BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Rumors Percolating 

A late edition of BHN Puck Links today but plenty of news and Boston Bruins trade rumors percolating around the NHL today and this week to get to. Before we do that though, we would be remiss if we didn’t give a big shoutout to our new sister site Vegas Hockey Now, and their main man Tom Callahan! Welcome aboard Tom and Viva Las Vegas!

Where Will Marc-Andre Fleury End Up?

As Callahan reported today, the idea of three-time Stanley Cup Champion Marc-Andre Fleury playing for his third NHL team in four seasons has become very real. After reports surfaced during the Western Conference Final that the Vegas Golden Knights had a new contract for Robin Lehner in place, Tuesday was the day that Fleury had to submit a list of ten teams he won’t approve a trade to going forward.  

Will The Boston Bruins Go After Taylor Hall?

As the Boston Bruins try to decide whether to trade away one of the best players set to hit the unrestricted free agent market, would they actually consider trying to sign another. In a recent ESPN.com offseason profile of all 31 NHL teams, Greg Wyshynski wondered if after reassessing their roster, the Bruins would decide to give their veteran core one more whirl at another Stanley Cup and bring in scoring winger Taylor Hall to play with veteran center David Krejci? 

Hall, who was drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers, right before the Bruins took Tyler Seguin with the second pick at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, is set to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career on October 9. Hall, who scored 16 goals and had 36 assists in 65 games for the Arizona Coyotes this season, has made it clear he intends to test the market and wants to play for a winner. The Bruins have made the playoffs four straight seasons but do they still believe in that aforementioned core enough to invest big money and term in Hall?

Friedman Thinks Boston Bruins Will Be “Really Interesting”

Whether Hall is part of the Bruins’ offseason equation or not, one NHL insider thinks they will be a team to watch as they decide whether to go for it again or build towards the future again for the second time in GM Don Sweeney’s now five-year tenure. 

“I think Boston’s going to be really interesting,” Friedman said on Sportsnet 960’s ‘The Big Show’. “I think they’ve decided they need more scoring and I think they’re going to have some big decisions to make about what that’s going to mean for them. I think they’re definitely one of the teams to watch.”

Boston Bruins Parent Company Delaware North Makes Layoffs 

After furloughing employees when the pandemic hit back in March, Delaware North, the parent company of the Boston Bruins and owner Jeremy Jacobs main moneymaker Delaware North, the Buffalo concessions and hospitality giant, are laying off 14% of its Buffalo-based full-time jobs, and 4% of its nation-wide full-time workforce, that spans across the concessions, hospitality and gaming businesses. The Buffalo News reported that Delaware North is permanently cutting 139 jobs in the Buffalo area, among 517 jobs nationally. 

‘Army’ New Coyotes GM

Per TSN Insider and NHL columnist for The Athletic Pierre LeBrun, former Providence Bruins forward and assistant and head coach Billy Armstrong (known in NHL circles as ‘Army’) has agreed to a five-year contract to become the new General Manager of the Arizona Coyotes. Armstrong has been the Assistant GM of the St. Louis Blues for the last two seasons and helped lead them to a Stanley Cup win over the Boston Bruins in 2019. He is now the second member of the 1999 Calder Cup-winning Providence Bruins coaching staff to get a new NHL job this week after former P-Bruins head coach Peter Laviolette was named the new bench boss of the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

Is Anton Khudobin Tim Thomas Part Deux?

The amazing run that Dallas Stars and former Boston Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin is on in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, has people around the NHL comparing Khudobin’s and the Stars’ run to the run Khudobin’s former Bruins teammate Tim Thomas took the Bruins on in 2011. Can Khudobin earn the Conn Smythe and win the Stanley Cup as Thomas did though?