Eastern Notes: Carlo, Tkachuk, Dobson, Chaput
The Boston Bruins dealt with numerous injuries over the course of the 2017-18 season, but that didn’t stop the team from getting into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. One injury that truly crippled the team was the loss of defenseman Brandon Carlo right at the end of the season with a broken fibula. While the team is solid on defense, the presence of the 6-foot-5 blueliner has been critical to their team.
Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that Carlo injury is fully healed as x-rays were clean and the 21-year-old has already been skating for more than a month. Not an offensive defenseman, Carlo has had trouble adjusting to the NHL physical game, having spent his rookie campaign next to Zdeno Chara and then being teamed up as the defensive presence to offensive sparkplug Torey Krug. However, Carlo said he’s added close to 10 pounds of muscle to his frame this offseason and is ready to take the bulk of another full campaign in Boston.
“I think last year was good for me in an aspect,” Carlo said, “to learn so much about myself and my game. Coming into this third year, I have really high expectations for myself. I expect to be back on track with helping out in every aspect that I can. I think overall I have to come in with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and have a little more confidence in myself and my overall game.”
- While there are many people who feel that winger Brady Tkachuk, who announced his intention of going pro Saturday, might be better served playing with the OHL London Knights or the AHL’s Belleville Senators next year to continue his development, Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun writes that Tkachuk actually has as good a shot of anyone on the roster to make the NHL squad out of training camp. The team isn’t deep at the left wing position, which includes players such as Ryan Dzingel, Mikkel Boedker, Max McCormick, Magnus Paajarvi, Tom Pyatt and Zack Smith. Not exactly top of the line. Considering that Smith is likely to move to center next year and Pyatt could move to the right side, if needed, there is plenty of space for Tkachuk if he impresses in training camp.
- Historically, players picked at No. 12 in the NHL Draft usually don’t end up with their NHL time right away in their first season, but that could be a possibility when it comes to New York Islanders 2018 first-round pick Noah Dobson. The 18-year-old prospect showed off his skills with a dominant performance at the World Junior Showcase for Canada by posting five goals in three games. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required) writes another impressive showing at training camp in front of coach Barry Trotz could force the team’s hand to keep him, considering the team’s lack of depth on defense.
- While the Montreal Canadiens didn’t make too many waves this offseason, the team did sign several smaller names, including Michael Peca, Xavier Ouellet, Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput. The 26-year-old Chaput is an interesting case as he’s played 135 NHL games already in his career, but with the exception of a 68-games season back in 2016-17, the center has spent most of his career in the AHL. Now, with many openings potentially available in Montreal, Chaput feels he’s got a great shot a full-time role with Montreal this year, according to NHL.com’s Matt Cudzinowski. “My mindset is to try and make this team. I want to play for the Canadiens. That’s my main goal. That’s what I’m working towards,” said Chaput.
Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Krug, Reinhart, Kotkaniemi
With the last piece of major housekeeping completed in Detroit after the Red Wings signed star Dylan Larkin to a five-year, $30.5MM deal, the team now has to take a look at their salary cap, which they will be over, even after they move forward Johan Franzen to LTIR. General manager Ken Holland told The Athletic’s Craig Custance, they will likely be “in the neighborhood” of $1MM over the cap.
“We’re very tight,” Holland said on Friday of the cap situation. “With this deal, we’re probably a dribble over. Not a lot, but we’re over. We’re going to have to make some decisions moving forward.”
One possibility would be to bury the contracts of Martin Frk and Luke Witkowski in the minors. However, if the team believes that veteran Henrik Zetterberg could end up missing the season as his injuries haven’t improved this summer, the team could place him on LTIR as well and wouldn’t have anything else to worry about. Custance adds, however, that if Zetterberg does return, that likely would end the chances of 2018 first-round pick Filip Zadina of making the roster out of training camp.
