Nov 9, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Capitals left wing
Martin Erat(10) skates against the Phoenix Coyotes during the game at Jobing.com Arena. The Coyotes defeated the Capitals 4-3 in the overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
It’s been quiet the whirlwind for Martin Erat in the last 2 seasons.
He was traded from Nasvhille to Washington for promising forward prospect Filip Forsberg hoping to get a better start in Washington then he was having in Nasvhille during the shortened season. Unfortunately for Erat that was not the case. Brought into be a second line winger, Erat has found himself constantly being shoveled to the third and fourth lines and in most cases bound to the press box by Adam Oates.
Erat is a proven 50 point scorer and has hit the 20 goal mark three times during his NHL career with the Predators. With the Bruins having trouble on the second line, could this be the chance for the Bruins to reinvigorate the line and give the 32 year old Erat a smattering of a chance? If the Bruins do peruse Erat, who / what would we give up for him?
Looking at the fact he asked to be traded from the Washington Capitals, puts it into a “We need to move him ASAP” type situation. With him already being bound to the third and fourth lines, this may be a perfect opportunity to finally ship Jordan Caron out, but yet who does Erat replace up front? Marchand may very well be apart of this deal if he doesn’t step his game up. The Bruins would have no qualms getting rid of an under performer for a consistent and proven winger.
The big con about having Erat is that he is 32 years old. Certainly not a seasoned veteran but he isn’t young either. Marchand is only 25 years old, and at any point a young player can find himself in a slump and want to break out. But with the mission to be a return to the Finals and this time to seal the deal (especially with the Red Sox walking away with a Championship), it can be understood that the Bruins don’t want to wait on slumps and want to get the scoring and chemistry done and set before the long haul into the Olympic Break.
It also should be noted that David Krejci and Erat are Czech Republic teammates and played together on the 2012 Bronze World Championship team. Erat would be definitely be a good fit in the Bruins system. Just with the gamble of giving up Marchand (especially within the Conference to a climbing Washington team) and with Erat’s age taken into account, it’s making it very hard to see this being a reality.
Besides, the Bruins still have to add a veteran at the trade deadline. It’s their tradition after all