With a bleak 2012 free agent class and the re-signings of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Chris Kelly, it’s likely that the Boston Bruins may not be active players in free agency. The team’s limited needs paired with their cap space will most likely restrict what they can and can’t do come July 1. It’s a storyline that should play out similarly to offseasons of the past for the Bruins where minor moves are made to address smaller needs. For general manager Peter Chiarelli, it’s obvious that the team’s impeccable chemistry and strong prospect pool are more important than searching for free agents to fill gaps.

A brief look at the Bruins’ projected roster for the 2012-13 season doesn’t reveal many openings. In fact, the Bruins could take the ice tomorrow with the players already signed and boast a lineup that doesn’t look much different on paper than the 2011-12 team–sans Tim Thomas, of course. It’s all but guaranteed that the Bruins will spend close to the cap this year and since they’re already near the ceiling, there’s a good possibility that this offseason will be just like the one before it: pretty quiet.