Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Brandon Carlo

Injury Updates: Murray, Carlo, Anisimov, Hamonic

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Ryan Murray’s injury history is a lengthy one and the Blue Jackets defenseman finds himself on the shelf again.  Columbus head coach John Tortorella told reporters, including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) that Murray is “nicked” and that he doesn’t yet know if it’s going to be a day-to-day issue or something longer.  The 26-year-old just returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing 34 games due to a lower-body injury and certainly made an immediate impact, picking up two assists in two games while logging over 20 minutes in each contest.  Markus Nutivaara will be back in the lineup to replace Murray.

More injury news from around the NHL:

  • The Bruins announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Brandon Carlo will miss tonight’s game against Tampa Bay due to the upper-body injury he sustained on Thursday night against Florida. Head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated that Carlo was at Boston’s practice facility today and was feeling better than he did after the hit but there is no timetable yet for how much more time – if any – he’ll miss.
  • Senators center Artem Anisimov did not accompany the team on their West Coast road trip, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He missed Thursday’s game against the Islanders due to an upper-body injury and there is no timeline for his return.  It has been an up-and-down first season in Ottawa for the veteran who has 15 goals but just five assists in 49 games this season.
  • Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic participated in his first full practice since being injured early last month, reports Sportsnet 960’s Pat Steinberg (Twitter link). He still has to get the green light to take contact so he’s still not quite ready to return but the fact he’s now participating in practice means he’s close.  He sits third on the team in ice time per game at over 21 minutes a night and will be a big addition to their back end when he’s cleared to return.

Minor Transactions: 02/09/20

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It’s the first Sunday without football since September 1st, but the NHL is here to take over with a five-game slate today. The action kicks off at 12:30 local time in Detroit, where the Red Wings host the Boston Bruins. The contest doubles as both an Original Six match-up and a meeting between the best and worst records in the league. Zdeno Chara, who was honored yesterday in Boston for 1500 career games and 1000 games with the Bruins, will lead his team into what they hope is their seventh win in a row. Meanwhile, the Blackhaws-Jets and Avalanche-Wild present Central Division collisions between teams all jockeying for playoff position. Colorado would like to catch St. Louis atop the conference, while Chicago, Minnesota, and Winnipeg are just hoping they can punch their ticket to the postseason. Amidst the action today, there will also be a number of minor moves as teams prepare their rosters for the week ahead. Sunday is typically a busy day for transactions, and early indications are that today will be no different. Follow along with all the moves here:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that rookie center Ryan MacInnis has been reassigned to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. MacInnis, 23, has just one point in nine games with Columbus this season. The once-promising pivot looks as though his future in the NHL will likely be as a bottom-six contributor, rather than the top-six forward he was projected as when the Arizona Coyotes selected him in the second round in 2014.  His spot is being taken on the roster by top prospect Liam Foudy as his OHL team in London announced that the 20-year-old has been recalled on an emergency basis.  The 18th pick in 2018 has 43 points in 32 games with the Knights this season and can play in up to nine games without burning the first season of his entry-level deal.
  • After sending defenseman Lawrence Pilut to the AHL on Saturday, the Buffalo Sabres have turned around and called him back up this morning. Pilut has been an impressive contributor for the Rochester Americans this season, but has been held off the scoreboard with Buffalo.
  • Conversely, the Washington Capitals have demoted their young defender Martin Fehervary after he was recalled and added to the lineup yesterday ahead of the team’s game against the Flyers. CapFriendly reports that Fehervary is on his way back to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he has already logged 45 appearances this season.
  • CapFriendly also reports that Edmonton Oilers forward Tyler Benson has been returned to the AHL. The promising prospect leads the Bakersfield Condors with 35 points in 42 games so far this year.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights announced that oft-on-the-move forward Nicolas Roy has again been reassigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. The big forward has split his season between both clubs and has been a consistent contributor at both levels. At least if Roy continues to be a frequent mover next season, the trip will be shorter, as the Knights hope to bring an AHL affiliate to the Las Vegas area.
  • The Athletic’s Eric Stephens relays that the Anaheim Ducks have swapped a trio a prospects. Heading to the parent club are defensemen Brendan Guhle and Josh Mahura, while forward Kiefer Sherwood will return to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. The uneven exchange and the addition of two defensemen indicates that veteran Erik Gudbranson has been moved to the injured reserve. The defensive duo should be able to fill in nicely, as they have each registered four points in a combined 29 points this season.
  • With the Bruins “expecting something” from Jeremy Lauzon’s hearing with Player Safety this morning, Brandon Carlo flying to meet the team in Detroit after a personal day on Saturday, and John Moore leaving yesterday’s game in the third period, the team had more than enough reason to use an emergency recall on Urho Vaakanainen. However, the top D prospect is not expected to play after all, as Carlo and Moore are anticipated to be good to go for the matinee. Vaakanainen was sent back to Providence after the game, the team announced.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have activated defenseman Mike Green off of injured reserve, according to CapFriendly, and he is playing against the Boston Bruins Sunday. Green has missed six contests with an upper-body injury. He has just eight points this season to go with a minus-27 rating.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have assigned defenseman Robbie Russo to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. Russo was recalled on Thursday to serve as an extra defenseman, but wasn’t needed and didn’t appear in a game for the Coyotes. The 26-year-old has 14 points in Tucson.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they have recalled forward Colby Cave from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Even after sending Tyler Benson down earlier today (look above), the team still had an opening on the roster, which Cave should fill. He has just one goal in five games with Edmonton this season and 10 goals in 40 games in Bakersfield.

