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Bruins Notes: McAvoy, Carlo, Cassidy, Calder

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The Boston Bruins are a month away from training camp and arguably their best two defensemen remain unsigned. Restricted free agents Charlie McAvoy, 21, and Brandon Carlo, 22, are still in the process of negotiating new contracts, and effort made difficult by Boston’s current salary cap conundrum. The Bruins have just over $8MM in cap space right now, but the problem is McAvoy alone is eyeing a contract worth that amount each year. The 2016 first-round pick has struggled to stay healthy through his first two NHL seasons, but has been dominant when available with 60 points in 117 games while leading the Bruins in average time on ice. Some have cited Jacob Trouba’s recent seven-year, $56MM contract with the New York Rangers as a possible goal for McAvoy’s camp, while he would likely still exceed $6MM annually on a bridge deal. Barring any other roster changes, that would make it hard for the team to then sign Carlo, who is less effective offensively but has become the team’s most reliable defensive blue liner over the past three years. The price on a Carlo extension again depends on term, but the big defender could top $4MM on a long-term pact.

The Bruins simply don’t have the cap space right now to give both players what they want, otherwise they would both be signed already as core pieces of the present and future. It will take further negotiations or a roster shake-up to get McAvoy and Carlo under contract, so the wait continues. Bruins president Cam Neely tells NBC Sports Boston that the team must be ready for the possibility that one or both are still unsigned entering September:

“We do have to plan and prepare for these players to not be at camp opening day. But we have five, six weeks hopefully to get something done. We feel like we should be able to get something done with both of these guys at numbers that make sense for us, and hopefully makes sense for them. I think we’ve done a really good job of kind of managing the cap and making sure that we’re OK to get these guys done.”

It remains possible that the Bruins could squeeze both young defenders in on short-term bridge deals without making any further moves. The more likely scenario, which gives the contenders some more flexibility for the coming season though, is that a transaction or two will be made. David Backes, and his $6MM cap hit, has been the most talked-about target, but it could be pricey to move him without giving up a top pick or prospect or taking back another bad contract. Backes also has a limited No-Trade Clause to worry about, although he may be more open to a move if his options are another NHL team or AHL Providence. A move to the minors would save the Bruins $1.075MM against the cap. As for other possibilities, the affordable extensions of Connor Clifton and Steven Kampfer have made veterans Kevan Miller and John Moore expendable, if the Bruins can get fair value back in a deal for one or the other. One way or another, it’s likely the Bruins need to clear some cap space before next season to accommodate McAvoy and Carlo without handicapping their roster for the whole season, so expect some moves out of Boston. The start of the season on October 3rd and, worst case scenario, the December 1st deadline for RFA’s to play next season are the dates to watch for resolutions to this situation.

  • One negotiation that won’t be as much of a concern for the Bruins is the extension of head coach Bruce Cassidy. Since taking over for Claude Julien late in the 2016-17 season, Cassidy is 117-52-22 as the Bruins’ bench boss and has guided the team to back-to-back 100-point seasons. In 2017-18, he was a Jack Adams Award finalist and in 2018-19 he was a Stanley Cup finalist, so it’s safe to say that the Bruins are happy with Cassidy’s work. Neely said as much, stating how important Cassidy has been to the Bruins’ recent success, as well as their future. He also added that the team does not expect any issues with re-signing Cassidy, but have been preoccupied this summer with McAvoy and Carlo. A new contract is no doubt on its way for Cassidy. Neely joked that “I feel comfortable that he’ll be ready for training camp.”
  • For those looking for a dark horse candidate for the 2020 Calder Trophy, perhaps looking to take advantage of long odds, pay close attention to the Bruins in training camp. Given the team’s shortage of cap space and needs up front, a rookie could fall into a nice situation in Boston. If Charlie Coyle remains at third-line center, as expected, and the team moves Danton Heinen back to left wing, where he has been a better fit on his natural side, it opens up a competition to skate on the right side of David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk on the second line next season. A player who finds a nice fit with those two will have the potential to produce at a high level. Of course, that could wind up being free agent addition Brett Ritchie, talented but oft-injured Anders Bjork, or the no longer waiver-exempt Peter Cehlarik. However, the Bruins have some younger options with much more upside who could fight for the job instead. Top forward prospect Jack Studnicka is now a pro and, while he has generally played center during his junior years, the right-shot forward is buried on the depth chart down the middle and may have too much skill to keep in the minors. Oskar Steen was one of the best players in the Swedish Hockey League last season at just 21 years old and the right wing could find the adjustment to North America easier than expected. Jakub Lauko turned some heads at the junior level last year and could make a case with his play in camp that he doesn’t need to return to the QMJHL. The teen winger could instead try to fight for a role on his off-side. Finally, there are two players who got their first NHL looks last season in Karson Kuhlman and Zach Senyshyn. Kuhlman’s hard-working game won over the Bruins’ coaches and even earned him a role in the postseason, while Senyshyn seems to have outgrown the minors and is ready to put his next-level speed to better use. If any of these potential rookies wins the position battle to play alongside Krejci and DeBrusk, it doesn’t necessarily make them a Calder favorite, but does make them a high-ceiling dark horse to watch out for.

