Mar 27, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins center
Patrice Bergeron(37) celebrates with defenseman
Matt Bartkowski(43) and right wing
Reilly Smith(18) after scoring a goal during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
With training camp starting in just four days, the Boston Bruins have locked up practically all their talent for the 2014-15 season. Only two Bruins still remained unsigned going into the start of camp, but they are two very important names for the organization. Those players are Torey Krug and Reilly Smith.
“If you’re talking about Reilly and Torey, I’m not going to comment on negotiations.” – Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli
While fan frustration mounts, some fans don’t fully understand the odd predicament both the players and the Bruins organization are in right now. Since both Krug and Smith chose to leave college a year earlier, they hold entry-level free agent statue. This means that the two young players can only negotiate with the Bruins this year. (Depending on how their agents are handling this, this could only be the start of a rough week.)
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Boston doesn’t have that much money left to offer the players because of the salary cap situation. Chiarelli has gone on the record and said that he has no choice to trade away (at least) one of his defensemen before the start of the season. With the Bruins looking at just over three million dollars left before they hit the salary cap, they are probably going to trade someone not for another player, but for draft picks in upcoming years just to: 1.) ease pressure on the cap 2.) invest in their future, and 3.) have the ability to offer both Krug and Smith contracts that will be both pleasing to the players and achievable for the Bruins.
Puck Prose
The problem remains that the players still don’t have a contract and are under no obligation to show up for camp. Furthermore, Chiarelli wants to see the chemistry between the blueliners to see who will be on the trading block. If we factor in David Warsofsky spending one more year in the AHL, it will come down who the organization is more willing to keep. (The more reliable but more expensive Johnny Boychuk ($3.36 mil), the talented but injury prone Adam McQuaid($1.56mil), or the much maligned but improving Matt Bartkowski ($1.25 mil). I’m willing to bet that the Bruins front office are crunching numbers, ideas, and scenarios in Tennessee in an effort to get those two men at camp.
It is entirely possible that one or both players choose to sit out camp. This could have very ugly ramifications for the Bruins organization and the team going into the regular season. As it stands, the Bruins front office have about one hundred hours to come up with a plan.
“I hope to have them at camp,” said Chiarelli to the media this afternoon. “I can’t give you any more clarity, we’re not at that date yet . They’re both valuable members of this team, and I hope they’d be with us when we start playing.”