The morning after firing coach Bruce Cassidy, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney acknowledged the possibility the team could be heading for a rebuild.
The Bruins of 2022-23 will start the season without Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, and Matt Grzelcyk (all injured) and could be reeling from the loss of Patrice Bergeron to retirement. They will be incorporating young players in their lineup. They do not expect to go all-out this summer to add in free agency. They don’t have much cap space.
What would prevent what Sweeney termed a “directional shift” would be youth stepping up, players returning well from injuries, and Bergeron sticking around.