Report: Big moves coming from Bruins as they attempt to re-sign Bertuzzi and Orlov

According to a report from Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has been 'burning up the phone lines' this past week trying to make a deal that would allow him to free up another salary to re-sign pending unrestricted free agents Tyler Bertuzzi, Garnet Hathaway and Dimitri Orlov.

From Friedman's most recent 32 Thoughts podcast:

“We’ve talked about how Boston would like to keep Bertuzzi; I think they’d also like to keep Hathaway,” Friedman told co-host Jeff Marek. “That’s another guy I think they really want to keep. I heard Sweeney’s burning up the phone lines. I think he’s got some interesting stuff going on.”

Specifically on Bertuzzi:

“I know he made it clear to the Red Wings when they were discussing an extension with him that he was pretty intent on hitting free agency this summer. His camp knew what he can get out there, and that’s probably more now after the way he played for the Bruins. I know the Bruins are trying hard to keep him, but given his desire to test the market for the first time and their cap issues, that will be difficult.”

To make matters worse, Orlov has also gone on record saying that he's excited to hit the open market as a free agent for the first time in his career.

The Bruins have just $4.9 million in cap space, so suffice it to say that salary will have to be moved if Sweeney wants to negotiate in earnest with the likes of Bertuzzi and Orlov. Linus Ullmark ($5 million), Derek Forbort ($3 million), Mike Reilly ($3 million) and Jake DeBrusk ($4 million) have all been discussed in trade rumors. I could see any one of these players being moved, but it's clear that Sweeney is going to have to get creative with his 'addition by subtraction' gameplan this off-season.

Personally, I think the Bruins should do everything possible to get Bertuzzi under contract since he was such a good fit with the team's core group. Having said that, he's 28 years old and this team is going to start showing its age sooner rather than later. Thoughts, Bruins fans?