Boston Bruins Rumors: Updated Trade Buzz on Tuukka Rask and More

The Boston Bruins were one of the best teams in the league throughout the majority of Peter Chiarelli's tenure as general manager.

Chiarelli's tenure ended shortly after the Bruins failed to make the playoffs in the 2014-15 season, and Don Sweeney replaced him. Sweeney is a former Bruins defenseman who had worked his way up the ladder.

While Sweeney has been on the job for only a short time, he made an impression by trading veteran left wing Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings and highly regarded young defenseman Dougie Hamilton to the Calgary Flames.

That impression has not been a positive one, as the Bruins seem like a weaker team now than they were at the end of the disappointing season.

Sweeney will have a chance to help change the early impression he created when the free-agent signing period opens Wednesday at noon.

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Sweeney may have more trades to consider as well, and there has been speculation that goalie Tuukka Rask is one of the players who could be traded, per John Shannon of Sportsnet: 

"

Lots of goalie talk on the floor...one name getting mentioned ? Tuukka Rask.

— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) June 26, 2015"

However, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger says Sweeney does not plan to trade Rask. He emphatically denied he was considering that scenario.

Getting rid of a solid physical presence such as Lucic and a young defenseman such as Hamilton leaves the impression that the Bruins might be rebuilding.

Rask is a former Vezina Trophy winner and one of the best goalies in the league. If a team is rebuilding, why not trade one of its best assets?

However, Sweeney denies that's what he's doing.

The Bruins have more moves to make with their roster. Defenseman Matt Bartkowski is an unrestricted free agent, and the Bruins may not be interested in bringing him back, according to Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald.

Head coach Claude Julien sat Bartkowski down as a healthy scratch 32 times last year even though Bartkowski is a good skater.

Bartkowski has not scored a goal for the Bruins since scoring the opening goal of the memorable Game 7 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoff series. The Bruins are apparently tired of waiting for him to find the range.

David Warsofsky, who has been up with the Bruins on several occasions but has spent most of his time in Providence, is more of an offensive threat than Bartkowski. He may have a chance to continue his career with the Bruins or another NHL team.