Should Bruins Pursue Mitch Marner In Free Agency?

The Boston Bruins ranked among the NHL’s worst offensive teams in the 2024-25 season.

The Black and Gold got great offensive production from David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, but two good offensive players are not enough to make the playoffs.

Even though the Bruins expect better production from last season’s additions, adding an elite scorer to the roster should be a top priority for the Original Six franchise this offseason. And there are quite a few expected to hit the market come July 1.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is undoubtedly the best player with an expiring contract, but is he the right fit for the Bruins?

NHL media personality Pete Blackburn is against Boston pursuing Marner and explained why when he joined Sophia Jurksztowicz and Kasey Hudson on “The Hockey Hub” podcast Wednesday.

“I think he’s a great player,” Blackburn said. “I think he’s a really, really, really great player, but I have concerns about how he disappears when games get hard.”

Blackburn continued: “And we’ve seen that in these playoffs. We’ve seen it in previous playoffs. … When the game gets nasty, Mitch Marner tends to disappear. He’s had zero shots in each of his last two games for the Leafs, and that’s just not good enough.”

To hear more of Blackburn’s take on who the Bruins should target in free agency, tune into “The Hockey Hub” on YouTube or Spotify.