Some would say that the Boston Bruins overachieved this past season by reaching the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Many pundits had the Bruins fighting for a playoff spot, but instead, Boston managed to finish second in the Atlantic Division, missing out on a division title by just one point. Heading into this offseason, the Bruins have roughly 21 million dollars to spend and the possibility of trading goaltender Linus Ullmark to free up another five million. To say this is an important summer for Boston would be an understatement. A few shrewd moves could put the Bruins back into Stanley Cup contention.
So what should Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney do with the extra money and resources? A top-six center is a clear need. A scoring winger would be a nice addition. But a sneaky hole to fill could be on left defense. Rookie Mason Lohrei came on strong in the postseason, and Hampus Lindholm is a minutes-eater. Parker Wotherspoon can play on the left side, but another defenseman could be necessary for depth purposes. Here are five options in free agency:
Martinez is up there in age but has been a stout defenseman who has won three Stanley Cups. His minutes were down this postseason, and he has only played 82 games once in his career, and that was seven years ago. There has been speculation that Martinez would consider retirement due to injuries and age. However, on a short-term deal, Martinez could be a good get for Boston. The fourth-round draft pick in 2007 is a big-time shot blocker with 244 two seasons ago.
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