Complete Guide to the 2015 Offseason for the Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins were the NHL’s best team throughout the 2013-14 regular season, and they find themselves on the outside of the playoffs. The decline of the Bruins isn’t a major surprise, especially when you look at the quality of players they had on the roster this season. 

Ill-timed injuries had an adverse impact, the loss of Johnny Boychuk was hard to overcome, and the Bruins didn't get enough from their top players.

A number of things went wrong, and some tough decisions will have to be made. The Bruins as we know them are done, and with that in mind here is a complete offseason guide for Boston.

Season Recap

Scott Audette/Getty Images

Top Performers

In a year full of such disappointment, it is hard to pinpoint some top performers. The list is short, and it represents the future of the team. Dougie Hamilton stepped up in a huge way this season, finishing 2014-15 with 42 points in 73 games. The budding blueliner averaged more than 21 minutes per game and helped fill the void left by Johnny Boychuk.

David Pastrnak spent 46 games on the roster, but the 18-year-old winger made the most of his opportunity. He tallied 10 goals and 27 points, showing he has the potential to be a quality top-six scorer. The Bruins will need his offense next season, and his creativity and vision will come in handy.

Biggest Disappointments

Reilly Smith emerged on the scene in 2013-14 as one of the supposed key pieces from the Tyler Seguin deal. He tallied 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points, and it was thought he'd be able to take the next step forward as a 23-year-old.

That didn’t happen, as Smith only scored 13 goals and 40 points. What is disappointing is he played in 35 more games than Pastrnak and has only three additional goals to show for it. He needs to be better next season, because the dealing of Seguin was a big move for the franchise.

Milan Lucic is starting to lose his effectiveness as a player, and he saw a huge negative spike in his offensive production. The power forward tallied 18 goals and 44 points, which is down from the 24 goals and 59 points he recorded in 2013-14.

Final Analysis

The Bruins missed the playoffs because their top players missed significant chunks of the season and the supporting cast did not step up to the plate. David Krejci was limited to 47 games but found a way to tally 31 points.

Outside of Patrice Bergeron, you can make a case that every other top-six forward on the Bruins could have been better. Loui Eriksson hasn’t produced nearly as much in Boston as he did in Dallas, and that’s an issue. Eriksson has averaged 0.59 points per game in Boston, a drop from the 0.71 he recorded with the Stars.

In addition to the lack of offense this season, the Bruins' failure to replace Boychuk also played a role, because once Zdeno Chara suffered an injury, it was slim pickings on the blue line outside of Dougie Hamilton.

Biggest Storylines to Follow

Dave Sandford/Getty Images

1. Who will be the coach?
2. Who will be the general manager?
3. Will the Bruins cut some dead weight?

Missing the playoffs is a big deal, and the Bruins’ brass isn’t going to take kindly to this sort of failure. CEO Charlie Jacobs doesn’t seem like a patient man, and some changes could be in order.

In his introductory press conference in January, via ESPN.com's Joe McDonald, Jacobs said, "I'd say without question this has been a very disappointing year. It's unacceptable the way this team has performed given the amount of time, money and effort that's been spent on this team. To see it deliver the way it has is unacceptable." 

Two of the biggest questions facing the Bruins are connected, and it may become a question not of "if" but "when." Can Claude Julien keep his job, or will general manager Peter Chiarelli ax him to protect his role? Conversely, will Chiarelli be dismissed before he has a chance to fire Julien?

There’s a chance that both could be replaced, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Cam Neely assume complete control of hockey operations and absorb Chiarelli’s current position. He is already the team president and an alternate governor, and eliminating a layer of the chain may allow for a streamlined process that truly embodies the plan of ownership.

The last major storyline to follow is whether or not the Bruins will cut some dead weight, aka the unrestricted-free-agents-to-be. Both Milan Lucic and Loui Eriksson will need new deals next season. Both could use a fresh start in another market, and there’s a chance they could net a nice little return to give the team a face-lift.

Notable Players Hitting Free Agency

The Bruins have a number of notable players who will be heading to unrestricted free agency this season, and here are the ones who could command the most attention.

Carl Soderberg: The Scandinavian center tallied 44 points this season and proved to be a quality top-six center. The problem is he won’t be a top-six center on the team with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci in the picture. He could get paid a huge amount of money on the open market and is likely done in Boston.

