Even though the Boston Bruins made a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, general manager Don Sweeney doesn't plan on simply running back the same roster for the 2019-20 campaign.
"We have some RFA stuff that we have to take care, and then I go from there," Sweeney said Monday. "I think we have areas that we would like to continue to address, whether that's internally or externally, not just through free agency but through trades. We're going to be active in trying to address those."
Whether those trades include trading an aging David Backes, selling high on star defenseman Torey Krug or aggressively pursuing a hard-nosed right wing to bolster either the first or second line, the Bruins have options.
However, retooling the roster could be complicated because many of Boston's under-contract players have either no-movement or some degree of no-trade clauses. (The difference between the two is that a player with a no-movement clause can't be waived or sent down to the minors without a player's consent). Modified no-trade clauses typically entail a limited list of teams a player would accept a trade to.
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Among the restricted free agents Sweeney mentioned include key postseason contributors Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Karson Kuhlman and Matt Grzelcyk. Boston will also have to make decisions on unrestricted free agents Zdeno Chara, Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson.
Below is a full breakdown of the Bruins' roster, via Spotrac:
Under Contract:
David Krejci (Full no-trade clause)
Patrice Bergeron (Modified no-trade clause)
David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand (No-movement clause)
David Backes (Modified no-trade clause)
Sean Kuraly
John Moore
Tuukka Rask (modified no-trade clause)
Restricted Free Agents:
Charlie McAvoy
Connor Clifton
Brandon Carlo
Jake deBrusk
Karson Kuhlman
Jakob Forsbacka
Matt Grzelcyk
Peter Cehlarik
Ryan Fitzgerald
Unrestricted Free Agents:
Kevan Miller
Marcus Johansson
Charlie Coyle
Noel Acciari
Steve Kampfer
Zdeno Chara
Zane McIntyre
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