The Boston Bruins have major cap issues and need to sign some key players next season. With Jonathan Toews and Parick Kane signing new contracts, that might actually have an affect on the Bruins being able to sign UFA David Krejci next season as well.
Eric Wilber, Boston.com -- It's no revelation that the Bruins truly have put themselves in a cap situation that’s going to be difficult to wriggle out of. Their payroll for 2014-15 sits at about $67.6 million right now, just up against the $69 million cap, one of the many reasons why 30-goal scorer Jarome Iginla will play in Colorado the next three seasons. Next offseason, Gregory Campbell, Daniel Paille, Carl Soderberg, Adam McQuaid, and Johnny Boychuk are coming off the books, all joining Krejci in unrestricted free agency. Chiarelli will need to work out a way to keep Soderberg, face the reality that he might not be able to afford Boychuk, and wave farewell to the other pieces as well. As long as he wants to keep Krejci for the long term, that is.
As much as Bruins fans don’t want to acknowledge it, trading Krejci this summer would solve a lot of the Bruins’ headaches going forward, but in no way does that mean it's the logical avenue. If it were though, Chiarelli could more easily sign Soderberg and Boychuk to long-term deals, as well as give the likes of Reilly Smith, Torey Krug (restricted free agents), and Dougie Hamilton (RFA next summer) the paydays they’re due.
