4 Bruins on Thin ice Heading Into the NHL Draft
The Boston Bruins hit the offseason running this week when star goaltender Linus Ullmark was traded to the Ottawa Senators for Jonas Korpisalo, Mark Kastelic, and a 2025 first-round pick. There isn't a lot of time to process the move, though, as the Bruins must now turn their attention to the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
The Bruins will look to improve their roster at the draft after suffering a second consecutive postseason elimination at the hands of the Florida Panthers. Not only will Boston be looking to improve its future assets through the draft, but it could also look to find immediate help to replace players who either underperformed or could leave town via free agency.
Keeping that in mind, let's look at four Bruins who are heading into the 2024 NHL Draft on thin ice.
1. Jake DeBrusk, W
Now that Ullmark has been traded, figuring out what to do with Jake DeBrusk should be at the top of the Bruins' priority list. Although the veteran winger has been with the franchise since he was drafted 14th overall in 2015, he could be looking to play elsewhere next season as becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Bruins have $23.2 million in cap space, per Spotrac, so they have more than enough money to afford DeBrusk. At the same time, he's likely looking for a big pay raise after only making $4 million annually on his last deal and it's entirely possible that Boston doesn't see him being worth the potential raise.
DeBrusk wowed Bruins fans with a career-high 27 goals and 50 points across 64 games in 2022-23, but he couldn't match that play last season. Despite only missing a pair of 2023-24 contests, the ex-Red Deer Rebel's goal and point totals dropped to 19 and 40, respectively. He turned things around with 11 points in 13 playoff games, but they might not have been good enough to convince the team to re-sign him.
As solid as DeBrusk can be, it might be best for the team and player to part ways. He's likely going to hover around 40-50 points for the remainder of his prime, which is the type of output that the Bruins can replace. Besides, letting him walk would open up a roster spot for a prospect who's ready to make the jump to the NHL.