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Bruins should consider bringing back former forward on a PTO

The Burins should kick the tires on bringing back a former forward on a PTO.

By Scott Roche |
Apr 8, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Phil Kessel (8) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apr 8, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Phil Kessel (8) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Training camp for the Boston Bruins begins next week and it's going to be an interesting one for the Black and Gold. It remains to be seen if goalie Jeremy Swayman will be on the ice with a new contract and there are going to be some position battles with the forwards.

Jake DeBrusk left in free agency for the Vancouver Canucks and that leaves a hole in the top-six of Jim Montgomery's lineup on the right wing. David Pastrnak will be one right wing, but just who replaces DeBrusk remains to be seen. One name that is still available is a former Bruins forward and they should kick the tires on him.

Bruins should consider a PTO with Phil Kessel

Last season Boston GM Don Sweeney struck it big with a professional tryout (PTO) with former Bruin Danton Heinen. Signed right before camp, he played well but did not make the Opening Night roster, but hung around a couple of weeks before signing a deal. After he signed, he put up 17 goals and 19 assists and I'm not sure how many people saw that coming. It ended up getting a free-agent contract with the Canucks to join DeBrusk in Western Canada.

Now with a need for a right wing, the Bruins should kick the tires to see if they can strike it big former Bruin Phil Kessel. Last season he played in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks and never got an NHL deal with Vancouver. In this recent 32 Thoughts Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said that Kessel hopes to play this season.

Now I'm not saying that Kessel is going to come in and solve the Bruins' need for a right wing as they appear to be counting on prospects Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov filling that role or veteran Tyler Johnson who signed a PTO recently. Could the Bruins find lightning in a bottle for a second straight year with a PTO? Maybe with Johnson, but bringing in Kessel on a PTO is worth a shot as a low-risk, high-reward move.

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