By: Ryan Bosworth | Follow me on Twitter / X @RyanJBosworth
The Boston Bruins are heading into the 2025 offseason following a deeply disappointing 2024–25 campaign, which saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2015–16. With several glaring holes throughout the lineup, the Bruins face a pivotal summer. Making the right moves in free agency—alongside other strategic decisions—could mean the difference between a short-term retool and a full-blown rebuild.
Free agency opens on July 1, 2025. While the list of available players will evolve, particularly as postseason performances shape market values, it’s important to examine potential fits for Boston’s needs. With a projected $28 million in cap space, the Bruins are in a strong position to be aggressive in the market and, as they typically do, spend to the cap.
One of the most pressing issues that plagued the Boston Bruins during the 2024–25 season was the lack of offensive production from the forward group. While other factors, such as an unusually high number of injuries, also contributed to the team’s struggles, none were as detrimental as the scoring drought up front. Fortunately for Boston, several projected free agents could help address this offensive shortfall and provide a much-needed boost to the roster.
Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner, 27, is entering the final year of his six-year, $65.4 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s coming off a career-best season, recording 27-75-102 over 81 games in 2024–25.
Considering the $10.9 million cap hit on his current deal and his standout performance in 2024–25, Mitch Marner is reportedly seeking a significant raise. According to Frank Seravalli, Marner could command a deal worth upwards of $14 million per year if he hits free agency this summer.
“It’s not difficult to envision a world where Marner earns closer to a $14 million AAV if he makes it to market,” Seravalli noted.
While he carries a hefty price tag, he’s consistent in his point production, and his playmaking skills have been evolving despite being a winger—something we began to see with Bruins winger David Pastrnak during the season.
There are potential downsides to Marner, however, which are important to consider. One major aspect is that he is a first-line talent, and he’d slot in exactly where Pastrnak slots in, at the first-line right wing. Navigating a lineup with two first-line right-wingers could be tricky.
Nikolaj Ehlers
Ehlers, 29, is in the final year of a seven-year, $42 million contract. In the 2024-25 season, Ehlers missed 13 games and posted 24-39-63 through 69 games played. While he doesn’t score to the same caliber of points as Mitch Marner, he’d offer secondary scoring to a lineup seriously lacking scoring depth.
There was word going around toward the end of the 2023-24 season and during the 2024-25 season that while Ehlers wasn’t necessarily requesting a trade, he would “welcome a change of scenery.” With his contract expiring at the end of the Jets’ playoff run, it’s more likely that Elhers will test the market. If Ehlers can continue producing at 60-70 points per season, he’s a name the Bruins’ front office should seriously consider bringing in.
Brock Boeser
Boeser, 28, is in the final year of his three-year, $19.95 million contract with Vancouver. It was heavily rumored that he’d end up testing the market this summer to find a new landing spot. Through 75 games played with Vancouver this season, he posted 25-25-50, which is a 23-point dip from his 2023-24 campaign, where he posted 40-33-73 through 81 games played. He was a right-winger in the top-six forward group, slotting in either the first-line right-wing or second-line right-wing position.
Considering David Pastrnak’s role as the Bruins’ first-line right-wing, Boeser would slot in nicely in the second-line right-wing spot alongside Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. It was recently reported that Boeser denied a contract with an annual average value of $8 million, which would be a hefty price tag considering the drop in goals from 2023-24 to 2024-25.
If the Bruins could get his asking price down from the $8 million, and Boeser can get himself to 30+ goals once again, he’d be a great addition to a team lacking scoring depth.
Sam Bennett
There are several areas of need throughout the Bruins’ lineup, and center depth is no exception. Elias Lindholm started to emerge as the Bruins’ first-line center down the stretch, and Marc Kastelic locked up for the next three years as the Bruins’ fourth-line center. The second and third-line center roles need to be filled, and one of those roles is seemingly going to be filled by deadline acquisition Casey Mittelstadt.
Sam Bennett is a name the Bruins could look at to fill in the other middle-six center role, as he’s in the final year of his four-year, $17.70 million contract. He’s currently slotted in as the Florida Panthers’ second-line center. Bennett has the versatility to play throughout the middle-six of the lineup, and just came off a career-year in points, posting 25-26-51 through 76 games played.
While it may be a controversial take, considering Bennett is public enemy number one in Boston, he plays with grit, he’s a competitor, and he provides scoring depth down the middle. With a recent Stanley Cup on his resume, he’s a viable option for a team looking to rebound into contending for the Cup.
Cody Ceci
While Boston needs help with scoring depth, it’s hard to deny the void left when Bruins’ general manager Don Sweeney traded Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 7th. Accompanied by two season-ending injuries endured by Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy, losing Brandon Carlo’s reliable play, both at even strength and on the penalty kill, made the battered Bruins’ blueline that much weaker. A valuable defenseman who could fill the top-four role and be an effective penalty killer is Stars defenseman Cody Ceci.
Ceci, 31, is a steady, right-handed defenseman. During his time in Edmonton, Ceci was a strong penalty killer who brought size to the Oilers’ blueline with a strong ability to get the puck down the ice when shorthanded. Both of these attributes are extremely similar to those of Brandon Carlo, which is something the Bruins are now missing.
In the 2024-25 campaign, he played for both the San Jose Sharks, where he posted 4-11-15 through 54 games, and the Dallas Stars, where he posted 0-9-9 through 31 games. In his 54 games with San Jose, Ceci was a -9, and in his 31 games with Dallas, he was a +15, despite the ‘plus/minus’ not being the best representation of a player.
Ceci is currently playing somewhat of an elevated role in Dallas due to injuries right now, but he regularly slots into the top-four on the backend, and as John Buccigross noted following last night’s Game Seven between Dallas and Colorado, Ceci has shown he can rise to the occasion when it matters most. Bringing in Ceci, or a player with his skillset, would certainly aid in filling the void left by Brandon Carlo.
As the Bruins look to retool their roster, targeting the right unrestricted free agents could make a significant difference. Whether it’s adding scoring depth, shoring up the blue line, or finding a reliable center, Boston has opportunities to strengthen key areas this offseason. With smart cap management, Don Sweeney and the front office have a real chance to reshape the roster.
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