What Don Sweeney mentioned about Bruins’ possibilities of re-signing Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and different free brokers

However even with Boston greater than doubling its obtainable cap house this offseason, Don Sweeney and the Bruins nonetheless have a tall job forward of them with regards to retaining any of their seven pending unrestricted free brokers.

Talking forward of the 2023 NHL Draft down in Nashville, Sweeney acknowledged that Boston possible received’t have the fiscal flexibility in place to signal defenseman Dmitry Orlov to a brand new contract.

“We unlikely shall be entertaining him again,” Sweeney mentioned of Orlov, who’s seeking to safe what is perhaps his final main contract, given his age (32 on July 23).

With simply $10.9 million in obtainable cap house as of Tuesday night, Boston doesn’t have the monetary leeway to maintain all three of their deadline pickups in Orlov, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Garnet Hathaway.

However despite the fact that Sweeney acknowledged that it’s “unlikely” Orlov dons a black-and-gold sweater in 2023 and past, he remained mum in regards to the odds of Boston’s different pending free brokers slipping via their grasp.

“None of these guys have been essentially closed off. Clearly, we circled with most of them primarily based on our choice yesterday,” Sweeney mentioned of selections with the workforce’s free brokers. “However haven’t actually concretely put something collectively that that may point out that I’m going to have the ability to [re-sign them], specifically on Orly. However you simply by no means know what occurs between at times.”

Sweeney isn’t precisely probably the most forthright NHL government with regards to unveiling his offseason plans. However ideally, the cap house Boston cultivated on Monday might be utilized to maintain a top-six winger like Bertuzzi in place.

Orlov’s pricy new deal was in all probability unfeasible and Hathaway’s spot on the checking line will possible be occupied by a youthful, cheaper participant inside Boston’s prospect pipeline.

Given the value that Boston paid again in February for all three skaters (together with their first-round picks in 2023 and 2024), retaining no less than a top-six weapon like Bertuzzi needs to be close to the highest of Boston’s to-do checklist.

Despite the fact that Boston basically relinquished an efficient middle-six winger in Taylor Corridor for little in return, it’s a commerce that’s way more palatable if it anchors Bertuzzi to your ahead corps for the foreseeable future.

However past Boston’s deadline haul, Sweeney nonetheless has to account for the looming questions down the center with each Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci — together with the anticipated pay raises for restricted free brokers in Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic. 

With the free-agent feeding frenzy set to start at midday on Saturday, Sweeney has his work minimize out for him with regards to retaining gamers like Bertuzzi from heading to market.

“Once more, we’re shut. So you must assume they might [test the market],” Sweeney mentioned. “But when one thing else materializes, I’m going to maneuver ahead with the fellows, clearly not Nick Foligno. However the remainder of the fellows, I might entertain if the scenario is correct for each events.”