Boston Bruins: The Final Year of Loui Eriksson
By Jay Peterson
With most players locked up and free agency winding down, it is time to look at the members of the Boston Bruins who are in the last year of their respective contracts. In this article, we will determine what Loui Eriksson needs to do in his final year and whether or not he will return to the black and gold.
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With Don Sweeney making the trades that he has, regardless of the reasoning behind them, it appears that even the core players of the Boston Bruins are not safe. What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not Loui Eriksson is considered to be one of Boston’s core players. Most fans would probably say no simply because he has not been with the team long enough and has not lived up to the expectations that were put on him when he was acquired.
If there is a possibility that the Boston Bruins will be without the versatile winger, it is important for the front office to determine what their team would look like in his absence. Brad Marchand and Matt Beleskey are the top two left wingers while Brett Connolly and David Pastrnak are the top two right wingers. With these four players taking up these spots, it appears as if Eriksson is on his way out, once his contract expires.
Feb 18, 2015; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson (21) skates during warmup against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
The nice thing about Eriksson’s contract is that it does have one year left on it. In a season where most of Boston’s forwards have many question marks surrounding the type of season they will have, it is great to have a player like Loui Eriksson who can be slotted into any winger position or any scenario within a game. He’s solid on the power play or the penalty kill. If any of the other top wingers get cold or injured during the season, Eriksson will be able to be put into the empty spot, keeping the top two lines strong.
Hopefully, by the end of this season, Beleskey, Connolly and Pastrnak will all have proven themselves to be top line wingers and the Eriksson insurance will no longer be needed as much. However, what if Don Sweeney sees Eriksson as a player that he wants for a long time?
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If the Boston Bruins decide that Loui Eriksson is a part of their core and wish to resign him, it would most likely be for around five years at around five million dollars. This would have to mean that either Brad Marchand or Brett Connolly would be on their way out, instead of Eriksson. This is what makes this upcoming year so interesting; the competition within.
Will Loui Eriksson have a good enough training camp and year to remain on the top two lines and remain a Boston Bruin, or will he have another sub-par season and simply take his business elsewhere? Just another question that won’t be answered until at least October.