Minor Transactions: 02/07/20

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Just four games grace the NHL schedule this evening, but there are sure to be some whoppers. The Buffalo Sabres head into Madison Square Garden to try and find some tiny bit of success in what has been a trying time for everyone involved with the team. The Sabres lost yesterday to the historically-bad Detroit Red Wings and are now 23-23-8 on the year. Meanwhile, the reeling Toronto Maple Leafs will throw Jack Campbell into the net right away against the Anaheim Ducks to try and save their season. As they and the rest of the league get ready, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Andreas Englund from the minor leagues, as Mark Borowiecki prepares for the birth of his first child. Borowiecki won’t be with the team as they travel to Winnipeg for tomorrow’s afternoon tilt against the Jets.
  • Jeremy Lauzon and Karson Kuhlman have been recalled by the Boston Bruins, who welcome in Phil Kessel and the Arizona Coyotes tomorrow night. Brandon Carlo will not be playing for the team as he is dealing with a personal matter, but is expected to re-join them in time for Sunday’s game.
  • Antti Suomela has been returned to the AHL after sitting out the last few games for the San Jose Sharks. The 25-year old center has played 12 games this season, recording three assists.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Kiefer Sherwood from the minor leagues, sending Daniel Sprong down in his place. Sprong, 22, has played most of the season in the AHL for the San Diego Gulls, scoring 24 points in 31 games.
  • After losing Ryan McDonagh and Jan Rutta recently, the Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Cameron Gaunce from the minor leagues. The team will need to find a way to keep their blue line in order after the recent losses.
  • Morgan Frost is on his way back to the NHL, recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers after a month in the minors. In total, the young forward has played 30 games in the AHL this season, scoring 20 points. Andy Andreoff has been sent back down.
  • Guillaume Brisebois has been recalled by the Vancouver Canucks, coming up for just the second time this season. The 22-year old defenseman hasn’t played a game at the NHL level this year, but does have 14 points in 43 games for the Utica Comets.

Boston Bruins Waive Steven Kampfer

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Monday: Kampfer and T.J. Tynan, who was also placed on waivers, have cleared according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Both can now be sent to the minor leagues.

Sunday: In an inevitable move, the Boston Bruins have announced today that veteran defenseman Steven Kampfer has been placed on waivers. The team hopes that he will clear waivers and can be reassigned to AHL Providence, but the team is taking a risk by exposing the ten-year pro. Kampfer has been held scoreless in four games so far this year, but recorded six points in 35 games with Boston last year and added another point in three playoff games.

The decision to waive Kampfer was inevitable not due to his play, but due to the roster crunch in Boston. Kampfer, who began his career with the Bruins back in 2010, returned to the team before last season as part of the return from the New York Rangers in exchange for Adam McQuaid. Kampfer was seen by many as a throw-in, but ended up playing a crucial role in 2018-19. Beginning the year as the team’s eighth defenseman, Kampfer was the only one of that eight who did not miss time due to injury in a season that featured 12 different defensemen for Boston. Kampfer was also the only one of those 12 who was not under team control beyond the end of the year. That changed in June, when the Bruins first move after the Stanley Cup Final was to re-sign Kampfer to a two-year, $1.6MM deal. The length and non-minimum value of the deal was a nice reward and promise of commitment for Kampfer’s hard work that season.

