The Boston Bruins lost plenty of depth on the wing this summer, as Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, James van Riemsdyk, and Pat Maroon are all gone from last season’s roster. While the expectation is that the Bruins will have their prospects compete for spots at training camp, it would not hurt also to add another experienced winger to the mix.
The Bruins are not in a position to make a notable splash before the start of the season, as restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman still needs his new deal. Given the fact that he is a star entering his prime, he is going to get a big payday.
Thus, if the Bruins hope to add some depth to their roster at training camp, they will need to target bargain or PTO candidates. One interesting free agent who could be a fit for Boston because of this is Dominik Kubalik.
Kubalik is coming off a very rough season with the Ottawa Senators. In 74 games, he posted career lows with 11 goals and 15 points. The fit in Ottawa was just not there for Kubalik, but he could bounce back if given another opportunity. For example, just back in 2022-23 with the Detroit Red Wings, Kubalik proved to be a very solid middle-six winger. In 81 games for the Original Six club, he posted 20 goals and 45 points.
Furthermore, in his four previous seasons before being dealt to the Senators, Kubalik had at least 15 goals and 32 points in each of them. This includes his 30-goal and 46-point rookie campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019-20.
Given Kubalik’s past success and the Bruins’ need for more depth on the wing, he could be a good player for them to bring in on a PTO. Perhaps he could be another success story like last year’s PTO recipient, Danton Heinen.