Bruins Walk Away from Jonathan Myrenberg – No Entry Level Contract Offered

June 1 was the deadline for the Boston Bruins to sign defenseman Jonathan Myrenberg or lose his rights to unrestricted free agency. That deadline has come and gone with no contract coming from the Bruins.

The Bruins acquired Myrenberg from the Vancouver Canucks along with Michael DiPietro in exchange for Jack Studnicka on October 27, 2022. Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney spoke to the media following the trade:

“We’ve done a little bit of leg work there. Guys, coincidentally, over the past little while have seen Myrenberg play a little bit. [Bruins European Scouting Coordinator P.J. Axelsson] has a lot of familiarity with the player. He’s done a lot of the leg work over the past few days when these conversations started to pick up. We do feel that there is some upside to this player.

Sweeney added, “He’s young, he’s taken a growth spurt, he’s 6-3 now so he’s got some length. His numbers at the junior level are really good. He’s got some experience in the SHL playing very regularly. So, I think there is a development upside here in a positional need organizationally that we felt was a good opportunity for us. There’s maybe a little longer of a development time associated with this player, but it’s just a good opportunity to add to the depth in the organization.”

Then Canucks GM Patrik Allvin had this to say about Myrenberg: “Myrenberg is a player we were excited about, but his timeline is five years away.” Myrenberg at the time was considered one of the Canucks top-5 prospects and their top right-handed defenseman prospect.

The Canucks selected Myrenberg after an impressive season in the J20 Nationell, where he tallied 3 goals and 5 assists in 15 games. He was then loaned to Sollentuna HC in the HockeyEttan, contributing 6 assists over 9 games.

The next season, Myrenberg delivered a strong performance in the J20 Nationell, recording 8 goals and 23 assists. He continued his momentum in the playoffs, adding 4 goals and 4 assists across 8 games. After the postseason, he advanced directly to the SHL but went without a point in 15 appearances.

In the 2023-2024 season, Myrenberg suited up for Mora IK in the Allsvenskan League, playing 49 games and recording 4 goals along with 8 assists. That same season, the Bruins secured his rights.

The 2023-2024 season marked Myrenberg’s first full campaign in the SHL. Across 50 games, he netted 2 goals and contributed 9 assists while posting a plus-7 rating as a 20-year-old competing against seasoned professionals. His performance showcased clear signs of a future as an NHL defenseman.

In late August, while representing Linkoping HC internationally, Myrenberg sustained an injury that forced him to miss the first 34 games of the SHL season. His recovery was further complicated by setbacks in rehab. Although he returned for the final 18 games, he didn’t regain his previous form.

After his SHL season concluded, Myrenberg traveled across the Atlantic to join the Providence Bruins at their practices. He likely met with the team’s medical staff, but the Bruins opted not to sign him to an ATO that would have allowed him to appear in a game or two. Ultimately, he returned home to Sweden.

I’ve always been a fan of Myrenberg as a player, and the selfish side of me wants to chalk up his struggles in those final 18 games to rust from missing so much time. Part of me also wishes the Bruins had signed him to an entry-level contract. But the business side of hockey is unforgiving—you can’t afford to risk a contract spot or the financial commitment to bring him to North America if there’s concern that he may not be at full strength.

Whatever the issue turns out to be, I wish Jonathan the best of luck going forward.