The Boston Bruins had a pair of free-agent calls to make this summer, and the easier one ended up being the one that sent Andrew Peeke out the door.
General manager Don Sweeney was weighing two UFAs in addition to Boston’s RFAs: forward Viktor Arvidsson and defenseman Andrew Peeke. Arvidsson was always the trickier case after delivering 25 goals and 29 assists in his first season with the Black and Gold following the July 1, 2025 trade that brought him over from the Edmonton Oilers.
He beat expectations, but Boston let him go anyway, and he landed with the Detroit Red Wings on a two-year deal carrying a $5 million AAV. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that the contract matched what Boston had reportedly offered him, though the Bruins’ path became clearer after they acquired JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth last week.
Peeke’s market took longer to develop, but it finally came together on Friday. According to Chris Johnston of The Athletic, he agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Utah Mammoth.
Utah has been busy reshaping its roster this offseason, and Peeke fits the kind of move that can pay off without much downside. It’s a low-cost addition for a team trying to strengthen its blue line in the Western Conference.
For Boston, the move made sense. The Bruins needed an upgrade on the back end, and Sweeney has already added a wave of right-shot defensemen. There had been some belief Peeke could be moved at the trade deadline, but Boston kept him through the stretch and used him the rest of the way, including in the first-round playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres.
In Other News...
Bruins May Have Quietly Closed The Door On A Familiar Defenseman
Andrew Peekes time in Boston may already be in the rearview, even if the right-shot defenseman is still looking for his next contract. The Bruins brought him in as a steady depth piece and got useful minutes out of him last season, when he skated in 77 games and chipped in five goals and nine assists.
Now the picture on the blue line has changed enough to make a reunion feel unlikely. Boston has already added other right-shot options and reinforced that side of the defense, leaving Peeke as one of the more notable free agents still on the board and pointing him toward a market that may have to come from somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Were Closer To A Major Blue Line Shakeup Than Fans Knew
The Bruins spent much of the offseason trying to sort out their blue line, and one of the more notable names tied to that search was Darnell Nurse. His future in Edmonton had been uncertain for a stretch before the Oilers ultimately moved him to San Jose, but Boston was at least in the conversation as the situation developed. For a team still looking for answers on defense, that alone says plenty about how aggressively it was exploring the market.
What makes the story linger is how close the Bruins came to being part of a much bigger shakeup before the path changed. Nurse and Nikita Zadorov were both on long-term deals, and the financial gap between them was significant enough to matter in any serious trade discussion. The Bruins never got all the way there, but the fact that they were in the mix at all suggests their blue line plans may have been more fluid than anyone outside the room realized. [Read more 🡒]