There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Bruins this offseason. The two biggest question marks are Bergeron’s future and the possibility of a Krejci return. As of right now, it seems as though Patrice will be returning for his 19th NHL season, but until it’s officially announced, I am not holding my breath. The most notable rumor of the last week is that David Krejci was in Boston and has been in talks to potentially return to the black and gold. He returned to his hometown team and put up an impressive 20 goals and 46 points in 51 games. Although the prospect of getting the band back together is promising, Don Sweeney should consider all of his options.
In my eyes, Claude Giroux seems like a perfect fit for the Bruins. Yes, he is 34, but he is one of the most consistent and versatile players in the NHL. Last season he was a steal for the Florida Panthers, and in just 18 games, he put up 23 points. It’s hard to say what his asking price will be when free agency starts, but he should be at the top of the Bruins’ wish list. I am under no illusion that money isn’t tight, as the Bruins have just over $2.3M in cap space as of now, so they will definitely need to make moves and free up some money.
The contract that is killing them right now is undoubtedly Charlie Coyle’s $5.25M for four more years. There have been whispers that Eric Haula or Craig Smith could find their way out of town, which would free up an extra $2.375M or $3.1M, respectively. This money could be used to sign Giroux, and I feel that he may be willing to take less for a chance to win. You have to remember that Giroux would most likely be the replacement for Marchand as he is out until at least December after his surgery.
If the Bruins could somehow manage to sign Bergeron, Krejci, and Giroux this offseason, I may take back a few mean things that I’ve said about Don Sweeney. They would, without a doubt, have one of the best top six in the league. After everyone had healed from their injuries, their top seven forwards would be Marchand, Bergeron, Pastrnak, Hall, Krejci, Giroux, and DeBrusk. Arrange that any which way, and you have a recipe for success. It is a bit of a stretch to think that Sweeney has the resources (or mental faculties) to move out a dead contract or two, as they don’t have much in the way of quality prospects or picks to part with.
According to the Jacobs family, there is no rebuild in sight, and they believe that the Bruins could still be competitive and win a cup. If this truly is the direction that the club is going in, they need to go all-in on getting someone like Claude Giroux. If the rumors about David Krejci are true and he ends up re-signing, it’s hard to believe that the Bruins would have the cash available to bring in Claude Giroux simultaneously.
Don Sweeney needs to unload a minimum of one of his larger contracts and maybe give a few kids a chance to make the team out of camp. Someone like Oskar Steen could make the push this year for a permanent roster spot in the bottom six and give Don Sweeney the nudge he needs to get rid of someone else. If the Bruins brass genuinely believes they can still be competitive, they should exhaust all options possible and make sure that Claude Giroux is a Bruins by the end of the week.
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