Daley update: B’s in on UFA
With NHL free agents now allowed to speak with other clubs prior to the market’s opening bell at noon on Saturday, the Bruins have reached out to defenseman Trevor Daley and the sides have had a “positive” dialogue, according to his agent, Rick Curran.
The Bruins will have competition for an unrestricted free agent who has won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Curran estimated the 33-year-old Daley has spoken to eight teams in total.
“Of those teams there are three or four that Trevor believes he’s a good fit and the Bruins are one of those teams,” said Curran, who said Daley has not visited any cities.
Daley just finished up a six-year deal that he originally signed with the Dallas Stars that paid him $3.3 million annually. He was traded from Dallas to Chicago before the 2015-16 season but was with the Blackhawks for just 29 games, then dealt to the Penguins at about the same time coach Mike Sullivan took over in Pittsburgh.
Daley was a perfect fit for Sullivan’s high-tempo style of play. He can struggle in the defensive zone below the dots if he gets hemmed in, but he is a very good skater and can contribute offensively. His most productive season came in 2014-15, when he posted 16 goals and 22 assists for the Stars.
The Bruins have been looking for a left-shooting defenseman, and Daley would fit the bill. He could be paired with rugged stayat-home defenseman Kevan Miller or perhaps take on a mentoring role with Charlie McAvoy.
The question would be both money and term of a contract. Anything much higher than his current salary would appear to be an overpayment and one would think the B’s would want to keep the deal no longer than two years in length, as both McAvoy and Brandon Carlo will be looking for their second deals in the summer of 2019.
But as a bridge to a time when one or two of their many left-shooting defense prospects — Robbie O’Gara, Matt Grzelcyk, Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen — are more ready to contributed at the NHL level, Daley could work well for the B’s.