Don Sweeney starts the Bruins’ offseason shopping, but the list is still long
Free to shop for big dogs in the NHL’s free agent market on Wednesday, the Bruins made a variety of moves that included buying a rescue pup, albeit one with a valued bit of bite.
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They brought back Connor Clifton on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.25 million, beefing up their depth on right side defense with a familiar face, a guy who built a reputation for delivering nasty, bone-rattling hits during his previous five seasons (2018-23) on Causeway Street.
The Bruins later in the day added more depth, again on the right side, with the acquisition of veteran Will Borgen from the Rangers for a pair of draft picks. The 6-foot-3-inch Borgen, 29, is under contract for four more seasons at $4.1 million per. Given his size and game, Borgen will fill the role held here for years by Brandon Carlo — particularly on the penalty-killing unit.
“There’s some similarities,” agreed general manager Don Sweeney.
The Bruins also said goodbye to one of their top scoring wingers from last season, Viktor Arvidsson, who signed a two-year deal (AAV: $5 million) with the Red Wings. Per Sweeney, talks to retain Arvidsson veered dramatically with last weekend’s trade for JJ Peterka.
Sweeney also chose not to extend the services of depth defenseman Andrew Peeke, whose No. 3 pairing spot on the depth chart was essentially assigned to Clifton. Peeke’s game included more skating and puck skill, but he lacked the growl that Clifton brings. Making life miserable for opposing forwards has been the sole domain of Nikita Zadorov the last couple of seasons.
Zadorov, at $5 million per year, is among the few pricey roster pieces that Sweeney has the contractual ability to trade. Though that is not likely, all parts remain in play. Zadorov’s penchant for penalties has been an issue since his arrival.
The Bruins also shipped out Joonas Korpisalo, their $3 million-a-year backup tender, who landed in New York as second to Rangers’ star stopper Igor Shesterkin.
Is there more to come? It sure feels that way, particularly given the addition of two blue liners. If so, Sweeney’s mission has moved from a free-agent search to deeper exploration of the trade market.
With the start of training camp some 10 weeks away, there remains ample time — and equal need — to beef up and groom a roster that currently will be challenged to repeat its wild-card seed in the East. The No. 1 remaining need: more goal scoring.
Sweeney on Saturday added Peterka, acquired in trade with Utah, to the scoring mix. The $7.7 million-a-year German winger immediately became a factor among the top six forwards, and the loss of Arvidsson, who collected 25 goals and 54 points last season, further assured Peterka hitting high in the batting order.
In Detroit, Arvidsson will be reunited with Todd McLennan, the Wings bench boss who coached the Kings during “Arvy’s” three-year hitch with Los Angeles. It would have been a better Bruins team today if Arvidsson stayed here for that same $5 million AAV the Wings rolled out, but free agency is all about choice. By Sweeney’s telling, both sides chose to end the one-year marriage.
The Wings have logged 10 consecutive playoff DNQs, so it certainly wasn’t the chance to win a Cup these next two years that wooed Arvidsson. Precious few Original 32 stick carriers would choose Motown over Boston.
Wheeling out Korpisalo, rumored since the day he arrived in the swap that sent Linus Ullmark to Ottawa, was mainly about deleting him from the payroll. By nightfall, with Providence’s Michael DiPietro positioned as the new backup tender with the varsity, Sweeney still had some $5.4 million in cap elbow room, financial leverage in trade talks or to add a low-cost leftover in the UFA yard sale.
The move to DiPietro carries some risk. Now age 27, the former Vancouver draft pick has logged a mere 131 minutes of NHL action across eight pro seasons. Since taking over the corner office in 2015, Sweeney never has entered a new season with such a net neophyte penciled in at No. 2.
Nonetheless, the backup job by default goes to DiPietro, who signed to a two-year, one-way deal (AAV: $813,000) last offseason. The bet here: if Sweeney still has, say, at least $4 million in cash on hand 4-6 weeks from now, his managerial DNA says he’d use some of that on a vet to add guaranteed depth below Jeremy Swayman.
The GM early Wednesday evening voiced confidence in a Swayman-DiPietro duo.
“We’re convinced in our confidence level of Michael,” said Sweeney, “and the body of work he’s put in. He deserved the opportunity. He’s going to have to take advantage of it.”
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