2 Free Agent Defensemen Boston Bruins Should Pursue This Offseason – Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins made a surprising run in the postseason after general manager Don Sweeney’s overhaul. Adding talent like Viktor Arvidsson, Fraser Minten, and Marat Khusnutdinov paid off handsomely during the regular season. Each player can find a way through April and into the playoffs.

The team’s flaws were exposed, and the Buffalo Sabres, with surgical precision, knocked them out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with a disappointing playoff spot for the Bruins, which is the blue line.

The Bruins allowed 20 goals in the first round of the playoffs, leaving goaltender Jeremy Swayman to fend for himself against a talented Sabers team. They will have to rethink who they should target to bolster a defensive core that has underperformed this past season. With the safety being done in front of Swayman, they will need to consider bringing in a hard-hitting defender.. The team needs more flexibility on the blue line, and should target a blueliner who can shoot, hit, and quarterback the power play.

Mentioned below are two players who could play a role in the team’s future success.

Braden Schneider, New York Rangers

Braden Schneider’s two-year, $2.2 million annual average (AAV) contract expires in July, leaving him a restricted free agent.

After two years in New York, he was able to play four solid minutes on a Rangers team that didn’t seem to be going out of their way. However, he has been a standout player on a team that lacks the ability to play quality hockey when it counts.

This may seem like a dig against Schneider, but it’s a case of the organization. Schneider is a defensive defenseman who could give the Bruins more muscle in the ranks and could slot in on the right side next to Hampus Lindholm.

Schneider played all 82 games for the Rangers and scored two goals and 18 points. His base stats are promising, especially when looking at his expected goals percentage (xGF) this season, at 56.24. He has the ability to deal with them on the ice, shutting down his opponents with 163 hits this season as well.

He could fit in with the defenseman of the bad Bruins era. But the question arises as to what Sweeney should get him out of.

Darren Raddysh, Tampa Bay Lightning

We know that Darren Raddysh may not be able to repeat the 70-point season he recently had in Tampa Bay. The Bruins need a good defenseman who can shoot, score, and score. You check all three boxes for the Bruins.

As a pending unrestricted free agent, he’s bound to have plenty of suitors, but the Bruins need to take advantage of this offseason and shoot, so to speak.

In 73 games with the Lightning, he recorded 70 points (22 goals, 48 ​​assists) and had a Corsi-for percentage (CF%) of 57.0 in the 2025-26 season. He also became one of the Lightning’s best players and their strong quarter-play with Victor Hedman injured.

Raddysh is due a raise after his career year, as his $975,000 AAV contract expires in July. There will be a bidding war for a defender like Raddysh, who has just blossomed.

According to The Tampa Bay Times, ratings have him making life-changing money on his next contract. But will GM Sweeney step into the water?

Another high-end projection has Raddysh making an average of $7 million per year, and a team with a need could go there. I don’t see Nyazi doing that. But somewhere in the $4 million-5 million range a long spread might make sense for them. Regardless, it looks like the Lightning and Raddysh should get it (from ‘Can Lightning afford not to re-defender Darren Raddysh’, Tampa Bay Times, 3/21/2026)

These two defensemen could be a game changer for a team that needs more help in the backfield.