According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Boston Bruins could be on the verge of salary cap issues as forward Taylor Hall is nearing an on-ice return. Dreger notes in the most recent edition of TSN Insider Trading : “Sources say that he feels that he is ready. The problem is the Bruins don’t have the cap space to activate Taylor Hall.”
On March 2, 2023, the Bruins placed Hall on LTIR and created $6 million in LTIR cap space, which they then went and spent on Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Bertuzzi — the latter of which was meant to be Hall’s replacement in the lineup. Dreger stated that Hall has informed the team he’s ready to go, but there are three weeks still left in the regular season. The question in Boston is how they’ll make room or if they’ll stretch things out much like Tampa Bay did with Nikita Kucherov. At the time, the Kucherov decision was met with scrutiny because he was skating with the team and magically was ready to play the first game of the postseason. If the Bruins try something similar, Dreger suggests there will be teams up in arms.
He also notes that the NHL is watching this situation closely.
There’s not only a potential issue with Hall, but Bruins forward Nick Foligno returned to practice in a no-contact sweater on Tuesday and “is making progress” toward a return to game availability for the Bruins. If he too is ready to go it could be really hard to justify both men being unhealthy enough to skate for the regular season but somehow ready exactly on the opening night of the postseason.
If Derek Forbort comes out and doesn’t return for the regular season, that might help a bit. That said, the Bruins are in an interesting predicament, especially if Hall wants to play and is cleared to do so.
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