Bruins Announce Six AHL Signings

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The Boston Bruins have made only a minor impact on the free agent market thus far, but the AHL’s Providence Bruins have gained plenty. Since May, Boston has re-signed AHL leaders Paul Carey, Anton Blidh, and Ryan Fitzgerald, signed promising prospect Oskar Steen, signed goaltender Maxime Lagace and forward Brendan Gaunce with earmarks for the minors, and signed or extended Brett Ritchie, Par Lindholm, and Peter Cehlarik, all of whom could be candidates to spend time in Providence. Meanwhile, the P-Bruins also added valued stay-at-home defender Josiah Didier on an AHL contract on June 1st. The pipeline continues to pile up, as today the Bruins announced six more AHL signings.

Of these six new additions, two have previously been reported: QMJHL star Samuel Asselin and Providence mainstay Chris Breen. The other four signings had not yet been leaked.

Joining Asselin on a two-year AHL deal is former Carolina Hurricanes prospect Brendan Woods. Woods was a fifth-round pick in 2012 and looked to have the size and scoring ability to make it big, but it hasn’t panned out that way. The big winger has seven NHL games to his credit but has almost exclusively played in the AHL in his six-year pro career. Woods brings some physicality and experience as well as some modest production to Providence, but at 27 he’s no longer the top prospect he used to be.

The team is bringing back defenseman Joel Messner on a one-way deal. Messner split last season between Providence and the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, but did manage to contribute seven points in 32 AHL games. The University of Nebraska-Omaha product is a work in progress even at 25, but clearly did enough last season to prove to the Bruins’ brass that he was worth bringing back.

The other two one-year signings belong to defenseman Alexey Solovyev and winger Robert Lantosi. Solovyev, 24, hails from Russia but spent the past four years at nearby Bentley University. With good size and mobility, Solovyev flew under the radar at a small program but could be a surprise at the pro level. Lantosi, 23, is an import from Slovakia making his North American debut. A product of the Swedish junior ranks, Lantosi has been playing professionally in Slovakia the past two years and dominated in 2018-19 with 58 points in 56 games to finish in the top five of the league. He too has more upside than it may seem on a minor league contract.

Boston Bruins Sign Peter Cehlarik To One-Year Deal

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Monday: The team has officially announced the contract, confirming CapFriendly’s details.

Saturday: The Boston Bruins came to terms with forward Peter Cehlarik to a one-year, two-way contract, according to CapFriendly. The 23-year-old did not file for arbitration on Friday, which suggested that he might have been close to deal. The deal will pay him $700K if he’s on the NHL roster or $125K in the AHL.

Cehlarik, a third-round pick back in 2013, came over three  years ago and has been working his way through the Bruins’ system, developing a stronger two-way game. He finished this season with 12 goals and 26 assists in 53 games with the Providence Bruins in the AHL. While he’s always gotten some time with Boston as well, he got into 20 games this year with the Bruins, posting four goals and six points.

The winger will have an uphill battle, however, if he hopes to break camp with Boston. He will likely have to beat out six or seven players to get a regular spot this fall, but he has shown some skill in his limited time with Boston. He also served as a black ace for the Bruins on their extended playoff run.

