The Boston Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney met with the media today, and Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe reported on many of his answers. The executive put the pressure on himself to improve the Bruins after their first-round exit, saying that their middle-six needs the most work.
Sweeney also said that he’ll likely go with the 7-3-1 expansion draft option and that he won’t reveal what’s next for Ryan Spooner, the latter of which is especially interesting. Spooner didn’t play in the elimination game for the Bruins, and is a restricted free agent this summer. Many teams would have interest in the 25-year old should Boston feel his time is up as a Bruin.
- Though John Chayka has been linked to the Buffalo Sabres GM search, Craig Morgan of AZ Sports is here to quash any thoughts of him leaving the desert. Morgan reports that the Coyotes would deny any request of permission to talk to Chayka about a job, though he makes it clear that that doesn’t mean Buffalo has yet. It would have been shocking for the Coyotes to allow Chayka to leave so soon after giving him the reins, even if it was to an Eastern Conference team near his hometown. Chayka has a lot of work still left to do in Arizona if he’s to turn that team around and establish them in the city.
- Count the Montreal Canadiens as the latest suitor for John Tavares, despite his repeated intention to stay with the New York Islanders. Eric Engels of Sportsnet writes that the Canadiens should do whatever it takes to acquire the superstar center should he become available. Though the Tavares-sweepstakes aren’t real just yet, the bigger point of the Engels piece is that the Canadiens still need that #1 center they’ve been after for so long. With the clear message that Alex Galchenyuk isn’t considered the future of that position any longer, the Canadiens will be on the hunt all summer.