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Exactly one week before the 2015 NHL Draft in Sunrise, Fla., Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney held court with the Boston media via conference call, and talked a bit about the B’s summer plans from the status of Dougie Hamilton to the Bruins’ plans with the 14th pick.
And when it came to Hamilton, Sweeney did his best to talk without saying much of anything.
“I’m not going to comment on contract negotiations — you guys are doing a good enough job of filling in the color there — but from Dougie [Hamilton]’s growth… Tremendous player,… said Sweeney. “Had a real good year, a real breakout year offensively, and continues to round out his game both on and off the ice as a foundation-type player. So we’re excited to have Dougie as part of our group.…
The 22-year-old Hamilton is coming off his entry-level contract and recorded an impressive 10 goals and 42 points in 72 games this past season, and served as the B’s de facto No. 1 defenseman during Zdeno Chara’s near two-month long absence with a knee injury this past season. And with a defenseman of Hamilton’s ilk ‘out there’ on the market as a restricted free agent, the potential of an offer-sheet has become a definite, and thought-to-be-legitimate fear from fans in the Hub.
Sweeney is aware of it, as well.
“Generally speaking, the possibility exists. You have to be aware of it,… Sweeney admitted. “Over time, there’s been certain players that bells and whistles go off, so you have to be, and we are — we understand it — and we’re moving forward with how we want to get this done.
“So it definitely exists, but they’re not taking that out of the CBA.…
Hamilton is just one of several free agents the Bruins have to handle this summer, though, including fellow restricted free agents Brett Connolly and Ryan Spooner, and unrestricted free agents like defensemen Matt Bartkowski, Adam McQuaid, and third-line center Carl Soderberg.
“We’re not in free agency period at this time so I don’t think it's holding things up at all,… Sweeney said when asked if the rest of the B’s plans are on hold because of Hamilton. “I think it’s, as I said I won’t comment on the actual negotiations side of it, but I don’t think it's holding things up in any regard.…
This is especially true in the case of Soderberg, who’s set to make big bucks this July as a free agent.
“Carl was a very important part of our team this year and in a perfect world, we would be able to retain Carl,… noted Sweeney. “It’s highly unlikely at this point in time that that will be happening.…
Soderberg will depart Boston after recording 29 goals and 94 points in 161 games for the Bruins.
As for the club’s other pending unrestricted free agents, Sweeney can’t confirm any returns just yet.
“Well Peter [Chiarelli] had told Greg Campbell and Dan Paille that they weren’t [going to be re-signed by the club]. I have not changed that,… said Sweeney. “I have spoken to both Carl [Soderberg] and Matt [Bartkowski]’s representatives and I’ve also spoken to Adam [McQuaid’s] in terms of what our intentions are but obviously it’s coming down to the wire in terms of their abilities to interview elsewhere.
“I’ve had several talks with teams that may or may not present the opportunity to be able to bring one of those players back. I guarantee at this point in time that all three of them won’t be back.…
Of the three, if any maybe, I’d say that Adam McQuaid is perhaps the most likely to return.
And with major transactions expected to fly across the draft floor next Friday night, Sweeney and the Bruins are listening to everyone and everything they can at this point.
The Bruins could be one of those busier clubs this time next week, too, with the potential of the Bruins searching for a suitor for the injured Marc Savard’s $4.007 million contract (but under $600,000 base salary through 2017) or Milan Lucic’s $6 million cap-hit through next season.
“Well, we’ve had a lot of good talks on teams and I think everybody’s doing the same thing in terms of seeing what player movement may or may not be available and what draft positions are up for grabs or jockeying may exist,… the B’s GM of a little more than a month plus noted. “I think everybody is sort of in the same boat and taking inventory at this point in time. Not necessarily going to comment whether things are close or far away, but just have had a lot of conversations.…
And as a first-year GM, the dialogue has been good.
“In general to be perfectly honest I think they’ve all been very very good and maybe they’re playing nice in the sandbox and with my first salvo in terms of looking to see how I’ll react,… Sweeney noted of his communications with other GMs around the league. “Overall I think they’ve been very very helpful, every one of them. Doesn’t mean they’re not trying to improve their own team I’ll tell you that.…
The Bruins enter next week’s draft with seven picks to their name.
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com