The Boston Bruins have focused on adding toughness to their team this summer. Signing Tanner Jeannot, Sean Kuraly, and Michael Eyssimont brings the grit and sandpaper that most associate with Bruins hockey.
Former Bruins defender Matt Grzelcyk remains unsigned despite having the best season of his NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Grzelcyk is a 31-year-old left-handed defender. The 5-foot-10, 180 lb blueliner was the Bruins’ 85th overall selection in the 2012 NHL entry draft. In 2024-25, he recorded 40 points in 82 games while playing 20:37 per game.
Former Bruins’ Matt Grzelcyk Can Add Fire-Power to Any Blueline
Grzelcyk’s size might be working against him, but his offensive talent is clear. His 40-point season was only bested by one other Penguins defender, Erik Karlsson (53 points). Karlsson was able to achieve this in part because of playing three more minutes per game, including extra powerplay time.
Only 30 blueliners scored 40 points or more during the 2024-25 regular season.
The 31-year-old excelled in his powerplay time this past year. Kris Letang, Karlsson, and Grzelcyk split the powerplay duties, and Grzelcyk was a major beneficiary of that arrangement. Both Karlsson and Grzelcyk recorded 15 powerplay points, a career-high for the latter. Only 16 of the 30 NHL defenders to score 40 or more points also had more than 15 points with the man advantage.
Ex-Bruins’ Defender on the Outside Looking in With Penguins
Earlier in July, Grzelyck was named the #3 best unrestricted free agent available. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox compiled the list and had this to say about Grzelyck.
“Originally a Bruin, Grzelcyk played all 82 games for the Penguins this past season and told reporters that he was hoping to ink an extension in Pittsburgh,” Fox wrote. “The Penguins, however, signed defencemen Parker Wotherspoon and Caleb Jones to two-year deals on July 1 and are going in a different direction.
“The left-shot, undersized Grzelcyk (five-foot-10, 180 pounds) notched a career-best 40 points in 2024-25 and boasts 527 games of experience, plus another 66 in the playoffs.”
Grzelyck Linked to Other NHL Teams
The door to return to the Penguins is shut, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any options available. During the regular season, he was linked to potential suitors, particularly before the trade deadline.
David Pagnotta had him connected to three teams at the end of February: the Tampa Bay Lightning, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche.
“Grzelcyk is enjoying a solid season in Pittsburgh, having already hit career highs in assists and points,” Pagnotta wrote. “He’s a UFA this summer and a prime candidate to be moved by a Penguins team motivated to make more moves ahead of the deadline.”
The 31-year-old defender signed a one-year $2.75-million deal on July 1st of 2024 with the Penguins. His contract before that was a four-year deal worth $3.69 million per season.
Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin has Grzelcyk ranked second on his available UFAs list. According to AFP Analytics’ projections, he’s in line for a three-year $3.8 million deal.
The Jets are the only team connected to him at the deadline that has the cap space to make that deal work ($3.96 million). The Avalanche has $3.35 million in remaining cap space, while the Lightning has $1.18 million left.
The Bruins have $2.08 million in salary cap space.
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