted 30th overall, the 24-year-old would make his NHL debut in the 2023-24 Centennial season, and he quickly made a case for himself to earn a permanent roster spot in Boston. He played 52 games in 2023-24 and made a jump to 78 games in his sophomore season. He slots on the fourth line and has posted 10-11-21 through 130 career games played.
AFP Analytics projects Beecher’s next contract to be for two years, with an annual salary of $1.5 million. While Beecher is still young, with only 130 career games, he left a lot to be desired in the 2024-25 season. He wasn’t producing at the rate many expected him to, and he had just two points since January 20th, 2025.
With Mark Kastelic locked up for the next three years, Beecher’s role on the B’s roster could be in jeopardy. There could certainly be a scenario where the Bruins don’t resign the Elmira, New York native. But, if they do offer him a contract, it wouldn’t be surprising if the annual average value is closer to $1 million rather than the projected $1.5 million, as his most recent deal was a three-year, $925,000 contract.
Jakub Lauko, reacquired by the Bruins at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, is a scrappy, hardworking forward who brings an intensity, speed-driven aspect to the Bruins roster. While he only played 18 games following the trade deadline, his speed and grit were felt in the bottom six immediately.
While only posting 2-3-5 through his 18 games in Boston, Lauko is valuable to the fourth line. Currently, he’s playing on a two-year contract, making $787,000 annually. AFP projects an increase in salary but a decrease in term, currently projecting a one-year, $1.17 million contract.
With the spark Lauko brings to the Bruins lineup, it’s reasonable to expect an annual average value of anywhere from $1 million to $1.17 million, and it’s fair to assume the Bruins will resign Lauko.
Marat Khusnutdinov, acquired alongside Jakub Lauko in a trade with the Minnesota Wild before the NHL trade deadline, is a young center, just 22 years old, and he’s a bit of a project for the Bruins. Showing some potential upside down the stretch in his time with Boston, the makings could be there for a potential middle/bottom-six center or winger, as he showed versatility to play in either position.
He played 18 games with Boston, and the most prominent aspect of his game was his speed and ability to win foot races. His production wasn’t his strong suit, only posting 3-2-5 through his 18 games in the Black and Gold, but his production was much like his teammates’ — weak.
However, it would be surprising if Boston didn’t work to resign the Moscow, Russia native. With a projected contract of two years, $924,00 annually, Boston could resign and continue working on him, which is what many expect them to do.
The Bruins have their work cut out for them this offseason, as their restricted free agent signings are going to be paired with drafting seventh overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, as well as a coaching search and free agent signings on July 1st.
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