NHL Notebook: Will the 2024 free-agent class really be best option for Bruins down the middle?

It’s a plan that sounds almost too easy, and that’s because it practically is. 

The 2024 crop of talent has already seen some of its biggest potential free-agent pivots sign extensions with their respective clubs. The Carolina Hurricanes did what they had to do and gave Sebastian Aho an eight-year, $78-million bag that will see him earn $9.75 million per season. Most recently, Auston Matthews got the Toronto Maple Leafs to back up the Brinks truck, landing a four-year, worth $13.25 million ($53 million total), which will make him the league's highest-paid player in terms of average annual value. 

The Bruins somehow landing a generational stud like Matthews or one of the league's elite in Aho was always a pipe dream. 

While Lindholm and Scheifele may be just a tier below the other two, they're still bonafide No. 1 pivots and players who could, at least on paper, significantly boost the Black and Gold's long-term prognosis down the middle. 

But whether it's a superstar like Matthews or an all-star like Scheifele, they're players that rarely hit the open market. Take, for example, the biggest free-agent splashes of the last 12 offseasons:

2022: Johnny Gaudreau - LW, Columbus Blue Jackets (seven years, $68.25 million)
2021: Dougie Hamilton - RD, New Jersey Devils (seven years, $63 million)
2020: Alex Pietrangelo - RD, Vegas Golden Knights (seven years, $61.6 million)
2019: Artemi Panarin - LW, New York Rangers (seven years, $81.5 million)
2018: John Tavares - C, Toronto Maple Leafs (seven years, $77 million)
2017: Alexander Radulov - RW, Dallas Stars (five years, $31.25 million)
2016: Milan Lucic - LW, Edmonton Oilers (seven years, $42 million) / Kyle Okposo - RW, Buffalo Sabres (seven years, $42 million)
2015: Ryan O'Reilly - C, Buffalo Sabres (seven years, $52.5 million)
2014: Matt Niskanen - RD, Washington Capitals (seven years, $40.95 million)
2013:  Nathan Horton - RW, Columbus Blue Jackets (seven years, $37.1 million)
2012: Jason Garrison - LD, Florida Panthers (six years, $27.6 million)
2011:  James Wisniewski - RD, Columbus Blue Jackets (six years, $33 million)
2010: Dan Hamhuis - LD, Vancouver Canucks (six years, $27 million)

Starting from 2018 through 2022, there's definitely been more of an influx of top-flight talent hitting the market more consistently, but aside from Tavares, it's been largely exclusive to wingers and defensemen. That same caveat goes for the previous seven years as well, with O'Reilly serving as the outlier. 

As decent as the winger market was between guys like Tyler Bertuzzi and Vladimir Tarasenko (Patrick Kane's situation has him off the board until further notice) as well as the outlook on the blue line with Dmitry Orlov, this offseason's free-agent class was devoid of a true big-fish player, unlike the previous five summers. The landscape for pivots again featured O'Reilly at age 32, as well as some stop-gap solutions like Matt Duchene. 

Two of 2023's biggest potential free agents in general, never mind that they're centers, were not close to hitting the bricks on July 1. 

The Canucks traded Bo Horvat to the Islanders in advance of the trade deadline, where he promptly signed an eight-year extension with an $8.5 million AAV. Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings played just enough hardball before Dylan Larkin inked a deal that will pay him $8.7 million per season, beginning with 2023-24. 

More often than not, if players of that ilk haven't already re-upped with their respective clubs, they're dealt and extended before getting the opportunity to be wined and dined in free agency. 

Steven Stamkos will go down as one of the biggest free-agent teases, going down to the wire with Tampa Bay before the two sides came together on an eight-year deal with an $8.5 million cap hit on June 29, 2016, a day that rocked the league between Stamkos, the Taylor Hall-for-Adam Larsson swap as well as the Shea Weber-for-PK Subban trade.

As convenient as handing someone like Lindholm a bag of cash on July 1 would be for the Bruins, the writing on the wall indicates that if they want to land the player, they're likely going to have to pony up the assets necessary to execute a trade with Calgary before working out an extension, as we saw with the Hampus Lindholm deal in 2022. 

It's especially true after the sting the Flames continue to feel from Gaudreau leaving for nothing in free agency as well as the early returns of the Mattew Tkachuk trade. With the uncertainty swirling around core pieces like Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Noah Hanifin, the pressure is on new general manager Craig Conroy to find a solution that doesn't see the Flames get burned the way they did last summer. He's already dealt Tyler Toffoli to New Jersey as the winger enters the final year of his current contract. 

The Jets will be in a similar boat with Scheifele as they turn the page on the core that led them through the 2010s and try to charge through a retool. Kevin Cheveldayoff has a difficult enough time attracting players to Winnipeg in free agency or via trade, so if Scheifele's time is up, the Jets will absolutely try to recoup assets.  

Even Lindholm, himself, may be more inclined to re-up in Calgary, depending on the direction things are going as the season progresses. 

"I am willing to stay," Lindholm told Sweden's Hockeysverige, per a translation. "My agent and Calgary will handle most of it. There's a lot we have to agree on, but l've said that I can consider staying. After that, it's up to the agent and Calgary to sort out the rest. Then we'll see whether it works out or not.

"I have one year left, but if things don't go as l've planned, then I'Il become a free agent. Nothing strange about that. We'll see what happens."

Whether or not the Bruins are in a position to cough up additional draft and prospect capital to acquire such a player likely hinges on if a long-term extension could come to fruition. Earlier in the summer, I looked at the Horvat situation for comparison when it came to Lindholm:

Lindholm is entering the final year of a deal paying him $4.85 million per season. It's a manageable enough number for Boston before his next contract (which could be a reported ask of 8x$8.5 million, like Bo Horvat) kicks in next summer when the cap is expected to rise significantly. The Bruins could have somewhere in the $29 million neighborhood to play around with for 2023-24. 

