During the offseason, the Boston Bruins made two significant moves, signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. They are understandably generating the most excitement of the Bruins’ new players, as they are each expected to be critical parts of their core moving forward. However, while they are the big fish of the Bruins’ summer, the Original Six club also made some solid depth additions.
Defenseman Jordan Oesterle is one specific signing with the potential to be a good depth addition heading into this season.
NHL clubs need depth players with NHL experience, given how often injuries occur during the season. Oesterle certainly has that, as he has appeared at the NHL level in each of the last 10 seasons. In 371 career games, split between the Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Detroit Red Wings, and Calgary Flames, he has 19 goals, 67 assists, 86 points, and 318 hits.
When looking at the Bruins’ defensive group, Oesterle is not expected to have a full-time role. However, he should serve as a solid extra defender for the club.
Ultimately, bringing in a veteran like Oesterle on a two-year, two-way deal offers no true risk to the Bruins. From here, he should fill in nicely when they suffer injuries on the blueline.
