Kalman: Landing Stamkos A Dream, But One Well Worth Pursuing For Bruins
By Matt Kalman, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- In as much as the Bruins have a plan for returning to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, their plan seems to be "anything can happen."
Seeing as how general manager Don Sweeney never publicly closes the door on any possibility this side of summoning the ghost of Eddie Shore to play alongside Zdeno Chara, the Bruins seem to be flying by the seat of their pants. One minute it's all about the kids and development; the next minute they're dipping their toe in the water for Steven Stamkos or a Milan Lucic return.
Just because Sweeney says something or won't shoot something down publicly doesn't mean it's true. No one can blame Sweeney or other front-office people for doing whatever they can to make it seem like the Bruins are aggressively involved in every aspect of team building – unrestricted free agents, offer sheets and trades – to keep interest in the team going strong and earn some brand loyalty from fans that have watched two straight April collapses.
Of all the crazy notions flying around the NHL with just days before the interview period gives was to the start of free agency, the signing of Stamkos is the most intriguing. Neither Sweeney's non-committal response to a question about Stamkos at the draft or a mention from former NHL general manager Brian Lawton on the radio putting the Bruins in the top three in the race for Stamkos make the Bruins' pursuit of the player genuine. But it's still worth examining the situation because it would be such a franchise-changing move.
This columnist initially argued against the idea because of the cost and the fact that it would throw Sweeney and the Bruins off their track. That's when it seemed like they were on a track. Now that it's clear their off the rails and sledding around trees and brush at 95 mph, it's worth making Stamkos the centerpiece of a new plan.
Everyone's so focused on the Bruins' defense corps. We all know it needs drastic improvements, not just for this season but in the years ahead when Chara and Dennis Seidenberg will be out of the picture. But with the Bruins so talent-challenged on the back end and the price for help exorbitant, it's doubtful Sweeney can make the necessary improvements without setting back the Bruins' future.
So if Sweeney's going to make a splash and pay a king's ransom (in money rather than assets), he might as well do it for the biggest unrestricted free agent prize in the NHL since the lost season of 2004-05. Signing Stamkos doesn't make the Bruins' defense better. But the Bruins have the cap space to fit him in and they would still be a much better team with Stamkos regardless of what's playing on their back end. They still wouldn't be a championship-caliber squad, but Stamkos would have to understand that. He'd be signing a seven-year deal and would have to know that the Bruins might not be ready to challenge for the Stanley Cup until year two, three or four. Of course, with Stamkos scoring, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron doing their thing and Tuukka Rask in goal, the Bruins would at least be in the playoffs instead of where they've been the past two seasons.
The Bruins need a face of the franchise for when Chara is gone. Bergeron will still be around but he'll soon enter a new phase of his career as he nears his mid-30s. Even though age may not lessen Bergeron's performance, he's going to need to lessen his role at some point. Instead of focusing on the heir apparent to Chara on the ice, the Bruins should focus on who will pick up the slack for Bergeron down the road.
If it looks like the Bruins don't have room for Stamkos in their forward corps, open your mind. They don't have to trade David Krejci right away. He or Stamkos could shift to the wing until the right deal comes along. Loui Eriksson's departure opens up a spot.
Addressing the defense problem was difficult for Sweeney before Stamkos, and it's going to be more difficult after devoting the resources (we're talking seven years and probably $70-75 million) to signing a forward. However, there are factors that work in Sweeney's favor – maybe not for this season but in the near future – that could help build a team around Stamkos once the sniper is in place.
Although Sweeney doesn't have the draft picks to make a serious offer sheet to a restricted defenseman, he'll have them in the future. The salary cap doesn't figure to go up by much, if at all, in the years ahead as the Canadian dollar suffers and the world economy shakes in the face of all kinds of political uncertainty across the globe. There are only so many outdoor games the NHL can hold to build up that revenue. All 30 teams have practiced the philosophy of locking up an expanded core of players on pricey, long-term deals. Sometimes these players sign deals at such a young age that they're still in their prime when the contract expires. At some point the market will dictate that teams won't be able to retain all of their best players the way most have. There are going to be cap casualties. There are going to be disgruntled players that want to move. There are going to be franchises trying to clear cap space. Trades and signings will be available.
Based on this plan, the Bruins would not be the most attractive place for Stamkos to land based on the list of reported suitors. He could stay in Tampa Bay, where the Lightning have challenged for the Cup for a couple of years and he could get an eighth year. Detroit has the cap space to win now and the Red Wings always draft well. Buffalo would give him a chance to play with Jack Eichel. Oh, and his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs suddenly have another generational talent, Auston Matthews, and a legitimate goaltender, Frederik Anderson, for the first time in decades. If he's not going to stay in Tampa, Toronto has to make his mouth water.
Nonetheless, the Bruins still carry a certain cachet. The Original Six mystique might be overblown, but there's still something special about playing in front of a rabid fan base in a traditional hockey city. He wouldn't be lacking for endorsements or other sources of extra income. He can play for Claude Julien, a coach he's bonded with in the past, and lead the team with Bergeron, Marchand and a group of upcoming prospects that some people believe are the real deal. As we near the post-Ortiz, post-Brady era of Boston sport, Steven Stamkos has the star power and resume to fill the void.
Again, the concept of Stamkos to the Bruins sounds more like a marketing ploy to convince people the Bruins are serious and aggressive. If their pursuit became a reality and ended up with a new No. 91 in black and gold, though, it would force the Bruins to commit to a plan. And that plan might just be one that would work better than the one they've been following the past couple years.
Matt Kalman covers the Bruins for CBSBoston.com and also contributes to NHL.com and several other media outlets. Follow him on Twitter @TheBruinsBlog.
