The Bruins are back on the ice today, and the focus shifts to Buffalo for the first game of their Prospects Showcase. Boston has 23 prospects in western New York for the two-game set - 16 from the organization and seven invites - and they’ll be out of there by dinnertime tomorrow.
The weather also knocked out one of the Bruins’ other weekend stops. Day two of Fan Fest in Worcester was cancelled because of the forecast.
Yesterday, it was Bruins day at Fenway, and Morgan Geekie and Tanner Jeannot made the most of it. Both players sent batting practice shots over the Green Monster.
Across the league, Chris Kreider is headed to Montreal. The Canadiens announced a one-year deal with a $2.15 million cap hit, and the contract can also pay Kreider up to $3 million in bonuses.
If those bonuses are reached, Montreal’s cap hit next season will be affected. Pierre LeBrun reported the Bruins were among the teams interested, and there’s plenty of familiarity behind the move: Kreider and Martin St.
Louis were teammates, while Jeff Gorton worked with the Rangers during Kreider’s 13 years there.
The Vegas Golden Knights also took care of business with their captain, signing Mark Stone to a two-year extension with a $9 million cap hit. Stone put up 73 points, scoring 28 goals and adding 45 assists, in 60 games last season, then added 12 more points, including seven goals and five assists, during Vegas’ run to the Stanley Cup Final.
In Winnipeg, Connor Hellebuyck’s situation is still hanging out there. Sportsnet reported that the goaltender wants out, and his statement made it clear he felt it was important to address the trade request before training camp arrives. Mark Scheifele and Hellebuyck faced the same decision in October 2023, but this time Hellebuyck is the one asking to move.
Sportsnet also noted that Hellebuyck remains a Jet, while Detroit still does not have a general manager. With training camp set to begin this upcoming week, Michael Amato laid out four of the biggest questions heading into camp.
Elsewhere, the Maple Leafs are bringing Nick Blankenburg to camp on a PTO. The 28-year-old defenseman was traded to Colorado ahead of the deadline and then left in free agency this summer. In 176 NHL games, Blankenburg has 58 points, with 18 goals and 40 assists.
And from Pittsburgh Hockey Now, Vince Comunale wrote about how sports can pull people together, especially in tough times, with hockey and other games offering a shared thread that connects people.
In Other News...
Bruins Just Got A Brutal Reminder As Camp Nears
Chris Kreiders move gave the Bruins a fresh bit of perspective as training camp gets closer. Boston had been viewed as a possible landing spot for the veteran winger, but once he hit waivers and became available, he chose to sign with Montreal instead, a reminder that even when a player is on the market, the Bruins are still fighting for position in a crowded race for help.
For a team that has just over $5 million in salary cap space, the Kreider decision also highlights how tight the margins can be this time of year. Boston can still explore options, but missing out on a player it was tracking underscores how quickly a useful fit can disappear once other clubs make their pitch and a rival gets the deal done. [Read more 🡒]
Nikita Zadorov Just Pushed Back On A Bruins Trade Rumor
Rumors started swirling around Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov after a potential deal involving Edmontons Darnell Nurse surfaced, but Zadorov quickly pushed back on the idea that he stood in the way of anything. The chatter centered on whether he had blocked a move by refusing to waive his no-trade protection, and the speculation had enough traction to demand a response.
Zadorov said the story simply was not true, and he made clear he is content with his contract and where he stands in Boston. The Bruins did not end up landing Nurse, and for now Zadorov remains part of the blue line picture heading into the season, with the trade noise left lingering as the kind of offseason rumor that can take on a life of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Captain Decision Puts Two Core Leaders In The Spotlight
The Bruins appear headed toward naming a captain before the season opens, a decision that has quietly become one of the more interesting storylines around camp. Marco Sturm has said he has been in ongoing communication with players, and the conversation naturally points to two familiar faces: Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak, both of whom wore alternate captain roles last season and have long been viewed as central voices in the room.
McAvoy and Pastrnak bring different styles of leadership, but each is respected throughout the locker room and seen as part of the teams core. McAvoy has already signaled support for Pastrnak as a possible choice, which only adds to the sense that this is less about dividing the room than defining who will officially carry the C on a team that has leaned on both players for years. [Read more 🡒]