Orlov Seems to Dismiss Bruins, Wants Capitals Return

An impending free agent, defenseman Dmitry Orlov said earlier this week that a return to the Washington Capitals could be in the cards this offseason.

Orlov, who the Bruins acquired from the Capitals in the run to February’s trade deadline, told reporters Tuesday that the team and his agent would discuss a potential reunion.

“We’ll see,” Orlov said Tuesday. “It’s tough. Probably, yeah. They’re going to talk to my agent. How I see it, if they trade me, I don’t think it’s going to work out. But we’ll see.”

Orlov, 31, was drafted 55th overall by the Capitals in 2009. He became a consistent contributor for the NHL squad during the 2015-16 season — the first of four consecutive seasons in which he played in every regular season game.

In 43 games in Washington, this season tallied 19 points. Along with right winger Garnet Hathaway, he was traded from the Capitals to the Bruins as part of a three-team trade on Feb. 23.

Often paired on the Bruins’ top defensive line with Charlie McAvoy, Orlov tallied 17 points in 23 regular season games in Boston. Despite being the top team in the Eastern Conference, the wild-card Florida Panthers eliminated the Bruins from the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 30.

As one of the top defenders on the free agent market, Orlov is expected to draw interest from a handful of teams once free agency opens on July 1 — barring a new deal in Boston.

“Right now, it’s dark,” Orlov said. “What I’m going to do, I don’t know. I still don’t know what my plan is. If I fly back to Washington or stay here. It’s a lot of things. Obviously, I’m going to have to make a decision. Where I’m going to be, and I need to talk to my family. Figure out from there.”