Bruins Breakdown: 2021 Free Agency

BostonBruins.com -While some of the Bruins' most important free agency decisions have already been resolved, a number of crucial questions remain with the new NHL year set to begin at noon on Wednesday.
Longtime Bruins Tuukka Rask and David Krejci are both set to hit the market, while key complementary pieces like Mike Reilly, Sean Kuraly, Nick Ritchie, and Jaroslav Halak will also become unrestricted.
Here's a closer look at all of the Bruins that will become free agents on July 28:

Unrestricted Free Agents

TUUKKA RASK
The 34-year-old goaltender has spent his entire 14-year NHL career with the Boston Bruins and is the club's all-time winningest goalie - both in the regular season (312) and postseason (57). Rask has made clear that he would like nothing more than to continue to build on those records moving forward.
"I'm not going to play for anyone else than the Bruins," Rask said during his end-of-season media availability on June 11. "This is our home. We have three kids. The kids enjoy it here. They have friends in school. We have friends. At this point of my life and my career, I don't see any reason to go anywhere else, especially with the health I'm looking at now and a recovery time of five or six months. Hopefully it works out that I recover well and we can talk about contracts when the time is right for that."
Rask is set to undergo surgery on a torn hip labrum in the coming days, which will require a rehab and recovery that is expected to last into January or February. How that will affect a potential deal with the Black & Gold is still to be determined.
"We'll just allow him to go through the rehab process and both mentally and physically see where he's at," Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said last week. "He won't be ready for the start of the season, and we know that. We'll know the timeline associated with it. Tuukka and I's communication has been good. Just allowing him to get healthy, first and foremost, and we'll see where he's at after that, both mentally and physically.
"Tuukka's certainly earned that right to make sure he makes the right decisions for his own health and well-being and where he wants to be from a playing standpoint. He was very honest with us in communicating that and we're honest in terms of what we'd be comfortable with going forward. We'll see how he progresses from phase to phase."

DAVID KREJCI
The two-time Stanley Cup Playoffs leading scorer is hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career. After spending all 15 years of his NHL career in Black & Gold, Krejci said during his end-of-season media availability he needed time to determine whether or not to return to the Bruins - though he found it difficult to picture himself suiting up in a different uniform.
"I've obviously thought about it a lot, not just the last couple of days but the whole season, pretty much," Krejci said on June 11. "I'm not going to give you an answer right now. I'm going to need a few weeks, think about lots of things. Talk to lots of people. I love Boston…this is my home. I just don't see myself playing anywhere else. But at the same time, we'll see what happens."
Krejci went on to acknowledge that he would like to play in his native Czechia at some point before he officially retires.
"You guys write a lot that I wanted to finish my career in Czech, which has not changed," said Krejci, who had 44 points in 51 games in 2020-21 and clicked instantly with Taylor Hall after the winger came aboard from Buffalo at the trade deadline. "But when I said that, I was younger. I'm a husband. I'm a dad, I have two kids. They're getting older. So yes, I still, at one point, would like to finish my career in Czech - for different reasons now than when I first said it. I would like my kids to speak my language because my parents don't speak any English. My kids don't speak Czech.
"I would like them to learn the language. But again, when that's going to happen, or if that's going to happen, we'll see. I'm going to try to get away from the game a little bit now and think about lots of things. Spend some time with my family and just go from there."
Sweeney said last week that while he has remained in contact with Krejci and his camp, there was not yet any indication about which way the pivot was leaning.
"I have been in touch with David, and I'm going to respect all of his privacy and decisions in this point in time," said Sweeney. "Has not given further indication, as you referenced before he's got some things he wants to address. Then he'll let us know. But yes, I have been in regular communication with David, and there's no timeline to make decisions.
"We certainly have to acknowledge that it would be a big hole if we had to fill it, but it'd be a real good opportunity for someone if we do go in that direction. We're going to have to find a way to spread things around if David makes a decision otherwise, but that hasn't been the indication. We're hopeful that he'll come back. We'll see."

TAYLOR HALL
The 29-year-old winger signed a four-year deal with an annual cap hit of $6 million on Friday evening. Read more.
MIKE REILLY
The 28-year-old blue liner fit in nicely after his acquisition from Ottawa at the trade deadline, playing mostly alongside Brandon Carlo on Boston's second defense pair. Reilly picked up eight assists in 15 regular-season contests with another four helpers in 11 playoff games.
"I think it's mutual right now, between us, to try and get something done," Reilly said on June 11. "I definitely want to stay here, for sure. There's been some talks, but since Day 1 it's been an easy transition for me to come in and just get used to everything, how they run the ship down here. It's been great so far, and hopefully stuff can work out."
Sweeney said last week that communication with Reilly and his representatives continues.
"We've had constant communication with Mike's group," said Sweeney. "Haven't found a finish line there, but we thought highly of Mike and what he added to our group. We'll continue to talk there and see what might transpire. He had some options too, and they want to explore that, but certainly we'll be in touch with that."

