Boston Bruins Should Explore a Trade With The Predators

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins are in desperate need of a top-4 defenseman. With the regular season approaching, the rumors of Cody Franson, Marek Zidlicky, and the newest addition to the Los Angeles Kings roster Christian Ehrhoff, signing with Boston are now appearing to be just that; rumors. The Bruins may need to turn their attention to the trade market, and while acquiring a legitimate top-4 defenseman may not be easy or cheap, the Bruins should leave no stone unturned when looking for one. With that being said, one team the Bruins could work a trade with is the Nashville Predators.

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A trade for Shea Weber would cost significant cap space to be cleared, which wouldn’t be hard considering the cost for a player like Shea Weber would cost an insane amount of players, prospects, and picks. Players like Weber are few and far between and Nashville would be crazy to let him go.

Probability of being traded to the Bruins: Unlikely

Roman Josi – 25 – Shoots Left

Roman Josi is one of the more underrated defensemen in the entire NHL. At only 25 years old, Josi is a very significant offensive threat, coming off of a 55 point season and 40 points in the season prior. While Josi doesn’t excel at a superstar level in any facet of the game, he is a very well-rounded defenseman. Roman Josi can pass the puck, move the puck, has strong puck-possession numbers and a great shot from the point. Adding to that, he has a very good hockey sense, and his all-around skill-set make him entirely worthy of his $4,000,000 annual average cap hit over the next five seasons. Roman Josi could be a legitimate top-pairing option for the Boston Bruins if they can somehow work out a deal with the Predators.

Roman Josi’s cap hit is entirely reasonable, and while Nashville may be hesitant to move a player like Josi, their defensive depth makes it possible to replace him in their lineup to potentially gain more skill and scoring. at 6-foot-2 and just a touch under 200 pounds, Roman Josi has a good size which could help the Boston Bruins for years to come.

Probability of being traded to the Bruins: Unlikely

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Seth Jones – 20 – Shoots Right

Seth Jones is a former 4th overall draft pick. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 205 pounds, Jones has a large frame that could benefit the Bruins greatly. His frame makes him the perfect fit for the Boston Bruins, as well as their need for a right-handed defenseman. His size makes his speed and lateral movement underrated, and his skating is one of his strengths which can be attributed also to his intelligence as a puck-moving defender.

Seth Jones has yet to prove himself as a legitimate top defenseman in the league, which is entirely understandable for a few reasons. The first of which goes back to the fact that the Predators are such a deep defensive team. The second, and more obvious reason, is the fact that Jones is 20 years old and has played in two seasons. Defenseman notoriously take a long time to develop and Jones has already shown he can play at the highest level of the sport at a better-than-average level. It’s really only a matter of time before Seth Jones breaks out as a superstar, and the Predators are aware of this too.
Due to Seth Jones’ elite caliber and potential, a trade for him would cost an overwhelming amount of prospects and picks in all likelihood. With one year remaining on his Entry Level Contract, he wouldn’t be the first player to be moved before re-signing as an RFA. Dougie Hamilton and Brandon Saad are two prime examples of players who got moved due to their cost being deemed too significant for their respective General Managers to pay for.

Probability of being traded to the Bruins: Unlikely

Mattias Ekholm – 25 – Shoots Left

Mattias Ekholm is another young defenseman on the Nashville Predators who has significant upside. Known more for his defensive game than his offensive game, he still provides a solid two-way ability and is a very strong puck mover. The Bruins are in need of a first-pass defenseman to move the play down ice and Ekholm excels at that part of the game. He has strong hockey sense and isn’t afraid to wait a play out until an opening appears for either a pass or a shot. at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Ekholm doesn’t use his body as efficiently as he could, which is usually a strong requirement to be a significant piece in the Bruins lineup on the back-end.

Ekholm could slot right into the top-4 in Boston, and at only 25 years old, he could be an integral piece of the defensive core moving forward. With his current contract worth $1,037,500 expiring next season, the Predators could look to capitalize on moving him to acquire some of that aforementioned scoring.

Probability of being traded to the Bruins: Very Possible

Ryan Ellis – 24 – Right

Ryan Ellis is the exception to the rule on the Predators blueline. Standing at 5-foot-10 and weight 175 pounds, he is the most undersized defenseman in their top 6. While his size might not be eye-popping, his point total in the OHL sure is. In four years with the Windsor Spitfires, Ellis put up 314 points in 226 games. At 24 years old, Ryan Ellis still hasn’t broken out offensively yet at the NHL level, although it really should only be a matter of time as he could be limited with the deep blue line that the Predators have. Ellis has a right hand shot which is ever-coveted, and that would also mean he could slide right next to either Zdeno Chara on the top pairing or Dennis Seidenberg on the second pairing. Ryan Ellis is seen as a power-play quarterback due to his creativity on the blueline and his impressive passes, and with his booming shot from the point, he’s always a threat to score.

While Ellis offense is the point of emphasis for a potential trade to the Boston Bruins, his defense is more than satisfactory. Unlike most offensive players, Ryan Ellis is a responsible defensive player who isn’t often caught out of position. Ellis’ average annual cap hit is $2,500,000 over the next four seasons which is more than feasible for any team in the NHL, including the Boston Bruins. Ryan Ellis may not be able to break out in Nashville due to their lineup, however, he could shine with the Bruins.

Probability of being traded to the Bruins: Very Possible

Out of the mentioned players, the most likely of the five due to his overall skill-set, contract status, and potential cost, Mattias Ekholm might be the Boston Bruins best bet in a trade.

Leave your thoughts on who the Bruins should trade for from the Predators and what you think it would cost!

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