Don Sweeney, Boston, And The Buyout Window
Ty Anderson of 98.5 Sportshub: Alright, so Boston gets their first kick at the can when it comes to the buyout window. Don Sweeney and company have not been this crunched against the cap since 2014 and it is likely worse.
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The match is not on the Bruins’ side as they attempt to make all this work. From a buyout standpoint, Mike Reilly sticks out and seems very expendable. Teams do not want him and he was waived twice. An additional buried hit of $1.875 million is not good.
After Reilly, it becomes a coin flip between Derek Forbort and Matt Grzelcyk. A trade is more likely before any buyout. Then, there is Tyler Bertuzzi who looks more and more to be as good as gone.
The Minnesota Wild Offseason Picture
Joe Smith of The Athletic: Could Bill Guerin have a few tricks up his sleeve this summer? He does have an assistant coach’s spot to fill. However, one real decision comes down to Alex Goligoski. Does Minnesota stay with him for another year?
Negotiations with Filip Gustavsson are quiet so expecting anything before the draft is unlikely. Minnesota would like to bring Ryan Reaves back but that is a wait and see. The Wild need to see how some of their depth guys pan out as well. That may mean Sam Steel becomes a casualty.
Do not be shocked if Marco Rossi is moved or at least potentially moved. While Minnesota says he will get every chance to make the team, does he make it to training camp? It’s a good question.
Vancouver And The Third Line Center?
Ben Kuzma of The Province: So, may the Vancouver Canucks find a third-line center this offseason? There are several possibilities that could entice the Canucks even with some of their considerable cap issues.
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A veteran in this middle-six role is hard to find and free agency would create some considerable sticker shock. Players like Scott Laughton jump to the top of the list. However, Alex Kerfoot lies not too far behind. Laughton at $3 million AAV for three years appears to make the most sense.
A suitable trade becomes more of a sticky point. J.T. Compher likely costs too much and David Kampf offers a fall-back option. Would Sean Monahan on a cheaper one year deal be an idea? A prove-me contract could pay off for both parties.
