The dots were easy enough to connect. The Bruins, by president Cam Neely's own admission, are looking for a left-shot defenseman to play in their top four. Ryan Suter is a veteran left-shot defenseman still capable of handling that kind of role who is now a free agent after being bought out by the Wild last week.
But just because something seems to make sense in theory, that doesn't mean it's going to happen in reality. The Bruins might have a different evaluation of Suter and decide he's not the answer. They might want to prioritize someone else instead.
In this case, however, it seems that theory and reality may be converging. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, there is "lots of expectation Boston going hard for Ryan Suter." He adds that, "One source called him 'the Corey Perry of 2021-22,'" referring to Perry being a veteran addition who in the last two years has helped both the Stars and Canadiens reach the Stanley Cup Final.
This is really the first concrete report linking the Bruins to Suter, and it's from one of the best insiders in the business, so it's safe to say there's something to it.
While the 36-year-old Suter is no longer the player he was in his prime, when he was finishing in the top 10 in Norris Trophy voting every year, he is still an effective defenseman who played 22 minutes per game last season and 24 the year before. He had 48 points in 69 games in 2019-20, but dropped down to 19 (3 goals, 16 assists) in 56 games this past season.
Suter also has good size (6-foot-1, 208 pounds) and, perhaps most importantly for a Bruins team that suffered one injury after another on the blue line last season, has been remarkably durable throughout his 16-year career. He has really only suffered one major injury (two broken bones in his ankle in 2018) and has missed a grand total of 12 games in the last 10 years.
It remains to be seen what kind of contract Suter will be looking for, but it presumably won't be anything more than a couple years. Money-wise, Suter may not be prioritizing top dollar if his goal is to play for a Stanley Cup contender. It's also worth noting that he'll still be getting paid by the Wild as well.
Free agency officially begins on July 28.
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