The Boston Bruins have their roster largely set ahead of the start of training camp next month, but the team may have some wiggle room to add a few players to workouts.
There have been reports that the Bruins may be interested in several unrestricted free agents, and as the calendar approaches September, it’s typically time for professional tryout contracts rather than guaranteed contracts.
A PTO is a non-guaranteed contract, typically offered to players left behind during free agency, that gives them an invitation to training camp and the right to try and earn a spot on the team.
Danton Heinen is the most recent example of a player who made the Bruins roster on a PTO before last season.
A recent report from our colleagues at The Fourth Period indicates that Kailer Yamamoto is under consideration.
The 25-year-old Yamamoto appeared in 59 games with the Seattle Kraken last year, scoring eight goals for 16 points. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2017 and has 134 points in 303 career games.
The diminutive Yamamoto, standing at 5-foot-8 and weighing 153 pounds, would bring agility to a Bruins lineup that lacks agility.
Ideally, the Bruins would open up a spot for 2021 first-round draft pick Fabian Reisel, who is looking to make a long-awaited move to the NHL.
But there are still a few UFAs to work with in case none of those options pan out.
Other people who may be suitable:
James van Riemsdyk:
If the Bruins want familiarity, why not bring back James van Riemsdyk?
Van Riemsdyk still has time left on his contract after adapting well with the Bruins last season, scoring 11 goals and 38 points in 71 games.
The forward expressed interest in returning to Boston at the end of last season and has the ability to fill multiple roles by playing both high and low in the lineup.
Nick Cousins:
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has said this summer he wants Boston to find a way to counter the Florida Panthers’ forecheck, and the addition of Nick Cousins would make that happen literally.
Cousins helped the Panthers beat the Bruins in the playoffs last season en route to winning the Stanley Cup, and now that he’s a free agent, he’ll bring a much-missed element to the Bruins’ lineup with his aggressive, gritty style of play.
Cousins played in 69 games with Florida in 2023, recording seven goals and 15 points.
Cal Clutterbuck:
Cal Clutterbuck offers roughly the same ability as Cousins, but with more experience.
The gritty veteran surpassed the 1,000-game mark last season with the New York Islanders and has been a staple in the team’s locker room for the last decade. Plus, he not only has a razor-sharp hockey IQ, but he’s also the NHL’s all-time leader in hits.
He played in 82 games last year for the first time in his career, scoring seven goals for 19 points.
Tyler Johnson:
Tyler Johnson lacks the imposing physical size of Yamamoto, but he has found a way to play a consistent role wherever he has played over his 12-year career.
Johnson, 34, won Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 and played the past three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Johnson scored 17 goals and had 31 points in 67 games last year.