The Boston Bruins kicked off the offseason by trading star goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Jonas Korpisalo, Mark Kastelic, and a 2025 first-round pick. With little time to process this move, the Bruins must now shift their focus to the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

After suffering consecutive postseason eliminations at the hands of the Florida Panthers, the Bruins will look to use the draft to improve their roster and future assets. In addition to finding long-term talent, the team may also seek immediate help to replace players who underperformed or could depart via free agency. With that in mind, let’s examine four Bruins players who could be on thin ice heading into the 2024 draft:Jake DeBrusk, W

With Ullmark’s trade, determining DeBrusk’s future should be a top priority for the Bruins. The veteran winger is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and despite a career-high 27 goals and 50 points in 2022-23, his production dipped to 19 goals and 40 points last season. While the Bruins have the cap space to re-sign him, DeBrusk may be seeking a significant raise from his previous $4 million annual salary. The Bruins may decide it’s best to part ways with DeBrusk, as his typical 40-50 point output could be replaced more cost-effectively.

James van Riemsdyk

Had a tale of two seasons with the Boston Bruins in 2023-24. The veteran winger signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the team last offseason and impressed early on, recording 37 points in the first 51 games for a 0.72 points-per-game pace – his best production since 2020-21 with the Philadelphia Flyers.

However, van Riemsdyk struggled mightily in the second half of the campaign, tallying just one assist in the final 20 regular season games. While he managed to contribute a goal and four assists in 11 playoff contests, it may have been too little, too late.Like Jake DeBrusk, van Riemsdyk is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Given his concerning second-half drop-off, the Bruins may opt to let the 34-year-old walk, even though he could likely be retained on another cheap deal.

Boston will need to be cautious about bringing in declining veterans to occupy roster spots. It’s an unfortunate end to van Riemsdyk’s one-year stint in Boston, but that’s the nature of the business in the NHL. The Bruins will have to decide if his early-season production was an aberration or a sign that he still has something left in the tank.

Derek Forbort, D

The Boston Bruins have one of the better defensive groups in the NHL, but Derek Forbort does not contribute much to that strength. The veteran defenseman was often a source of frustration for Bruins fans last season due to his defensive miscues and lack of offensive production.

In fact, you could argue that Forbort was the worst of Boston’s defensemen, as the team’s goaltenders only managed a .901 save percentage when he was on the ice. With the league average 2023-24 save percentage sitting at .903, this indicates Forbort is a below-average blueliner.

Now set to hit free agency, there is little incentive for the Bruins to bring Forbort back. Boston already has six defensemen returning for the 2024-25 campaign and could look to add another with more upside, whether through free agency or the draft.Given Forbort’s lackluster play, injury history, and diminishing ice time under head coach Jim Montgomery, all signs point to the Bruins parting ways with the 32-year-old this offseason. Winning Stanley Cups requires a reliable defensive corps, and Forbort does not appear to be the right fit moving forward.

Patrick Brown, C

After joining the Bruins on a two-year, $1.6 million contract last summer, Patrick Brown split the 2023-24 season between the NHL and AHL. While he performed well in the minors, registering 32 points in 42 AHL games with Providence, Brown struggled to produce at the NHL level. He finished with just one assist and a minus-3 rating in 11 appearances with Boston.

Even though Brown is still under contract for next season, it’s hard to envision him earning a bigger role with the Bruins. Advanced statistics indicate the opposing team controls the puck more often when he’s on the ice, and the team’s goaltenders posted a dismal .882 save percentage when he played.

Given Brown’s age (32) and lack of standout abilities, it’s unlikely he’ll improve significantly. As such, he appears to be on thin ice this offseason. The Bruins may be better off replacing Brown with someone who can be a more reliable fourth-line contributor or frequent call-up from the AHL.