MONTREAL - Bruins general manager Don Sweeney and president Cam Neely met with reporters on Wednesday morning at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft to provide updates on a number of topics surrounding the Black & Gold as what has already been a busy offseason intensifies over the next few weeks.
Here's a look at some of the headlines:
Bergeron Nearing Decision
Both Sweeney and Neely sounded optimistic about a potential return for Bruins captain
Patrice Bergeron, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent a week from Wednesday. The five-time Selke Trophy winner, who will turn 37 on July 24, is recovering well from offseason elbow surgery and appears close to making a decision on whether he will return for a 19th season with the Black & Gold.
"My conversations with Patrice have gone well," said Sweeney. "His recovery has gone well. I suspect coming out of the Draft and heading into free agency that he'll be in a real good place.
We're excited that he's considering playing and moving forward with what we think is a positive mindset.
"That will be for him to declare when he's ready to do that. As I said, he's checking off a lot of boxes that have given us strong indications. Until Patrice decides to make that public, that's his [decision] to hold onto."
Neely pointed to Bergeron's outstanding 2021-22 campaign, which earned him his record fifth Selke, and his recent elbow surgery as reasons to believe that the B's top center will return for another season.
"He went through the elbow procedure for a reason, I think, not just to feel better in the offseason. I'm starting to feel a little more confident that he's leaning in the direction we want him to lean in," said Neely.
"As I told him a while ago, I said, 'once it's over, it's over, believe me. You want to play again at some point.' But I also said not many athletes get to choose when they hang them up. There's something to be said for that.
"But if he didn't have the year he had last year, I might feel a little differently. But the year he had, I don't see any reason why you'd want to pack it in."
Krejci Considering Return
While Bergeron's decision is nearing, so too could be the verdict on another centerman's potential return to Causeway Street. After spending last season suiting up for Olomouc in his native Czechia, David Krejci is considering once again playing in the NHL, leading to recent conversations with Sweeney about a reunion. Krejci spent all 15 years of his NHL career with the Bruins, compiling 215 goals and 730 points in 962 career games, while helping leading Boston to a Stanley Cup in 2011.
"I've been in touch with David and [his representatives] who he's working with," said Sweeney.
"Again, he's spending a lot of time with his family and deciding what he'd like to do. The conversations have gone well. It's just a matter of what David decides, ultimately, and if we're to be the place that he chooses."
Pastrnak Talks to Commence
Neely indicated that Sweeney will meet with
David Pastrnak's representatives this week in Montreal as the two sides begin discussions on a contract extension. The 26-year-old winger, who notched his second career 40-goal campaign in 2021-22, has one year remaining on the six-year deal ($6.67 million annual cap hit) he signed in September 2017.
"I believe Don is meeting with his agent in Montreal here, so we'll see where that goes. But I feel very positive about it," said Neely.
DeBrusk's Request Rescinded
Sweeney confirmed a recent report from TSN that
Jake DeBrusk has rescinded the trade request that was made public last fall and is willing to remain in Boston. The winger is coming off a strong second half after teaming up with Bergeron and
Brad Marchand on Boston's top line in mid-February. He finished the season with 25 goals and 42 points in 77 games, just shy of his career highs (27 goals in 2018-19 and 43 points in 2017-18).
"That's accurate, yeah. He rescinded," said Sweeney. "As far as conversations about Jake moving forward, about playing for us or playing for another team, it's no different than when he put on that he would like a change of scenery. We're very happy that Jake has turned a corner in how he feels about the Boston Bruins and wants to be with us. He had a hell of a second part of the year and deserves a lot of credit for the production he put forth, and he's looking forward to being back.
"You guys know me well enough to know if opportunities to improve the team - and Jake knows that as well - that's what I'll have to continue to look at. But we're happy that he's in a good place. And I indicated that previously, that I think he was just in a better place when the season ended."
Injured Players Progressing
Sweeney said that both Marchand and
Charlie McAvoy are "doing well in their recovery" from offseason procedures they underwent earlier this summer. Marchand (double hip arthroscopy and labral repair on May 27) and McAvoy (arthroscopic stabilization on left shoulder on June 3) are expected to be rehabbing for roughly six months.
"They were put in a six-month general timeframe, so from a skating standpoint, we won't know that for a while now," Sweeney said of their recoveries.
