Boston Bruins Rumors: Torey Krug, Marcus Johansson and David Backes
By Filip Canda
The Boston Bruins approach their off-season after Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Final. Despite the tough loss, the Bruins seem far from being in the ‘closed window’ category as some suggested. What are the latest off-season Boston Bruins rumors?
The Boston Bruins rumors season is officially here. It’s a very exciting time of the year for all general managers around the league. That applies to the Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney as well. Sweeney was just recently awarded as the best GM in the NHL as of the 2018-2019 season. What will his off-season look like?
Torey Krug
One of the main topics in the Boston Bruins rumors over the past few years has been the name of Torey Krug. Krug has worked himself out to be one of the best defensemen of this Bruins roster. As of now, he has $5.25 million on the salary cap next season and then he will become an unrestricted free agent.
As per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Bruins as well as Krug’s agent, Lewis Gross, are keen on keeping Torey Krug in Boston even after 2020.
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LeBrun speculates, that Krug might get his new contract worth at least $7 million per season. “I can’t see Sweeney entering the season with Krug dangling on an expiring deal. The team loses leverage as time goes on next season. There needs to be an extension this summer or else Sweeney probably has to move him. That’s what other teams around the league expect anyway,” stated the NHL insider.
As already mentioned, Torey Krug is very fundamental for the Boston Bruins. Just a year before he has had his career season with 59 points and then another 12 points in the playoffs. In the past playoffs, he played in 24 games gathering 18 points. He is still only 28-year-old. By the time of his new contract signing, he will be the same age as this year´s Erik Karlsson, who got a monstrous deal for eight years. The sense is that the Bruins should decide on his future until September.
Marcus Johansson
Do the Bruins keep Marcus Johansson or not? That’s a very good question. As we already took a look at what the Bruins options with Johansson are, the Bruins reportedly continue talking to the player´s agent.
The expectation is, once again, per The Athletic, that Don Sweeney will reach out to J.P. Barry, the Johansson’s agent, this week in Vancouver during the draft. “No question Johansson can earn more on the open market, the Bruins are limited by their salary cap situation. So it will really come down to Barry and Johansson balancing fit versus money and hey, perhaps they can find both those things elsewhere, too,” stated LeBrun for The Athletic.
After such a great playoffs with 11 points in 22 games, Marcus Johansson is poised to get a very good contract. He is still only 28-year-old as he might cash in big in the next 10 days. Will he take a home discount to help out the Bruins and stay for at least another year in chase of the Stanley Cup?
David Backes
Ultimately for our Boston Bruins rumors section, David Backes‘ name is one of the hottest topics among the Bruins fanbase and people around the Bruins as well. The Bruins were reportedly trying to find a right trade partner to absorb his $6 million per season deal until 2021. However, as it stands now, that looks improbable.
Bruins source says it’s now “unlikely” that David Backes will be bought out.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) June 19, 2019
As reported, the Bruins are scratching the idea of buying David Backes out of his remaining deal in Boston. If the Bruins bought Backes out now, they would have the salary cap hit of $5.667M for the 2019-2020 season and another $3.667M for the 2020-2021 season. For the upcoming season, buying Backes out or keeping him around sounds equally based on the salary cap situation.
If the Bruins bought him out next year, they would pay $4 million for the 2020-2021 season. With that being said, the only reasonable solution for the Bruins is to buy Backes out next year. It doesn’t make much sense this year. Unless the Bruins find a proper trade partner. Also, trading David Backes’ contract away with two years left and one year left might be the difference as well. As it seems, the Bruins are stuck with David Backes for at least one more year.