On the eve of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Bruins have been largely involved in the rumor mill. From being one of two teams that Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson is
willing to move his no trade clause for, to the Bruins gauging the
trade market of Tuukka Rask, things seem to be extremely busy for general manager Don Sweeney.
Although the Bruins do not have their first-round pick in Tuesday’s draft, Sweeney’s plate remains full. After the draft kicks off Tuesday, free agency begins Friday, all while Sweeney negotiates new contracts with his own free agents and is actively working the phones with general managers across the league.
“I mean there's been a tremendous amount of conversation and a lot of it has focused around the financial aspect of each and every team,” Sweeney said in a zoom call with the media Monday morning. “I don't necessarily know whether or not anything is moving forward at a rapid pace but it's not without trying on everybody's behalf to see what teams are looking to do. There's just been a lot of conversation throughout.”
As mentioned above, one team Sweeney has indeed talked to has been the Arizona Coyotes. As multiple insiders have reported, the Bruins and Canucks are currently the only two teams Ekman-Larsson will accept a trade to.
On Monday, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnson and Elliotte Friedman provided an interesting update on the situation in Arizona and
how the Bruins are involved.
“So, barring a last-minute change of heart, it’s either going to be Vancouver or Boston.
Neither of those teams owns its 2020 first-round pick, which means a potential return likely starts with a 2021 first and includes a prospect, plus another pick. This isn’t an easy deal for new Arizona general manager Bill Armstrong to maneuver because he’s dealing with a limited market.
The Coyotes like Boston’s prospects more than Vancouver’s, but, on the weekend, it seemed like the Canucks were the more motivated buyer, liking the idea of a long-time left side of Ekman-Larsson and Quinn Hughes. It is believed Arizona asked about Thatcher Demko, which would have been a non-starter.”
Sweeny also addressed the rumors that the team is actively shopping goalie Tuukka Rask. While Sweeney wouldn’t dive into the he said, she said, he did make it sounds like the Bruins are a team who plan on Rask being a part of their future.
“I don’t think it’s my responsibility to confirm what is in a player’s contract. Again, in player movement, player talks, I hope that everyone will respect the privacy of each and every one of those conversations,” Sweeney said in regard to Rask’s no movement clause.
“As a matter of fact, our staff has communicated with Tuukka and as I said before, he remains a big part of our roster planning going forward because I think by my knowledge, he was second in the Vezina balloting and we feel very, very comfortable with where our goaltending is at. And I think you’re going to need it. I don’t know what the schedule and what the season – I think there are a lot of things that are up in the air, but it could be a challenging environment from a season standpoint. Might make goaltending even more a big part of what you have to have going forward.”
Part of the reason the Bruins are engaged in trade talks for Ekman-Larsson is because of Torey Krug’s pending free agency.
Although the two sides have talked, and Krug is ready to hit free agency, Sweeney is not completely closing the book on a new contract with him.
“Yeah we’d consider anything at this point in time including the fact that several free agents have gone and tested the market and come back to the same place that they were at, and it's something we would also consider,” said Sweeney.
“There's no way in hell you're going to change my opinion of what I think Torey has the right to do and I believe that. So, he’s put himself in a great position either with us or with other teams that have interest in him. I'll listen to any situation that might improve our hockey club and move forward from there if it plays out that way.”
Krug is not the only Bruins defenseman facing unrestricted free agency as captain Zdeno Chara remains without a contract. Chara has made it clear that he wants to play again in the 2020-21 season and wants to do so with the Bruins.
“I’ve met with Zdeno. Had conversations, have continued to have conversations so that we have to be on the same as we move forward. We’ve conveyed where we are with that and we’re going to continue to have communication with he and [Chara’s agent] Matt Keator,” Sweeney said.
While it sounds like Sweeney’s focus is on improving the Bruins via trade and free agency, Sweeney does have some work to do in the draft, a draft where the Bruins have one pick each in rounds two, three, five, six and seven.
A lack of a pick in the first round provides Sweeney with a tough challenge, but so does the lack of a scouting combine.
“It has certainly been a challenge. And everybody has had to adjust to it. Not being able to be at the combine, both in the interviews and from a testing standpoint, presents some challenges. You don’t test these kids throughout the year, you rely on a lot of intel,” said Sweeney.
“Your strength and conditioning coaches are involved, you’re trying to gather reports from every different circle really and the communication – the heights and weights have been verified but some of the other metrics that certainly, from a forecasting where players trajectory from a growth and development standpoint, strength and power-wise, are a little bit of the unknown heading into it.”
From the sounds of things, Sweeney and the Bruins have their hands in several different buckets.
An interesting week is ahead.
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