- In a mailbag series, Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports writes that with eight quality NHL defenseman on the roster, the team will likely make a trade before the season starts. The team has Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Adam McQuaid, John Moore, Kevan Miller, Matt Grzelcyk, Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo on the roster. The scribe writes that could mean that the team might be ready to move Krug if the team can get a big return for the blueliner. And they would need to, as Krug is one of the top offensive defensemen in the league as only Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, Brent Burns and John Klingberg have more points over the last two seasons. He has 22 goals and 110 points combined in that time.
- The Athletic’s Ryan Stimson (subscription required) wonders where restricted free agent Sam Reinhart should play next year in the Buffalo Sabres’ lineup once he signs. The 22-year-old center has been a decent center for the Sabres in the past, but saw his game blossom once he was moved up and played on the wing next to top-line center Jack Eichel. With the team moving on from Ryan O’Reilly and bringing in prospect Casey Mittelstadt, what should the team do with Reinhart? The scribe breaks down Reinhart’s game and wonders if it would be best for the youngster to take over the team’s No. 2 center position and ease Mittelstadt in.
- The Athletic’s Mitch Brown (subscription required) ranks the Montreal Canadiens’ top five prospects with 2018 third-overall pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi listed as their top prospect. The young centerman, who flew up the draft boards in the final weeks, anchors a list of prospects that Brown believes is the most exciting in the last five or six years. He has been successful playing in the SM-liiga as an 18-year-old and is expected to fill that long-waited hole in the middle.
Atlantic Notes: Panarin, Donato, Red Wings, Canadiens
With so many of their rivals attempting to take that next step to guarantee the top spot in the Atlantic Division, the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that the Boston Bruins should definitely do everything they can to acquire the services of Columbus Blue Jackets’ star forward Artemi Panarin. With an impressive city for a young, talented forward to establish himself in, the scribe writes that Boston would be the perfect landing place for the star, except for the fact that the team has no Russians on it.
Regardless Panarin, who will be a unrestricted free agent after next season, could be the team’s next Brad Marchand and provide the team with two of the best left wingers in the league. Panarin’s addition to the team’s second line would also be a huge boost for veteran center David Krejci who might be the perfect complement for him. Dupont suggests the team could make a deal that centers around Jake Debrusk and defenseman Brandon Carlo, two big hits to the team, but a deal that could prove to be worth it down the road.
- After an impressive performance with the Bruins at the end of the season, Ryan Donato has been working hard this summer to ensure there will be a place for him in the Bruins lineup, according to The Athletic’s Joe McDonald (subscription required). The 22-year-old arrived after wrapping up his third year at Harvard University and posted five goals and nine points in 12 games, but saw little playoff time as Bruins’ coach Bruce Cassidy opted to play veterans over him instead. Now, Donato has been training with Edge Performance System along with other NHL players in hopes of locking up a spot on Boston’s third line alongside veteran David Backes and he is open to either playing on the left wing or fighting for the center position.
- In a mailbag segment, the Detroit Free-Press’ Helene St. James writes that while she believes that propsects Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina, Filip Hronek and Dennis Cholowski all should be on the Red Wings roster at some point during the 2018-19 seasons, However, she believes that only Rasmussen and Hronek are likely to make the team out of training camp with Zadina and Cholowski expected to see more time with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL. Zadina, at his size and age, might need more time getting experience playing against older competition in the AHL before joining up with Detroit, while Cholowski has played just two games at the AHL level in his career, suggesting he might need a little more time.
- Brendan Kelly of the Montreal Gazette writes about the Montreal Canadiens’ Geoff Moulson and Marc Bergevin who have been talking for weeks about their plan to turn around the franchise. He writes that the team’s plan was a two-word plan, called John Tavares, which was a longshot at best, which made it look even worse when they missed out on veteran Paul Stastny as well. He believes the team is rebuilding now because they have no choice as he examines the team’s offseason moves and where the team stands.
