NHL Insider sees a fit between Boston Bruins and highly touted free agent

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Dorin Canaday
May 17, 2022 (3:53 PM)

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The Boston Bruins' biggest question this summer is if captain Patrice Bergeron will return for one more kick at the can or retire. We all know that Bergeron has a lot more left in the tank, but ultimately, the decision is his to make.

The way general manager Don Sweeney approaches this offseason may all hinge on what Bergeron decides to do. It really comes down a few options, but you can never replace Bergy.

If Bergeron does retire, you have extra cap to spend or you think about the possibility of a rebuild and if he stays, you go all in to win him one more Stanley Cup.

Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek are well-known NHL insiders who have their own podcast called "32 Thoughts." It's been regarded as one of the best sources for breaking news and inside scoops for all 32 NHL teams, hence 32 thoughts. On a recent episode, the two had the Boston Bruins linked to a couple interesting upcoming free agents.

Marek started with the idea of another veteran at centre if Bergeron does retire:

"There's still Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Jeremy Swayman really popped this year and started to establish himself as a netminder for the Boston Bruins. They still have three more years of Linus Ullmark in net as well. It's not like Patrice Bergeron leaves and the Bruins are a lottery team, but there's a big hole there ... Jonathan Toews is in his last year in Chicago and [he's] going to call his shot on what he wants to do ... I've always wondered if that could be a fit to replace someone like Patrice Bergeron. Toews could just go and not have to worry about taking care of the kids ... or carrying the franchise ... just go and play hockey. Mind you, he'd be going to a really big spot, you know, taking Bergeron's spot but nonetheless."

Friedman and Marek also brought up another free agent that will be garnering a lot of interest from around the league and wonder if the Bruins would be a good fit:

Elliotte Friedman: "I don't think their cap situation is too bad. I think they have some flexibility ... they have the ability to do some things, and if you look at them, they generally tend to be pretty aggressive. I don't think they're going to be looking to take a step back [if Bergeron retires] ... the thing is, where are you going to add some scoring ... Bergeron's number one, and Pastrnak [extension] is number two, then you figure out everything else."
Jeff Marek: "I wonder about Filip Forsberg in a couple of places. I wonder about Forsberg with the Boston Bruins that you just mentioned. I could see the Vancouver Canucks being interested in Filip Forsberg. I could see the Los Angeles Kings, essentially anybody who needs scoring."

So, Jeff Marek could see a fit between the Boston Bruins and free-agent winger Filip Forsberg if he doesn't re-sign with the Nashville Predators, but is it that realistic?

The Bruins will need a top-six centre (or two), first and foremost, and if Bergeron comes back, they'll be a little more strapped to the cap. The main problem that really showed in the playoffs for Boston was the inability to score, and Forsberg would undoubtedly help in that area; however, he is a winger, and will be an expensive one at that.

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