Seven members of the 2023-24 Boston Bruins will be unrestricted free agents when free agency opens on July 1. They range from Jake DeBrusk, who is in the prime of his career and position for a significant payday, to several older players looking for the best of what’s left.
How much is each man likely to command? The Athletic, using Evolving Hockey’s formula, looked at the top 50 free agents available while AFP Analytics, a consulting firm focused on player valuation, projected deals for everybody.
Here’s each of the Bruins’ unrestricted free agents and the projections for their next contract:
Jake DeBrusk
The Athletic has DeBrusk ranked as the No. 15 free agent available. They project he’ll get a deal of five years for $5,833,000 AAV.
AFP is similar giving DeBrusk a five-year, $5.8 million pact. If they’re right, the Bruins could certainly stay in the mix for his services.
Danton Heinen
The Athletic’s No. 39. overall free agent is headed for a pretty good pay raise after joining the Bruins on a PTO to start the season. The Athletic thinks he’ll get term too. They expect a deal of four years with an average annual value (AAV) of $3,589,000.
AFP is less bullish on the Heinen market projecting three years for $2.9 million for the versatile 29-year-old forward, who had 17 goals and 19 assists while making $775,000 last year. Given the role he’d likely play in Boston, he’d have probably had to accept closer to AFP to stay a Bruin.
Matt Grzelcyk
Despite a rough year, there is expected to be a market for Grzelcyk. The Athletic has him as its No. 43 free agent getting three years for an AAV of $3,412,000. AFP isn’t far behind with three years for $3.2 million. It’s unlikely he’ll be back in Boston.
Grzelcyk, 30, could take a one-year somewhere hoping to rebuild his value long-term and become a free agent again next year.
James van Riemsdyk
The 35-year-old forward didn’t make The Athletic’s top 50, but AFP still has him getting a slight raise. After putting up 11 goals and 27 assists last year on a one-year contract for $1 million, they have van Riemsdyk getting $1.2 million for one season.
Kevin Shattenkirk
Shattenkirk is due for a slight bump too according to AFP. He made $1.05 million last year and is projected for a one-year, $1.4 AAV deal. He’s not the standout he once was, but he’s well-thought-of and would likely give some team’s power play a boost.
Pat Maroon
At 36, Maroon has made over $13 million in his career according to Cap Friendly. He played for just $775,000 last year. AFP projected he’ll get a year for $1.166 million. Realistically he’s likely looking for the best fit, best role and best chance to make a deep playoff run rather than maximizing his payout.
Derek Forbort
After a year largely hampered by injury, Forbort, 32, is hitting the market at a difficult time. AFP projects a year for $1.26 million.
Other notable projections
- AFP projects restricted free agents too and has Jeremy Swayman at five years for $6.4 million. Good chance he does better than that.
- The Athletic has Elias Lindholm, who has been often linked to the Bruins, at seven years, AAV of $7,935,000 million. He’s their No. 4 free agent behind Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel and Steven Stamkos. AFP has him at five years for $6.76 million per year.
- Tyler Toffoli, another oft-rumored Bruins target, was projected at three years, $6,113,000 million AAV from the Athletic and four years $6.02 million from AFP.
- Both projections had former Bruins forward Tyler Bertuzzi getting less than the one-year, $5.5 million he signed for last year. The Athletic had him getting 3 years, $4,748,000 AAV, while AFP was at four years for $5.273 million.
- AFP has Milan Lucic getting a year at $775,000, the league’s veteran’s minimum, if he returns to the NHL.