Atlantic Notes: Larkin, Lightning, Moore
The Detroit Red Wings have two options in regards to signing restricted free agent Dylan Larkin this summer. The team could go short-term or long-term. With a solid, but hardly spectacular season, the Red Wings might want to wait and see how the 21-year-old develops over the next year or two and hand out short contracts to see if he’s worth the money. That makes sense considering the team is capped out with so many long-term deals having been handed out to veterans over the past few years.
However, NBC Sports’ James O’Brien writes that the team needs to look at the long-term option instead and lock up Larkin as quick as possible as he compares Larkin’s situation to that of Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, who signed an eight-year, $68MM deal a year ago, which is starting to look like a bargain after the many signings since then.
Larkin, who has shown that he’s one of the few answers in Detroit still hasn’t broken out with the Red Wings. While his rookie campaign showed plenty of promise with 23 goals, he’s failed to duplicate that number since. However, while he did just tally 16 goals a season ago, his 47 assists was a career-high along with his 63 points, suggesting he might be due for a breakout season. Signing Larkin to a long-term deal now while his value isn’t through the roof might be better than waiting another two years when they will be forced to shell out top dollar in the future with the cap constantly increasing.
- While it’s already been reported that the eight-year, $76MM extension that Nikita Kucherov signed will not take the Tampa Bay Lightning out of a potential Erik Karlsson trade, the team will have to make some moves if it does pull the trigger on a trade as the team has less than $3MM in cap space for this coming year. Brandon Schlager of the Sporting News writes that the most obvious candidates that would have to be moved would be forwards Ryan Callahan ($5.8MM AAV for two more years), Tyler Johnson ($5MM for six more years), Alex Killorn ($4.45MM for five more years) and defenseman Braydon Coburn ($3.7MM for one year).
- Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe attempts to break down what the Boston Bruins defense will look like next season as well as what the team should expect out of their top free agent target, John Moore. The scribe writes that general manager Don Sweeney hasn’t struck gold yet with his long-term free agent deals, pointing to the contracts handed out to Matt Beleskey and David Backes. Beleskey was an outright failure, while Backes has been average, at best. Moore is just 27 years old and will be playing already for his fifth team, which isn’t a good sign. What the team’s plans are for his usage is also unknown as if the team intends to put him on the team’s second-line defensive pairings, then the team would force either Torey Krug or Brandon Carlo to the third-line pairing, which doesn’t make sense either unless the team intends to move Krug. However, there is still no proof that Moore is good enough to be a top-four player.
Bruins Re-Sign Matt Grzelcyk To Two-Year Deal
The Boston Bruins have locked up one of their many impressive young players, announcing an extension for defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. The deal carries a $1.4MM AAV and will keep the Boston native with his hometown team for at least two more years.
While Grzelcyk may not be one of the most talked-about young players in the league or even in Boston, the small but capable blue liner was a pleasant surprise as a rookie in 2017-18. A 2012 third-round pick and a former pair-mate of fellow Bruin Charlie McAvoy‘s at Boston University, the Bruins always had high expectations of Grzelcyk. However, few could have expected that his performance would thrust him into a starting role and leave veterans like Adam McQuaid and Paul Postma as afterthoughts for much of the season. Grzlecyk skated in 61 games for the Bruins, contributing 15 points along the way. He also posted a +21 rating, tied for third-best on the team with two-way star Patrice Bergeron. In the postseason, Grzelcyk played in all but one of Boston’s games as well and didn’t look out of place.
Perhaps the greatest attribute that Grzelcyk showed as a rookie – and one that caught the eye of those in tune with advanced analytics – was his possession ability. Grzelcyk finished the year with a top 25 Corsi For rating (among players with at least 300 minutes of ice time) of 55.67%, which was third best among rookies behind only McAvoy and Columbus’ Pierre-Luc Dubois. Grzelcyk even held the best relative shot differential among all defenseman in the NHL for a significant span of time mid-season. While not an overly physical player nor a player with huge offensive upside, Grzelcyk showed himself to be a safe puck-handler and a player that can be relied on to create offense and suppress the opposing offense.
