After breaking connections with forward Oskar Steen, the Boston Bruins have begun the process of moving on from some of its free agents this offseason, as was inevitable.
As per Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Steen’s agent, Joakim Persson, told Swedish news site Värmlands Folkblad that the Bruins have notified him that they will not be keeping him and that he is free to speak with other teams. Despite playing in a career-high 34 games with the Bruins in 2023–24, Steen managed just one point. Steen was relegated to AHL Providence where he spent the remainder of the season after being placed on waivers in February and going unclaimed.
Despite just playing in 60 NHL games over the course of four seasons, 26-year-old Steen is regarded as a Group 6 UFA. Steen made his NHL debut in 2021 after being selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. During his tenure in Boston, he was primarily employed as a depth forward and finished with four goals and eight points.
With his track record and the lack of attention he garnered while on the waiver wire, Steen is unlikely to be pursued by many NHL teams when he becomes available for free. For the forward, it appears far more realistic to sign an AHL or foreign deal. Along with Steen, the Bruins’ other Group 6 UFAs are goalkeeper prospect Kyle Keiser and defender prospect Reilly Walsh. Puckpedia projects that the Bruins will have $23.86 million in cap space at the start of the summer, when NHL free agency kicks in on July 1.
