The Boston Bruins, who were eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Buffalo Sabres, have a logjam of defensemen on their roster ahead of the new season and it could lead to the departure of a former Sabre: Henri Jokiharju.
RG's James Murphy reported Jokiharju is one of two B's defenders, along with Mason Lohrei, generating interest as NHL teams prepare for training camp.
"One of the sources above also told RG that the Bruins are willing to move veteran 27-year-old defenseman Henri Jokiharju, who is set to begin a two-year, $6 million contract," Murphy wrote Monday. "Obviously, though, the younger Lohrei, who is entering the final year of a two-year, $6.4 million contract ($3.2 million AAV), is more attractive."
Jokiharju started his career with the Chicago Blackhawks, who selected the Finland native in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft. He was traded to the Sabres in July 2019 for prospect Alex Nylander and then dealt to the Bruins in March 2025 for a fourth-round pick.
The 6-foot blueliner has never lived up to that first-round pedigree, mostly because of highly inconsistent play, especially in his own zone.
That said, he's solidified himself as an average NHL defenseman capable of providing decent minutes in a third-pair role. HockeyStats.com places him in the 59th percentile of wins above replacement (WAR) among defenders based on a three-year weighted average.
Jokiharju compiled 15 points (two goals and 13 assists) in 41 appearances for Boston last season. He missed over a month due to injury, and was also a healthy scratch at times.
If he's ultimately traded by the Bruins, it's unlikely their front office will be able to recoup much more than the fourth-rounder that they sent to the Sabres to acquire him last year.
Sabres likely out of market for defensemen after Zach Metsa extension
Buffalo announced a one-year, $900,000 contract extension for Zach Metsa last week after he enjoyed some standout moments during his first NHL season.
It's a sign of confidence that Metsa, 27, is capable of holding down the No. 7 reserve role on the club's defensive depth chart. He's expected to compete for that spot with Dennis Gilbert and perhaps Ryan Johnson during camp, but the extension gives him an edge.
The new contract also likely takes the Sabres out of the market for another defenseman before the new campaign gets underway.
Barring injury, Buffalo's opening night blueline group will include: Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power, Olen Zellweger, Louis Crevier and Conor Timmins.
Metsa, nicknamed the "PDO God" due to some favorable underlying metrics, wrapped up his long-awaited rookie season with six points (two goals and four assists) in 43 games. He finished with a plus-16 rating despite that modest offensive production.
The former Quinnipiac University standout played a simple, direct game that helped him earn the confidence of Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff.
Metsa's limited offensive skill set and undersized frame (5'9'', 198 pounds) means he'll likely never become more than a depth defenseman for the Sabres, but the Wisconsin native showed last season exactly how important than role can be, especially for a contender.
Buffalo has plenty of talent on the defensive side, including prized prospects like Daxon Rudolph and Radim Mrtka in the system, so the team is set up favorably to keep Metsa in a niche role moving forward.
Injuries can always change that outlook, though.
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