Aside from four games with the Colorado Avalanche, Johnny Boychuk has only known life in the NHL as a member of the Boston Bruins, and he hopes it stays that way for the foreseeable future. However, it might not be that simple.
The Bruins are up against the NHL salary cap, and they still have to re-sign restricted free agents Reilly Smith and Torey Krug. There have been rumors that a team like the B’s — deep with defensemen — may look to move one of those D-men to free up cap space. Boychuk is one of the first names that comes to mind.
With those sorts of trade rumors and speculation swirling, the veteran blueliner insists he’s just trying to focus on the upcoming season.
“It’s tough to hear, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what anybody says,” Boychuk told reporters Wednesday, according to the MetroWest Daily News. “If it happens, you have to work on that part. But until it does, you have to keep playing the way you can. You always want to stay here, but if something happens, then it does and you want to stay with the guys you grew up playing with.”
If Boychuk had it his way, he’d remain with the Bruins and continue to serve as an integral part of the team’s core.
“This is like home,” Boychuk said. “You’ve grown up playing for Boston, not growing up, but the last lot of years of my life. It’s home for me. Well, second home, I guess.”
Boychuk also showed that his sense of humor is already in midseason form, too.
[tweet https://twitter.com/AmalieBenjamin/status/509734105580576770 align=’center’]
Boychuk has been a rock for the Bruins over the last few seasons. The 30-year-old has played in at least 75 games over the last two full seasons and played 44 of 48 games during the lockout-shortened season. He’s signed through this upcoming season with a $3.37 million salary cap hit.
Photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
