3 Last-Minutes Roster Moves the Bruins Need to Make Before the Season

The countdown is on to the start of the 2023-24 NHL season and the Boston Bruins can't afford to dwell on their postseason shortcomings. Yes, going from the best regular-season showing in NHL history to a first-round exit is embarrassing, but the past is the past and it's time to focus on the future.

With just under a week to go until we face the Chicago Blackhawks, here are three roster moves the Bruins must make before the start of the 2023-24 NHL campaign.

3 Bruins Roster Moves Before 2023-24 NHL Season

1. Trade Matt Grzelcyk

With the way things stand, the Bruins have eight unrestricted free agents hitting the market next summer, per Spotrac. One of those players that fans have been wondering about is defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.

Grzelcyk, who carries a cap hit just north of $3.6 million in 2023-24, is entering his eighth season with Boston. He's played 382 regular-season games over the years, tallying 23 goals and 124 points.

Having said that, the 29-year-old blueliner is expendable.

Grzelcyk doesn't play much outside of even-strength situations, only playing 47.2 minutes on special teams last year despite playing a career-high 75 games. Even his 5-on-5 play isn't all that impressive considering that his 5-foot-10, 176-pound frame often means he's matched up against lesser competition.

Rather than losing him for nothing in the summer, the Bruins may as well trade him sooner to maximize the return. The jury is still out on whether or not an extension is in the cards, so it's best to play things safe.

Even if it costs a draft pick to help move him to a rebuilding squad, getting his cap hit off the books would go a long way to help a Bruins team that currently only has $429,166 in space remaining.

With teams reportedly interested in his services, the time to trade Grzelcyk is now.