Bruins shift their attention to Tavares, other free agency options after missing out on Kovalchuk

After missing out on the Ilya Kovalchuk chase over the weekend, the Bruins reportedly are one of the teams on the short list of those in consideration for star center John Tavares, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.

Don Sweeney said Saturday after the draft concluded that the Bruins had internal discussions about Tavares, but did not reveal anything more. He did not want to tamper by discussing the Islanders player, so he left it at that. According to Pierre LeBrun at TSN, Tavares will meet with agent Pat Brisson at the CAA offices in Los Angeles. Representatives from the Bruins, Lightning, Sharks, Stars, and Maple Leafs are all expected to meet with Tavares, according to LeBrun.

Kovalchuk agreed to a generous three-year deal, one identical to the one Patrick Marleau signed last season. Of course, no one will think three years is unreasonable if Kovalchuk extends his career in the NHL the way Jaromir Jagr has. Kovalchuk is a gifted scorer, one who could hit the 30-goal mark next season.

If he does that for the Kings, that’s a win for Los Angeles. The Bruins were wise though not to extend such an offer. Now the focus is on Tavares, who had a career-high 84 points last season.

So where do the Bruins go from here?

If the Bruins are serious about acquiring Tavares, it will take some maneuvering to land him. He is expected to command between $10-12 million per year. The Bruins have just under $12 million to spend this season, and are still without a backup goalie or a second-line right wing.

The most plausible option would be to trade David Krejci, who’s on the books for $7.25 million per season the next three years. He has a no-movement clause in 2018-19 so he’d have to sign off on any potential deal.

Taking away Krejci's salary would open up a host of scenarios, including one where Tavares and Rick Nash — if he returns on a possibles team-friendly deal to chance a Cup — could team with Jake DeBrusk on the second line. That would expose a third line of largely unproven young players. Even if the Bruins remain committed to David Backes, that likely wouldn’t be enough to stabilize a line with any mix of Danton Heinen, Anders Bjork, and Ryan Donato.

Of course, this is dealing in the hypothetical scenario the Bruins land Tavares, which in itself seems unlikely. Tavares very well may remain with the Islanders, who have solidified their position with the addition of Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz.

The Sharks cleared cap space to pursue both Kovalchuk and Tavares, and will be a big contender. They have roughly $18 million available. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, have $24 million available. It’d be a nightmare to see Tavares on a Maple Leafs team that pushed the Bruins to seven games in the first round despite trailing, 3-1.

Yet the fact that both Kovalchuk and Tavares have considered the Bruins is a great testament to how the league views this team and their ability to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Tavares is the top prize of the market. Here's a look at some other free agents if the Bruins miss out on Tavares:

Tyler Bozak, center
2017-18 salary: $4.2 million
The skinny: The 32-year-old Maple Leafs veteran pivot is reportedly receiving a bit of interest as free agency looms. He had 43 points in 81 games last season. It wasn't his highest total – he had 55 the season prior – but his 52.36 Corsi For percentage was highest among all Maple Leafs centers. If the Bruins, in fact, turn their attention to shedding Krejci's salary, then Bozak could be an option. He also played the third line for the Maple Leafs, which presents the opportunity to keep Krejci. If Bozak is looking for more playing time, though, that'd factor into the equation.

David Perron, left/right wing
2017-18 salary: $3.75 million
The skinny: Perron had 66 points last season for the Golden Knights. Like most Vegas players, the 30-year-old thrived in his new surrounding. He produced 20 more points than he did the year before for the Blues, which could constitute a pay bump in the open market. Perron is a right-shot forward who could be plugged into the second line. He's 6 feet, 200 pounds. Not quite the big-bodied winger Nash is, but big enough to be a good fit on Krejci's right side.

Paul Stastny, center
2017-18 salary: $7 million
The skinny: Stastny brings the budget back into the higher numbers, but he's earned it as a steady producer for the Blues the last four seasons, scoring at least 40 points each year. The Jets acquired Stastny at the trade deadline for their 2018 first-round pick, a conditional fourth-round pick in 2020 and prospect Erik Foley. Like the Bruins, the Jets gambled their first-round pick in order to bolster their playoff run. Now they'll have to compete with others to retain Stastny.