The Boston Bruins will definitely be looking to improve their roster this upcoming season, following their first-round exit in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The free-agent market, unfortunately, is paper-thin. Outside of a handful of bona fide veteran stars, there are no real game-breakers Boston could splurge on.
That’s a tough situation to consider, particularly with the cap ceiling going up in the coming seasons.
So, the Bruins and Don Sweeney will have to get creative to find alternatives that could spur the team to another level. That alternative could be Carolina Hurricanes’ beleaguered forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
It’s not that the Bruins are a bad team. They nearly topped 100 points in a stacked Eastern Conference. The issue lies with scoring depth, especially when playoff time comes around.
And that’s the thing. Kotkaniemi could become a decent depth scorer for the Bruins. He’s pretty much a bust considering his pedigree as a former third-overall pick. The 25-year-old had three okay seasons with the Montreal Canadiens before signing an offer sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Canes then signed him to a massive extension. And it’s one the team has come to regret. He played 42 games in the regular season and has not seen any action in the 10 games the Hurricanes have played this postseason.
So, there is certainly a possibility there for the Canes to land a depreciated asset. The question is: Is Kotkaniemi a viable option for the Bruins? In particular, would his $4.82 million cap hit scare off Sweeney?
Well, that depends on what Kotkaniemi’s role would be in Boston.
Bruins Could Use Depth Down the Middle
There’s no kidding here. Kotkaniemi is nowhere near a top-six forward. He’s a bottom-six player at best. Since he’s not a grinder, the Bruins will have to find a place where he can find some success.
Perhaps seeing Kotkaniemi on the third line would make sense. For instance, having Fraser Minten line up with Alex Steeves and Kotkaniemi could be a solid option. Since the Finnish forward is actually a center, he could move into a 3C role should injuries become an issue.
But there’s an interesting precedent that could make the idea of Kotkaniemi to the Bruins feasible.
What to read next:
Boston Has Precedent of Reviving Once Forgotten Prospects
If there’s any doubt about the Bruins potentially helping Kotkaniemi turn this around, fans can look to the situation involving Casey Mittelstadt. There were high hopes for the former eighth-overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft.
He bounced between the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche before landing in Boston. With the Bruins, Mittelstadt found a foothold in the club’s top six. He chipped in 15 goals in 71 games. That’s considering that Mittlestadt got off to a rocky start.
That’s what the Bruins could do for Kotkaniemi. With the acquisition cost likely very low, there’s no reason why Boston shouldn’t at least kick the tires on him. If Boston is willing to take on his full cap hit, the Hurricanes might be willing to pay the Bruins to make Kotkaniemi go away.
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