Like everyone else, Mike Milbury didn’t see this great of a start coming for the Bruins, who have the best record in the NHL and are off to the best start in team history at 9-1-0.
“It’s been fun to watch, hasn’t it?,” Milbury said Thursday during his weekly appearance on The Greg Hill Show. “I never thought it was coming to this. It’s been an amazing ride for 10 games of the season.”
Asked if general manager Don Sweeney’s reputation deserves to be rehabilitated after many wanted him fired over the summer, Milbury pointed out that while Sweeney does deserve credit for a bold coaching change and building a roster that could win even with Charlie McAvoy and Brad Marchand out to start the year, he still has some work to do.
“He doesn’t have to go anywhere [to get his reputation back],” Milbury said. “He’s got some work ahead of him, by the way. He has to figure out how to squeeze in Charlie McAvoy in the salary cap. He has to make some moves at some point. I’m not sure how that all breaks down. But as far as I’m concerned, he doesn’t have to do anything to get his reputation back except point to the standings. This is what they thought would happen and what they were hoping would happen. They made a somewhat controversial choice for, A) letting Bruce [Cassidy] go, and then B) bringing in Jim Montgomery, but it seems to have been the right choice.”
The Bruins are currently using a little over $3.5 million in long-term injured reserve cap relief for McAvoy, meaning they’ll have to clear at least that much money off the books when it comes time to activate McAvoy, which is likely less than three weeks away at this point.
Of course, there is the possibility of someone else going on LTIR before then. Derek Forbort is already on regular injured reserve after taking a shot off his right hand/wrist/forearm area on Tuesday, meaning he’s out at least seven days. Jim Montgomery said Thursday that Forbort and Jeremy Swayman, who was injured when Patrice Bergeron crashed into his left leg, are both considered “week-to-week” as of now.
Forbort has a $3 million cap hit and Swayman is at $925,000. Both going on LTIR, or Forbort going on LTIR and someone (probably Jakub Lauko) getting sent to Providence, would delay any salary-clearing moves a little bit longer.
Still, at some point the Bruins are going to need to dump at least one salary in the $3 million range. Forbort is unlikely with how well he has started the season. Nick Foligno is still overpaid as a fourth-liner at $3.8 million, but has played every game, put up five points, and been a key leader and identity-setter.
Mike Reilly ($3 million) and Craig Smith ($3.1 million), who have both been in and out of the lineup this season, seem like the most likely candidates to be moved. The problem, as highlighted by Milbury, is that Sweeney could have a hard time finding any takers without having to throw in a draft pick or prospect as a sweetener.
“I haven’t seen anything from Mike Reilly that would make me want to keep him around, but I haven’t seen anything from Mike Reilly that would make me want to trade for him if I were a different GM,” Milbury said.
“And Craig Smith, I thought he was a pretty good player, but he’s lost his way, and I’m not sure why. I think he’s probably, in his own mind, just slipped down the depth chart and his role has been diminished to the point where he’s lost his confidence. Now he’s hurt, so we’ll see what happens. I don’t think there’s going to be a huge market for him. That’s why I think that whatever move he makes is going to be a difficult one, because some of the players that he might want to rid himself of, there’s an obvious reason not to take them if you’re an opposing GM.”
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