Blue liners
Matt Grzelcyk and
Mike Reilly, meanwhile, are also progressing well in their rehabs. Grzelcyk had a right shoulder open stabilization procedure on June 3 and is on a five-month recovery timeline, while Reilly should be ready for training camp after a right ankle tendon repair and removal of bone fragments.
"It's disappointing that you're going to start the year without a couple of those guys, obviously key pieces to our group," said Sweeney. "But it's an opportunity for somebody else and we'll see how it goes."
Lohrei, Lysell to Miss Dev Camp
Two of the Bruins' top prospects will miss next week's Development Camp, according to Sweeney. Defenseman Mason Lohrei (58th overall in 2020) is recovering from a knee procedure and will not participate in any on-ice activities, though he will attend the week-long camp at Warrior Ice Arena. Winger Fabian Lysell (21st overall in 2021) is unlikely to be in Boston as he prepares for the rescheduled 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in August, during which he'll represent Sweden.
"We've talked to Fabian Lysell. He's going to the World Juniors in August, so that may be too much on his plate to think about making multiple trips," said Sweeney. "Which means he would take the World Juniors and lead right into time with us and then Rookie Camp and such, which, you know, is an extended period of time. So going back and forth may or may not be beneficial to him."
When it comes to where Lysell may start next season, Sweeney said the 19-year-old will ultimately determine that based on his performance this fall.
"He'll determine where he plays next year," said Sweeney. "Boston, Providence, or Vancouver [WHL]. We think he's certainly talented enough to play in any one of those three places, and he's proven he can put up big numbers in the WHL and see if physically he can handle the next steps, be it in Boston or in Providence. We're excited about what his progression will dictate."
Sweeney also mentioned forward
Joona Koppanen as a player that could potentially push for playing time at the NHL level next season. The 24-year-old center, selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, has spent parts of the last five seasons with Providence. Koppanen signed a one-year, two-way extension on June 2.
"Joona Koppanen finished the year really well, was contemplating going back [to Europe] and wanted to know what his opportunity was and what it might look like," said Sweeney. "So, there's a player that, in deciding to return, felt close to potentially pushing for an NHL spot. Obviously, we're anticipating that Jack [Studnicka] comes back in the summer, and what the opportunity looks like there.
"We're not forcing Lysells and [Jakub] Laukos and [Johnny] Beechers, but we have a lot of guys that are ready to come in with their ears pinned back and see if they can take a spot. We're excited about that and the opportunity, with the injuries, is certainly going to present itself."
Coaching Staff to Be Finalized
New head coach Jim Montgomery has arrived in Boston with his family to begin the search for a home and schools for his children, according to Sweeney. The B's bench boss is also interviewing candidates to replace assistant coach Kevin Dean and skating and skills coach Kim Brandvold, while also talking with existing assistants Chris Kelly, Joe Sacco and Bob Essensa about their potential returns.
"He's got some things on his plate," said Sweeney. "But talking to a lot of players, interviewing some coaches as well for the open vacancy in the back end with Kevin Dean departing - and a good conversation with Joe and Chris Kelly and Bob Essensa…communicating, as I would hope, and making some decisions about our staff moving forward. We're going to add at least one person as well as replacing Kim, and that may be a multiple-person situation."
Cheers to Mike Grier
Both Sweeney and Neely were thrilled for Massachusetts native and former Boston University star Mike Grier, who became the NHL's first Black general manager on Tuesday when he was tabbed by the San Jose Sharks. Grier's brother Chris is the GM of the Miami Dolphins, while his father, Bobby, was a longtime scout and executive with the New England Patriots from 1982-2000.
"He is a great, great human being first and foremost, said Sweeney. "He's a real soft-spoken guy but played the game hard, was smart, cerebral. It's such an interesting family dynamic that he's able to tap into that none of us certainly can utilize. But I'm really, really proud of the decision San Jose made in Mike getting the opportunity. I think it speaks volumes for where the game is going and grown. And I think he will do a good job."
"I think it's fantastic," added Neely. "I know him a little bit, good guy, he's worked hard. You know he deserves a shot obviously and I wish him all the success. It's great for him, it's great for the league, and hopefully it ends up being great for San Jose."
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