One of the fun things about being a sports fan is trying to anticipate what is going to happen with your favorite team. It’s obviously impossible to anticipate every move that is going to happen because, at the end of the day, athletes, front offices, and all the powers at play in the sports industry are humans just like the rest of us who are going to make their own decisions.
Related: Bruins’ Lucic Should Provide Boost to Bottom-Six This Season
In my previous prediction type pieces, I usually get at least one or two things correct. As you will see below, my 2023 offseason wishes were generally off the mark.
Wish One: Bruins Trade Into the Second Round of the NHL Draft
The biggest conundrum facing the Bruins this offseason has been their lack of cap space. The Bruins have struggled to draft well in recent years and as a result, have a pretty weak prospect pipeline, particularly when it comes to the center position. In 2022, they used three out of their six draft picks to take centers and one of them, Matthew Poitras, is developing quite nicely and will be a player to watch this season. I believed that, in an effort to both clear cap space and continue to restock their pipeline, the Bruins would make a trade and move into the second round of the draft this year.
This did not happen. While the Bruins did trade Taylor Hall and the rights to unrestricted free agent (UFA) Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks in a cap-space-clearing move in the days leading up to the draft, they did not end up making additional moves at the NHL Entry Draft. Their first selection did not come until the third round, pick No. 92. As one might expect, though, they picked a center, Christopher Pelosi, a United States Hockey League (USHL) product who will be playing for Quinnipiac University in the NCAA beginning in the 2024-25 season.
The Bruins have made other moves to bolster the center position, addressing the more immediate need while continuing to acquire talent from the middle levels of the draft to develop. They signed Morgan Geekie in free agency to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million. They also recently signed college free agent John Farinacci out of Harvard University. Geekie is expected to slot into the bottom-six this season while Farinacci and the other center prospects in the pipeline like Poitras will most likely spend another year developing.
Wish Two: Patrice Bergeron Re-signing
In the news of the summer, Patrice Bergeron, along with David Krejci, announced their official retirements from the NHL. There’s no way around it, this is a huge loss for the Bruins organization. Both have been vital pieces of the roster for over a decade and Bergeron, who has been the captain since Zdeno Chara left the team in 2020, has done a phenomenal job as the leader in the locker room. He is a presence that will not be easy to replace on or off the ice.
While I’m sure every Bruins fan would have loved to see him play another season, it is also admirable to want to go out while still in great form. There have been many athletes over the years who have clung onto careers long past the time they should have hung it up. Bergeron went out in a year where he had 58 points in 78 games and won his sixth Selke Trophy.
The 38-year-old hasn’t made any announcements of what his next plans are. With a new baby, I’m sure he’s just enjoying time with his kids for now. But whenever he’s ready, he’ll have a number of options and paths for him to pursue.
Wish Three: Jake DeBrusk Contract Extension
I knew this was a bit of a reach to get done this summer, but was still hoping for a miracle. As it is, there is still a few weeks left until training camp, though there is no indication that it will be happening soon, especially when factoring how up against the cap the team currently is (though they should have some more space going into the 2024-25 season when a new contract will have to be in place).
Jake DeBrusk is a player that the Bruins should be on the top of their list for an extension. He can be and should be a factor in their future plans. He has shown the skills that he brings to the ice and already has chemistry with the other young guys on the roster who are part of the future core of the team.
If he is able to stay healthy, it is highly likely that DeBrusk will have a breakout season this year. He’s been close to passing 30 goals twice in his career, last season and in 2018-19 when he scored 27 goals. He has yet to play a full 82-game season, but if that happens this season, he may just price himself out of the Bruins’ range. That’s one of the reasons they should try to sign him sooner rather than later. He wants to stay in Boston and has shown his worth. It may have not happened yet, but a DeBrusk extension should be on the top of everyone’s wish lists going into the new season.
2023-24 Season is Around the Corner
As the calendar flips to September and schools get back into session, the 2023-24 season is quickly approaching. Rookie camp for Bruins’ prospects will begin on Sept. 13 and official training camp starts the following week on Sept. 20. From there, it’s not too long until they are hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Garden on Oct. 11 for the first game of the season.
Related: Boston Bruins: 3 Bold Predictions For 2023-24
Make sure to follow along with The Hockey Writers as the 2023-24 season gets underway. It is sure to be an interesting year for the Bruins in the beginning of the post-Bergeron and post-Krejci era.
