Headlines

  • Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension
  • Lightning Acquire Sam O’Reilly From Oilers For Isaac Howard
  • NHL, NHLPA Ratify Four-Year CBA Extension
  • Gavin McKenna To Commit To Penn State
  • Tyler Johnson Announces Retirement
  • Flyers Re-Sign Cam York To Five-Year Contract
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Bruins Looking Ahead To 2026 Free Agency

July 9, 2025 at 9:05 pm CDT | by Paul Griser 8 Comments

While the Bruins have kept a low profile during this year’s free-agent frenzy, don’t expect the same laid-back approach next year. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stated on the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast that he believes the Bruins are strategically saving cap space to make a big splash in free agency next offseason.

The Bruins have made a few moves so far this summer, including a trade for veteran Viktor Arvidsson and signing winger Tanner Jeannot to a five-year deal worth $3.4MM per season. But as the team moves on from the Zdeno Chara/Patrice Bergeron/Brad Marchand era, they’ll aim to be strategic about adding pieces to a roster anchored by building blocks like David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.

“If some of these guys who are supposed to be free agents next year (reach free agency), whether they get one or not, I think Boston wants to have the opportunity to take a shot at one of those guys,” Friedman said. “So, if you’ll notice, they didn’t really do much to hamstring themselves in the future. They got Arvidsson on a one-year deal. Traded for him, gave up a late-round pick, one-year deal. Aside from Jeannot, they didn’t take any massive swings.”

While many were puzzled by the contract given to Jeannot, Friedman pointed out how competitive the market was for the physical forward. Though a five-year deal north of $3MM per year is steep for a player coming off a 13-point season, the 27-year-old has produced four 200-plus hit seasons and could take on the enforcer role currently filled by key players like defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Jeannot also fits the mold of the type of players GM Don Sweeney noted he’d like to bring in to make the Bruins harder to play against.

“Yes, it’s a five-year deal. But the number isn’t going to hurt you. Another thing I heard is that at least 10 teams were after him. I heard the competition for Jeannot was fierce. The Rangers were in it. I heard Ottawa was in it. He fit with Toronto and what Toronto likes. And there’s just not a lot of guys like him around anymore,” he said.

The biggest addition the Bruins made this offseason, Friedman noted, was selecting James Hagens with the seventh overall pick. While many believed at this time last year that Hagens was destined to be the first overall pick in this year’s draft, he slipped to seventh after producing less than expected in the NCAA. Still, Hagens game may be more NHL-ready than any of his peers in this draft class.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

2025 Free Agency| Boston Bruins James Hagens| Tanner Jeannot

Teams Maintain Interest In Penguins’ Rakell And Rust
Main
Blue Jackets’ Pyotr Andreyanov Signs Five-Year Deal In Russia
View Comments (8)

Comments

  1. ramon garciaparra

    10 hours ago

    Does anyone even look at the Bruins cap situation before making these predictions? Bruins are currently $2.5 million under the cap and aside from the $4 million coming off for Arvidsson they have virtually all of the same commitments after next season as they do today. Unless they start dumping salaries there will be no room to take big swings at big name free agents.

    2
    Reply
    • ericl

      7 hours ago

      The cap will go up again next season to $104.million. That gives the Bruins a little more room. Peeke’s $2.75 million comes off the books as well. They’ll also have guys like Zacha & Mittlestadt who will be on the last year of their contracts and one could be moved out for more cap space. The Bruins should have enough cap space to go after one big named free agent.

      Reply
    • fightcitymayor

      3 hours ago

      That’s the craziest thing: You look at Boston’s roster and think, “Well, that’s a mostly terrible collection of 4th-liners, they must have oodles of cap space.” Then you realize, “Oh, crap, they only have $2.5 million in cap space left! Yikes!”

      1
      Reply
    • mikeshaw801

      11 mins ago

      Puckpedia is a free site to use, my friend.

      Reply
  2. SparkytheGoldenSeals

    9 hours ago

    By the time the Bruins are serious contenders again, Sweeney will be on the couch, Neely will be a bad memory, And Pastrnak will be on another team, If not retired.

    1
    Reply
  3. soaktherich

    8 hours ago

    They will have $8m come off the books next summer (not including Poitras, who they can keep around with the $2.5m current cap space), plus the $9m that every team will get. That’s enough for Eichel or another top forward who will join Pastrnak, McAvoy, the two Lindholms, Geekie, Zadorov, Jeannot, and Swayman as the core signed thru 2030. Hagens and other young players should help fill out the rest of the roster. It’s not bulletproof but it’s not bad.

    1
    Reply
    • Our cup runneth over

      25 mins ago

      It is a bullet riddled core . Pastranak and McAvoy are good players but the rest are just meh. Counting on acquiring Eichel or another star is dubious at best as those players have better situations if they stay in place. As Sparky said it will be awhile before the B’s are contenders again

      Reply
    • Mmm

      21 mins ago

      It’s relatively thin,they really need a swayman rebound and minten, poitras, and Hagens to all be hits and relatively quickly to really be cup contenders anywhere in the near future. That said they have multiple firsts next two years.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension

    Lightning Acquire Sam O’Reilly From Oilers For Isaac Howard

    NHL, NHLPA Ratify Four-Year CBA Extension

    Gavin McKenna To Commit To Penn State

    Tyler Johnson Announces Retirement

    Flyers Re-Sign Cam York To Five-Year Contract

    Sabres, Mammoth Elect Salary Arbitration With Bowen Byram, Jack McBain

    Players Still Eligible For Offer Sheets

    Eleven Players Elect Salary Arbitration

    Lyndon Byers Passes Away At 61

    Recent

    Blue Jackets’ Pyotr Andreyanov Signs Five-Year Deal In Russia

    Bruins Looking Ahead To 2026 Free Agency

    Teams Maintain Interest In Penguins’ Rakell And Rust

    Golden Knights Beginning To Work Out Jack Eichel Extension

    Canucks Sign Braeden Cootes To Entry-Level Contract

    Bruins Hire Ryan Bourque As AHL Assistant Coach

    PHR Live Chat Transcript: 7/9/25

    Stars Re-Sign Antonio Stranges

    List Of 2025 Signing Rights Expiring August 15

    Flames Re-Sign Sam Morton To Two-Way Deal

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2025’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents
    • Sam Bennett Rumors
    • Nikolaj Ehlers Rumors
    • Mitch Marner Rumors
    • Marco Rossi Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 Free Agent Focus Series
    • 2025 Offseason Checklist Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Pick Tracker 2025
    • Key Offseason Dates
    • Offseason Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version