By: Ryan Jainchill | Follow me on Twitter / X @Jainchill_Ryan
Last week, we reviewed the Boston Bruins unrestricted free agent class of 2025. Now, it is time to look at which restricted free agents the Bruins re-signed and how they performed last season. While the UFA class consisted mostly of depth pieces and some breakouts, the RFA class had some talent that the front office wanted to keep in the fold for the foreseeable future.
In all, the Bruins handed out seven contracts to their restricted free agents, with six seeing NHL action last season. While the UFA class was heavily infused with low AAV contracts, General Manager Don Sweeney and President and Alternate Governor Cam Neely struck gold on both their low-risk extensions and a big-time deal for their top scorer.
Morgan Geekie
The key RFA the Bruins had was the 27-year-old Geekie, who, in year two of a two-year deal he inked in 2023, was coming off a career year. During the 2024-25 season, which saw the Bruins finish with the NHL’s fifth-worst record, Geekie set career highs in every counting stat, posting 33-24-57. The biggest jump was in his goal-scoring, as he was on a line with David Pastrnak for most of the season. He was signed to a six-year contract with an AAV of $5.5 million, cementing him as a Bruin for the long-term.
There were significant questions about the longevity of Geekie’s sudden scoring uptick. Playing alongside a superstar in Pastrnak clearly benefited the Manitoba native and many wondered if this career-high was just a blip on the radar. But Geekie silenced the critics, posting more career-highs, finishing the year with 39-29-68 and the team lead in goals.
Geekie has turned into the team’s top goal scorer, as Pastrnak finished the year with ten fewer tallies. His career-high 12 power-play goals righted the ship for a Bruins power play that struggled in 2024-25 and he has become a player with a nose for the net and a wicked shot. The only question that remains is whether the Bruins want to separate Geekie and Pastrnak to make two true scoring lines next season.
Mason Lohrei
The other key piece that needed a deal was the smooth-skating Lohrei, who signed for two years at $3.2 million per. At 24-years-old when he signed the deal, the mix of a bridge deal with Lohrei’s upside was tantalizing. In his contract year, his first full NHL season, Lohrei posted 5-28-33 and had stepped into the power-play quarterback position after Charlie McAvoy was ruled out for the year. However, the jump to a top-flight offensive defenseman never really came in 2025-26.
Lohrei’s numbers took a bit of a hit, posting 7-19-26 in 73 games. While his plus-minus improved from an abysmal -43 to a plus-17, his turnover ratio was still poor and he continued to struggle in his own end. When Lohrei was on his game, mostly playing the right side alongside Hampus Lindholm, he moved the puck incredibly well and could create chances, but the improvements in his own end did not show.
Come playoff time, Lohrei was a healthy scratch for the final three games and the writing may be on the wall. He was rumored to be a part of trade packages all season and with one year left on a relatively cheap deal for a young player, Sweeney may feel his value is worthy of a move that lands the Bruins a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman.
Marat Khusnutdinov
Khusnutdinov was in need of an extension after his acquisition from the Minnesota Wild at the 2025 trade deadline in the Justin Brazeau trade. In his two seasons in the NHL, the young Russian forward had not produced much, totaling 6-10-16 in 91 games between Minnesota and Boston. The Bruins front office saw something in the speedy forward and signed him to a two-year deal with an AAV of $925k.
This sign-low deal turned into a huge success for the Bruins, as Khusnutdinov had a career year, recording 15-18-33 in 77 games. His blend of speed and playmaking made him a key piece for the 100-point Bruins, as he could play up and down the lineup and produce. His season highlight was a four-goal performance in the Bruins’ 10-2 defeat of the New York Rangers on ESPN in early January.
Khusnutdinov’s versatility makes him very valuable and his speed in the modern NHL game is crucial for the Bruins. This deal, which pays him less than a million per season, is perfect for a Bruins team that can use what he brings to the table. Next season, Khusnutdinov has the ability to continue his development and turn into a reliable top-nine forward.
John Beecher
Outside of the three aforementioned UFA’s, Beecher was the regular player who needed a deal. He signed for one year at $900k, giving the Bruins another depth piece in their lineup who was good at the faceoff dot and could kill penalties. In his first two NHL seasons, the former first-round pick had 10-11-21 in 130 games.
To begin the 2025-26 season, Beecher struggled to find playing time, losing out to UFA signing Sean Kuraly as fourth-line center. In six games, he had a goal and no assists and suffered an injury in mid-November. On November 17, Beecher was placed on waivers and claimed by the Calgary Flames. The young forward could have been used as a depth piece for the Bruins down the stretch, but with Kuraly, Khusnutdinov and talented young center Fraser Minten stepping into their own, Beecher was excess goods and was expendable.
Georgii Merkulov
Merkulov, coming off a nearly point-per-game season with the Providence Bruins, signed a one-year extension worth $775k. This was a bit of a surprise, as in his four years in the organization, the Russian forward had only appeared in 10 NHL games. Many expected Merkulov to make a run for a bottom-six spot out of training camp, but ultimately, he began the year in Providence.
The chance to perform at the NHL level did not materialize for the 25-year-old in 2025-26. He only appeared in one game for Boston, playing when both Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha were out with injury. However, he tore up the AHL again, posting 24-37-61 in 70 games and led the team in both assists and points.
Once again, Merkulov faces a crossroads, but this time he has UFA status and is free to sign with anyone. The Bruins may have squandered the young scorers’ ability to become an NHL regular for them, as 11 games over three full seasons for a player who put up stellar numbers in the AHL does not bode well for a player who may be looking for real NHL playing time.
Victor Soderstrom
The only player whom the Bruins signed as an RFA that did not appear in a game for the organization in 2024-25 was the former Arizona Coyotes first-round pick Soderstrom. The Bruins acquired the defenseman’s rights from the Chicago Blackhawks after he spent the season in Sweden. Soderstrom was signed to a one-year deal worth $775k, with the expectation that he would be a good addition to Providence and could be called up if needed.
Soderstrom did play a handful of games in the NHL last season, appearing in eight and recording an assist at a time when the Bruins were banged up on the backend. However, most of his season was played in Providence, where he recorded 9-21-30 in 57 games, finishing third on the defense in scoring. Going into the 2026-27 season, Soderstrom signed in Switzerland for EHC Biel-Bienne, ending his second North American stint. For a combined 65 games between Providence and Boston, this one-year flier was worth it.
John Farinacci
Farinacci was the only RFA signing who did not appear in a game for the Bruins this season, as he spent the entire season in Providence. Signing a one-year pact worth $775k, Farinacci was expected to be an AHL regular and could have been called up in a pinch if the Bruins needed center help. In 2024-25, he appeared in one NHL game, scoring a goal in his debut against the New Jersey Devils in the last game of the season.
The former Harvard Crimson had a disappointing year in his third season in the organization, finishing with career lows in goals, assists and points. He finished with 9-10-19 in 68 games, half of his point totals from the two years prior, of 38. It does not appear that Farinacci has a future with the NHL club, so with his UFA status set to expire July 1, he is likely to leave unless he wants to stick around in Providence.
The Bruins’ 2025 RFA class was certainly different from the UFA class. With a hefty extension for Geekie after a career year and a great low-value deal for Khusnutdinov becoming a steal, Sweeeny and Neely did tidy work without breaking the bank, allowing for flexibility. While some of the RFA signings, such as Merkulov and Beecher, did not pan out as expected, signing them to one-year deals proved to be smart, as they would not be locked into anything. With a few young players who are RFA’s needing contracts, the Bruins should follow a similar blueprint to 2025.
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