Moving forward, Grzelcyk’s role may change. The Bruins continue to show a desire to add a top-four left-handed defenseman, likely to pair long-term with McAvoy at the top of the depth chart. This would likely shift Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug down, as McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Kevan Miller form a solid grouping on the right side. The result could be Grzelcyk becoming an extra man rather than a starter for the next year or two. Grzelcyk’s skill set and ceiling could make him an ideal seventh defender in his career, if that is the role he is asked to play. However, the value of this contract and the speed with which both sides agreed upon the terms indicates that the Bruins have plans for Grzelcyk, likely short-term or long-term. The young defenseman is just getting started with his NHL career and will get plenty more chances to show himself in Boston.
Bruins Notes: Free Agents, Czarnik, Injuries, Draft
Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney spoke with the media today from the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo and was very up front about the team’s plans this off-season. The Bruins exceeded expectations this season with a young team that finished with one of the best records in the NHL. Sweeney has previously stated that he would like to return many of the team’s impending unrestricted free agents – Anton Khudobin, Riley Nash, Rick Nash, Tommy Wingels, Tim Schaller, Nick Holden, and Austin Czarnik – but due to salary cap restraints and a promising prospect crop in the AHL in need of opportunity, he did not expect that all would be back. Today, Sweeney went in a different direction, confirming that the team would not offer new contracts to several other free agents: Brian Gionta, Kenny Agostino, and Paul Postma. The announcement should come as no surprise, as the trio all underwhelmed in Boston this season. A late addition to the team for the stretch run and postseason, Gionta looked as if he would have been better off retiring after the Olympics. The veteran forward contributed only seven points in 20 regular season games and played in just one playoff game, in which he was a liability against the fast-paced Tampa Bay Lightning. Gionta is likely to call it quits for good this off-season. Agostino, the 2017 AHL MVP, not only made little difference in Boston with just one point in five games, but finished the minor league season in Providence with 30 points less than his MVP campaign in only one less game. Agostino will need to search for a new home for the third straight summer. Postma, while not necessarily a disappointment in Boston, ended up being of little use to the team. The relative health of the Bruins’ four right-handed defenseman and the emergence of rookie Matt Grzelcyk on the left side made Postma the #8 option for much of the year. He was unable to even retain that role after the Bruins acquired Holden at the trade deadline. Overall, Postma played in 14 games in Boston, recording just one point, before clearing waivers and being assigned to the AHL, where he played another 17 games with Providence in the regular season and postseason. The long-time Winnipeg Jets defender will be on the hunt for a more regular NHL role next year, if he can find one.
- Sweeney briefly touched on the situation with Czarnik, which has put the Bruins in somewhat of a pickle. Czarnik, 25, played in 49 games as a rookie with Boston in 2016-17, but lost out on a roster spot this year to the likes of fellow youngsters Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Anders Bjork, and Sean Kuraly. Czarnik managed to play in ten games for the Bruins, and looked good doing so with four points, but roster restrictions forced him back to the AHL each time. In the minors, Czarnik was unstoppable with 69 points in 64 games – good enough for third in the AHL scoring race. It was an impressive performance, but still not good enough to vault Czarnik back to the top of a Bruins’ prospect pipeline that is very deep, especially at center. Ideally, the Bruins would have liked to deal Czarnik as a restricted free agent with his value at its highest. However, as a 25-year-old with three pro seasons under his belt but less than 80 NHL games played, Czarnik instead qualifies for Group 6 unrestricted free agency per the NHL CBA and is free to sign with any team. Sweeney expressed that both the team and Czarnik have not closed the door on an extension, but that he feels Czarnik is “intrigued by what may exist elsewhere”. There will surely be a market for the swift, play-making forward and a return to Boston seems unlikely.
- Sweeney also updated the injury status of his team, revealing that banged-up checkers Schaller and Noel Acciari both underwent surgery following the season. The Bruins’ fourth line, while not much of an offensive threat, was one of the best defensively this season. However, their play began to tail off in the postseason and the major injuries for Schaller and Acciari certainly lend some explanation to that trend. The duo were just two of myriad injuries for Boston, but join only Brandon Carlo in going under the knife. Sweeney stated that the rest of the injured – Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Backes, DeBrusk, Nash, and Nash – will all avoid surgery for now.
