Sweeney: 'Positive Conversations with Bergeron, Krejci'

BOSTON - The Bruins could have their top two center positions solidified in short order.
Boston general manager Don Sweeney said on Monday afternoon that he has had positive discussions with both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci about their potential returns to the Black & Gold, and that the two veteran pivots could be in position to announce their intentions in the near future.

"We've had discussions on Patrice and David. I think both have positive news," Sweeney said during a press conference introducing Jim Montgomery as the club's new head coach. "As far as Patrice, real positive indications. He's gone through his rehab and spent time with his family and indicated that he'll come out in short order to make his declaration, but things have tracked along the right lines there.
"Recently I've had numerous conversations with David Krejci about what his plans are. He spent a lot of time with his family as well and his decision could be forthcoming, and we are hopeful that it is with us.
"I think we would welcome him back; we said that to him last year, that the door is open. And we have to make the pieces of the puzzle fit the door financially in the cap world, but I'll do everything I possibly can to try and make that happen."
Montgomery said that despite the uncertainty surrounding Bergeron's future, his first phone call after becoming the Bruins' new bench boss was to the 18-year veteran of the Black & Gold.
"It was really good, it was enlightening," said Montgomery. "I felt like I was talking to a coach, not a player. Just how he thinks about the team first. He thinks about ways to get better. So, very impressed. And it was a very open and honest conversation about how he's excited about what the Bruins family can do and how I'm excited to be a part of it."

Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs, while recalling first meeting Bergeron on the NHL Draft floor in 2003 after selecting the centerman out of Quebec, called the 36-year-old "another coach on the ice."
"We're still waiting for Patrice's word, although news is positive, we're getting some positive feedback," said Jacobs. "Think about his legacy already…to think of his tenure, five-time Selke winner. Fingers crossed that he returns and leads our team again next year.
"Obviously, I'll defer to Jim on his feedback on his conversation, but he really is another coach on the ice and I think Jim would agree with me, that on that front, that having a player of that ability, with that hockey knowledge, can really raise up the rest of the bench."
In other free agency news, Sweeney confirmed that the club's three remaining restricted free agents - Jack Studnicka, Jack Ahcan, and Matt Filipe - all received qualifying offers ahead of Monday's deadline.
When it comes to unrestricted free agency, which opens at noon on Wednesday, Sweeney said he has been exploring changes to the roster, while acknowledging that the Bruins remain tight against the salary cap.
"There's no question that financially, from a cap perspective, we are tight and so are several other teams," said Sweeney. "The difference is that we have a full roster - minus the injured players that we'll start on the sidelines - so we've got the bulk of our roster in place. I'm certainly trying to look to make some changes to our roster; that may or may not happen, but I'm going to explore that - have been exploring it.
"We're going to address some of the areas of the depth that the organization needs, and so we'll be active over the next couple of days. But I wouldn't say that - unless barring a major trade of some sort - we are going to be as active as we were last year in filling a number of holes."

Here are some other notes from Monday's press conference at TD Garden:

On if a 'rebuild' would be acceptable in the coming years:
Jeremy Jacobs: "I think it's an annual situation. I think you have to see where you are and where you're going. I think that Don and Cam visualize this team very well and understand what they have and perhaps what they need."
Charlie Jacobs: "There's been a lot of theatre around this National Hockey League this past week, in particular at the Draft. We saw some teams, what I would call it - sellers - and I think that would be awfully difficult to sell in this market to our fanbase. I do foresee - I don't have a crystal ball - but there are going to be days - let's be candid - there are going to be days when we don't have the opportunity to talk about Patrice Bergeron coming back to be our Captain and our No. 1 center.
"And those are things that we need to address every summer, and whether it's through the Draft - Cam and Donny have mentioned this already but we're a cap team, meaning that we're going to spend to the max to deliver the best product we possibly can to our fans and that is not going to change.
"In that regard I would hope that people could put that in their back pocket and understand that we are committed to winning a Stanley Cup and we will do whatever it takes to get us to that threshold again."

On the decision to relieve Bruce Cassidy of his duties and not hockey operations personnel:
Charlie Jacobs: "I want to say the Boston Bruins have been to the Stanley Cup Finals three times in the past 11 years under Cam Neely's tenure. I want to say we have somewhere around a .600-plus win percentage under our general manager's tenure. The head coach frankly is the responsibility of the general manager, in our opinion. He has to be accountable for that. Likewise, the president is accountable to the general manager. So, if they come to us and say, 'Hey listen, we think this might be in the best interest,' we're of course going to follow their lead.
"They're empowered to make those decisions and it's not our job to interfere with them but rather to empower them to make those types of decisions and support them."
On the financial health of the business coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic:
Charlie Jacobs:"It's been quite a journey. I'm happy to be sitting on the dais today talking about hockey for the 2022-23 season. There were some dark days of COVID, I think for all of us; maybe that hangover is just clearing for some of us. We're proud to say that we're back in business and for anyone who's at the TD Garden last year and saw a Bruins game firsthand, it's evident that we still have a very rabid fanbase and people are turning out in mass numbers."
Jeremy Jacobs: "I'll tell you, being in Boston is a real pleasure. Being an owner here, everybody in the marketplace when you look around, we've gained success faster than most of our contemporaries throughout the industry, and I mean big places - New York, L.A., and the rest - they didn't respond, our fans did here. Boston fan bases has really made it easy for me in that sense. The facility, of course, attracted a lot, but this team - they really love this franchise, and it's great to see."