The Boston Bruins were busy on the first day of the NHL’s annual free agent derby. GM Don Sweeney met with media to formally announce announce the signings of forwards Nick Foligno, Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek, defenseman Derek Forbort and goaltender Linus Ullmark.
The last name, announced later in the afternoon, sent shockwaves across social media, especially when the terms of the contract came out: four years, $20 million and a $5M AAV. The signing adds complexity to the Tuukka Rask situation in Boston, the latter just having had hip surgery and not available for at least another five or six months.
Also impacting the goaltender situation in Boston is the breaking news that Dan Vladar was traded to Calgary for a 2022 third-round pick. This opens the door for Jeremy Swayman and Ullmark to be the tandem for the time being.
The team entered today with between $16-17 million in cap space and after today’s adds, will need to do something else to free up additional space needed to sign David Krejci.
The most pressing business for the team is officially coming to terms on an extension with Krejci, which completes the team’s top-6 forward needs. As it stands, signs point to the team and Krejci getting done. The B’s did not sign anyone today who would be seen as sure replacements for their second-line center. Sweeney said that while there is no timeline for re-signing Krejci, the situation is “open-ended."
