On the Boston Bruins …
Ryan Kennedy: The Bruins will listen to offers on RFA forward Ryan Spooner. has heard that the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights are potential landing spots for Spooner.
Matt Kalman of CBS Boston: Ryan Spooner doesn’t appear to be the Bruins answer as their third line center. He is a pending RFA with arbitration rights and will be looking for a raise from his $950,000 salary.
Spooner may now be expendable as they have some other options from within.
The Bruins could use $6 million man David Backes as their third-line center.
The Bruins have four top-six players in Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci and David Pastrnak. The should be able to fill the other two spots from within or through a trade/signing.
Joe Haggerty of CSNNE: Bruins GM Don Sweeney said last week that they need to get deeper and more talented.
The Bruins need to find a left winger to play in their top-six and with Krejci, improve their third-line and a top-four left side defenseman.
They may need to acquire a left side defenseman through trade/free agency to play with Charles McAvoy. Zdeno Chara could be paired with Brandon Carlo, Torey Krug with a Miller or Adam McQuaid. One of McQuaid, Kevan Miller and Colin Miller could be selected by Vegas in the expansion draft.
There will be competition for top-four defenseman this offseason. The Tampa Bay Lightning could be willing to move Jonathan Drouin for a defenseman.
Ryan Spooner has some trade value, but is not close to Drouin and what other teams might be offering.
Bruins president Cam Neely.
“Whether we have someone on the left side on the back end that can push for a job, or we go out and find that player. I think our right side on the back end is pretty well covered. Maybe a little bit of help on the left side on the wing that can maybe contribute offensively. We’re hoping we maybe had a couple players in our system that will maybe be able to push and show that they’re ready to play in the NHL and contribute.”
In-house options to the play on the left side of Krejci include Frank Vatrano, Jake DeBrusk and possibly Anders Bjork if they can get him signed.