SEAN KURALY
The Ohio native has been a critical piece of Boston's fourth line during all four of his seasons with the Bruins. Kuraly has had a knack for scoring goals in the biggest moments, including his double-overtime winner against Ottawa in Game 5 of the first round in 2017, his third-period winner against Chicago in the 2019 Winter Classic at Notre Dame, and critical third-period tallies in Game 7 of the first round against Toronto and Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against St. Louis in 2019.
"It was kind of something that I talked to my agent about and said we'll leave it until after the year, so no, nothing from my end," Kuraly, who had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 47 games in 2020-21, said on June 11 when asked if there had been any contract talks with the Bruins.
"I love Boston. I love the city. I love the fans. I think the best part about this whole thing has been this group that we've had in this locker room. The teammates I've had here, it's all I've known. I've only played here. I don't know anywhere else. This is where I call my home in the NHL.
"There have been so many just good guys and great hockey players that I've been lucky enough to be teammates with here in that locker room. I think that's the most special thing is the group that's been put together in that locker room. I've learned so many lessons from guys that are still in the locker room now, hockey-wise, and just navigating your way through this league."

JAROSLAV HALAK
The veteran netminder was a stellar complement to Rask during his three seasons with the Bruins, helping to form, perhaps, the league's best goalie tandem during that time. Halak posted a 49-23-14 record with a .918 save percentage and 2.40 goals against average in 90 games. In 2019-20, Halak and Rask captured the Jennings Trophy, awarded to the club that allows the fewest goals during the regular season.
Earlier this month, Halak's agent, Allan Walsh, told The Boston Globe that the backstop planned to play elsewhere next season. Sweeney has not been asked specifically about Halak but did say he is likely to look for veteran goaltending help to supplement Jeremy Swayman and Daniel Vladar.
"We're certainly exploring all of our options, including with Tuukka surgery coming up and the unknown, a little bit, in terms of how that's going to become with the surgery," said Sweeney. "We are looking to address from the depth perspective and add to that group. We have some flexibility in that regard. We think very highly of both goaltenders in Jeremy and Daniel. We feel like we're in good shape, depth-wise, organizationally, but we're probably going to look to add to that group and have a little bit of veteran presence there that could offset both those guys."
KEVAN MILLER
The veteran defenseman announced his retirement on July 14 after spending all 10 of his professional seasons in the Bruins organization. With Miller no longer in the fold and Jeremy Lauzon lost to Seattle in the Expansion Draft, Sweeney acknowledged the Bruins' need to pursue a defenseman - or two - in free agency.
"We have to address another need - if not one, if not two, from a depth perspective, but also the handling of heavy minutes in all situations," said Sweeney. "We're going to try to be aggressive in that front and see if we can address the need…ideally, you'd want an all-situational minutes player…not unlike Charlie McAvoy, who impacts the game in sixty minutes…we have to go and add to our group, so we have to address that."
NICK RITCHIE
The 25-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent after Sweeney opted not to extend the winger a qualifying offer by Monday evening's deadline. Ritchie collected a career-high 15 goals in 56 games during the 2020-21 campaign.
ONDREJ KASE
The winger played just three games in 2020-21 due to concussion issues. Overall, he suited up for nine regular-season games and 11 postseason contests for the Bruins after being acquired from the Ducks in Feb. 2020. Like Ritchie, he was not extended a qualifying offer and will become unrestricted.
ANTON BLIDH
The Bruins signed the 26-year-old Sweden native to a one-year, $750,000 contract on June 17.
Other UFAs - Steven Kampfer, Greg McKegg, Robert Lantosi, and Paul Carey

Restricted Free Agents

BRANDON CARLO
The 24-year-old blue liner was inked to a six-year deal with a $4.1 million annual cap hit on July 14.
Read more
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TRENT FREDERIC
The Bruins signed the young forward to a two-year contract with an annual cap hit of $1.05 million on June 25.
Read more.

OTHER RFAs
Defenseman Nick Wolff and forwards Cameron Hughes and Joona Koppanen - all of whom spent the 2020-21 season with Providence - have all been signed to one-year contracts worth $750,000.
Goalie Callum Booth and winger Zach Senyshyn were extended qualifying offers on Monday.