Free Agent Focus: Boston Bruins

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Free agency is now just a few days away and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. The Boston Bruins have a several important restricted free agents they will have to focus on as they will have to lock up some of their top young defenders, while they also have a couple useful unrestricted free agents. The question will be whether they are willing to pay up to keep them.

Key Restricted Free Agent: D Charlie McAvoy – With all the talk around the league of high-priced expectations for many of the top restricted free agent forwards around the league, arguably the best restricted free agent defenseman in McAvoy has seemingly flown under the radar. McAvoy has been amazing and has quickly taken over as the future of the Bruins defense, posting 14 goals and 60 points over the past two years with Boston. The 21-year-old has been the perfect offensive addition on the blueline since arriving after two years at Boston University. If there was something that could be holding McAvoy back, it would be his inability to stay healthy as he played just 63 games in his rookie year and then played even less last year in 54 games total. Despite that, the RFA should pick up a big pay raise over the $1.26MM he made last season.

D – Brandon Carlo – In many ways, Carlo is the opposite of McAvoy. The 22-year-old is not known for his offense, but is a defensive player who has needed time to develop and only more recently has he developed into a shutdown defender that Boston had envisioned when they drafted the 6-foot-5 blueliner in the second round back in 2015. While he isn’t likely to come anywhere close to the money that McAvoy should receive, Carlo has become a key player on the team’s top-four and should only continue to get better.

F – Danton Heinen – One thing the Boston Bruins need are top-six wingers to continue posting the offense they are used to. The question is whether Heinen is that guy for them. After putting up 16 goals and 47 points in his rookie season, many people suspected that Heinen would continue to thrive in that role. Instead, he struggled putting the puck into the net and eventually found himself put on the team’s third line as he failed to produce, finishing the season with just 11 goals and 34 points. The question is which player is he? The team must decide that, likely ending up with a short-term deal so that Heinen can prove that he deserves to be paid.

Other RFAs: F Peter Cehlarik, F Ryan Fitzgerald, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: F Marcus Johansson – The team fared quite well at the trade deadline, acquiring players who truly helped the franchise reach the Stanley Cup this season. One of the key players was Johansson, who had struggled in two seasons with New Jersey, but proved to be a big contributor in the playoffs, putting up four goals and 11 points in 22 playoff games. Unfortunately, his success could have priced himself out of Boston’s salary cap plans, but there is hope that both teams could still work out a deal. However, the team may be forced to look elsewhere if the 28-year-old can net himself an impressive offer from another team later this week.

F – Noel Acciari – Six goals and 14 points may not sound like much, but the 27-year-old has become a fixture on Boston’s fourth line. While the team could survive without him, Acciari is well known for his hard-hitting style of play and his willingness to sacrifice his body to help the team. In fact, the fourth-liner suffered a broken sternum, yet still played through it throughout the playoffs, something that any team might appreciate. Regardless, the team has made an offer and Acciari opted not to accept it, so the team could end up losing him, although a deal remains possible.

Other UFAs: G Zane McIntyre; F Mark McNeill; F Gemel Smith; F Lee Stempniak; F Jordan Szwarz

Projected Cap Space: The Bruins currently sit a little more than $12MM under the cap ceiling, according to CapFriendly, but still must add McAvoy, which could end up being pricey, while also having to sign Carlo and Heinen. That should take a chunk of that cap space, but the team should still have the ability to sign one of their unrestricted free agents or even find a couple of cheaper options on the unrestricted free agent market on Monday.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jordan Binnington’s Bruins Past Could Play A Role In Cup Final

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Plenty has been said about the meteoric rise of St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington this season. The 25-year-old rookie began the year as the team’s fourth-string option in net and did not make his first NHL start until January. Yet, he miraculously managed to pick up 24 wins in the second half of the season behind a league-best 1.89 goals against average and has led the Blues to the Stanley Cup Final. Part of Binnington’s dominance is that his emergence from obscurity meant that most opponents this season had little to no experience with facing him. However, the part of Binnington’s story that is now in the spotlight, and one that many still may not realize, is that last season Binnington played for none other than the AHL’s Providence Bruins.

