On Thursday, we took a look at how the Bruins can address some of their needs on defense this offseason. Now we’ll take a look at some free agents who could help provide more scoring depth up front.
The Bruins finally had a good (really good, in fact) second line after acquiring Taylor Hall at the trade deadline. Despite a quiet second round for that line, they should have a really good second line again if they re-sign Hall and David Krejci.
The Bruins still struggled to get much of any offense from their third and fourth lines, though, especially in the second round. Their bottom six forwards combined for just one goal in six games against the Islanders.
For the purposes of this exercise, we’re going to operate as if the Bruins do in fact sign both Hall and Krejci. Obviously neither is a lock, but it does seem like both are more likely to re-sign than not. If one or both aren’t back, then the Bruins would be looking for more than just depth scoring.
We’re going to stick to depth scoring here, we’re going to stick to unrestricted free agents, and we’re going to stick to players we think could actually be good signings. Our list is ordered by Evolving-Hockey’s contract projections, going from most expensive average annual value to least expensive.
We’re also keeping this to players projected to get less than $5 million per year. The players projected to get more than that are clear top-six forwards and are probably going to cost more than the Bruins would be willing or able to spend on a third-liner.
That means obviously no Gabriel Landeskog or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but also no Phillip Danault, Mike Hoffman, Zach Hyman or Tomas Tatar. All of them would seemingly only be options if the Bruins and Hall are unable to strike a deal.
Mikael Granlund (EH projection: 3 years, $5.036M)
OK, so we’re cheating a little right off the bat. Granlund might be projected to get just over $5 million, but it’s worth noting that he had to settle for a one-year, $3.75 million deal last offseason. He had a good season (13 goals, 14 assists in 51 games) for the Predators, but not one that really screams out “free-agent bidding war,” so it’s possible he’ll have to settle for a little less again.
Brandon Saad (EH projection: 4 years, $4.944M)
Saad, on the other hand, may have played himself into more money with seven goals in 10 playoff games for the Avalanche. Combine that with his previous Stanley Cup pedigree (he won two with the Blackhawks) and consistent 20-goal production (he’s topped that mark in five of the last seven seasons and would have done so again this year had it been a full season), and there is sure to be plenty of interest in the 28-year-old wing if he doesn’t re-sign with Colorado.
Jaden Schwartz (EH projection: 3 years, $4.757M)
Schwartz’s offensive production dipped for the second time in three years (8 goals, 13 assists in 40 games), but he’s still a very good two-way player and just a year removed from a 22-goal, 57-point season (which is more in line with where his production had been from 2013-18). Schwartz was also a big part of the Blues’ 2019 Cup run, scoring 12 goals in 26 playoff games
Blake Coleman (EH projection: 4 years, $4.698M)
Coleman was a big get for the Lightning at the 2020 trade deadline, transforming their third line and helping them eliminate the Bruins and then go on to win the Cup. Now he’s trying to help them repeat. Tampa faces another major cap crunch this offseason, though, and probably won’t be able to afford to keep Coleman. With 14 goals in 55 games this season and 20-plus in each of the two seasons before that, the 29-year-old could do for the Bruins’ third line what he did for Tampa’s.
Kyle Palmieri (EH projection: 3 years, $4.219M)
Continuing the “if you can’t beat them, sign them” theme, here’s Palmieri! You know, that guy who scored five goals in nine regular-season games against the Bruins this year and then four in six playoff games as his Islanders eliminated Boston. The Islanders face their own cap crunch and may not be able to re-sign him. Palmieri has been a rumored Bruins target for years; could it actually finally happen this summer?
Joel Armia (EH projection: 3 years, $3.183M)
You’ll notice we’ve moved down a tier in price now. The Canadiens will presumably be prioritizing new deals for Danault and Tatar. That would likely mean moving on from Armia, who brings size (6-foot-4), physicality and solid third-line production (four straight double-digit-goal seasons before scoring seven in 41 games this year).
Nick Bonino (EH projection: 2 years, $2.552M)
The former BU Terrier has been a valuable two-way asset everywhere he’s gone and won two Cups with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. Bonino didn’t show any signs of decline in his age-32 season this year, registering 10 goals and 16 assists in 55 games. He’s a center, but he also played some wing for the Wild this season. The Bruins could put him on the wing on Charlie Coyle’s line or stick him at center and bump Coyle to the wing.
Casey Cizikas (EH projection: 3 years, $2.310M)
Another player who just helped the Islanders eliminate the Bruins, and the center on their “identity” fourth line. The 30-year-old Cizikas has shown some offensive pop at times, most notably when he scored 20 goals in 2018-19.
Ryan Getzlaf (EH projection: 1 year, $2.182M)
If you think the 36-year-old Getzlaf is cooked -- and he very well may be after a five-goal, 12-assist season -- then obviously don’t bother. If you think he might be rejuvenated by a move from a rebuilding team to a contender, then he’s worth a look. It’s also possible Getzlaf elects to just finish his career in Anaheim anyways despite the rebuild.
Paul Stastny (EH projection: 1 year, $2.076M)
Another mid-30s center? Why? Because the Bruins need good players who can create offense, and Stastny is still that. He had 13 goals and 16 assists in 56 games for Winnipeg this season. The Bruins might only have one or two more cracks during the “Bergeron window,” so short-term veteran signings should absolutely be in play if they’ll help you win. Plug Stastny in as third-line center, move Coyle to the wing.
Mathieu Perreault (EH projection: 2 years, $1.840M)
Another Winnipeg Jet. Perreault has been a really solid bottom-six two-way forward for a long time now, and he still was this season at age 33, recording nine goals and 10 assists while playing plus defense.
Marcus Johansson (EH projection: 1 year, $1.175M)
Johansson was a great fit on the Bruins’ third line next to Coyle during their 2019 run to the Stanley Cup Final, so there’s a natural attraction here. But, be aware that he really struggled in Minnesota this year, putting up six goals and eight assists in 36 games while grading out poorly in both offensive and defensive analytics.
Alex Chiasson (EH projection: 1 year, $1.165M)
The Bruins reportedly showed interest in an Anders Bjork-for-Chiasson swap last offseason. If that’s true, he could be on their radar again. Chiasson has some size (6-foot-3) and skill and is generally good for somewhere around 10-12 goals a season (with an outlier 22-goal 2018-19 season sprinkled in). He won a Cup with the Capitals in 2018.
Matt Calvert (EH projection: 1 year, $1.106M)
Calvert is coming off the worst season of his career (0 goals, 3 assists in 18 games) and a season-ending injury, which is why he’s going to be really cheap. Before this year, the 31-year-old had been a consistent two-way bottom-six wing you could pencil in for roughly 10 goals and 15 assists a season. Doesn’t blow you away, but you’d take that from a fourth-line wing.
Michael Bunting (EH projection: 1 year, $1.069M)
How much stock do you put in 21 games? Bunting scored 10 goals in 21 games for the Coyotes this season. Prior to that, the 25-year-old wing had played just five NHL games while spending five full seasons in the AHL, which is why he’s now in the odd position of being an unrestricted free agent despite so few NHL games. He’s obviously not going to shoot 26.3% or score at a 40-goal pace over a full season, but what if he can be a 15-20-goal scorer? Then he’d be a pretty good bargain.
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