4 offseason priorities for the Bruins after first-round loss to Sabres

Boston Bruins

The Bruins need another high-end forward and some stability on the blue line if they want to take another step forward in 2026-27.

By Connor Ryan

May 5, 2026 | 7:16 am

6 minutes to read

Marco Sturm neatly summed up the Bruins’ 2025-26 campaign on Friday night — just minutes after his players skated onto the ice at TD Garden for the last time until the fall.

“Look at us, a 100-point season and fighting hard to the end,” Sturm said as he reflected on his first year as a hockey head coach. “I just wanted them to know how proud I was, and now we have a little taste. [Don Sweeney] He said that a few months ago. “We still have work to do.”

The 2025-26 season for the Bruins was, in any case, a step in the right direction.

But just two days after Boston’s season ended, Sturm was candid about the next steps his club must take to cement its place as a true rising power in the changing NHL landscape.

“You can’t rest in this league,” Sturm added. “So that’s going to be the challenge. The expectations are going to be higher. We’re not going to be the surprise team anymore.”

Boston may have been a pleasant surprise during Sturm’s first year at the helm. But the Bruins’ first-round exit thanks to a deeper, faster, more skilled Sabers club was a reminder that Don Sweeney and Co. have a lot of work to do this summer.

Here’s a look at some of Boston’s top assignments on their offseason to-do list:

Add at least one attacker

At first glance, bolstering the Bruins’ scoring potential seems far from the most pressing need for Sturm’s club.

After finishing 27th in the NHL in goals per game (2.71) and 29th in power plays (15.2 percent) in 2024-26, the Bruins moved up in both categories this year.

Only nine teams averaged more goals per game than the 2025-26 Bruins (3.27), while Boston ranked ninth in man advantage — converting on 23.4 percent of those plays.

Having an attacking force in David Pastrnak certainly helps, while players like Morgan Geki and Pavel Zacha have had standout seasons.

But just relying on repeat performances from the likes of Geekie (21.5 percent shooting), Zacha (22.9 percent), or Casey Mittelstadt (18.8 percent) invites the risk of some serious regression once hockey returns again in October.

It also remains to be seen whether Viktor Arvidsson (25 goals, 54 points) will return before what should be a lucrative payday amid a largely barren free agent market.

The Bruins — who ranked 22nd in expected goals per 60 minutes and 24th in high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 — felt the sting of that scoring heater in the playoffs.

Boston has scored just one goal in regulation in each of its last four games against the Sabers, while its power play has capitalized on just two of its 16 chances in the postseason.

The Bruins can’t go back with the same flawed offensive force and expect similar production, and it’s not fair to put all the burden on youngsters like James Hagens and Fraser Minten to counter some of the expected shooting regression.

Even if this free agent class is largely disappointing, the Bruins have the investment capital and prospects available to them to target immediate-impact talent — especially up front.

If the Blues re-sign Robert Thomas in trade talks, or the troubled Stars reject a huge payday for restricted free agent Jason Robertson, Sweeney has to make a call.

Acquiring a 26-year-old center like Thomas — he’s signed through 2031 with an annual cap hit of $8.125 million — would likely cost some first-round picks, including a potential prospect or two like Dean Letourneau.

But Boston could also exploit some of those assets without depleting their entire prospect pipeline, which also includes forwards like Menten, Hagens, Will Zellers, Cooper Simpson, and first-round picks from both Toronto and Florida.

Even with the hefty price tag it would require, adding a key offensive lineman entering his prime like Thomas would be the upgrade Boston’s frontcourt desperately needs to establish itself as a viable contender in the coming years.

Add some stiffness to the blue line

The good news? Jeremy Swayman is the least of Boston’s worries as a legitimate franchise goaltender.

Bad news? The Bruins are asking for trouble if they continue to rely on the 27-year-old goalie to bail out the leaky defensive structure again in 2026-27.

If it weren’t for Soyman’s talent in nullifying the routine barrage of first-class scoring opportunities (28.8 goals saved above expected), Boston could have been a lottery team last season.

In 5 on 5 playthe Bruins ranked 29th in the league in expected goals per 60 minutes (2.93) – ahead of only the Islanders, Canucks and Blackhawks. Only four teams had high-danger 5-on-5 scoring chances per 60 minutes compared to Boston (12.5).

“One of the main reasons we have come this far is our goalies,” Sturm said. “We can’t expect this every year. As a group, we need to find ways to limit some of the opportunities.”

Besides making any adjustments to Boston’s hybrid man-to-man/zone system, the Bruins need some stronger personnel on the back end.

If fortune breaks Boston’s way and Toronto’s 2026 first-round pick drops to sixth or seventh overall during Tuesday’s draft lottery, the draft would move a coveted asset to Boston, which it could use to select one of several promising prospects like Alberts Schmitz, Chase Reed, Daxon Rodobel, or Carson Karls. ​

Adding a legitimate defensive prospect who could arrive in a year or so would be a welcome sight for Boston, who could use a top-four option on the left side as a long-term replacement for Hampus Lindholm — or a right-handed skater who could anchor that second pairing long-term. ​

If the Bruins draft a legitimate blueliner in June, Boston could pick up a short-term option to add some defensive consistency to their lineup — such as trading for a meat-and-potatoes D-man like Zach Whitecloud.

If Toronto keeps this pick in the top five, things will get a lot more complicated for the Bruins. Boston could target veteran D Rasmus Andersson in free agency, given Boston’s stated interest in the 29-year-old before he was traded from Calgary to Vegas.

But Anderson will cost a pretty penny in free agency, and Boston would likely need to sign a seven-year contract worth at least $8-$9.5 million in AAV to attract him.

Clearing some contracts

With only two pending unrestricted free agents on their roster (Viktor Arvidsson and Andrew Beck) And more than $16 million in projected cap spaceBoston has the means to restart Arvidsson without emphasizing its financial flexibility.

But if the Bruins want to get really aggressive this summer and catch a bigger fish or two, Boston might be better off getting rid of some additional contracts at the right price.

During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Boston had several bloated or redundant contracts sitting on the ninth floor — including Joonas Korpisalo ($3 million AAV), Mickey Essimont ($1.45 million), Henri Jokiharju ($3 million AAV), and Mason Lohry ($3.2 million).

Boston’s most troubling contract is Elias Lindholm, who has been hampered by a back ailment for the second straight year and is counting $7.75 million against the cap for five more years. But that contract won’t move anytime soon.

Right now, the Bruins must try to exhaust several avenues to try to get another $5-7 million off their books in order to free up the roster log and increase their purchasing power.

Captain’s name

Sturm had no concerns about the Bruins’ unorthodox leadership hierarchy in 2025-26 – with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy leading the way as alternate captains alongside a veteran group that also included Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and others.

For McAvoy and Pastrnak, the focus this season has been on re-establishing the culture and setting standards for the roster in transition — rather than focusing on appointing a leader.

But as the Bruins continue to build their roster and grow with an influx of young talent and new faces, sewing a “C” on someone’s jacket and creating a regular leadership streak feels like a proactive move ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

It should come as no surprise that Hagens — a potential future Boston forward — has his locker next to Pastrnak in the Bruins locker room.

Pastrnak’s more balanced style and knack for weathering the ups and downs that inevitably arise over the course of a long season make him an attractive fit for a Bruins team writing a new chapter in 2026 and beyond.