Don Sweeney confirms Bruins in talks with free-agent defenseman Cody Franson
As the Boston Bruins look forward to hosting the Winter Classic, the team's 2015-16 roster may not yet be set.
While attending a press conference at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was asked whether he is indeed in talks with free-agent defenseman Cody Franson, and whether the two sides were close to a deal.
His response was affirmative, yet cautionary.
Sweeney on Franson: "I don't know if you can ever say 'close' because you don't know what other conversations they're having." #Bruins
— DJ Bean (@DJ_Bean) July 29, 2015
On July 21, Franson spoke on TSN Radio in Vancouver and said he was speaking to the Bruins, along with a handful of other teams.
At issue for the Bruins is their cap situation, with under $5 million in cap space and a desire to head into the new season with some measure of wiggle room.
As such, a trade or two may need to be made in order to accommodate Franson, or any other free agent for that matter.
At the very least, both sides have acknowledged some level of negotiation, which is no small thing in a generally tight-lipped hockey offseason.