You won't get rid of Bailey's contract this easily.

Josh Bailey's salary is $3,500,000 and his cap hit is $5,000,000 for the 2022-23 season. Then $5M for 2024
This is for a guy who had 45 pts in 71 games last year on a team that had a horrible year with covid, road trip and injuries.
The year before that he 35 pts in 54 games - a 61 pt rate for a full year. He plays all 3 positions and can play all 3 lines. Not to mention 50 pts in 71 career playoff games. I think he has a better track record then Reilly to be honest.

I'm not here for what he did in his career before, it's about his current level of play. It helps a lot when you're playing with Barzal or Nelson with the year he's had. Also, Bailey shot at 16.1% this season which is a 3.3% increase from his 18-20 seasons. Will he keep that pace? Doubtful. While the production is still here, he's been inconsistent offensively and defensively over the past seasons & will be 33yo next season. If Bergeron retires, BOS should be rebuilding (so they shouldn't take Bailey) and if he does come back, they should acquire a good 2C (which Bailey is not). Pass on this 3rd liner's contract. Just do Reilly for a 3rd or nothing.

I’d rather get Kulak at 3.25M than Zadorov at 4M

You act like Bailey is horrible. He's a consistant 50 pt player for a full season (even on a bad NYI year last year). Reilly doesn't put up any points. We just need a LD for our 3rd pair. He is definitely not worth a 3rd rounder. To take Reilly's contract (3M per) we need to move a player and since our GM wants to play the younger wingers on our team (Bellows and Wahlstrom), Bailey is the odd man out. Boston has too many LD and really need to get a playmaker which Bailey always has been.

Bailey is not horrible, never said that but he shot at 16% which he'll likely not do it especially if he's not playing with a great C. On a great team, he's a 3rd liner. If the Bruins want to win-now, he wouldn't fit and if they rebuild, he wouldn't fit either. At this point, Bailey is 40-45 pts player and isn't that good offensively and defensively.

Reilly didn't get the points because the Bruins' offensive generation was mediocre and they were 31st in shooting percentage but he drives offense like a good second pair D is and he is pretty good in transition. Points don't come if your forwards can't finish and the defensemen cannot control that. He isn't a cap dump or we don't need someone to "take him". He is the Bruins 3rd best LD and you need three D pairs in the NHL so he can stay in our lineup if needed. If they want to trade him, they can do it somewhere else and for the price of a 3rd round pick. It doesn't look you have seen at the 50+ Reilly for a 3rd trades over the past months.

"really need to get a playmaker which Bailey always has been" No, the Bruins do not "really need" Bailey.

ok...sounds good.