Amid the avalanche of well-deserved testimonials for the now retired Patrice Bergeron, there was an unsettling query not too removed from the floor of the day’s fundamental information of the Bruin captain’s retirement.
Where do the Bruins go from right here?
With Bergeron headed for the rafters, and David Krejci more than likely not returning, the B’s will nonetheless be capable of gown 4 centermen, with the newly acquired Morgan Geekie, Patrick Brown and Jesper Boqvist competing to fill the third and fourth pivot spots behind Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle.
All of them possess various levels of functionality on the NHL degree. But it’s clear that the B’s lack some oomph down the center, which has been a crew power for near 20 years.
But they do have some commerce chips with which to play if that’s the course GM Don Sweeney needs to soak up his reset makes an attempt.
First, there’s the B’s Jennings Trophy-winning goaltending duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark is locked in for 2 extra seasons at $5 million – not a foul value for the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, whose contract carries a 16-team no-trade clause. Swayman is awaiting his arbitration case on Sunday. Judging by Maple Leaf goalie Ilya Samsonov’s arbitration award of $3.55 million, Swayman ought to are available in near that quantity, if a deal isn’t reached earlier than then.
Could the B’s chew the bullet and commerce one of many netminders? Though having each goalies on the roster would go a good distance towards masking up the holes within the lineup, the Vegas Golden Knights’ simply received the Stanley Cup with Adin Hill, nobody’s thought of a No. 1 goalie earlier than the playoffs began.
Then there’s the query of whether or not the B’s and Jake DeBrusk are a long-term match. DeBrusk, who has rounded into an all-situations participant, goes into the ultimate 12 months of his contract and, if his profession continues to pattern upward, he’ll get extra on the open market subsequent summer time than the $4 million AAV he at present receives. Sweeney must decide whether or not the perimeters see eye-to-eye on a long-term deal quickly.
Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort are additionally coming into the final 12 months of their respective offers and, although they could not fetch a return like DeBrusk or one of many goalies may, they might be included in a much bigger deal.
The two more than likely targets amongst centermen are Calgary’s Elias Lindholm and Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele.
The 30-year-old Scheifele, who’s within the final 12 months of a deal that paid him $6.125 million a season, has recorded 60-plus factors within the final eight years, twice topping 80 factors. He’s additionally been a part of a management group in Winnipeg that induced one veteran coach, Paul Maurice, to take a stroll and one other, Rick Bowness, to provide the crew a tongue-lashing on the finish of the season.
The 28-year-old Lindholm would appear like a greater match. The robust two-way participant, coming into the final season of a deal that pays him $4.85 million, has recorded 50-plus factors 4 of the final 5 seasons. His high-water mark was two years in the past when he notched 42-40-82 totals.
If they give the impression of being inside, the B’s prime heart prospect is 19-year-old Matthew Poitras, who must return to junior if he doesn’t make the NHL roster. That can be asking lots of {the teenager}.
As for the management left in Bergeron’s wake, the long run is in David Pastrnak’s and Charlie McAvoy’s arms, however the most effective candidate to put on the “C” for the following couple of years is Bergeron’s long-time linemate Brad Marchand. Marchand possesses an unassailable compete degree and has discovered to strike the best tone when talking for the crew.
However issues shake out, we at the moment are coming into a unique Bruins’ period. Ready or not.
Source: www.bostonherald.com