Daniel Paille: The veteran bottom-six forward could hit the market, looking for a raise from his current $1.3 million salary. He is a player the Bruins could re-sign, because he can still play a valuable role on the fourth line. He is only 30 and has a couple of good years left in him.

Gregory Campbell: The gritty center who became famous for his epic blocked shot shift is likely heading out of town because of the depth at center. He is unlikely to supplant Ryan Spooner, and there's a chance he would want to be a third-line center on another NHL team.

Adam McQuaid: The Bruins' top-six defender will be looking for a new deal, and he has some value when you consider the state of the Bruins’ current defense. He is a valuable part of the franchise, and letting him go right after Johnny Boychuk could send a bad message to the dressing room.

Top Free-Agent Targets

Brian Babineau/Getty Images

The Bruins have to make decisions on their pending UFAs, but also have key RFAs such as Dougie Hamilton, Brett Connolly, Ryan Spooner and Niklas Svedberg to re-sign. It is unlikely they will be major players in free agency, as most of their targets could come via a trade. 

If they are going to be players in free agency, the main targets would include a pair of top-four defenders and a scorer for the second line. Unless the team finds a way to unload some salary, don't expect Boston to be a big player in free agency.

Best Options in the NHL Draft

The Bruins are going to draft 14th overall unless they win the lottery based on their current place in the standings.

If available, the Bruins should nab 6’3” forward Pavel Zacha. The Czech center and winger has some decent hands and a good shot and plays with an edge. He fits the style of hockey the Bruins play, and he could fall out of the top 10.

Other targets could include Timo Meier from Halifax, as the 6’1”, 208-pound winger has serious speed and all-around scoring ability. In addition to Meier and Zacha, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Bruins try to trade into the top five in order to land Dylan Strome, Noah Hanifin or Mitch Marner.

They’d probably love to nab Jack Eichel from Boston University, but it would take a major trade offer and one that may not even be accepted by the team that draws No. 2. The Bruins need to start thinking about restocking the cupboard, and this could be the draft to get things in order.

Players Who Could Be on the Trading Block

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Given the makeup of the current roster, only a few players could be on the block.

It is hard to see Milan Lucic being re-signed by the Bruins next summer because he is in the middle of a decline offensively, and he just isn’t as physical as he used to be. If you take a look at his stats page, you will see his decline in points and penalty minutes, which shows that he isn't playing with the edge that used to define him.

Power forwards have a tendency to break down, and for that reason they may try to sell him while he still has some value. His name was in play at the trade deadline, and Joe Haggerty of CSNNE reported after the deadline that all signs point to Lucic being traded.

Loui Eriksson also had his name among trade speculation at the deadline, and he’s a forward who is a free agent next summer.

Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet thought the Bruins would move him at the deadline, but Boston opted to keep him. The soon-to-be 30-year-old winger hasn't been as good of a fit in Boston as he was in Dallas, and moving him while he has some equity would be a wise move.

Prospects Most Likely to Debut in 2015-16

Andy Marlin/Getty Images

The Bruins brought aboard a number of prospects in 2014-15, and there aren’t many players ready for NHL action who are currently in the AHL, CHL or NCAA.

Alexander Khokhlachev and Joe Morrow are two of Boston’s top prospects on the Providence Bruins, and both have a chance to make the roster next season. Khokhlachev is a talented center, and Morrow is a defenseman with some serious upside.

There's a chance Morrow could see some ice time next season, especially if Zdeno Chara's ability to log significant minutes continues to decline.

Projected 2015-16 Depth Chart

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Here is a projected depth chart based on players currently under contract in addition to those whom I think will be re-signed this summer. This does not account for any potential trades.

Brad Marchand | Patrice Bergeron | David Pastrnak

Milan Lucic | David Krejci | Loui Eriksson

Reilly Smith| Ryan Spooner | Brett Connolly

Daniel Paille | Alexander Khokhlachev | Seth Griffith

Torey Krug | Dougie Hamilton

Zdeno Chara | Zach Trotman

Dennis Seidenberg | Joe Morrow

Tuukka Rask

Niklas Svedberg

Stats via Hockey-Reference unless noted.