The Boston Bruins are looking to add a free agent defenseman, general manager Don Sweeney said Friday.

The Bruins have traded Dougie Hamilton and Johnny Boychuk the past two offseasons, and signed Matt Irwin this summer.

"There are a couple free agents that we still have conversations with that we felt might improve our club if the financial component works, and I'm not going to stop having those conversations because it might be the right thing to do," Sweeney told the Bruins website. "But we have some younger players that, at some point in time, have to be given an opportunity if you believe in them."

Those include Colin Miller, Joe Morrow and Zach Trotman, who have combined to play 44 NHL games.

Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller and Dennis Seidenberg return from last season, but Krug is the only true power-play quarterback. Some veterans available who can help in that role short-term are Christian Ehrhoff and Marek Zidlicky. Cody Franson also is available but may be out of the Bruins' price range.

"There are still players out there that may fit," Sweeney said. "You have conversations with agents about possibilities, and I think we're comfortable with where we are in creating internal competition, but I'm not going to stop sort of asking in areas we can continue to look at."