Boston Bruins Rumors: Latest Buzz on Mike Reilly, Ryan Getzlaf, More

Although the Boston Bruins have reached the playoffs five straight years, they've been eliminated in the second round or earlier four times during that stretch. And they haven't won the Stanley Cup since 2011.

That's why this is an important offseason for the team as it tries to take the next step to get back to Cup contention. The Bruins have already signed forward Taylor Hall to a four-year extension, and with free agency set to begin Wednesday at noon ET, more transactions are likely on the horizon.

Here's some of the latest buzz surrounding Boston at this point in the offseason.

Mike Reilly has only played 15 games for the Bruins. However, the defenseman is going to have plenty more opportunities to suit up for Boston in the near future.

According to The Athletic's Michael Russo, the 28-year-old is "getting close" to re-signing with the Bruins, who acquired him in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in April. The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported he will be signing a three-year, $9 million deal to return to Boston.

He is a six-year NHL veteran who has previously played for the Minnesota Wild, the Montreal Canadiens and the Senators. He had eight assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-seven after getting traded to the Bruins, and he finished the season with a career-high 27 points in 55 games.

Although Reilly has spent much time with Boston, he proved he's capable of being a strong addition to its defense. And it's likely he'll build off that showing during the 2021-22 season.

Over 16 NHL seasons, Ryan Getzlaf has played 1,101 games, all of them with the Anaheim Ducks. However, he is now an unrestricted free agent and could be on the move for the first time in his professional career.

According to Nick Alberga of Sportsnet 590 The Fan, there are two teams to watch as potential landing spots for the center: the Nashville Predators and the Bruins. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Boston is going to contact him as soon as free agency begins Wednesday.

If the Bruins bring in Getzlaf, he'll be another experienced offensive player to add to one of their lines. He's a three-time All-Star and former Stanley Cup champion who has served as the Ducks' captain since 2010, so he'd also provide leadership if he came to Boston.

However, the 36-year-old is also going to be looking to bounce back from a down 2020-21 season while proving he can still play at a high level. He tallied a career-low 17 points (five goals and 12 assists) in 48 games for Anaheim last season.

Jaroslav Halak may be 36, but the veteran goaltender isn't done playing in the NHL quite yet. However, it appears he won't be returning to the Bruins after spending the past three seasons with the team.

The Athletic's Arthur Staple noted that the Slovak is "working on a deal" with the Vancouver Canucks. It would mark the sixth team that he has played for in his career, after previously playing for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders and Bruins.

It's no surprise Halak isn't coming back to Boston. Matt Porter of the Boston Globe had previously reported that his agent, Allan Walsh, said the goaltender and the Bruins were parting ways.

During his time in Boston, Halak was one of the top backup goalies in the league. He had a .918 save percentage and 2.40 goals against average in 90 games. So even though he's getting closer to the end of his career, he's proved he can still produce at a high level.