When Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney went on a free-agent spending spree last summer, he believed he had struck gold with the additions of forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov. Unfortunately, both players have fallen short of expectations this season, mirroring the struggles of much of the roster.
At the trade deadline, Sweeney sent a clear message by trading longtime franchise staples Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, and Charlie Coyle, effectively signaling that the Bruins were punting on the 2024-25 season. As they kick off a five-game road trip Thursday night against former coach Bruce Cassidy and the Vegas Golden Knights, they find themselves five points out of a playoff spot with too many teams to leapfrog.
This sets the stage for an offseason where Boston’s GM must hit the jackpot in free agency — a task that is far easier said than done. A former Bruins coach and current NHL analyst summed it up perfectly, echoing what many already knew about this season’s underwhelming roster.
Mike Millbury puts Don Sweeney on blast about what the Bruins need this summer
Former Bruins coach and NHL analyst Mike Milbury joined The Greg Hill Show on WEEI Thursday to share his thoughts on Boston’s roster, highlighting the team’s current shortcomings and what they need moving forward. Whether the solution comes through free agency or creative trades, it’s clear that general manager Don Sweeney has work to do.
“They have role players and some guys who can be effective in the bottom six,” Milbury said. “(Morgan) Geekie looks like he’s having a heck of a year. He looks like he could be a top-six forward alongside (David Pastrnak), but there’s a void in high-end talent and skill positions. That’s where you need to fill the gap to become competitive. You can’t rely on role players — you need game-changers, and they just don’t have enough.”
Milbury’s point about lacking game-changers is certainly an understatement. The Bruins missed opportunities to address this void, whether by retaining key players like Jake DeBrusk in free agency or targeting a different forward instead of Elias Lindholm. While Nikita Zadorov has improved recently, his frequent trips to the penalty box have been a persistent source of frustration.
If Sweeney plans to lean on free agency again this summer, he must deliver better results than he did last year. While he has had success in past offseasons, last July was a miss, and the Bruins can’t afford another round of “role player” signings. If that happens again, Boston could be staring down another disappointing season — something that won’t sit well with the core players Sweeney intends to build around. This retool needs to happen quickly, not over several years, and the Bruins still face the same roster makeup issues they had before the trade deadline.