May 22, 2024 | 1:47pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
BRUINS AIM TO ADD SCORING THIS SUMMER
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Bruins GM Don Sweeney
The Boston Bruins plan on being aggressive this off-season and GM Don Sweeney wants to add additional fire power up front ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Speaking with the media on Wednesday, Sweeney acknowledged the team’s need for depth scoring and admitted that is an area he will focus on in the coming weeks via trade and free agency.
“There are some things that we need to address from the standpoint of free agency and/or internal growth,” he said. “I have to be able to find some players that can come in and provide secondary scoring.
“We’re going to be aggressive to be able to complement what we currently have in some areas... I’ve got to find the players that complement our group and push us forward.”
The Bruins have around $22 million in available salary cap space to play with for next season, giving them flexibility to add to their roster and add scoring. However, a chunk of those dollars will be allocated to goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who TFP’s David Pagnotta reported on Monday could look for an eight-year extension worth around $8 million to $8.5 million per season.
Sweeney also discussed the importance of getting Swayman signed and plans on addressing those contract negotiations in the very near future.
“It’s clearly a priority,” Sweeney stated. “We clearly engaged in conversation during the regular season to find a longer term extension. We haven’t gotten there yet. He’s a big part of our current team and our future.”
Bruins GM Sweeney on the team's lack of scoring in the FLA series, "There are some things that we need to address from the standpoint of free agency and/or internal growth. I have to be able to find some players that can come in and provide secondary scoring."
— Shawn Hutcheon (@ShawnHutcheon) May 22, 2024
The Bruins could free up additional cap space and potentially address any voids in the roster by moving netminder Linus Ullmark, as well.
Ullmark is entering the final year of his contract and comes with a $5 million salary cap hit. He currently owns a 16-team no-trade list, but that drops to a 15-team no-trade list July 1.
It is unclear whom the Bruins plan to target, either via trade or free agency, but the team could explore their options and may no re-sign forward Jake DeBrusk, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.