Without an AHL affiliate in 2017-18, St. Louis was forced to split their minor league prospects between several AHL teams. With limited options for play time in net, the Blues opted to leave Ville Husso with many of his teammates on the San Antonio Rampage – now the team’s new affiliate – and loaned Binnington by himself to Providence for the year. Binnington played well, but made just 28 appearances over the course of the season as the backup to the Bruins’ Zane McIntyre. More importantly, he spent the whole campaign with the team.

Could this be an advantage for Boston in their upcoming Stanley Cup clash with the Blues? It certainly won’t hurt, but the bulk of the Bruins’ regulars did not spend much time in Providence last season. Of the players to skate in at least half of Boston’s games this season, only Danton Heinen and Matt Grzelcyk suited up for Providence last season and the pair combined for just 18 early-season games. Even current Bruins reserves like Peter Cehlarik, Trent Frederic, and Karson Kuhlman (none of whom are likely to draw into the Cup Final anyway) only spent limited time playing with Binnington. And the P-Bruins’ top players from last season – Austin Czarnik, Kenny Agostino, Colby Cave – have since departed the organization.

The one outlier, and potential Stanley Cup x-factor, is defenseman Connor Clifton. Clifton played the full season in Providence last year and spent much of this season in the AHL as well. However, Clifton has jumped on the opportunity presented by injuries to Kevan Miller and John Moore and has asserted himself as a starter for the Bruins this season. Even with Moore now healthy, as well as Steven Kampfer in the mix, the rookie defenseman has held on to his spot on the right side of the team’s bottom pair. Clifton has been trusted with meaningful minutes and even recorded his first NHL goal in the Eastern Conference Final. A player on the smaller side who makes up for his lack of stature with both tenacity and intelligence, Clifton is not a player to be overlooked and his experience playing with Binnington could be key for the Bruins.

Of course, Providence head coach Jay Leach and organizational goalie coach Bob Essensa, among others, will also surely have input on Binnington. So too will former net mate McIntyre, who has served as Boston’s emergency third-string goalie in recent weeks. There’s no reason to believe that one season as the minor league backup for the Bruins will give the team all they need to totally figure out the red-hot goaltender, but Boston may have a slight advantage over other teams this postseason when it comes to beating Binnington.

Snapshots: Boston Black Aces, Bellemare, Luostarinen

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With a long layoff coming until their next matchup, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney revealed the team’s Black Aces during a press conference earlier today, according to Boston Globe’s Matt Porter. The 12 players are expected to help the NHL team practice and likely to get some practice games in before the Stanley Cup begins on May 27.

The Black Aces will include forwards Anton Blidh, Paul Carey, Peter Cehlarik, Trent Frederic, Zachary Senyshyn, Jack Studnicka and Jordan Szwarz; defensemen Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril; and goaltenders Kyle Keyser and Zane McIntyre.

  • Golden Knights center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare will be seeking a multi-year contract on the open market, reports David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 34-year-old was an important part of the bottom six group in Vegas over the past two seasons; his faceoff prowess and ability to kill penalties should help him garner some interest for teams looking to upgrade their fourth line.  However, with several pricey extensions kicking in for next season, it’s unlikely that Vegas will be able to afford to retain him unless he’s willing to take a pay cut on the $1.45MM he received in each of the last two seasons.
  • Hurricanes prospect Eetu Luostarinen will miss the remainder of the World Championships due to a knee injury, the IIHF announced. The 20-year-old was held off the scoresheet in four appearances.  Luostarinen has one more left on his current contract with KalPa Kuopio of the Finnish SM-liiga and will likely make the jump to North America following the 2019-20 season.

Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins Recall “Black Aces”

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Recalls and reassignment are few and far between these days, with just eight teams still alive in the NHL and AHL alike. A flurry of activity occurred today though, as two surviving Stanley Cup Playoffs contenders have called up a number of players from their AHL affiliates, who both ducked out of the Calder Cup Playoffs with first-round losses. According to the AHL, both the Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins have recalled their “black aces”, the group of minor league players brought up largely to practice with the NHL team during the postseason once their own season is over. With the salary cap not a factor in the postseason, most big league teams often choose to bring up a large number of AHLers for the experience, as well as emergency depth, and the Avs and Bruins have done just that.

