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Seidenberg shocked by Bruins buyout

Boston Bruins v Colorado Avalanche

Boston Bruins v Colorado Avalanche

NHLI via Getty Images

Dennis Seidenberg’s time in Boston ended unceremoniously.

And to hear Seidenberg explain it, surprisingly as well.

“It’s a shock,” Seidenberg told the Boston Herald, one day after the B’s bought out the final two years of his contract. “[Bruins general manager] Donnie [Sweeney] called me and he said it was a tough call to make, but he had to buy me out, that they were going with the kids.

“Told me I was a great guy, and that was it.”

It seems Seidenberg’s shock isn’t from the actual buyout, but the timing of it. The 34-year-old acknowledged earlier this offseason he could be a buyout candidate but, given that the window closed on Thursday, he figured he’d be safe.

Turns out it wasn’t the case.

The timing was pretty unfortunate for Seidenberg. Had Boston bought him out earlier in the process, he could’ve participated in the free agency interview period, which happened right after the draft. But because he was B’s property during that time, he entered Friday’s UFA frenzy at a disadvantage, having failed to speak with any potential suitors.

Boston can hardly be blamed for making the move, however.

For a team facing a potential cap crunch, the relief Seidenberg’s buyout provided was key. Per General Fanager, a buyout means a cap hit of $1.17 million next season, $2.17 million in 2017-18 and $1.17 million in both 2018-19 and 2019-20.

So the Bruins will gain almost $3 million in cap space for next season.

Some of that was used almost immediately, as the B’s signed RFA blueliner Torey Krug to a four-year, $21 million extension, then made a big splash in free agency by inking ex-Blues captain David Backes to a five-year, $30 million deal.

As for Seidenberg, chances are he’ll catch on somewhere. Despite a down ’15-16 campaign he still averaged just under 20 minutes per night in 61 games, notching 12 points.