Team: 2022-23 Boston Bruins

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 5, 2022

Published: Aug. 5, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Bergeron: $1.25MM base + $3.75MM bonus
Krejci: $1.25MM base + $3.25MM bonus

The Bruins will re-sign Bergeron and Krejci. It’s only a matter of time. Why not bring in a couple other vets on one-year deals for a last shot at the Cup with a couple greats? I would love to see Kessel coached by Montgomery and I think he would be a big help when Marchand is out and as scoring depth throughout the year, on the PP2, and with a new look fourth line in which the third line still plays big minutes but acts as the shutdown line and Kessel and the kids provide a different type of energy. I’ve always liked De Haan and if Reilly is traded, which is one of the only feasible ways to figure this all out, De Haan is a perfectly low-risk depth add. Heck, you have a little cap space left to accrue over the course of the year - maybe Jumbo Joe gets the call at the deadline.

Of course this only works with Foligno, Nosek, and Wagner buried in the minors. But is that really so unlikely? All three are fine players but they are not playing up to their contract value in a flat cap world. Foligno and Nosek can begin the year on the NHL roster given the injuries to Marchand, McAvoy, and Grzelcyk and maybe they do enough to have trade value, but if not it wouldn’t be the worst thing to just lose them on waivers or otherwise stash them away for injuries and the playoffs like Wagner this past year. Foligno’s $3.8MM especially is just too hard to swallow. Untradeable without giving up assets but not worth keeping on the roster either. He’s a respected vet but at the end of the day you have to earn your keep. Let him get his coaching career started in Providence with a great group of forwards down there.

Opening Night Lineup:
Hall-Krejci-Pastrnak
DeBrusk-Bergeron-Kessel
Zacha-Coyle-Smith
Frederic-Nosek-Foligno
Studnicka/Steen

Lindholm-Carlo
Forbort-Zboril
De Haan-Clifton
Carrick