The Boston Bruins still have not signed Jeremy Swayman. It should be management’s top concern to get a deal done with their superstar netminder as soon as possible: heading into the 2024-25 season without locking him down would be a massive mistake that would leave Joonas Korpisalo and likely Brandon Bussi as the team’s two goaltenders, a massive downgrade from the tandem of Linus Ullmark and Swayman from years prior.
Beyond the Swayman contract, the Bruins’ front office should have a few professional tryout (PTO) candidates on their radar; signing Danton Heinen to one last offseason proved to be a key move ahead of the 2023-24 season that resulted in an offensive contributor that made a major impact throughout the season. Here are two names the Bruins have been linked to that they could sign to a PTO before opening night.
Blake Wheeler (17)
Blake Wheeler
Blake Wheeler is at the top of this list as the Bruins have already been tied to the veteran according to a rumor that came out last week. Wheeler has not officially retired, though he hinted at it after last season, saying “I have three kids: an 11-year-old, an 8-year-old, a 6-year-old. The 11-year-old’s gonna be in middle school next year,” Wheeler said. “When you come to make those decisions now, I still love the game, still love to play, but I want to be around for their childhood, too, so I think those are the things you weigh.”
Wheeler would make sense for the Bruins. He started his career in Boston during the 2008-09 season, putting up 50 goals and 110 points in just over two and a half years. At 37 years old he is likely looking to join a contender, and he could provide a veteran locker room presence. On the ice, he was far from a non-factor for the New York Rangers last season, putting up 21 points in 54 games before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season.
Kailer Yamamoto
Kailer Yamamoto is another player the Bruins have reportedly shown interest in who could also prove to be a potential contributor on their 2024-25 roster. Yamamoto was a first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2017. He worked his way into the top round of the draft after a season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) that saw him put up 99 points in 65 games for the Spokane Chiefs. He has not been able to replicate that offensive explosiveness at the NHL level thus far. Yamamoto’s best season was 2021-22, when he put up 41 points in 82 games. He joined the Seattle Kraken as a free agent last offseason after his contract with the Oilers expired and was only able to muster up 16 points in 59 games with them in 2023-24. A fresh start could be what Yamamoto needs. He is just 25 years old and has shown flashes of solid play in his time in the NHL. The Bruins are smart to consider him as a potential addition, as he could be a low-risk high-reward asset for them.
PTO Prospects
Signing Swayman should undoubtedly be the Bruins’ top priority ahead of opening night. We saw during last year’s playoffs that they have a chance to win every night he is in goal, and the falloff between him and backups Korpisalo and Bussi is massive. Management should also, however, keep an eye on these two players. The younger Yamamoto likely has a higher upside than Wheeler, who is on the back end of his career, though Wheeler could provide a valuable veteran presence who could contribute in their bottom six. Both of these players would be welcome depth additions for a team that is looking to contend in 2024-25.