- Finally, Sweeney responded to a question about whether or not he would try to trade back into the first round of the NHL Draft next month. The Bruins sent their first-rounder to the New York Rangers in the Rick Nash deal and do not own any other team’s pick. Sweeney seemed hesitant to promise anything, saying that it is “hard” to trade back in, but did add that “you never know what some team may want to do”. In a draft class that many feels runs out of elite prospects after the first 15 or so selections, Boston may not be scrambling to trade current or future assets for a first-round pick anyway. With a late second and an early third from the Florida Panthers, the Bruins should be able to add two players with similar career projections to some late first-round picks. Even if they don’t get a future star, the Boston system is one of the best in the league with more than enough talent pushing for play time in the NHL as it is.
Boston’s Torey Krug Ruled Out For Series
5:39 p.m. — The Boston Bruins released an update that Krug will miss the rest of the series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. According to team physician Dr. Peter Asnis, Krug suffered an ankle injury and will require more testing to determine the severity of the injury.
3:53 p.m. — The news doesn’t look good for the Boston Bruins. Already down to their last game as they trail the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1, the Boston Bruins learned today that they will be without star defenseman Torey Krug for Game 5, according to The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa.
The blueliner went down with a lower-leg injury when he crashed into the boards Friday in Game 4 and was forced to leave the game, although he was able to walk off on his own. However, the injury could also be enough to rule him out for the season as well.
“He’s out [for Game 5],” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy (via the Bruins). “He’s still getting evaluated, but doesn’t look good that it will be short term.”
A loss of Krug will be devastating as the team has used him to play big minutes all season, especially for the playoffs. He even played 25:16 in Game 3 against the Maple Leafs. Krug, who was one of the team’s healthiest defensemen this season, finished the season with 14 goals and 45 assists in 76 games. He has been an even greater offensive spark for his team with three goals and 12 points in 11 games. With a team that has already lost Brandon Carlo for the season with a fractured ankle, the team will have to step up if they have any hopes of winning three in a row. The team will move veteran Nick Holden into the lineup to play alongside Adam McQuaid.
Brandon Carlo Requires Surgery, Out 3-4 Months
The Boston Bruins have been ravaged by injury in the second half of the season, and now have received the latest bad news. Brandon Carlo will require surgery to repair a broken left ankle, and is out for the next three to four months. While that puts him on target for the start of the 2018-19 season, he’ll miss the entire upcoming playoff run.
Carlo was injured on an awkward fall in the corner while trying to battle against Aleksander Barkov, twisting his ankle under his body and immediately realizing something was wrong. It was in almost the same spot that he was injured last season, which also took him out of playoff contention and basically opening up a spot for Charlie McAvoy to make his debut in the postseason.
Though he’s not as important a member as some of the other injuries the Bruins have faced recently, a loss of Carlo still drastically reduces the depth of Boston’s blue line. With a tough Eastern Conference matchup regardless of whether the Bruins finish first or second in the Atlantic, they needed all the help they could get to try and fight through the inevitable injuries the postseason will bring.
Injury Notes: Bruins, Suter, Johansson, Callahan, Antipin
For a team having the success that they have had, the Boston Bruins are also at the top of the Atlantic Division despite suffering through countless injuries throughout the season. While many of those players like David Backes and Patrice Bergeron have done a nice job of working their way back at different points in the season, the injuries continue to pile up.
The team lost defenseman Brandon Carlo to injury as he was taken off on a stretcher Saturday with a leg injury and while there is no official word on the specifics or the severity of the injury, NBC’s Joe Haggerty tweets that head coach Bruce Cassidy said it’s probably serious and it is likely that he could miss the playoffs. Add to that, veteran Riley Nash, who took a puck to his head in Saturday’s game. According to Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa, Nash required 40 stitches in and around his ear.
