The Boston Bruins go “full steam ahead”

As the NHL offseason is underway, there have been many questions regarding the Boston Bruins roster for the 2020-2021 season. Will the team offer star defenseman Torey Krug, who spent his first 9 years of his pro career with the Bruins, a contract he can’t refuse? Will Tuukka Rask make a return to the roster after leaving the playoff bubble during this year’s run?  Did Zdeno Chara play his last NHL season? Well, we finally have some answers.

The Boston Bruins seemed to be in contract talks with defenseman Torey Krug all season long. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. Krug later stated that the bruins offered him only one contract, not up to what Krug was worth. Krug played all season, posting 9 goals and 40 assists for 49 points during 61 regular-season games. As soon as the season ended, Bruins fans got some upsetting news. Torey Krug signed a seven-year, 45.5-million-dollar contract with the St. Louis Blues, the team that beat the Bruins in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. It’s definitely a blow to the Bruins defensive core, but they have the talent in their farm system to step into the vacant role.

During this year’s playoff run, Bruins starting goaltender, Tuukka Rask, left the playoff bubble to return home to his family. It was quite a shock to B’s fans across all media platforms. It sent some into outrage, but most into questioning “what this means.” It was later announced that Rask had to return home due to a family emergency. Rask’s presence was definitely missed during the rest of the playoffs, as the team’s goaltending struggled mightily. As of now, Head Coach Bruce Cassidy confirms the Bruins are “full steam ahead” on their Vezina-Winning goalie.

Captain Zdeno Chara had just finished his 21st NHL season. At 43 years old, he is currently the oldest player among all active skaters. There is no doubting Zdeno Chara’s toughness, as shown during the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. Chara played through a broken jaw, having his mouth wired shut. For most, that would put someone out of commission for a long time, but not in Chara’s case. The 43-year-old is currently a free agent, weighing out all of his options. Bruins’ fans are hoping that the 14-year captain stays in the black and gold, but only time will tell.

With the season aimed for a January 1st restart, the Bruins look to hit the ground running and pick up where they had left off as the number one team in the NHL. With a shorter offseason, who knows what is left in store for the NHL, especially the Boston Bruins.