Calgary wants to remain competitive. Matt Grzelcyk, Jake DeBrusk, Taylor Hall and potentially others could make sense in a potential return to the Flames in any deal for Lindholm, but Calgary taking on any additional money could get hairy, given how tight to the cap they are currently. What Boston lacks in draft capital, it could make up for by attaching a prospect, perhaps a player like Harrison.

If we're going to stick to the Horvat comparison, the Islanders sent a roster player (Anthony Beauvillier), a prospect (Aatu Raty) and a conditional first-round draft pick. 

For the Bruins, maybe that looks like: Grzelcyk/DeBrusk, Harrison (or another prospect) and a draft pick (Boston does not have a first until 2025). Not having a 2024 first (sent to Detroit for Bertuzzi) stings even more.

That's just spitballing on my part, but either way, it'll be a hefty sum, given the state of Boston's cupboard. However, when you lock a player up for the long haul, it makes the price tag of a first-rounder a worthwhile investment. Just take the Hampus Lindholm deal, for example. 

Granted, the market will not be exclusive to Elias Lindholm and Scheifele. Stamkos is in the final year of his deal at age 33, and so is Joe Pavelski (39). William Nylander and Sam Reinhart are pending UFAs as well, although both have made their way as wingers in the NHL. 

No matter what, Don Sweeney will continue to have his work cut out for him. 

Danielle Marmer earns promotion

Boston didn't have to go long without professional women's hockey after the PHF-PWHPA merger as the new PWHL officially announced its yet-to-be-named franchises on Aug. 29, including one in the Hub. On Friday, the new Boston franchise announced Danielle Marmer will serve as the club's first general manager.

Marmer was the first woman to have an on-ice role with the Bruins, serving as a player development and scouting assistant, a role that saw her work closely with Adam McQuaid. 

"I know you want a competitive team that vies for championships year after year, that's just how Boston is," Marmer said via social media. "And I'm committed to building a team that this city will be proud of."

Boston will have the third pick in the new league's fifteen-round draft on September 18. The free agency period began yesterday, and clubs can sign up to three players. Marmer will be busy. 

”I expect to get three of the best players in the world,” she told reporters in a press conference Friday.

Bruins to still be very much featured nationally

While the B's have gone through more than their fair share of changes this summer, one thing that will remain the same in the 2023-24 campaign is their presence on national television as they celebrate their centennial season (which will see three new jerseys as well). 

The Black and Gold will be featured nationally 15 times this season, beginning with the season-opener at TD Garden on Oct. 11 when No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard as well as old friends Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno come to town with the Chicago Blackhawks. That game will be set for 7:30 p.m. on TNT. 

Additionally, TNT will carry the first rematch between the Bruins and the Panthers on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. in Sunrise, Fla. 

Here is the full national TV schedule, plus two additional updated start times:

Wednesday, October 11: Chicago Blackhawks at Boston Bruins, TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET 
Tuesday, October 24: Boston Bruins at Chicago Blackhawks, ESPN/ ESPN+, 8:30 p.m. ET 
Thursday, November 2: Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins, ESPN+/Hulu, 7:30 p.m. ET 
Wednesday, November 22: Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, TNT, 7 p.m. ET 
Wednesday, December 13: Boston Bruins at New Jersey Devils, TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET 
Wednesday, December 27: Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres, TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET 
Thursday, January 4: Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins, ESPN, 7 p.m. ET 
Wednesday, January 24: Carolina Hurricanes at Boston Bruins, TNT, 7:30 p.m. ET*
Saturday, February 10: Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins, ABC/ESPN+, 3:30 p.m. 
Wednesday, February 21: Boston Bruins at Edmonton Oilers, TNT, 10 p.m. ET 
Tuesday, March 5: Edmonton Oilers at Boston Bruins, ESPN+/Hulu, 7:30 p.m. ET 
Saturday, March 9: Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins, ABC/ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET 
Wednesday, March 27: Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning, TNT, 7:30*
Saturday, April 6: Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, ABC/ESPN+, 3:30 p.m. ET 
Saturday, April 13: Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins, ABC/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET 

*National broadcast will not be available in the local market  

Saturday, February 17: Los Angeles Kings at Boston Bruins, NESN, 12:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, March 2: Boston Bruins at New York Islanders, NESN, 7:30 p.m. ET 

Phil Kessel ready and willing to make it work

Three-time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel remains a free agent, and the veteran winger is willing to make some concessions to latch on with a team for the 2023-24 season. 

Kessel is the NHL's current Ironman after breaking Keith Yandle's record (989 consecutive regular season games played) this season. Kessel, standing at 1,064 games, is the only player in league history to play over 1,000 straight. 

It's a situation that can create frustration for teams. Just take the Panthers a few years back when there was danger of a mutiny after it looked like Yandle would be scratched for the season-opener, which never ended up happening. 

But Elliotte Friedman reports Kessel is willing to see his streak end in the name of a job opportunity. 

"The three-time Stanley Cup champion wants to play again in 2023-24," Friedman wrote. "But, the most significant detail is that he’s let teams know it won’t be a problem if he’s not an every-day player." 

The 35-year-old had 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points with Vegas last season. Given his age, he's in a position to sign cheap, bonus-laden deals, similar to what the Bruins did with Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci as well as Zdeno Chara, although I don't think Kessel's bonus structures that slide to the following season would take quite as big a hit as Bergeron and Krejci's. 

It would be a cost-effective way for teams to shore up some offensive depth. 

Brent Burns appears to be the heir apparent to the Ironman streak, sitting at 761.