Little more than a paper move for the Avalanche, the team has called up five players from their neighboring affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. The group includes goaltender Pavel Francouz, defenseman Anton Lindholm, and forwards A.J. Greer, Dominic Toninato, and Logan O’Connor. Each of these players has logged time with the Avs this season, with Greer leading the way with 15 games while the others all played in at least two. The skaters played minimal roles and combined for just three points, but Francouz, a veteran import from the KHL, was clutch in two relief appearances with a .943 save percentage and 1.96 GAA. Yet, it is Francouz who is least likely to see any playoff action as the third-string keeper. With lineup regular Matt Calvert battling an injury, one of the forwards could in fact make an appearance in this postseason. Greer and O’Connor, who finished second and third respectively in Eagles scoring, would be the top candidates.

Boston’s recruits are not coming from far away either, as they have called up a whopping 13 players from the nearby Providence Bruins. Forwards Anton Blidh – who signed an extension earlier today – Paul Carey, Peter Cehlarik, Ryan Fitzgerald, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Trent Frederic, Zach Senyshyn, Lee Stempniak, Jack Studnicka, and Jordan Szwarz and defensemen Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen, and Jakub Zboril have joined the club. Amazingly, all but Fitzgerald, Studnicka, and Szwarz have suited up for Boston this season and Szwarz played in a dozen NHL games last year. The least experienced name is actually the most exciting, as this will be Studnicka’s first non-training camp experience with the Bruins. The 20-year-old, who most consider the Bruins’ top prospect, is fresh off a 73-point regular season and point-per-game postseason in the OHL and his NHL debut is highly anticipated. However, it is very unlikely to come in these playoffs. In fact, the Bruins are deep at every position as is and it would be a surprise to see any of their “black aces” take the ice outside of extenuating circumstances. On the other had, the team could use some energy and offense in their current series, so who knows.

Bruins Notes: Krejci, Pastrnak, Providence

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Following Game One against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy announced that center David Krejci was considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury suffered during the contest. Krejci was the recipient of a big hit from former teammate Riley Nash and left the game shortly after, followed by concern for his availability for the rest of the series. Yet, the Bruins were quick to announce this morning that Krejci is on the ice for morning skate, as well as participating in his regular spots on the second line and second power play unit. Officially, he remains a game time decision, but a successful skate would indicate that the veteran pivot should be ready to go for tonight’s game. Krejci has a modest five points in eight games for the Boston in this postseason, but has proven to be a potent playoff producer in the past and will be a key part to the Bruins’ continued run. Krejci has twice led the NHL in playoff scoring (2011, 2013) and just last year posted ten points in twelve games. If he can stay healthy, the Bruins hope to see numbers like that this year as well.

  • Line rushes at morning skate also revealed that Cassidy has shaken up his top-six, which has failed to produce through each of the team’s past two games. The switch comes at left wing, where David Pastrnak is back up to the top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, while Danton Heinen slides down to play on Krejci’s line. Pastrnak may have six points thus far in these playoffs, tied for second on the Bruins, but has largely been held in check. Both the Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs did a good job of suffocating the dynamic winger, playing tight, physical defense and not allowing him the space to play to his strengths. The result has been long periods of invisible play, as well as frequent turnovers and poor passes. Cassidy clearly feels that time has come for a change and Boston will go back to stacking their top line with their three best forwards, hoping the group can find the same success as they did in the regular season. For what it’s worth, Heinen has been the Bruins’ best player this postseason from an analytics perspective, so there may not be a major drop-off on the second line as a result of the move.
  • The AHL’s Providence Bruins saw their season come to a close last night as they were eliminated in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs by the Charlotte Checkers, affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes – a possible opponent for Boston in the next round. The next step for several of Providence’s top players will be to report to Boston as playoff reinforcements. This is not inconsequential, as the likes of Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Peter Cehlarik, Trent Frederic, and Jeremy Lauzon all played meaningful roles for the Bruins at times over this season, while veterans like Lee Stempniak and Paul Carey were specifically brought in to provide experienced depth in case of emergency in the postseason. It would not be a surprise to see one or more of these players potentially draw in if the Bruins’ current lineup doesn’t get the results they want or runs into injury issues. The more exciting story line would be for top prospects Jack Studnicka and Urho Vaakanainen to find their way into the lineup, but that seems more likely to happen next season.

