NHL Network: David Pagnotta on the Boston Bruins and potential center options for them.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jamie Hersch: “Yeah, and one of those teams I bet is not on no-trade list of 10-teams is probably the Boston Bruins cause that seems like a pretty good destination. Rupper mentioned the fact that that could be a nice fit with the team friendly number that Scheifele has.
So, along those lines, the Bruins have seen obviously two franchise icons retire in the past month. How do you think that they are planning to replace guys like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.”
Pagnotta: “Yeah, the center position certainly an area of focus for the Boston Bruins. They don’t have a ton of cap space and I believe there were discussions, at least tire-kicking anyway, earlier on in the summer with respect to Scheifele and Boston’s GM Don Sweeney trying to see what that price tag is.
I don’t know necessarily if they’re really poised to start the season with (Charlie) Coyle and (Pavel) Zacha at the one-two slot up the middle. Can they afford, look at different options. Is it going to be a guy like Scheifele? Do they look at Calgary and see what happens with Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund? Are on of those pieces potential fits for the Boston Bruins if they can’t agree to an extension with the Calgary Flames?
They’re going to be looking at options and seeing what’s out there.
The other name I’ll throw out as a potential option, and we’re not like to know really his future until we get closer to training camp, that’s Jonathan Toews (recorded just before Toews made his Instagram post and the report of him taking this year off). He wants to make sure he’s healthy. He wants to make sure he’s ready to go. He’s like to play a little bit more. But the Boston Bruins are a team that has been on Toews’ radar going back to last season. Prior to when he made it known that he wasn’t going to be able to play for another team. He wanted to focus on his health rather. The Boston Bruins were a team that were interested in Jonathan Toews. I believe there’s mutual interest. But again, priority is number one for him, is his health, and then go from there.
So Boston is certainly going to look at their options. Toews could be one of them, but also whether it’s Scheifele, Backlund or another potential center, Don Sweeney has his work cut out for him over these next few weeks leading into camp. But he’s going to be looking.”