Andrew Peeke's three-year deal expires July 1, and the Boston Bruins now have to decide whether to re-sign him or chase a top-four right-shot upgrade.

The 28-year-old logged 77 games for Boston this season, anchoring depth minutes on the right side while the front office hunted for a long-term fix behind Charlie McAvoy.

He averaged real responsibility, not sheltered shifts. His penalty-kill load was heavy. His ice time was steady. His underlying numbers were not pretty.

Peeke finished the regular season at minus-12, the worst rating on the roster. That number jumps out, even with the context that Boston's bottom pair took a beating most nights.

Then came the postseason flip. Across six playoff games, the right-shot defender posted a plus-2 rating and chipped in one assist. Small sample, sure. Different player, though.

Don Sweeney has been keeping Peeke's camp in the loop all year. That alone tells you the door isn't closed. It also doesn't mean it stays open.

Boston's right-side market just got more interesting

The Bruins tried to land Rasmus Andersson in January before backing out. He went to Vegas. Boston still has the same hole on the right side, only now with less time and a thinner UFA pool.

Marco Sturm's group ran the regular season to a 45-27-10 record and 100 points. That's enough to compete, not enough to coast on the same blue line build next fall.

Henri Jokiharju, a right-shot acquired during the year, put up 15 points in 41 games at a $3 million cap hit. He's already in the picture. Peeke was getting reps over him by the end.

That's the awkward math. Boston has $15.4 million in cap space and two right-shot defenders fighting for the same depth slot, with McAvoy carrying the top role at $9.5 million.

Sweeney has options. He can pay Peeke fair-market money, slot him third on the right, and spend the rest on forwards. Or he can swing bigger and let Peeke walk into a starting job somewhere else.

Picking depth over upside is how teams stay in the eighth seed.

Boston has been there. The question is whether the next call on the right side breaks that loop or extends it.