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Title - HH
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Bruins: Bear-ly a whisper…
By Mark McGowan
HometownHockey.ca

Bruins: Bear-ly a whisper…
While it may have been a quiet summer for Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli, it appears as though he could become rather busy prior to the start of the 2015-16 National Hockey League campaign.
PHOTO CREDIT - GettyImages.ca

Boston - August 27, 2014 - There is little going on in Bruins nation this summer.

Locked up tight in cap jail the Boston Bruins are like most successful teams, trying to manage player expectations with salary cap realities.

Despite Tory Krug’s attempt to leverage a 'significant' KHL offer, the Bruins have only Krug and Reilly Smith, both of whom are restricted free agents, to wrap up and the summer is done. Neither has the slightest bit of leverage as both want to prove that well above expectations seasons were not a fluke. Holding out or seriously considering KHL offers are not realistic options and neither player wants to jeopardize their rapidly improving NHL fortunes.

The issue is that the Bruins have roughly $3M left in cap space and as bad as this off season has been for the front office, next season looks to be even worse….with a number of their core players set to move into the big payday years of their career. That man who said success comes at a high price knows Peter Chiarelli’s future well. Something had to give (goodbye Shaun Thornton and Jarome Iginla you will be missed) and there will be more departures to come. In the end, players like Krug and Smith will represent good value contracts if the organization can keep them on the payroll for the next year or two at cap friendly numbers. However, it is the veteran core that has been together for 4-5 years that is squarely in the crosshairs. The Bruins can’t keep them all and are already committed to Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara. With that being the case, this fall will be decision time for not just the 2-3 open roster spots but almost everyone from last year's lineup. Other than Chara and Bergeron, there will be no sacred cows. It may not be something Chiarelli wants to do but he has little choice.

Carrying eight NHL caliber defenseman is a luxury this team can no longer afford. It’s a given that if Adam McQuaid can stay healthy and return to playing at level he previously displayed, that he will be shipped out of town. The emergence of the far cheaper and equally effective Kevan Miller assured that. Even with Dennis Seidenberg’s expected return the Bruins will have seven quality blueliners and they may hold there for now. Matt Bartkowski appears to be the odd man out but he did have some nice moments last season before the playoff pressure seemed to do him in and he has a very cap friendly contract to boot. If he can show he belongs, the spotlight will quickly turn to the $3.3M Johnny Boychuk who could be a little luxurious on a cap strapped team

On the front line the possibilities are nearly endless with a number of end of season AHL call ups making a good case they are ready for prime time. Hard to believe the $3M man Chris Kelly, a 4th line center, will end the season with the black and gold. Injured at the end of last season, like McQuaid he almost has to open season to prove he is back from injury but it appears hard to picture him still being around past this year’s NHL Trade DeadlinE but the back line lesson of a cheaper Miller seemingly ready to replace a more expensive McQuaid will not be lost on Chiarelli.

As far as the Bruins front line goes, Bergeron looks to be the only one who is safe. If a cheaper rookie can replace 90% of what has become a rather expensive looking veteran group, the Bruins will solicit offers and no one will be safe. The $6M Milan Lucic and $5.25M UFA in waiting David Krejci could both be prime targets. Do not be surprised if Lucic is aggressively shopped but in the end, the odds are he will not be moved. As a “signature” Bruins player and a fan favorite it would be an unpopular move unless the Bruins received a bounty in return and it is unlikely he is that highly valued elsewhere. That said, having his name in the rumor mill will make it clear in the Bruins locker room that this year will be measured on current results and not past performances and potential. If he gets off to another slow start, look for the discussions to go past the “conversational” level and the same holds true for Krejci, after a disappointing post season.

Nothing much has changed for the moment on Causeway Street but all that really means is there is a lot changes yet to come. One could easily argue this will be the most challenging and dynamic year the Boston Bruins have had in a very long time. The window may not be closed but it is as open as it is likely to be in the immediate future and patience is a luxury this organization can ill afford to have.

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