Boston Bruins: Is Loui Eriksson at Peak Trade Value?

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Loui Eriksson rumors are nothing new to fans of the Boston Bruins. They started in earnest this past summer, and certainly picked up steam when it was learned Dennis Seidenberg would miss significant time early on.

The name most often associated with these rumors is Dustin Byfuglien of the Winnipeg Jets. Like Eriksson, he is 30 years old. As is the case with Eriksson, he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Unlike the Bruins winger, though, Byfuglien is averaging a half a point per game while Eriksson is off to his best start as a Bruin, leading the team with nine goals in 18 games.

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If the Bruins move Eriksson, they will surely cite the fact that his pending UFA status is the main reason, but Byfuglien is in the same category, only his cap hit is $5,200,000 this year, while Eriksson’s is almost 20% less, at $4,250,000.

Despite Eriksson’s nine goals, let’s remember that three of them came on Thursday night. Of the five games he has scored in this year, the Bruins have only won one of them. General Manager Don Sweeney said this summer that he wanted his team to be tougher to play against. This year’s Bruins will never be called ‘Big or Bad’ and Eriksson is a goal scorer, not a banger.

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Byfuglien is 6’5″ and has a weight that is listed at 265 pounds. He can play forward or defense. He has puck moving skills, and can play with pugnacity and belligerence. He can man the point on the power play. He has his name on the Stanley Cup, from 2009-10 when he played for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was tied for the team lead in playoff goals with 11 scored in 22 games.

If the current cadence of this season continues, and the Bruins can’t get any traction with a winning streak sometime soon, something’s got to give.

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