With a disappointing playoff performance, it’s time for the Boston Bruins to move on. Critical decisions need to be made on Torey Krug, Joakim Nordstrom, Matt Grzelcyk, and Jake DeBrusk. The reality is the Bruins have limited cap space. At 18,000,000 the club does not have much wiggle room. That being said you can look for the organization to move on from certain players. In this post, we will review available free agents that would improve the Bruins significantly.
Taylor Hall
With an inconsistent second_line, Taylor Hall would be a significant upgrade for the team. Only 27 Taylor Hall has been a proven scorer over the years. Hall has had an amazing 11- year career with time with the Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, and Arizona Coyotes.
With 627 NHL games under his belt, he has a total of 218 career goals. His slick playmaking skills would be an immediate upgrade Outside of David Krejci the Bruins second line needs a serious shot in the arm.
Ondrej Kase and Jake DeBrusk are not the top six players. Once again, the Tampa Bay Lightning shut down the Bruins offense. Only 5 goals in the series this line needs to be revamped. At 6,000,000 Taylor Hall would be worth the investment.
Braden Holtby
This is probably a pipe dream of mine. But at $2,000,000, Braden Holtby is worth a discussion. He is a proven winner. Playoff wise, he has 97 career games,50 wins, and a 926 sv%.
Tuukka Rask clearly let down the fans and teammates by leaving the bubble. Granted it was for family matters but his passion for the game is questionable. A heavy price tag of $7,000,000 may be time to move him.
Justin Schultz
An interesting player, Justin Schultz is not too expensive. At 30 years old Schultz would bring a strong physical game to the Bruins. A right-shot defenseman with excellent puck handling skills.
With the possibility of Torey Krug leaving, Schultz would be the perfect replacement. With a lot of high priced defenseman entering the market, Schultz has a cap hit of $3.9,000,00. That would be an attractive bargain for the Bruins.
In eight years Schultz has 50 goals and 164 assists. He has a total of 6 playoff goals and 23 assists for 29 points. Certainly not near Torey Krugs but he would be a nice compliment on a
With a lot of big names available, General Manager Don Sweeney has a challenging offseason ahead. The Bruins were manhandled by the Lightning. Goalie Jaroslav Halak did an admirable job under the circumstances.
Finding another goaltender is a must. Look for the team to let Zdeno Chara leave. Expect the organization to add another defenseman or two. This offseason will be very interesting.
The Bruins defensive unit needs to come to terms with several players. Two of the most notable are Zdeno Chara and Matt Grzelcyk. Grezelcyk has established himself has one of the team’s most consistent players.
As for Zdeno Chara, time may be running out. As the season wore on his minutes and performance diminished. Other Bruins up for a new contract are Kevan Miller, Wiley Sherman, and Jakub Zboril. Out of the three, Zbloril/RFA is the most likely to return.
Conclusion
General Manager Don Sweeney has a challenging off season ahead. The goal tending situation is a concern. Should the team bring back Zdeno Chara? Revamping the second line is a must.
The Ondrej Kase deal was a bust. Look for the Bruins not to resign JakegDeBrusk. With all the big _name free agents available the organization is cash strapped. I look for Zdeno Chara to retire. The Bruins need to get bigger and physical, to return to the Stanley Cup Finals.
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