Boston trade rumors: Are Marchand and Kelly next to go?

Jun 19, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins center

(37) celebrates with left wing

(63) after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period in game four of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

fren·zy

/ˈfrɛnzi/ Show Spelled [fren-zee], plural fren·zies, verb, fren·zied, fren·zy·ing.(noun)

1. extreme mental agitation; wild excitement or derangement.

2. a fit or spell of violent mental excitement; a paroxysm characteristic of or resulting from a mania: He is subject to these frenzies several times a year.

I thought I’d put the definition up there so we’re all clear about it. We all saw the frenzy a few days ago when the Bruins traded Tyler Seguin to Dallas. So many people got worked up over Seguin leaving they forgot a very dependable (albeit not high goal scoring) player like Rich Peverley had been let go too. You could literally hear teenage synapses frying all over the North End. Seguin’s trade was a result of his inability to play to the Bruins’ current system, and his off the ice lifestyle. (Then again, if I was given the chance to go back in time till I was twenty-one, be given millions of dollars, drive a Maserati, and have limited consequences for my actions…)

Now the operative term is “shopping”. But seriously, we trade Seguin and Peverley and it suddenly feels like a full on frenzy at the Bruins home office. I’ve never met either of these gentlemen, but they are both highly regarded in the hockey universe. My thoughts are that those sources are in side the TD Garden, and that can make for some very interesting times for the Bruins organization.

Chris Kelly didn’t have a monster season (nine points, three goals +/- of -8 in thirty four games), but he was a solid linesman.  He actually found his niche in the modified Kelly-Paille-Seguin line during the post season. I can see why the Bruins might shop him around, but after playing all of last season with no solid third line to speak of, is it really in the Bruins best interest to break up the third line before the season has even started? Looking at possible assignments now, it’s still going to be an ugly third line as is. (unless we promote Paille to the line permanently, he did earn it.)

Brad Marchand on the list confuses me. He led the team in scoring (thirty six points, eighteen goals), had a monster +/- of +23, and was the Bruins most accurate sniper, hitting 19.8% of his shots. The Bruins expanded his role on special teams, giving him more time on the power play and making him a fixture in the shootout roster. Marchand grew up and played like a committed professional last season, and it would be folly if not insane to let him go.

Let’s get the swimmers out of the water and let the sharks finish up their business so we can go back to our normal routine. We’ve got some great players like Loui Eriksson and Jarome Iginla, and I’m sure they’ll only help the team. We made it to the Finals again, so I really hope we’re not trying to gut the team and rebuild it. It makes no sense to put any more blood in the water.