However, the contract was likely also created with impending waiver exposure in mind. The Bruins knew that with seven bona fide NHL defenders under contract – Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, John Moore, Matt Grzelcyk, and Kevan Miller – and the emergence of Connor Clifton as an NHL option, the odds that Kampfer could stick on the NHL roster all year was slim. They hoped that the extended term or slightly higher cap hit could dissuade teams from claiming Kampfer to serve in that same valuable depth role. Last week, when Clifton lost his waiver exemption and Moore returned from injury, it became clear that this theory would soon be tested.

With Miller still working toward a return to health, top defensive prospect Urho Vaakanainen playing well in a recent NHL stint, and veteran Alexander Petrovic excelling in Providence, the Bruins could survive the loss of Kampfer if he was to be claimed. However, the team could potentially need him more next year, after the likely free agent departures of Miller and Petrovic and possible retirement of Chara. Kampfer’s hard-working style and defensive awareness paired with considerable experience makes him a valuable asset, even if he is not getting regular ice time. For that reason, more than a few teams will entertain making a claim, especially contenders with depth concerns on the blue line. The Bruins can only hope that the other 30 teams decide he is not worthy of an NHL roster spot, even though the defending Eastern Conference champs proved otherwise last year.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Boston Bruins

Current Cap Hit: $80,346,666 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Jake DeBrusk (one year, $863K)
F Karson Kuhlman (one year, $750K)
D Connor Clifton (one year, $725K + three-year, $3MM extension)

Potential Bonuses

DeBrusk: $450K
Clifton: $20K

The Bruins survived a big restricted free agent dilemma this summer when all three of McAvoy, Carlo, and Heinen needed new contracts. They also managed to help themselves out for next year as well, inking Clifton to a three-year extension that kicks in after this season. However, DeBrusk still presents a major hurdle ahead of them next off-season. The 22-year-old winger, a first-round pick in 2015, has started his NHL career with back-to-back seasons of 40+ points and finishes among the top-six scoring forwards on the Bruins. If he maintains his comfortable spot on the second line next to Krejci, that’s likely to continue. The problem with DeBrusk is that, while he flashes 60-point upside and a natural goal-scoring ability, he also can go on long stretches of very little scoring. Boston likely isn’t ready to pay the young forward like a 60-point player when he hasn’t proven himself to be consistent, especially if they face another cap crunch next summer.

Kulhman and Clifton are likely slated for depth roles to begin the season and are two of many notable prospects fighting for ice time in Boston. However, after each performed so well in the postseason, they have a leg up on taking over regular roles. Injuries on the blue line could push Clifton into a starting job on opening night, while Kuhlman has skated with Krejci and DeBrusk often in camp and could try to show that his hard-working style is worthy of a shot ahead of other talented prospects and veteran additions. The Bruins already foresaw Clifton continuing to improve and locked him up at a bargain rate. Could they do the same with Kuhlman before too long?

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Torey Krug ($5.25MM, UFA)
F Charlie Coyle ($3.2MM, UFA)
G Jaroslav Halak ($2.75MM, UFA)
D Kevan Miller ($2.5MM, UFA)
D Zdeno Chara ($2MM+$1.75MM bonuses, UFA)
D Matt Grzelcyk ($1.4MM, RFA)
F Chris Wagner ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Joakim Nordstrom ($1MM, UFA)
F Brett Ritchie ($1MM, RFA)

Even with the retained salary of Matt Beleskey and the buyout payments of Dennis Seidenberg coming off the books, the Bruins would be hard-pressed to try to re-sign all of these free agents, including DeBrusk and Kuhlman, next summer. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem like their plan. With McAvoy, Carlo, Clifton, and Kampfer signed through 2020-21 at least, the Bruins hardly seem interested in re-signing another righty. Miller is likely in his last season with Boston, taking the injury-prone defender’s cap off the books. 42-year-old Chara could very well be done after this year too. Especially if the team can ween themselves off relying too much on their captain, Chara will likely feel ready to move on. The future Hall of Famer struggled with injuries last season and did not look himself for stretches. Dropping his salary will be even more relief for Boston.

They hope to use that space to keep the left side as strong as the right. The Bruins will soon begin extension talks with Krug, who has stated he would take a discount to stay in Boston. The Bruins’ brass have also shown a dedication to Krug and a willingness to keep him around no matter what. The likely result is a new resolution between the two sides on a long-term deal, perhaps one that could make Krug a career Bruins. Behind him, a similar player in Grzelcyk has quietly developed into a reliable NHL defenseman. While not as dynamic as Krug or McAvoy, Grzelcyk moves the puck well and plays hard. The local product is certainly in line for a raise, but just how big a role he plays this season will greatly figure into the discussions. Grzelcyk is an RFA, but the Bruins hope they won’t have to flex their leverage too much to re-sign a hard-working young player.

Up front, all eyes will be on Coyle this season. Arguably the Bruins’ best forward on their run to the Stanley Cup Final, Coyle has fit in well back home in Boston. Whether he’s skating on Krejci’s right flank or anchoring the third line, Coyle is bound to play an important role this season. If he makes the most of it, getting back into the 50-point range as he did previously with the Minnesota Wild, the Bruins may have a hard time letting him go, especially with Krejci’s contract expiring one year later and Bergeron the year after that. However, the price could be too much. Coyle’s current cap hit of $3.2MM has been a bargain since the moment he signed the contract and he may be unwilling to take a hometown discount.

Wagner, Nordstrom, and new addition Ritchie project to battle for regular play time on the fourth line this year, with Kuraly, Lindholm, Backes, and others in the mix. With those three signed for one season longer and prospects pushing for ice time in the bottom-six, it’s hard to imagine all three players coming back. Ritchie has the best chance of establishing himself as more than just a grinder, and will be an RFA as well, while Wagner surprised with a dozen goals last year and endeared himself to his hometown fan base. Nordstrom is thus likely the odd man out, either due to roster or cap restrictions.

Halak was stellar last year as the backup to Rask, putting up numbers among the best in the league and superior to his starter in just eight fewer starts. Can he keep it up? And if he does, are the Bruins willing to pay for it? Rask’s contract expires after 2020-21 and the Bruins need a starter beyond that point, but it would be strange for the team to invest in the 34-year-old Halak instead of the 32-year-old Rask or someone outside of the organization. If Halak is willing to stay on as Rask’s backup at a reasonable rate, the team will likely be happy to keep him while they wait on prospects to develop, but otherwise Halak will probably follow a long line of talented Rask backups out of town.

Two Years Remaining

F David Krejci ($7.25MM, UFA)
G Tuukka Rask ($7MM, UFA)
F David Backes ($6MM, UFA)
D Brandon Carlo ($2.85MM, RFA)
F Danton Heinen ($2.8MM, RFA)
F Sean Kuraly ($1.275MM, UFA)
F Par Lindholm ($850K, UFA)
D Steven Kampfer ($800K, UFA)

If it weren’t for the value contracts of Marchand, Bergeron, and Pastrnak, people would not be as critical of Krejci. The 33-year-old center just matched a career-high 73 points last season, a more than fair output at his cap number and one that most fan bases would be happy with. However, he is overshadowed by the more productive and more affordable first-line unit. Nevertheless, Krejci is as reliable as they come and is valued greatly by the front office. He will be 35 by the time his contract expires and will likely take a substantial pay cut to finish out his career in Boston, much like Chara.

Rask also receives too much grief for his salary, mostly as it compares to other players on his team. As goalie contracts continue to inflate, Rask’s relative value has improved, especially as he’s strung three solid seasons together, capped off with an incredible performance in the postseason. When his contract expires, he will be 34. It’s not terribly old for a goalie, but old enough that he won’t be looking for another long-term deal. If he’s willing to take a slight pay cut, odds are the Bruins are willing to let him bridge the gap to a prospect or free agent replacement.

The third of the veteran trifecta, Backes’ tenure in Boston has been a nightmare. If he even makes it through his contract in Boston, not being traded or bought out prior, there is no chance he re-ups with the Bruins. Most likely he will retire and the team will celebrate being free from his contract.

Interestingly, it may end up being Carlo who is the biggest name to watch in the 2021 off-season for the Bruins. The young defenseman is developing into a dominant shutdown defenseman, not unlike Chara, and looks like a key piece on the blue line for a long time. How he performs over the next two years and how it is reflected in a long-term contract will be fascinating, especially for a player with little production to show for his game.

Heinen will also be an intriguing name to watch after signing a bridge deal of his own this summer. Is Heinen growing into a top-six scoring talent, like he has shown flashes of? Or is he more of the smart, two-way bottom-six player that shows up most nights. In two years, the team will be more informed and Heinen’s contract will surely reflect how they see him in their lineup moving forward. One way or another, Heinen seems primed for salary arbitration.

Lindholm and Kampfer are depth players who will have to battle for roster spots to begin this season, nevertheless stay relevant through two years. Kuraly is different. The young center has excelled as the Bruins’ fourth-line center and continues to grow in his two-way intelligence and penalty kill ability, while chipping in offense from time to time as well. Kuraly could be on the hunt for more money and opportunity when his contract expires, but if he’s content with his role in Boston, he seems like a long-term fit.

Three Years Remaining

F Patrice Bergeron ($6.875MM, UFA)
D Charlie McAvoy ($4.9MM, RFA)

The changing of the guard could be coming in 2022. With Chara likely having retired by this point, Bergeron will be captain and will likely be wrestling with retirement or a short-term contract in Boston. One thing is for sure: as long as Bergeron wants to play, there will be a spot for his with the Bruins.

Should Bergeron opt to retire, McAvoy will not only enter the 2022-23 season with a massive new contract, but very likely with the “C” on his sweater as well. One of the best young players in the NHL, if McAvoy stays healthy and continues to produce at a high level over the next three years, there’s no limit to what his next contract could be. He will likely have taken on a major leadership role by that time as well. As the Chara/Bergeron era starts to wind down, it is McAvoy that is the next face of the Bruins franchise.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F David Pastrnak ($6.667MM through 2022-23, UFA)
D John Moore ($2.75MM through 2022-23, UFA)
D Connor Clifton ($1MM through 2022-23, UFA)

F Brad Marchand ($6.125MM through 2024-25, UFA)

What’s better than having Pastrnak signed at less than $7MM for four more years? Marchand at even less for six more years. Although Marchand is eight years older than Pastrnak, neither of the two are slowing down any time soon. In 2023, the Bruins will likely make Pastrnak the highest-paid forward on the team and solidify their young core moving forward, but Marchand will still be a value as a player whose style of game won’t be overly impacted by the aging process. He may not be a 100-point scorer anymore by that point, but he’ll still make an impact and Pastrnak may be a 100-point player himself to pick up the slack. With salary inflation heading the way that it has in recent years, it is incredible to think of the value that these two players will be moving forward.

Then there’s Moore and Clifton, two players who seem like odd inclusions next to Pastrnak and Marchand as the Bruins’ current long-term commitments. In an ideal world, both defensemen will continue to merely be depth options for Boston with the ability to be capable starters if called upon. The younger and more affordable Clifton is likely the better deal, but the Bruins handed Moore a five-year deal last summer for a reason, and it wasn’t because they had an immediate need for a starting left-handed defenseman. As the Bruins’ blue line gets younger, Moore could be a valuable veteran piece on the blue line, even if he does play a non-starting role. Again, given cap inflation, $2.75MM may not seem like as bad a value down the road for a top depth defenseman and mentor.

Buyouts

D Dennis Seidenberg ($1.167MM through 2019-20)

Retained Salary Transactions

F Matt Beleskey ($1.9MM through 2019-20)

Still To Sign

F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (RFA, plans to play in Europe in 2019-20)

Best Value: Brad Marchand
Worst Value: David Backes

Looking Ahead

GM Don Sweeney continues to make shrewd value signings, locking up McAvoy, Carlo, and Heinen this summer on discount bridge deals. If he can do the same with DeBrusk and convince Krug and Coyle to stay at home for a reasonable rare, Sweeney will truly show why he earned the GM of the Year title. The Bruins are doing what many teams in all sport struggle to do: rebuild on the fly. As many long-standing pieces depart in the coming years, how the Bruins handle re-signing their young replacements and filling out the roster will dictate just how long this Stanley Cup window stays open.

Boston Bruins Sign Brandon Carlo

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Boston Bruins have locked up their final unsigned restricted free agent, inking Brandon Carlo to a two-year deal. The contract carries an average annual value of $2.85MM and will keep Carlo a restricted free agent at its expiry. Like most of the other RFAs this summer, the young defenseman will earn more money on the final year of the deal. Carlo will take home $2.2MM in 2019-20 and $3.5MM in 2020-21.

Carlo, 22, was a little overshadowed by Charlie McAvoy this summer as the young duo became restricted free agents at the same time, but he nevertheless was an extremely important piece for GM Don Sweeney to get under contract before the season began. A second-round pick in 2015, Carlo has quickly established himself as a reliable full-time option for the Bruins and played in 230 games over the last three seasons. The 6’5″ defenseman averaged nearly 21 minutes a night last season and recorded ten points, serving as the second most important penalty killer on the team behind only captain Zdeno Chara.

Though they were forced to go the bridge route with both McAvoy and Carlo (and Danton Heinen, who was signed earlier in the offseason), the Bruins have found a way to bring all of their pieces back with cap space to spare for this season. The team currently projects to come in a little more than $1.1MM under the ceiling to begin the year with almost the same lineup that took them to the Stanley Cup Final.

To be sure, there will be raises for both young defensemen in the future if they continue to play how they have during the early parts of their careers. But getting them both for less than $8MM combined will only help the Bruins current competitive window stay wide open.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Kevan Miller Confirmed To Miss Start Of Season

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Last month, the Boston Bruins revealed that defenseman John Moore would miss the beginning of the regular season due to off-season shoulder surgery. At the time, they also mentioned that Kevan Miller was also at risk of missing the start to the year while continuing to recover from a fractured knee cap. The team has now followed that up with confirmation that Miller will not participate in the preseason and will not be ready to begin the season, per NBC Sports Boston.

Miller, 31, struggled through a litany of injuries last season that caused him to miss 43 regular season games and the Bruins’ entire playoff run. It was the fractured knee cap that cost him the stretch run and postseason and severely limited his off-season training. GM Don Sweeney stated that Miller is not even ready to begin skating with the team yet and is a ways away from a return at this point. Even once he is healthy, one has to question what Miller’s role will be in Boston moving forward. The physical rearguard was clearly slowed by his injuries when active last season, recording just seven assists, playing a less intense style in his own end and, as a result, logging his lowest average ice time since his rookie season. Given his injury history and continuing concerns, the Bruins extended fellow righties Connor Clifton and Steven Kampfer to multi-year deals this off-season, while the newly extended Charlie McAvoy and yet-to-be-signed Brandon Carlo are clearly the future on the right side of the blue line. Entering a contract year, it seems unlikely that Miller has a future in Boston and could find it hard to earn starts and ice time over his potential 2020-21 replacements once he returns.

While Miller and Moore are out, the Bruins’ depth should be capable of shouldering the burden. McAvoy is back under contract and the team will likely move on Carlo soon. In fact, Sweeney mentioned that the absences of Miller and Moore could allow the Bruins to employ Long-Term Injured Reserve if necessary to sign Carlo. Those two plus Clifton and Kampfer give the Bruins good options on the right side. On the left side, captain Zdeno Chara has faced his own injury concerns this off-season, but it is looking optimistic for a healthy start to the season. Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk, and numerous promising minor league prospects provide options behind him as well. The team will also host Alex Petrovic on a PTO in camp, who would provide even more stability as an experienced stay-at-home defenseman. Whoever returns earlier from injury between Miller and Moore will likely have a leg up in winning back regular play time, while the other could struggle to carve out a role. The four years remaining on Moore’s contract do give him an advantage over Miller though, again putting into question the immediate future of the injury-prone veteran.

Bruins Notes: Backes, McQuaid, Thomas

at CDT | by 4 Comments

A major reason why top young defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo remain unsigned by the Boston Bruins is that the team is working with very little salary cap space to fit the dynamic duo on to the roster. CapFriendly estimates that Boston has just $7.3MM in cap room (albeit committed to 23 players, so slightly more in reality). That amount would make it tough to sign McAvoy alone, nevertheless both. The team likely will need to find a way to move out some salary, but a trade may not be the only route. It has already been revealed that John Moore will not be ready to begin the season and Kevan Miller remains a question mark as well. The combined $5.25MM in salary between the two defenseman would certainly help to get their younger counterparts back under contract. However, NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggery also believes that there have been hints that David Backes may begin the year on the shelf as well. Backes, 35, is undoubtedly the most inefficient usage of the Bruins’ payroll, accounting for $6MM against the cap but only producing 20 points last season. Trading Backes would have been the ideal move for Boston to make this off-season, but doing so likely proved to be too costly. They may still wind up removing him from the books though, as Haggerty points to comments made earlier this summer by GM Don Sweeney about an undisclosed Backes injury and the complete silence on the topic ever since as a possible sign that he is still struggling. Backes does have a concussion history, which Haggerty believes could be the culprit. However, it’s also very possible that the aging forward simply has a nagging injury that both sides are waiting to evaluate in training camp. If Backes isn’t 100% or resumes playing poorly, odds are that both team and player would rather opt for surgery or some other long-term rehab rather than the likely alternative of Backes spending time in the minors this season.

  • Defenseman Adam McQuaid was at the Bruins’ first informal skate today, but The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson says not to read into it too much. The long-time Bruin still has many friends on the team and connections to the city, but Anderson reports that he is in no way officially linked to the team right now via contract or tryout offer. In fact, McQuaid was wearing his Columbus Blue Jackets gear at practice today, the only non-Bruin in the mix. McQuaid left Boston around this time last year, after nine years with the team, in a trade to the New York Rangers for a pair of picks and recently re-signed defenseman Steven Kampfer. He was later moved to Columbus at the deadline. However, despite his trade value last season, McQuaid still remains unsigned after another injury-plagued season, including a season-ending concussion. McQuaid’s market remains a mystery, even as he stands as one of most experienced UFA defensemen available. For that reason, Anderson notes that, while McQuaid is not connected to the Bruins right not, a possible reunion cannot be ruled out. With McAvoy and Carol unsigned and Moore and Miller injured, Anderson writes that McQuaid would be a preferable addition over camp invite Alex Petrovic if the Bruins feel they actually need to add an NHL defenseman before the season begins.
  • Former star Bruins goalie Tim Thomas spoke with the media today for the first time in years, responding to his election to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter writes that, in explaining his reluctance to be a public personality, Thomas revealed that he has been struggling with previously unreported concussion-related symptoms. In fact, Thomas implied that health was a major reason why he did not return to Boston during the team’s Stanley Cup run this spring. The Bruins’ playoff push was the first time that Thomas had re-engaged with hockey in several years and he was happy to root for several former teammates, but as Porter notes, the Vezina Trophy winner is content with his private, quiet lifestyle:

My focus and mind is on learning about other stuff. I learned so much about hockey and that area. I feel like I’ve learned as much as I needed to learn about it… My time with the Boston Bruins was very rewarding. My time with USA Hockey was very rewarding. I’ve decided to keep what I’ve been doing with my life and learning to myself, at this point for sure, and probably forever… you never know what the future may hold. I’m just taking life as it goes.

Bruins Notes: McAvoy, Krug, Bergeron

at CDT | by 8 Comments

The Boston Bruins may be in one of the toughest salary cap situation of all teams as the team still has to sign one of their top defensemen to a contract in Charlie McAvoy. The team might have some serious issues in signing him, however, who doesn’t have the offer sheet capability that most of the other RFA’s remaining have and has even less negotiating power than most of the others. Unfortunately, that could be an issue for the Bruins.

In fact, NHL Tonight’s Brian Lawton suggests that the Bruins have a number of issues working against them when it comes to signing McAvoy. Perhaps most challenging is the fact that they have just $7.29MM in projected cap space remaining (although with certain roster moves, that could improve to about $9MM) and McAvoy could be asking for quite a bit after another impressive season. Despite injuries being an issue for a second straight season, he still put up seven goals and 28 points in 54 games and looks to be developing into a potential No. 1 defenseman. While it does sound like there is money to work out a deal, the Bruins also have RFA defenseman Brandon Carlo waiting on a new deal as well, who won’t be cheap either. With so little cap space, Boston is going to be forced to make a roster move to fit both into their salary cap and it’s likely that the team might have to settle for a bridge deal with McAvoy due to their salary cap issues.

Lawton also point out that Boston has a number of moving parts as the team may be forced to place some of their veterans on LTIR when the season starts as it’s already been reported that Kevan Miller doesn’t expect to be ready for the start of the season, while there is also talk that David Backes might start the season on LTIR as well, which could free up some money.

  • NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty debunks the rumor that the Bruins have been shopping defensman Torey Krug this summer. In speaking to President Cam Neely, Haggerty reports the team isn’t ready to unload the 28-year-old defenseman who will hit unrestricted free agency next season and could conceivably walk away after this year. It makes sense, however, that rumors persist about a potential trade when the team hasn’t locked him up and with the team’s salary cap issues. However, Neely made it quite clear that Krug is staying. “It’s the delicate balance you have,” Neely said. “You’ll have players on expiring contracts and we talk internally about what we’re going to do and how it’s all going to pan out. With Torey he’s one of the top PP defensemen in the league and our power play has been pretty damn good, and has won a lot of games for us. [Matt] Grzelcyk is coming along, but I don’t know if he sees the ice the way that Torey does. And Charlie just hasn’t shown that he’s a No. 1 power-play defenseman just yet.”
  • The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa (subscription required) writes that Boston should also pick up a significant advantage next season due to one of the new rule changes this offseason. The board of governors, general managers and competition agreed to allow teams to choose what side teams want to face off on in the shorthanded zone during power plays. That should give Boston a significant advantage as center Patrice Bergeron is a dominant faceoff specialist on the right-side of the ice, which should give Boston even more scoring opportunities next year. Bergeron took 62 percent of the team’s power play faceoffs.

Bruins’ John Moore, Kevan Miller Still Battling Injuries

at CDT | by 5 Comments

No team learned more about the importance of blue line depth last season than the Boston Bruins. The team used a dozen different defensemen during the 2018-19 campaign, ten of whom played at least 16 games but none more than 72 games.  Injuries kept the Bruins in a constant state of flux on the back end, even throughout their long playoff run.

Well, they’re not out of the woods yet. With a new season about to begin, a pair of Boston defenders are still struggling to make their way back to full health. The Boston Sports Journal’s Conor Ryan has learned from GM Don Sweeney that John Moore will not be ready for the start of the season and Kevan Miller still does not have a set timeline for a return. Moore underwent shoulder surgery earlier this summer after playing through the injury late in the regular season and through the playoffs. Miller suffered through a slew of injuries last season, skating in just 39 regular season games, but missed the stretch run and postseason with a lower-body injury that apparently still ails him. Miller will resume skating soon, but it would not be a surprise if he remains limited through training camp and possibly beyond.

Fortunately, having learned their lesson, the Bruins have maintained impressive defensive depth heading into the 2019-20 season. All twelve defenseman who played last season remain under team control, including Steven Kampfer, whose surprise two-year extension earlier this off-season now looks like an important move by Sweeney and company. The team was also impressed by young rearguard Connor Clifton, who proved he can be a regular contributor with strong late season and postseason play. Promising prospects like Urho Vaakanainen, Jeremy Lauzon, and Jakub Zboril also got a taste of NHL action last season and should be ready to play a larger role if necessary. On the off chance that the younger players don’t look ready in camp, the Bruins also enlisted capable veteran Alex Petrovic to join the team on a PTO.

Of course, the bigger depth concern than Moore and Miller remains the unsigned status of elite young defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. Both restricted free agents are waiting for new contracts, along with numerous other young players this off-season. While the Bruins have acknowledged that talks are moving slower than they’d like with the duo, the team remains confident that McAvoy and Carlo will be Bruins for a long time. Maneuvering a tight salary cap window is the reason behind the stalled negotiations, but if Moore and possibly Miller land on injured reserve to begin the year, it would open up some more cap space to sign McAvoy and Carlo without making a trade. Nevertheless, a trade is still a strong possibility and Miller, if healthy, continues to be one of the more talked-about candidates.

Assuming McAvoy and Carlo are signed to begin the season, the Bruins would still have a stout unit even without Moore and Miller, with Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk, Clifton and Kampfer ready to go. However, given the team’s injury luck of late, particularly on the blue line, the Bruins will be happy to have Moore and Miller back as soon as possible to further reinforce that depth.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top