If the Boston Bruins want to re-sign Tyler Bertuzzi, they'll need to find some cap space, which has led to media speculation about who could go.
Acquired from the Detroit Red Wings at the March trade deadline, Tyler Bertuzzi was a good fit with the Boston Bruins. He tallied 16 points in 21 regular-season games and tied with Brad Marchand with a team-leading 10 points during the Bruins' brief appearance in the 2023 post-season.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last week that the Bruins were exploring their options to re-sign Bertuzzi. The 28-year-old winger will become a UFA on July 1 after completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $4.75 million.
That won't be easy for the Bruins. CapFriendly indicates they've got $4.937 million in projected cap space for 2023-24 with 15 active roster players under contract.
Boston Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy cited a recent report by 98.5 The Sports Hub producer James Stewart claiming a source told him Bertuzzi would seek $7 million per season. An NHL executive scoffed at the notion of the winger getting that much, telling Murphy that he'd heard the clubs interested in Bertuzzi were “capped out.”
Stewart said one option to clear cap space for Bertuzzi was trading defenseman Hampus Lindholm, who just completed the first season of an eight-year, $52-million contract. He claimed the Bruins had “buyer's remorse” with Lindholm, adding that “he's available in a trade.”
Murphy, however, expressed skepticism about that report. He cited Lindholm's strong performance for the Bruins this season, along with his full no-trade and no-movement clauses in his contract.
Taylor Hall seems a more likely cost-cutting candidate. Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli has the 31-year-old winger at No. 11 on his list of this summer's trade targets. Hall's signed through 2024-25 with an annual cap hit of $6 million and a 10-team no-trade clause.