“You know what? That’s what it is this year and how it’s going to be,” said Bruce Cassidy (via Haggerty). “It’s become a bit of our fight song. We can do it with guys going in and out, and other guys stepping up. It’s worked out well in terms of how the guys have responded.”
On a positive note, the team got back winger Jake Debrusk, who kicked in two goals and an assist Saturday and veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara is playing today. However, the team is still without defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who could return Tuesday, according to Haggerty.
- StarTribune’s Sarah McLellan writes that Minnesota Wild veteran defenseman Ryan Suter will be out indefinitely after suffering a foot injury during Saturday’s game against Dallas. The 33-year-old went down during the second period when his foot awkwardly collided against the boards after taking a hit from the Stars’ Remi Elie. It’s another blow for the Wild, who had previously lost Suter’s partner Jared Spurgeon who went down with a hamstring injury more than two weeks ago. The Wild currently hold the third playoff spot in the Central Division, but need some key wins in the coming days to hold onto that spot. Suter averages 26:46 of ATOI, which is second in the NHL. He has six goals and 51 points, which is tied for his career-high.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have activated Marcus Johansson off of injured reserve Sunday. The winger has been out with a concussion since Jan. 23. He is expected to be in the lineup today with Montreal. After acquiring the 27-year-old from Washington in the offseason, Johansson has been plagued by injuries as he’s only appeared in 29 games for the Devils putting up five goals and nine assists this season.
- NHL.com’s Bryan Burns tweets that veteran winger and penalty killing specialist Ryan Callahan is expected to return today after being out with an upper body injury. The 33-year-old has missed the past five games since being injured on March 22 against Toronto. Callahan has four goals and 15 points in 63 games this season.
- The Buffalo Sabres announced the defenseman Victor Antipin has been diagnosed with a concussion after taking a hit Saturday from Nashville’s Scott Hartnell. He also suffered facial lacerations, a broken nose and dental injuries. He is out indefinitely.
Deadline Primer: Boston Bruins
With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
Outside of the Vegas Golden Knights, there may be no bigger surprise in the NHL this season than the Boston Bruins. Following a 6-7-4 start, capped off by a four-game winless streak in mid-November, the Bruins have won 26 of their last 34 games, have the fewest regulation losses in the league, and trail only Vegas and the Tampa Bay Lightning for the best points percentage in the NHL. With games in hand on both clubs, the Bruins have gone from a team that many felt pre-season would miss the playoffs to one with a legitimate shot at the President’s Trophy. Boston is bona fide contender and thus a surefire buyer. The only question that remains is to what extent they are willing to trade futures for immediate help. The evidence points to a quieter deadline in Boston than some may expect.
Record
31-11-8, 2nd in the Atlantic Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$2,452,057 in deadline cap space
43/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Draft Picks
2018: BOS 1st, BOS 2nd, BOS 3rd, BOS 4th, BOS 6th, BOS 7th
2019: BOS 1st, BOS 2nd, BOS 3rd, BOS 4th, BOS 5th, BOS 6th, BOS 7th
Trade Chips
Bruins GM Don Sweeney has been clear that he won’t trade any of the team’s young players on the roster. While that surely includes Charlie McAvoy – one of the most untouchable players in the NHL right now – Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk, Danton Heinen, Jake DeBrusk, and Anders Bjork, where exactly Sweeney draws the line could determine the size of the deals he’s willing to make. Could frequent 13th man Frank Vatrano be on the move? An electric player in the AHL, Vatrano has failed to show he can produce at the same level in the NHL. A chance of scenery and a larger role on a young, struggling squad could be what Vatrano needs to rediscover his scoring touch, potentially making him an enticing asset. Would Sweeney be willing to move his AHL “tweeners” like Austin Czarnik or Rob O’Gara, who have shown big-league ability, but haven’t been able to crack the roster in Boston? Sweeney may also be reluctant to move many of the Bruins younger prospects, like recent first- and second-rounders Zach Senyshyn, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Jakub Zboril, and Jeremy Lauzon in Providence and Trent Frederic, Ryan Donato, and Ryan Lindgren in the NCAA, especially with several ready to fight for a spot in Boston as early as next year. The Bruins own all but one of their picks over the next two years and that wealth could ultimately wind up being the team’s real trade chip.
