Newsy items from Bruins end of season press conference

The Bruins will officially turn the page on the 2022-23 season Tuesday when Jim Montgomery, Don Sweeney, Cam Neely and Charlie Jacobs hold their end-of-season press conference.

WHO: Jim Montgomery, Don Sweeney, Cam Neely, Charlie Jacobs
WHEN: 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: TD Garden

NEED TO KNOW

Montgomery as well as the Bruins' upper management and ownership will speak and take questions on Boston's 2022-23 season after the B's fell at the hands of the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the first round just eight days ago.

Stay tuned for updates and everything you need to know from the press conference...

On Linus Ullmark and other players' health...

• Sweeney said that Ullmark dealt with an injury down the stretch in the regular season, but that the netminder was "fully available" for the playoffs. Pushed back on the report from last week that Ullmark played through a "debilitating" injury in the playoffs. 
• Montgomery said it was a decision between Ullmark's confidence and abilities, not his health. 
• Montgomery took ownership of his decision to stick with Ullmark, saying it was his call in the end, not Bob Essensa, even if he leans on him a lot in the decision-making process. 
• There are no impending surgeries currently for any players, per Sweeney.

On Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci...

• On Patrice Bergeron entering the lineup in Game 5 and playing through a herniated disc, Montgomery said he called Bergeron from Florida after they won Game 3. He asked if it would be "prudent" to sit him more for additional rest if they were to win Game 4. Bergeron said, "Monty, I'm playing Game 5." Montgomery said that was all he needed to know, "You don't keep Hall of Fame players out of the lineup."
• Sweeney noted the report of a "debilitating" injury for Ullmark was probably more applicable to Bergeron.
• Sweeney added there is no set timeframe for when they expect Bergeron and Krejci to have decisions on their futures.
• Like last summer, Sweeney is mapping out simultaneous rosters for whether or not Bergeron and/or Krejci are back.

On the disappointment...

• Neely said this season's shortcomings are a "close second" to losing Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at home. Said it's been an "empty feeling." He added, "I can't sit here and B.S. everybody. This stung."
• Neely also said, "I had a couple of players in exit meetings actually apologize to me that we had built a wagon of a team and they weren’t able to deliver."
• Montgomery said he's felt "frustrated, angry," and that he needs to take accountability.
• "You look at the season, the accomplishments, and you lose sight of it because of the failure. That's ultimately going to be what you're judged on," Sweeney said.
• He added, "It had a lot of feeling to '19, and you're talking about a Game 7, on the precipice of winning, and now you're losing in the first round, and it had the same feeling of failure. And players acknowledged it."
• Jacobs said, "

On lessons learned...

• Montgomery said among his sticking points was not making the switch to Swayman earlier in the series, in hindsight. Said when in particular it should have happened is up for debate.
• Also said he shouldn't have switched his lineup in Game 5, and they could have done a better job of switching defensive pairs to better account for matchups. He doesn't believe the team had the same confidence in the playoffs as they did during the regular season. Said he couldn't get players to elevate their games, which falls on him.
• "It's my job to get players to own the moment, seize the moment, and that didn't happen," Montgomery said.
• Of things to change to help have regular season success translate to the playoffs, Montgomery mentioned perhaps having "peer meetings, where we would set players up in groups and they could communicate to one another because hard truths are hard truths. Your peers know where you need a little more improvement in your game and your off-ice habits. That kind of inner conflict would, I believe, help our players prepare a little better for the hard times ahead. ... That inner conflict helps you mentally prepare, and that's one thing I would change."
• Montgomery again said the playoffs are "a different animal." He talked to Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper yesterday: "He said, 'The first round is the wild wild West. You just got to get through.' And we didn't. Those are hard times that fall on us right now."

On potential staff changes...

• Jacobs does not foresee any changes in management: "I feel management pressed all the right buttons for this year. I'm far from asking for a management change."
• Sweeney said he and Montgomery will continue to review the coaching staff and if there will be any changes there.

On the roster changes and challenging offseason ahead...

• Sweeney recognized the salary cap issues currently facing the team, but said the organization has not formally closed the door on any of their upcoming unrestricted free agents.
• On Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway: "I couldn't just sign those players today. We have cap constraints. That might mean I might be able to sign one of those three players."
• The team will address re-signing restricted free agents Swayman and Trent Frederic.
• Neely said the rosters that they iced in Games 3 and 4 against Florida, with Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle helped provide a glimpse into the possible future. He feels the Bruins are still in good shape with the pieces that are definitely returning: The goal is to always remain competitive. The pieces coming back are good ones. ... I still think we can be a competitive team but there's a lot of work to do this summer."
• Sweeney acknowledged that "roster changes are likely coming. We won't be the same team next year." He mentioned giving younger players opportunities could be how they have to fill out the bottom of their roster. 

BSJ Analysis 

Something still doesn't add up about