Minor Transactions: 02/27/19

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It’s a quiet night in the NHL with just five games scheduled, but there are sure to be some fireworks regardless. Connor McDavid makes his return from a two-game suspension in his hometown while the Calgary Flames take on a decimated New Jersey Devils lineup. As teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Boston Bruins have recalled Karson Kuhlman and Peter Cehlarik under emergency conditions after Noel Acciari and Patrice Bergeron both missed practice this morning. The team takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow night and likely just wanted some extra bodies to serve as insurance. Kuhlman made his NHL debut earlier this month and scored two points in four games with the Bruins.
  • Samuel Montembeault has been recalled under emergency conditions by the Florida Panthers after James Reimer suffered an injury last night. The veteran backup left the game against the Arizona Coyotes and did not return, though it’s not clear yet how long his injury will keep him out. Montembeault is carrying a .901 save percentage through 37 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Sam Steel and Jacob Larsson under emergency conditions, though may only get into the lineup if another injury pops up. The team is expected to be without Ryan Getzlaf due to injury. Steel has played 14 games in the NHL this season while Larsson found himself in the lineup 38 times before his demotion.
  • Jake Bean and Haydn Fleury have both been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes under emergency conditions, giving the team two extra defensemen. The Hurricanes don’t play again until Friday, but both Justin Faulk and Calvin de Haan are listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries.
  • Teddy Blueger has been brought back up by the Pittsburgh Penguins under emergency conditions. Blueger only went down on Monday to maintain his AHL eligibility, but will join back with the team for now. The Penguins are dealing with several injuries and could use Blueger up front to help replace Bryan Rust.
  • Andrew Cogliano is expected to miss the first game of his career due to injury tomorrow, so the Dallas Stars have recalled Joel L’Esperance from the minor leagues. L’Esperance is still looking for his first point at the NHL level but has 29 goals this season in the AHL.

Trade Rumors: Ho-Sang, Simmonds, Bruins

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While the trade deadline generally centers around the teams and the general managers making the big decisions, the players are usually well aware of what is going on and where they stand as well. New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang has been the odd man out this season and knows his time with the club could be be up. He spoke honestly with The Athletic’s Arthur Staple today, saying that he is open to being traded:

I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know what they want to do with me. I’m not opposed to (being traded) if it helps the Islanders get better. For me, obviously I want to play in the NHL, that’s my main focus. For them, if they need to trade me for pieces to go further in the playoffs, improve the great team they have, then I’m all for it.

It’s a well-put statement by Ho-Sang, but one easily interpreted as being from a player ready for a change of scenery. The 2014 first-round pick has only played in ten games with the Islanders this season, after skating in 20+ in each of the past two years. Meanwhile, this has been his best AHL season, as he has scored at a near point-per-game clip through 39 games. Ho-Sang’s game can be streaky and frustrating at times, but his ability is undeniable. As the Islanders move toward adding a top rental ahead of the deadline, a seller will likely be interested in taking a waiver on Ho-Sang’s upside if his time in New York is truly over.

  • It’s been pretty quiet around Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds of late, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that “interest has intensified” over the last couple of days. LeBrun speculates that the Flyers’ recent streak of success may have quelled the Simmonds market as the team became re-focused on a playoff push, but he feels the results of their next few games will ultimately determine if and when Simmonds is dealt. More likely than not, the impending free agent power forward will be playing elsewhere by Monday.
  • Even after the Charlie Coyle acquisition, many believe that the Boston Bruins are not done. TSN’s Darren Dreger applauded the trade, but noted that the Bruins did not have to give up much and are likely still in the market for another scoring forward. The Bruins announced this evening that center Trent Frederic has been assigned to the AHL and winger Peter Cehlarik has been recalled, further enforcing the idea that Boston prefers to play Coyle at third-line center. That would still leave a hole on the second line next to David Krejci. Dreger names New York Rangers Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes as among those the Bruins are targeting to further help out their secondary scoring.

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