Rookie GM Don Sweeney knew that he had his work cut out for him, with five players set to be unrestricted free agents come July 1st. It looks like Sweeney has already made a decision on one of these players, the one eyed Swede himself, Carl Soderberg. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Bruins have let Soderberg know that it is “highly unlikely” he’ll be back in Boston in the fall. This decision stems from the status of defenseman Dougie Hamilton, a restricted free agent who will be very, very attractive to teams on the market. There’s not a team in the world who wouldn’t be interested in a 21 year old, 6 ft 5 inch top pair defenseman. With the Bruins already struggling with the cap and how to bring back Hamilton, Soderberg was a necessary loss, with Greg Campbell, Adam McQuaid, Dan Paille, and Matt Bartkowski still looming as FAs the team has to deal with. Soderberg’ stint in Boston was slightly disappointing if you ask me. At times, he showed flashes of what he could be: a power forward with the ability to drive to the net but also make spectacular plays for others. 94 points in just upwards of two years with the club is decent, but there were stretches of time when he would silent for weeks at a time, not acceptable for a player of his size and skill. When he was on, he was a huge presence in the lineup that will be missed, but he is collateral damage in the #1 goal of the offseason, returning Dougie, who has given no indication he won’t develop into a cornerstone of the franchise for the next decade and a half.
The Beantown Buzz 