Successful draft weekend? Check…if you take into consideration the amount of cap space cleared and the quantity of players drafted.

Mega splashes on day one of free agency? Check…Matt Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes are now wearing the Black and Gold.

Re-signing key restricted free agents? Check…Ryan Spooner, Brett Connolly, and Jeremy Smith will be with the team next season.

Who are these Boston Bruins?

This organization has been on fire as of late. Just when it looked like things were going bleak and the hope of contending for the Stanley Cup looked slim, the Bruins absolutely resurrected their chances in a matter of days.

The forward position and goaltender situation seem to have fallen into place heading into the 2015-16 season. With Claude Julien and his staff returning for another season in Boston, the stability is relatively intact. No ripples in the tide.

Now, the gaping hole on this team is the need for a top-four defenseman. Rumors have been spreading on social media (both confirming and debunking) relating to the Bruins being connected to unrestricted free agent Cody Franson.

Blue-liners with Franson’s size (6’5″, 213 lbs.), offensive capability (36 points in 78 games this past season) and right-handed shot are always attractive. The 27-year-old is just entering his prime years and is fresh off a career season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Nashville Predators, despite the fact he averaged six fewer minutes of ice time per game after a trade to the Predators. The run-and-gun style of offense that Nashville adapted this past season did not suite Franson well.

It’s believed Franson is looking for a raise of more than $5 million. He plays both the power play and penalty kill, averaging three minutes five seconds and two minutes, respectively, each game this season.

Based on the above information, why is this guy still on the market?

According to other reports, his agent has been pushing for his client to receive “Jeff Petry money,” which is around $33 million over the course of six years. The Montreal Canadiens gave that contract to a guy who is not as talented as Franson…if you just do the simple eye test.

He is certainly going to demand around $5 million per year, considering he made $3.3 million last season. Franson is holding out for the money, but he is always weighing his options for the best overall deal.

He has signed three-straight, one-year contracts leading up to this point. He finally has the leverage that he has been seeking for quite some time, so we cannot blame him for taking his time with this situation. He wants the next chapter of his career to be what is best for him.

If it takes an extra year for Franson to have the security that he covets, maybe the Bruins might be better suited to give that type of deal.