The Boston Bruins entered this offseason looking to retool their team after last trade deadline’s selloff. That selloff included moving defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs. As such, the Bruins found a hole in their blue line.
Specifically, that hole needs a right-shot, shutdown defenseman who can play big minutes against top competition. However, filling that void is no easy task for the Bruins. That’s why one name that jumps out is UFA blue liner Cal Foote.
Cal Foote has not played in the NHL since the 2023-24 season when he suited up for four games with the New Jersey Devils. Foote, unfortunately, was one of the players involved in the Hockey Canada scandal from 2018. So, he was unable to play in the NHL during court proceedings.
Nevertheless, Foote was cleared of all criminal charges this past week by a London, Ontario, court. While Foote may still face some sort of legal backlash from the incident, he’s now on track to resume his NHL career.
Foote was a first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2017. He came into the NHL with high praise but never really got on track in Tampa. He played one season in Nashville before signing with the Devils during the 2023 offseason.
The Devils did not issue Foote a qualifying offer last offseason, making him a UFA. So, that situation means Foote is now free to sign with any team willing to give him an opportunity. That’s where the Bruins could potentially land a solid bottom-pairing defenseman at a reasonable cost.
Foote Could Stabilize Bruins’ Bottom Pair
The Bruins have an opening in the blue line for a shutdown blue liner with size. At 6’4” and 225 pounds, Foote fits that bill. He can slide into the team’s bottom pairing to add some grit and toughness to the Bruins’ blue line.
As it stands, Daily Faceoff projects Andrew Peeke as the third-pairing defenseman on the right side. So, the situation could come down to a competition between Foote and Peeke for that final blue line spot.
The good news is that, regardless of who wins the job, the Bruins would have two solid blue liners. As such, one of them could take on the seventh defenseman spot. Given how Foote has not played in the NHL in nearly two years, he would be better off in the seventh defenseman role.
It’s worth pointing out that Foote played in Slovakia last season. He put up some decent numbers, notching 30 points in 37 games for the HK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas. Of course, there’s no guarantee those numbers will translate to the NHL, but at least that’s an encouraging sign.
Foote May Be Ineligible to Play Next Season
The drawback to Cal Foote is that he may be ineligible to play for the Bruins next season. As soon as the verdict from the Hockey Canada trial was rendered, the NHL issued a statement declaring the players involved ineligible to play.
The NHLPA vowed to uphold the players’ rights to resume their NHL careers. The rationale is that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) does not contain any provisions preventing the players from suiting up in the NHL.
Unfortunately, that situation may scare off some teams from given the pending legal matters. Still, the Bruins should kick the tires on Cal Foote. Even if he can’t play in an official game, perhaps he can practice with the team while his legal situation clears.
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