Sweeney Provides Updates on Chara, Nordstrom, and RFA’s

The Boston Bruins may be without captain Zdeno Chara, defenseman Torey Krug, and forward Joakim Nordstrom by the time the 2020-21 training camp rolls around. However, that does not necessarily mean that the Bruins front office does not want to see them back for the start of next season.

So far this offseason, the Bruins have been surprisngly lukewarm about signing their 43-year-old captain. On Monday though, in a Zoom call with the media, Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney seemed a bit more upbeat explaining that there is at least ongoing conversations with Chara and his agent Matt Keater.

“I’ve met with Zdeno,” said Sweeney. “Had conversations, have continued to have conversations so that we have to be on the same as we move forward. We’ve conveyed where we are with that and we’re going to continue to have communication with heim and Matt Keator.”

For the first time since the Bruins signed him in July 2006, Chara is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The captain has been with the Bruins for 14 years.

Joakim Nordstrom and RFA’s

Bruins forward Joakim Nordstrom registered 55 hits and 18 blocked shots this past postseason. Nordstrom’s heavy presence helped the Bruins back end of the lineup, but it remains uncertain if the 27-year-old will be back in a black and gold uniform for next season.

“We’ve had a talk with Joakim Nordstrom that it may be challenging for us as well,” said Sweeney. “But, I made sure that I spoke with him, that I wasn’t going to be aggressive in trying to sign him for the short term. It didn’t mean we wouldn’t consider it, but I wanted to make sure he had an early heads up.”

One certain, however, is that restricted free agents Brett Ritchie and Brendan Gaunce were not issued qualifying offers.

So, where do the Bruins stand with Torey Krug?

There is not much to add to the information already known about where the Bruins are with signing veteran defenseman Torey Krug.

In fact, Sweeney said point-blank that there has not been much accomplished between the two parties.

“We haven’t had any progress as far as Torey,” Sweeney said.

Free agency begins Friday. And, with seven teams reportedly interested in the blue-liner, it might be safe to say Krug may have played his last game as a Boston Bruin. But for now, Sweeney is not ready to rule anything out to bring Krug back.

Bruins trading Rask? Sweeney says no

There have been plenty of rumors about the Bruins potentially trading their No. 1 goaltender, Tuukka Rask.

Instead, Sweeney said that him and his staff have been in touch with Rask, and that Rask is a big part of the roster going forward.

The general manager then went on to say that the Jennings Trophy-winning tandem of Rask and Jaro Halak is important to the team.

“We’re very, very comfortable with where our goaltending’s at,” Sweeney said. “I think you’re going to need it. I don’t know what the schedule and what the season — I think there’s a lot of things that are up in the air. It could be a challenging environment from a season standpoint and might make the goaltending even more a big part of what you’ve got to have going forward.”

So for now, it appears that Rask will remain a Bruin.