By the Numbers: Bruins off-season losses adding up

After setting records for the most wins and points in a season, the Boston Bruins will ice a significantly different roster in the upcoming campaign.

Veteran David Krejci hung up his skates on Monday, joining Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron in retirement this off-season and leaving Boston without their top two centres from last season.

In addition to the two retirees, gone from the Bruins' record-setting roster are forwards Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, as well as trade-deadline additions Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway.

Hall and Foligno, who was a pending unrestricted free agent, were traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in June, with the Bruins receiving Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell back in the deal. Bertuzzi joined the rival Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency, while Orlov signed a lucrative two-year, $15.5 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. Hathaway joined the Philadelphia Flyers on July 1 on a two-year, $4.75 million contract.

The Bruins also lost defenceman Connor Clifton to the Buffalo Sabres in free agency, Tomas Nosek to the New Jersey Devils and bought out defenceman Mike Reilly this summer after he appeared in just 10 games with the team last season.

In total, the off-season losses for the Bruins account for 257 of the team`s 815 points last season - or 31.5 per cent.
 

Despite their surprising first-round exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers in the playoffs, Bertuzzi, Orlov and Hall were also three of the team's top four contributors in the postseason. Bertuzzi tied for the team lead in goals (five) and points (10) over seven games. Orlov and Hall both tied for third in points with eight over the seven-game series. Returning forward Brad Marchand, who had 10 points against the Panthers, was the only other member of the Bruins to average a point-per-game or better.

Bruins off-season additions

While the Bruins saw plenty of talent exit this off-season, the franchise also did its best to make an impact in plugging those holes in free agency, most notably with several veterans joining the club.

Boston's off-season additions are headlined by Kevin Shattenkirk, James van Riemsdyk and the return of winger Milan Lucic, who won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. 

All three players signed one-year deals to join the Bruins, with Shattenkirk carrying the largest cap hit at $1.05 million. The 34-year-old defenceman posted four goals and 27 points in 75 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season. 

van Riemsdyk, 34, will carry a $1 million cap hit under his new deal. He posted 12 goals and 29 points in 61 games last season with the Philadelphia Flyers and is only a year removed from scoring 24 goals with the Flyers in 2021-22.

Lucic returns to the Bruins eight years after he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2015. The 35-year-old, who also signed a $1 million deal, had seven goals and 19 points in 77 games with the Calgary Flames last season.

In addition to the veterans, the Bruins also added 25-year-old centre Morgan Geekie on a two-year, $4 million contract and 24-year-old centre Jesper Boqvist on a one-year, $775,000 deal.

Geekie spent the past two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, solidifying himself as a full-time NHL player. He had nine goals and 28 points in 69 games last season, adding two goals and four points in 13 playoff games.

Boqvist appeared in a career-high 70 games with the New Jersey Devils last season, posting 10 goals and 21 points. 

For a veteran presence at centre, the Bruins also added 31-year-old Patrick Brown on a two-year, $1.6 million contract. Brown, 31, split time last season between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators, finishing with four goals and 12 points in 61 games.

Stage set for strong start?

While it will likely take some time for the new-look Bruins to gel, the schedule appears to be set favourably for the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners.

Boston will begin the 2023-24 campaign with seven of their first eight games against teams who missed the playoffs last season. 

The Bruins will begin their season with home games against the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators before heading west to face the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings - the lone 2023 playoff team of the stretch - and the Anaheim Ducks. The Bruins will conclude their first road trip against the Blackhawks before facing the Ducks again on home ice.

After playing host to the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 28, the Bruins will get their first shot at revenge on the Panthers on home ice on Oct. 30 and then wrap up their homestand against Bertuzzi and the Maple Leafs on Nov. 2.

The Bruins lost just 12 games in regulation last season and another five in overtime. Even with a favourable start, reaching 135 points again will likely prove difficult after an off-season of significant change.