NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Toronto Maple Leafs

Garnett Hathaway not thinking about free agency and re-signing with the Boston Bruins yet

Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now: Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery is a big fan the game that forward Garnett Hathaway brings. The 31-year-old was acquired from the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline and is a pending UFA carrying a $1.5 million cap hit.

Hathaway said he hasn’t thought about free agency given all that has gone on since being traded.

“So it’s really short-term thinking right now. It’s emphasized by the guys in this room too. I came in the midst of a 10-game win streak and guys are just focused on that next game. It’s Belichick-esque but it’s really just worrying about the day that you’re in, and that’s how I am approaching it.”

Are there any concerns for the Toronto Maple Leafs and signing prospect Matthew Knies?

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on The Jeff Marek Show on the Toronto Maple Leafs and NCAA prospect Matthew Knies.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Marek: “What’s the scuttlebutt? What’s the whispers about Matthew Knies and Toronto?

Friedman: “Well I think this. I think everybody’s kind of accepted that Knies is going to get done. I think most people tend to lean in that direction.

I have been told that if there’s one concern here, it’s going to be a negotiation over bonuses.

For one thing, the Maple Leafs have a really tight cap situation and in the past, some of their top prospects who have signed, have decided to forego bonuses because it gets them to the NHL quicker. Nic Robertson did that. Rasmus Sandin did that.

But I also think that there was, if you just look at the Leafs situation, cap wise, I also think there was like a question being asked about full signing bonus. Is it possible that maybe not take the full signing bonus that’s available?

Someone just said to me that, if there was any, if there was going to be any issues here, it was going to be something like that. Just a question about, will Knies be okay with all the bonus money or lack there of.

That’s what someone said to me was the only thing that concerned them about this negotiation. Is there any chance that the signing bonus situation or the bonuses situation was going to be a problem?

So, we’ll see. We’ll see when the time comes.”