Christmas came early! It’s the first day of free agency, and what a day it was for hockey! General manager Don Sweeney had a busy day. It wasn’t loaded with big fireworks, but he did make moves and a lot of depth signings. Now it’s time to take a look at the free agency splashes and grade them.
Bruins Acquire Viktor Arvidsson From the Oilers
This was not a signing, but a trade. The Edmonton Oilers are shaking things up and looking to create more flexibility, salary cap-wise. The Oilers shipped Viktor Arvidsson to the Bruins for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick. He is in the final year of his two-year deal and has a cap hit of $4 million. This is a good overall deal for the Bruins to give them depth at the winger position.
One thing that makes him special is his ability to excel in transition. When the play is moving towards the opposition, that’s when he thrives. Arvidsson had a down year with the Oilers last season (15 goals, 27 points), but this is a player who had 59 points just two seasons ago. If he can get anywhere closer to that level of production, that’s massive for this Bruins roster.

Overall, this is a low-risk, high-reward type of move. He is a player who can come in and serve as a depth winger for this Bruins roster. Whether he slots on the second line or third line remains a mystery, but there is upside in his game.
Grade: B
Bruins Sign Tanner Jeannot
This one is a bit more of a head-scratcher. The contract given out is puzzling. $3.4 million average annual value (AAV) for five years is quite a bit to swallow. Is it a contract that can get buried in the minors when the time comes? Sure, but right now this one is the roughest of the moves that Sweeney has made.
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Jeannot does bring experience to the table, which is good for what’s a much younger Bruins team. More than likely, he is a fourth-line player and can play a bruising forechecking role alongside Mark Kastelic. Those two alone can cause headaches for opposing defenses, but that’s their role. Jeannot hasn’t surpassed the 20-point mark since the 2021-22 season. He may not score many goals, but he will deliver big hits, as he’s had 200-plus hits over the last three seasons.
Grade: D
Bruins Reunite with Sean Kuraly
The vibes are so back. The memories that Sean Kuraly has given Bruins fans in his first stint donning the Black and Gold. The Kura-Leap will forever be a memory.
The Bruins signed Kuraly to a two-year deal worth $1.85 million per season. This is yet another depth move for the bottom six of the lineup. Kuraly has already shown Sweeney what type of player he is and what he can bring to the table. He was a very reliable bottom-six player for the team and helped anchor a successful fourth line.
Kuraly was successful with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He set a career high in points (30) during the 2021-22 season and finished his tenure there with 10-plus points each season. He’s still very reliable in the faceoff circle and does good things at both ends of the ice. Overall, he just gives the Bruins more depth to their lineup, which they do need.
Grade: B-
Bruins Add Michael Eyssimont
The common theme for this free agency class is depth. Except, it’s almost too much depth and doesn’t account for the younger guys in Providence fighting for a roster spot. Michael Eyssimont was signed for two years and has a salary cap hit of $1.5 million. He is yet another bottom-six role player who can be a boost to the lineup.
His biggest asset is his shot. Eyssimont is unafraid to shoot the puck and help create chances. He is a mobile player with a great blend of speed, and his ability to be strong on the forecheck is a major asset for Marco Sturm and the coaching staff. He is good at impacting the game both ways, which is a plus.
This signing has me thinking that this is a depth move, and it creates competition when training camp begins, because there are plenty of guys in the system that can play his role.
Grade: C-
Bruins Sign Matej Blumel
Now, this is a signing that everyone can get on board with. One thing the Dallas Stars have is a loaded pipeline, and Matej Blumel was part of it. The Czech native spent the majority of his playing time with the Texas Stars, which is the Stars’ American Hockey League (AHL) team. He was a very good player for them over the years as well.
This last season, he scored 39 goals for the Texas Stars, which was the most across the entire AHL. Furthermore, his 72 points ranked second in the league, which is a testament to his production and what he’s able to do. Blumel had 178 points over the last three seasons and has been developing in that organization.
This move allows the Bruins to add depth, whether it’s on the main roster or down in Providence. If all goes well, he could earn himself a further look with the big club.
Grade: B+
Time to See How it Pans Out
This is what the Bruins are going to look like as they enter their retool period. They went out and grabbed depth during this free agency period. It’ll open up the floor for roster competition and seeing how the pieces fall into place. Not every move was bad, but it’ll be exciting to see the vision unfold when the 2025-26 season begins.
