The Boston Bruins are ready for the 2024-25 NHL season with puck drop less than 24 hours away. The Bruins came within two games of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024. However, they could not overcome the Florida Panthers in the second round. Florida went on to win the Stanley Cup, while Boston went into the offseason with questions needing answers.
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The Bruins added talent in NHL Free Agency, with two notable contracts to speak of. Boston signed defenseman Nikita Zadorov to a seven-year contract once the market opened on July 1. Additionally, forward Elias Lindholm signed a seven-year contract in his own right once free agency started.
Lindholm and Zadorov do not address all of the issues prevalent with the Bruins. However, they certainly strengthen an already strong roster. Boston has found a way to keep their competitive window open without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. And it does not appear as if that window will slam shut in 2024-25.
In saying this, the Bruins do have flaws in need of attention. It can certainly be hard for Boston to address all of these flaws at once. However, there is one flaw the team has to prioritize over all others. Ironically, it’s a flaw they addressed in NHL Free Agency. They have to do more, though, if they want to go far in 2024-25.
Bruins need higher quality center depth
As mentioned, the Bruins addressed their center depth this offseason. They signed Elias Lindholm to a seven-year contract to give them a better option higher up the lineup. However, they also traded for Mark Kastelic as part of the Linus Ullmark trade before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Daily Faceoff project Boston’s center group to consist of Lindholm, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, and Kastelic. This is not the worst group of centers in the world. In saying this, Boston certainly would like better depth down the middle of the ice.
Lindholm projects as the top-line center for Boston. He plays a solid two-way game that is valuable for a high-minute role. But the veteran pivot is coming off a pretty rough season. He split the year between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. He finished the season with 15 goals and 44 points in 2023-24. Lindholm had a Goals Above Replacement of -4.5, according to Evolving Hockey.
Lindholm had the worst GAR of the four Bruins centers. However, the players ahead of him did not exactly inspire confidence. Frederic has the highest GAR of this group (5.6). Additionally, none of these centers was worth 1.0 WAR or more in 2023-24.
This is not an inspiring group the team is heading into the season with. It should certainly be better, and none of this is to say there aren’t talented players among this group. But Boston is looking to win the Stanley Cup in 2025. A common trend among the vast majority of Stanley Cup champions in recent history is that they all had a bonafide number one center.
At this point in time, the Bruins do not have a number one center. Lindholm is a great number two center without a doubt. And in the right situations, Coyle can certainly work as a number two center as well. However, the quality of depth for Boston is lacking down the middle. This could cause issues in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against teams with better depth at center.
