The Bruins gave their fans a reason to be excited about the future at the NHL draft over the weekend, leaning into skill and landing a player who could be that No. 1 center (James Hagens) they’ve been searching for since the middle of Patrice Bergeron’s career, as well as intriguing offensive-minded forwards in Will Moore and Cooper Simpson.
But what about the team that they’re going to ice in a few months? We’ll get a better handle on that over the next 48 hours. They’ve got holes to fill both at forward and defense.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney had entertained an offer from the Islanders that included the 16th and 17th picks for the No. 7 that turned into Hagens, but whether or not there was a bona fide NHLer coming the Bruins’ way in the potential package, Sweeney did not bite. In his wrap-up presser on Saturday, Sweeney said there are other trade talks going that he would continue to pursue.
If nothing major falls out of the trade tree, there is, of course, free agency that begins on Tuesday. And an interesting tidbit trickled out of the post-draft/pre-free agency from Toronto-based reporter Pierre LeBrun, who said he expects the Bruins to make a play for Marchand to bring him back if he doesn’t re-sign with Florida.
My gut tells me that won’t happen. Perhaps the B’s will make a courtesy call, which would also drive up the price for two rivals (the Maple Leafs are also expected to make a play for the former B’s captain if the Panthers can’t get his name on a contract before July 1). But while neither Marchand nor the Bruins closed the door on a return to Boston for No. 63 at the time of the shocking trade to Florida, the tone and the body language of the sides gave off a different vibe – that was time to move on for both sides.
Sweeney had swallowed hard and pulled the trigger on a rebuild/retool (we should know by Thanksgiving exactly what it is) and Marchand, not willing to sign what he felt would have been another hometown discount, was headed out to a whole new world. And what a world it was for him.
He not only captured his second Stanley Cup with the Panthers, finishing second in the Conn Smythe voting, Marchand became the go-to personality for reporters covering the playoffs, shouldering a lot of that burden and allowing other Panther stars to go about their business. Marchand, the maestro of the Panthers’ days-long Cup celebration, even nabbed a Dairy Queen endorsement.
Meanwhile, as the Bruins prepare for a new era, it is hard to imagine Marchand coming right back to Boston and putting the old “C” back on his sweater (or even more awkward, an “A”) as if nothing happened. This moment feels like it is David Pastrnak’s and Charlie McAvoy’s time to take the reins of this team.
The one caveat is that, if you take away everything thing else, it could make financial sense for now and the future. Would a three-year deal at $8 million for Marchand be easier to swallow than, say, seven years at $9 million for Nikolaj Ehlers or seven times $8 million for Brock Boeser? The answer here on that front is yes. The lure back for Marchand would be that he doesn’t have sell his home, his kids wouldn’t need to find new schools and all the other considerations a 37-year-old family man has to consider. He would have also proved his point, which is that he’s still got mileage left.
You never say never in this business. But while it might still be tempting, again, the gut says that Marchand’s time in Boston has passed until they raise No. 63 to the Garden rafters.
So what do the B’s do to improve their club? In a thin free agent class that’s getting thinner by the minute, there are Ehlers and Boeser (Mitch Marner is expected to go to Vegas, though Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Leafs are rattling their sabers about potential tampering by the Golden Knights) at the top. With players like Sam Bennett, John Tavares and Claude Giroux re-signing with their teams, the prices for those two should be dear and the commitment the B’s would have to make may not be worth it.
The next level down there some centers like Pius Suter and Jack Roslovic as well as wings like Andrew Mangiapane and Patrick Kane, who at 36 still managed 21 goals and 59 points in 72 games. The B’s also still need to find a top-four right shot defenseman. As of the moment, Aaron Ekblad has not re-signed with the Panthers but he’d be a big ticket item. Less expensive (also less impactful) would be Nick Perbix. The B’s were also still negotiating with Henri Jokiharju
But if they’re looking for a real impact player, that may have to come in a trade. Another method would be to sign a player to an offer sheet, something the B’s under Sweeney have not attempted. The Rangers’ Will Cuylle would be an obvious target, if New York lets him get there. The Maple Leafs decided they weren’t going to take any chances with Matthew Knies, whom they locked up for six years at $7.75 million per season on Sunday.
However Sweeney approaches things, it should be an interesting few days.
Khusnutdinov signs
The Bruins did a little bit of business on Sunday, signing forward Marat Khusnutdinov and defenseman Michael Callahan to two- and one-year deals, respectively. Khusnutdinov, obtained in the Justin Brazeau trade with Minnesota, was scheduled to be an RFA, but signed a two-year deal worth $925,000 annually. The 22-year-old, Russian-born Khusnutdivov, a second-round (37th overall) pick of the Wild, showed flashes of speed and skill in his short time here after the break but had just three goals and two assists in 18 games with the B’s. The club saw enough potential there to give him a low-cost extended look.
Franklin native Callahan, who was scheduled to be a Group 6 UFA, signed a one-year, two-way deal with an NHL cap hit of $775,000. The 25-year-old left shot defenseman, a classic stay-at-home blueliner, had a goal in 17 games with the B’s and would be a good candidate to be the team’s seventh defenseman, taking over the role of UFA-to-be Parker Wotherspoon if the B’s decide not to bring him back.
Meanwhile, according JP Barry, the agent for Jakub Lauko as well as Khusnutdinov, Lauko will be a UFA on Tuesday. He was a restricted free agent but apparently the B’s have chosen not to qualify him.
We are still awaiting word on the fate of some of their more prominent unsigned players. Cole Koepke is set to be a RFA and RFA John Beecher needs to be tendered his qualifying offers by Monday if the B’s want to maintain his rights or he, too, becomes UFA on July 1. … Development camp opens on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena. The forward group, which will presumably include James Hagens, opens the first session at 9:50 a.m. The defenseman are in the second session at 11:30 a.m.
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