Potential Boston Bruins Free Agent Target: Brenden Dillon

brenden-dillon

With NHL Free Agency opening on July 1, the Boston Bruins will have decisions to make on both their expiring contracts as well as players leaving other teams that they could make a run for on the open market.

Earlier this month, we ranked the top 10 most important Boston Bruins free agents, consisting of the players with expiring contracts and their relative value to the team.

This time, we’ll be covering 10 free agents from other teams that could be attractive to Boston. These are not ranked in any particular order, but it will ultimately focus on the Bruins’ biggest needs: a top-six forward (or two), a left-shot defenseman and – potentially – a backup goalie for Jeremy Swayman.

There will be a new name covered every day leading up to the start of free agency.

Previously we discussed Elias Lindholm, but today we shift to defense:

Brenden Dillon, Defenseman

Age: 33

2023-24 team(s): Winnipeg Jets

2023-24 stats: 77 GP, 8G-12A-20P

Previous Contract AAV: $3.9 million

Expected New AAV (per AFPAnalytics): $2.87 million

With Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort expected to hit the open market on July 1, the Bruins are expected to have a new need for a left-shot defenseman. Hampus Lindholm is locked up long term, but behind him are Mason Lohrei, who took a big step in his development during his rookie season, and Parker Wotherspoon, a career AHLer who earned a consistent role in the third-pair rotation.

Bruins management appears confident in Lohrei and Wotherspoon relative to what they’re asked to do on a night-to-night basis, but given their collective lack of NHL experience, general manager Don Sweeney will likely want to add an experienced option to the left side of the defense.

One of those options is Brenden Dillon. The 33-year-old has 12 full NHL seasons under his belt and could prove to be a solid fit on the second or third pair. While not known for his offense, Dillon scored a career-high eight goals this season and reached 20 points for the third straight season.

Defensively, Dillon is a physical presence. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Dillon dished out the 11th-most hits in the NHL this season (241), and he was fourth on the Jets with a plus-20 rating. His 18:44 average time on ice last season would have ranked fourth on the Bruins behind Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo, and given his overall track record, he’s capable of taking on bigger minutes when needed.

The Bruins will probably address the forward group with most of their cap space, so Dillon’s projected two-year, ~$5.75 million contract would still leave Boston with enough money to work with, especially with Lohrei and Wotherspoon each set to make less than $1 million this season.

The Bruins will need another left-shot defenseman if Grzelcyk and Forbort walk, and when it comes to experienced replacements that won’t break the bank, they could do a lot worse than Dillon.

Other Stories: