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John Moore

Snapshots: Kings, Moore, Honka

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Los Angeles Kings prospects Rasmus Kupari and Tobias Bjornfot were both named to their respective country’s World Junior rosters last week, but seeing as both are under contract and playing in the AHL, the duo had to officially be loaned by the Kings to participate. That permission officially came down today, as L.A. announced that Kupari would play for Finland and Bjornfot would play for Sweden in the upcoming WJC tournament. Bjornfot, a first-round pick back in June, played in three games with the Kings earlier this season and has eight points in 20 games with the Ontario Reign. The athletic defenseman joins an impressive unit on the blue line for Sweden at the WJC. Kupari, L.A.’s top pick two years ago, played for the Gold Medal-winning Finnish entry in last year’s WJC, recording five points in seven games, and overall enjoyed a strong season in his native country. However, his first season in North America has gotten off to a slow start, with just seven points in 24 AHL games for the talented forward. While there was no indication in the Kings’ release, Kupari could be a candidate to remain overseas following the tournament. But first he will join another star-studded Finnish roster in pursuit of a repeat title.

  • With the Boston Bruins playing the Washington Capitals tonight in the first of a back-to-back set that includes a match-up with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night, Connor Clifton has drawn back into the lineup. The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont reports that John Moore, who just recently made his season debut following off-season shoulder surgery, will be eased back into regular action, according to head coach Bruce Cassidy. Splitting back-to-backs or occasional nights off could become commonplace for the veteran defender. The Bruins are more cognizant than most when it comes to the value of healthy defense, as they struggled with continuous injury issues on the back end last season and are still waiting on the return of Kevan Miller. Cassidy recently stated that the Bruins are a better team with Moore active, even though it causes a surplus of lefties in the lineup, but that could mean he prioritizes keeping Moore healthy long-term rather than playing him in every game and risking re-injury to his damaged shoulder. Fortunately, the team has the luxury of young Clifton, who played well in Moore’s stead to begin the year and is more than deserving of spot starts.
  • Before the calendar flipped to December, making him ineligible to play in the NHL this season, it seems the trade market for unsigned Dallas Stars RFA defenseman Julius Honka was not as dead as it seemed. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman writes that the Carolina Hurricanes were the team with the most interest in the enigmatic rearguard and were in heavy pursuit. However, the team ultimately decided that they were not willing to meet the Stars’ demand of draft picks or young, unsigned prospects rather than a fellow AHL prospect. Ironically, the Hurricanes drafted Honka’s younger brother, Anttoni, in the third round this past year, which could keep them interested in the elder Honka this off-season.

 

Boston Bruins Waive Steven Kampfer

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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.

Minor Transactions: 12/02/19

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Five games are on tap for this evening in the NHL, including the Detroit Red Wings trying to avoid a ten-game losing streak when they welcome in the Buffalo Sabres. The Red Wings have been a mess all season and look like strong contenders to land the first-overall pick in 2020. As teams prepare for action, we’ll be keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • Jacob Markstrom has been granted a leave of absence from the Vancouver Canucks in order to attend the memorial service of his late father, meaning Michael Dipietro is on his way up to serve as an emergency goaltender. The Canucks take on the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night and will likely have Thatcher Demko in net.
  • Brendan Gaunce has been sent to the minor leagues by the Boston Bruins to make room for John Moore, who the team has finally activated from long-term injured reserve. Moore hasn’t played a single game for the Bruins this season but will be a welcome addition to one of the best teams in the NHL.
  • Ryan Miller will be starting for the Anaheim Ducks after John Gibson came down with an illness today, leading to the recall of Anthony Stolarz. The 25-year old Stolarz has a .910 save percentage in 14 games for the San Diego Gulls this season.

Minor Transactions: 12/1/19

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When thinking of the Minnesota Wild and their history, several players may come to mind, but perhaps one of the most significant is Mikko Koivu, who has played his entire career in Minnesota and will be playing in his 1,000th game as a member of the Wild. The 36-year-old has struggled over the last couple of years with injuries and a decline in play (although he remains a solid defensive center), but he hits a major milestone Sunday when the Dallas Stars come to town.

  • The Washington Capitals announced they have re-assigned forward Beck Malenstyn and defenseman Christian Djoos to the Hershey Bears of the AHL. The move is likely a precursor to the team getting back some of their veteran players in the coming days. The team is expected to activate Carl Hagelin off of LTIR prior to Tuesday’s game against San Jose, while center Nicklas Backstrom is also near a return.
  • The Boston Bruins announced the team has assigned defenseman John Moore to the Providence Bruins on a LTIR conditioning loan. Moore has been out all season after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery and now is close to returning. The team also announced that they have assigned forward Jack Studnicka to Providence as well. Studnicka made his NHL debut on Tuesday, picking up his first NHL point. The 20-year-old has nine goals and 18 points in 21 AHL games as well.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled defenseman Jonathan Ericsson from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL and returned goaltender Calvin Pickard there. Ericsson was assigned to Grand Rapids on Saturday, likely a paper transaction, while Pickard can now be returned after the Red Wings acquiregoaltender Eric Comrie in a trade.
  • The St. Louis Blues have assigned defenseman Derrick Pouliot to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. The 25-year-old has dominated for the Rampage this year, scoring 18 points in 20 games and appeared in back-to-back games with the Blues this weekend. With Robert Bortuzzo back from his four-game suspension, Pouliot wasn’t needed anymore.
  • With Travis Hamonic nearing a return, the Calgary Flames have returned Alexander Yelesin to the minor leagues. Yelesin has yet to get into an NHL game with the Flames, but has two points in 15 games with the Stockton Heat in his first year of North American professional hockey.

Atlantic Notes: Bruins Defense, Senators, Cozens, Taylor

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The Bruins have received some good news and some bad news on the injury front when it comes to their back end.  The team announced (Twitter links) that defenseman Torey Krug will return tonight after missing the past five games with an upper-body injury.  Despite missing those games, he still leads the team in points by a defender with 13 in 17 contests.  Meanwhile, John Moore is now participating in practices with a full contact jersey but is still a couple of weeks away from returning from the shoulder issue that has caused him to miss the entire season so far.

However, Kevan Miller has suffered a small setback and head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated they’ll be cautious with the blueliner.  Miller has missed the entire year so far with a lower-body issue and even if this is a minor setback, it only will further delay his season debut.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Ottawa’s defensive depth has been tested considerably over the last few days and accordingly, it should come as little surprise that they’re looking to add a blueliner via trade, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. He notes that GM Pierre Dorion has been on the lookout for help on the back end for basically a month now.  The Senators are off to a relatively strong start compared to their preseason expectations and at some point, the focus could shift from adding a depth veteran or two to trying to target more of an impact player that can be a factor beyond this season as well.
  • Although the Sabres are quickly running out of forwards to recall from the minors (they only have two healthy ones that are on NHL deals), head coach Ralph Krueger told reporters, including Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald, that they are not considering recalling center Dylan Cozens from the WHL. As they have just 11 healthy forwards on the roster, they are in emergency conditions which makes a recall possible but it appears they don’t want to give him a look at this time.  In the meantime, they’ll eagerly await the returns of centers Marcus Johansson and Johan Larsson who are both listed as day-to-day.
  • Still with Buffalo, the team announced (Twitter link) that coach Chris Taylor will return to AHL Rochester to resume his duties as the bench boss of the Americans. He had been up with the Sabres while assistant coach Don Granato was dealing with a severe case of pneumonia, one that caused him to miss the last seven weeks.

Injury Notes: Bruins, Sabourin, Juolevi

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When the Boston Bruins placed Torey Krug on injured reserve earlier today, it was more a reflection of their injury-riddled lineup than it was the extent of his injury and timeline for recovery. While Krug is expected to miss at least a couple more games with an upper-body injury, the Bruins could not afford to wait that long to bring up reinforcements. Yet, the team had already recalled rookie Urho Vaakanainen to sub in for Krug, so it was veteran forward Paul Carey getting the all from AHL Providence. As it turns out, that move was made in response to Patrice Bergeron needing to take a seat tonight, as Boston hosts the Washington Capitals. Head coach Bruce Cassidy spoke to the media about the situation, indicating that Bergeron is dealing with a nagging lower-body injury, a frequent issue for the star center over the past few seasons, and the team feels that giving him the night off in the second game of a back-to-back may help to prevent the injury from lingering. Bergeron is considered day-to-day, but this is likely a case of load management and he could return to the lineup as soon as the team’s next game on Tuesday.

In more encouraging news for the injury-plagued Bruins, Cassidy noted that Krug skated this morning, as did forwards Jake DeBrusk and Brett Ritchie and defenseman John Moore, who has yet to play this season. Cassidy stated that Ritchie is the closest to returning and could be in play for Tuesday as well. The potential returns of Ritchie, DeBrusk, and Moore sooner rather than later would allow the Bruins to return to some state of normalcy, as they currently are lining up with an entire line – Carey, Par Lindholm, and Trent Frederic – of players who were not expected to have a regular role in Boston this season. The Bruins have done relatively well for themselves to not allow injuries to slow them down too much this season, but the team has struggled this past week or so and improved health would help to get them back on track.

  • Among the Bruins not yet ready to resume skating are Kevan Miller, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn, and David Backes. Backes has been out since early November following a violent collision with Ottawa Senators forward Scott Sabourin, which left the latter hospitalized. There is no time table for Backes’ return, and the same goes for Sabourin. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the journeyman grinder has finally resumed working out, but exclusively off the ice. Sabourin has not been cleared to resume skating and the Senators have not released any details on when to expect him to return to play. While Backes’ history with head injuries it what is keeping him off the ice, it was very evident from the collision that it was Sabourin who received the more serious hit to the head and is likely dealing with a severe concussion.
  • Another season, another setback for Vancouver Canucks’ defensive prospect Olli Juolevi. Canucks GM Jim Benning announced that Juolevi has been removed from the roster of the AHL’s Utica Comets and is on his way to Vancouver to undergo medical testing. Although all reports out of Utica were that Juolevi’s recent absences from practice were precautionary, the status quo has clearly changed, as he is now expected to miss considerable time. This is purportedly a new lower-body injury plaguing Juolevi, unrelated to the issue that cost him all but 18 AHL games last year. The 2016 No. 5 overall pick seems as far away from making his NHL debut as ever before and it’s fair to begin wondering if he will ever be an impact player in Vancouver.

Atlantic Notes: Bruins Trade Options, Krug, Dermott

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The Boston Bruins are right near the top of the Atlantic Division with a 7-1-2 record, good enough for second place. However, with injuries rising and a lack of production beyond the top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, who have combined for 41 points, no forward has more than three points this season, leaving quite a few question marks when a team finds a way to shut down the Bruins’ first line.

Throw in the recent injuries to the team and NBC Sports’ Joe Haggerty looks at numerous trade possibilities that general manager Don Sweeney might be looking at. Many of the trade possibilities suggested might be a challenge for Boston to pull off, especially the likely high price tag of New Jersey’s Taylor Hall and Vegas’ Alex Tuch.

However, he does point out that the team has options with common trade partners like Minnesota (Jason Zucker) or the New York Rangers (Chris Kreider), although Kreider would be only seen as a rental despite his Boston background. The team could also look to rent Mike Hoffman from the Florida Panthers as well.

However, even Haggerty points out that the team might look to bring in their own prospects. The play of Anders Bjork could be the team’s first option. The 23-year-old scored a goal Saturday night, suggesting he could be an answer to some of the team’s secondary scoring woes, although he must show consistency, something the team has struggled with this season.

  • With the impending returns of defensemen Kevan Miller and John Moore, both currently on injured reserve, Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy writes that the Boston Bruins will then have nine defensemen on their NHL roster and the team will likely either have to make a trade or send a player to the AHL. While Moore’s return is more uncertain, Miller could be back by early November. Connor Clifton would be a candidate to send to the NHL, but could require waivers by early November, which might be something that Boston would want to avoid. A trade could make quite a bit of sense, but is the team ready to move Torey Krug? The team could use some offense, so moving Krug to a team like Winnipeg who needs a top-four blueliner might makes some sense. Krug is one of the few players faring well in Boston as the defenseman has eight points in 10 games so far this year.
  • The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel reports that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott is likely to return to the lineup on Tuesday against Washinton. Dermott has been out all season due to offseason shoulder surgery. That could start a chain reaction of roster moves from Toronto, who also has Zach Hyman close to returning from LTIR. Once both are back, the Maple Leafs could be forced to make as many as four roster moves to get both players back on the roster.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins

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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.

Kevan Miller Confirmed To Miss Start Of Season

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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

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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.

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