When the Boston Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Buffalo Sabres, it began what should be an interesting offseason for general manager Don Sweeney. He has some big decisions that need to be made.
The biggest is going to be how to bring back a better roster next season, and one that can compete for a spot in the postseason again. Yes, the Black and Gold made the playoffs this season, but let's be a little realistic; it wasn't a very good roster. Sweeney basically standing pat at the trade deadline tells you all you really need to know.
Boston did swing on a deal with the Vancuover Cancucks that acquired Lukas Reichel. After a cup of coffee in Boston for 10 regular-season games and one playoff game, he was re-signed a couple of weeks ago as a restricted free agent. There are some other areas of business that Sweeney needs to tend to sooner rather than later. Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shelton of ESPN made it clear what Sweeney's first bit of business this offseason needs to be.
ESPN sends Bruins GM Don Sweeney a message on first offseason business to tend to
"Boston will need to handle its own business first in negotiating with pending restricted free agent Reichel and unrestricted free agent Arvidsson before GM Don Sweeney goes in search of adding to the roster,'' ESPN wrote.
So you can check off the first box, Reichel was re-signed. That is not a bad deal, as it gives depth to the organization and a good future for the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL). The Bruins are hoping they find lightning in a bottle with Reichel.
As for Arvidsson, that's where things get tricky. It's going to come down to money, and you get the feeling that the player and team are not going to be anywhere close to being on the same page. Arvidsson is coming off a deal where he earned $4 million this past season, and he'll likely see a pay raise after the season he had. The question is, just how much of a raise is he going to get, and will Boston meet him somewhere around it?
Whatever happens, head coach Marco Sturm knows it's a business and players move on. Do the Bruins see Arvidsson as part of the future, for how many years, and at what price? That's the question to be answered.
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