By: Ryan Jainchill | Follow me on Twitter / X @Jainchill_Ryan
Heading into a pivotal offseason on the heels of a disappointing 2024-25 season, the Boston Bruins will have many questions to answer. From resigning restricted free agents to finding scoring throughout the lineup via trades or free agency, the organization must fill the holes created after the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline and their last-place finish in the Atlantic Division. While the top-six additions may come from acquisitions, the bottom-six forward group is in a position where internal options are the best bets.
The old adage is that competition makes everyone better, especially when it is internal. From purely internal options spanning both Boston and Providence, the bottom-six forward group could shake up in many, many different combinations. With seven options under contract for next season, five with RFA status, and one with UFA status, Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney and his staff have multiple options on their hands.
Under Contract for Next Season
Out of the seven players in this category that can be options for the bottom-six, only one name is a lock for a spot: Mark Kastelic. In his first season after being dealt to Boston in June in the Linus Ullmark trade with Ottawa, Kastelic started incredibly strong, posting seven points in the team’s first 11 games. While his pace tapered off, in part due to injuries, the bruising centerman finished the season with 14 points in 61 games and earned a three-year extension. His 54.4% at the face-off dot was good for second on the team among qualified players and his 218 hits were one off the team lead despite missing 21 games. Kastelic’s physical presence makes him the perfect fourth-line option for a Bruins team looking to find its identity.
Three younger players who could potentially vie for these positions include Matt Poitras, Fabian Lysell, and Fraser Minten. These three, all under the age of 22, have shown flashes at the NHL level. For Poitras, his strong start in the 2023-24 season, following his selection to the team out of camp, sparked considerable interest in his rapid development. However, some injuries have put his status in limbo, with him spending the majority of last season in Providence. Poitras is undoubtedly better suited in a top-nine role, with his playmaking abilities and hockey IQ allowing him to succeed. But with questions about his ability to keep up with NHL play due to his size, his role with the team is unclear.
For Lysell, Bruins fans were finally able to see what the Swedish winger was able to do at the NHL level after years of clamoring for it. In 12 games with Boston to end the season, Lysell posted 1-2-3, playing mostly middle-six minutes. His speed and playmaking ability were evident in this stint, but a 12-game stint is a minimal sample size, especially for a team that was eliminated from playoff contention. Like Poitras, his size is a question mark. While his upside is a top-six winger, how whoever the team’s head coach is next season deploys him is up for debate. Is a stint in Providence to begin the season the best route? That’s up to Sweeney and how the team approaches finding scoring this offseason.
Minten, acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline in the Brandon Carlo deal, has more direction than the two aforementioned youngsters within the organization. In six games down the stretch for Boston, he posted 1-0-1 in fourth-line minutes. His hard-nosed style of play is an excellent fit for the bottom-six, and his seven points in 11 regular-season games for Providence show there is a scoring upside. At only 20 years old, his potential is high, but for next season, a bottom-six role is definitely in his cards.
Riley Duran is another young option for the bottom-six, but with a two-game sample size last season in the NHL, it’s hard to envision him making an impact out of camp. However, that’s not ruling out what he can become, as his speed and physicality are good traits. If the Bruins want veterans to hold those spots, two options include Patrick Brown and Jeffrey Viel, both of whom appeared in games for Boston last season and are under contract for the 2025-26 season.
Restricted Free Agent Options
The Bruins’ RFA situation is where this could get interesting. With five legit options needing contracts, one (or two) could be on the outside looking in. Two of John Beecher, Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko, Georgii Merkulov, and John Farinacci are likely to be the odd man out. The trio of Beecher, Khusnutdinov, and Lauko are the more established options for the bottom-six due to past roles. Out of that group, Khusnutdinov appears to have the most upside. At 22, there is room to continue to develop as a player and become a middle-six option, but it does not seem to be at that point.
In a situation where Khusnutdinov lands on the third line, Lauko and Beecher would be solid rotational pieces in the bottom-six. Beecher’s defensive abilities are evident, and at 23, he could become a solid faceoff and penalty kill specialist. Lauko’s speed and physicality are beneficial traits to any team’s bottom-six and can complement a Kastelic-led line well. However, with three players who have somewhat similar skill sets, it is possible that one may not be on the opening night roster.
For Merkulov, a fourth-line role is not in his cards. The talented Russian forward has torn up the AHL, but has only recorded one point in 10 NHL games. Fellow BNG writer Kenny Kaminsky highlighted Merkulov’s situation well in his article that discussed Merkulov’s stellar time in Providence and the adjustments needed in Boston. He is undoubtedly an option for the third-line role, and only experience will assess how he performs, given that he returns to the organization.
Farinacci gave Bruins fans a highlight at the finale of a rough final two months when he scored in his NHL debut against New Jersey in Game 82. The former Harvard Crimson had a strong season in Providence, recording 38 points in 58 games and earning a call-up in Boston’s final game. Does Farinacci have the edge over the likes of Khusnutdinov, Lauko, Beecher, or even Merkulov? No. But can he earn a spot with a strong training camp? Absolutely.
The Lone UFA
If it were not for Morgan Geekie becoming a 30-goal scorer, Cole Koepke may have been considered the Bruins’ breakout player of the year. After signing a one-year deal in July and seemingly being an AHL top-six forward and potential call-up, Koepke had a stellar camp and earned a fourth-line spot in Boston, where he stuck for the whole season. In his introduction to everyday NHL play, he notched 17 points in 73 games, shattering career highs in every counting stat. Koepke’s nose for the net makes him a valuable bottom-six forward, and his sneaky physicality fits the bill for the role. If Boston can retain Koepke on a low salary, his return would be welcomed. But if a team is offering the 27-year-old more money, Sweeney has ways to build a bottom-six without him.
When it comes to a bottom-six forward group, teams that have the most success build their foundation with speed, physicality, veteran leadership, and some scoring touch. The Bruins have two of those down (speed and physicality), but should look to build on the third and fourth ones. The fourth line is already molded, featuring the likes of Kastelic, Minten, Beecher, and Lauko. The third line is where questions arise, such as whether Poitras’ size will be an issue, whether Lysell is better suited to start in Providence and earn call-ups, or whether Merkulov will be a Bruin come September. With external additions seemingly on the way, the Bruins’ bottom-six may form a strong mix of speed, physicality, youth, and scoring touch.
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