Players To Watch
LW Frank Vatrano, C Austin Czarnik, LW Peter Cehlarik, D Rob O’Gara, D Emil Johansson
Team Needs
1) Forward Depth
If you can’t tell from the list of players above, it seems like the Bruins are not exactly aiming to acquire the best that the trade market has to offer. The team is unwilling to move young roster players and has high hopes for their many promising prospects. Sweeney and company have done an excellent job of drafting and developing and seem more inclined to wait and see who pans out and who doesn’t rather than trade them away for rentals. The Bruins’ farm system is also severely lacking in right-shot defensemen and right wingers, meaning they’d likely prefer to hold on to their top picks if possible in search of a solution to those holes. The result is a lineup of middling or aging prospects and mid- and late-round picks as the B’s preferred trade capital, not enough to acquire stars, but sufficient to add depth players. And for the 2017-18 Bruins, that’s perfectly fine. They showed early on this season that they have the depth already to deal with injuries up front (and on the blue line) and since the team got healthy, they’ve been rolling on all cylinders. Each scoring line has two veterans and a young player, led by arguably the league’s best grouping of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak. A second line that has seen success turning a left-handed natural center in Ryan Spooner into a right wing with David Krejci and DeBrusk and a third line with immense chemistry in David Backes, Riley Nash, and Heinen round out a solid top nine. Perhaps the one area where they could use some assistance is on the fourth line, where Tim Schaller, Noel Acciari, and rookie Sean Kuraly have done a fine job, but the addition of a solid, two-way bottom-six forward (or two) could be a welcome addition to the energy line and another injury depth option. Even if the Bruins don’t see a need for a starter, with late draft picks to burn, they could add another veteran forward just to improve their depth. In a buyer’s market, even one of the bigger names on the market could fit this role.
2) Left-shot depth defenseman
Similarly, each defensive pair is also well-balanced with a veteran and a youngster and a puck-mover with a physical threat. The Bruins usually line up with Zdeno Chara and Calder candidate McAvoy, Torey Krug with Carlo, and possession monster Grzelcyk with Kevan Miller. Now that he’s healthy, career-starter Adam McQuaid is the #7 defenseman in Boston – stellar depth already – and free agent addition Paul Postma is #8 – also impressive. The only problem is that both McQuaid and Postma are right-handed, as are the right-side rearguards on each pair. If injury strikes the left side, or if Grzelcyk’s play drops off, the B’s could use a left-shot option. O’Gara and Tommy Cross have seen NHL action and Zboril, Lauzon, and Johansson have shown NHL promise, but the Bruins can afford to add a more reliable player with regular play time this season if they so choose.
3) Top-six right wing with term
Don’t expect this. Long-term, there could be a hole on Krejci’s right side, as Backes did not work out last season and Spooner’s success thus far has come as a surprise. Senyshyn or Donato and an off-wing option like Bjork or Cehlarik could eventually take the job, but there are some who think the Bruins should instead try to buy one of the top wings on the trade market. However, there are two problems with this thought: 1) Sweeney seems unwilling to part with the pieces necessary to land such a player, and 2) the line chemistry implications could backfire. Spooner is an offense-first, top-nine player. If forced out of his current spot, Spooner’s only real option would be to supplant Nash on the third line. If that doesn’t work out, then there’s no role for him. An expensive trade could wind up pushing one of the Bruins’ top play-making forwards out of the lineup. Adding a top-six winger would be a luxury for Boston and Sweeney does not seem to be a guy keen on giving up hard-earned, home-grown prospects or picks for a luxury.