For me....
1 of Primary forward - Stamkos, Marchessault, Guentzel, or Reinhart
1 of Secondary forwards - Lindholm, Monahan, Stephenson, Debrusk, Teravainen, Toffoli, or
That's between 18-22 million locked up in 3 players for 5+ years with NMC and NTC clauses thrown in. And that's before you deal with Swayman
Plus it assumes that 3 of the top 12 or so FA available this summer all decide they want to spend the next half decade of their life here . Especially where JDB is the only person with any ties to the org. Plus Lindholm a bit with friendship with Pasta
I think your expectations are completely out of line with what reality is going to be.
most guys on you list will have 10 or more offers, many from teams who have more cap space than the Bruins
Maybe. You don’t know until you ask.
First thought is that playing with Pasta should be enough to entice one of the centers to come here.
Once that domino falls, maybe the second guy sees Boston as a more attractive landing spot.
Third possibility is that someone as good as those I listed comes here as part of a package for Ullmark.
Necas and Mercer have been rumored.
Laslty, while I think JDB ultimately walks….theres always the chance that he decides to stay where he “grew up” so to speak.
I wouldn’t bet the mortgage in it, but this is still an attractive place to play hockey and Pasta and Marchand already promised to work hard to recruit, so you never know.