The Boston Bruins will now begin their offseason in disappointing fashion. The team was mere minutes from forcing a Game 7 with the chance to win the Stanley Cup, but instead the Chicago Blackhawks forced a win and became the champions of 2013. Now the Bruins must deal with the future of several of their key players. While the top priority will surround Tuukka Rask, Jaromir Jagr is first up.
The 41-year-old veteran seems to be set on returning to play another NHL season in 2013, but it does not appear it will be with the Boston Bruins. In closing interviews, Jagr told media that the Bruins probably do not want him back. He simply added, "Maybe if I scored 20 goals. But I was 20 short."
The Bruins acquired Jagr in a trade with the Dallas Stars right before the end of the trade deadline this season. They missed out Jarome Iginla, so Jagr was their next best option. It appears the veteran still has a little left in the tank, while he may not have scored a single goal, he took a fair amount of shots and helped generate a lot of opportunities for the Bruins. That all might get overlooked when teams consider his goal total.
Jagr is just one of the many factors playing into the Bruins' big offseason. Rask gets top priority as the 26-year-old becomes a restricted free agent this summer. He will likely be seeking a raise from his $3.5 million salary earned in 2013. Peter Chiarelli has previously stated that Rask's impressive offseason would play a large role in his contract negotiations. If that holds true, the goaltender will receive a nice pay increase.
The Bruins have just under $10 million in cap space for the 2013-14 season. That is not an abundance of money considering the number of moves the Bruins have to make. They will have to find a backup goalie and pay several players. Rask could easily demand what Pekka Rinne signed for in Nashville which was a $47 million deal over seven years. The two players have similar numbers. Rinne recorded a .920 save percentage while Rask has a .929 percentage. With several teams in the market for a goaltender, the Bruins will be smart to get a deal done quickly.
