And now the band is really back together.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has made an honest effort to keep the team that went to Game 7 of last season's Stanley Cup Final whole, but unsigned restricted free agents were hindering his attempt to bring almost the entire team back for 2019-20.
Now his goal has been accomplished.
Two days after re-signing Charlie McAvoy, Sweeney got his last unsigned RFA, defenseman Brandon Carlo, to agree to a two-year contract worth $2.85 million. Carlo will be a RFA with arbitration rights at the expiration of this deal.
We have more good news...@1996_Carlo has been signed to a 2-year contract with an annual cap hit of $2.85 million: https://t.co/dWqMVsyE9z pic.twitter.com/HPWvIg6tTv
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 17, 2019The Bruins now have a little less than $2 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.com.
Sweeney managed to get McAvoy, Carlo and RFA Danton Heinen, who signed over the summer, under contract without any fancy cap maneuvering. He didn't have to use a draft pick as sweetener to get rid of David Backes, and now it doesn't look like Sweeney will have to exercise long-term injuries reserve on defenseman John Moore or Kevan Miller.
With McAvoy and Carlo's deals done, it looks like Sweeney's attention will turn to re-signed defenseman Torey Krug, who can be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Next summer's big RFAs are forward Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
