Boston Bruins 2017 Trade Deadline Possible Targets
Boston Bruins 2017 Trade Deadline Possible Targets
The NHL trade deadline is quickly approaching. With less than a week remaining before the deadline hits, All 30 NHL teams – and even the Vegas Golden Knights, will have to make some decisions. The first thing that every team will have to decide is whether they’re in the buyers market, the seller market or if they want to simply stand pat. For some teams, the decision is easy. For others like the Boston Bruins, fighting for a playoff spot or looking for a piece to potentially put them over the top has to be weighed versus competing in the future.
The Boston Bruin fall in the middle of the buyers’ and sellers’ market. This doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t make any deadline moves – it simply means they aren’t clearly on one end of the spectrum or the other. With 68 points, the Bruins are very much in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Still, the recent surge from Atlantic teams could deter the Bruins from making any moves on the rental market to make a late season push.
Related Story: Bruins Acquire Lee Stempniak at 2016 Trade Deadline
2016 Deadline a Learning Point
Many will remember the 2016 trade deadline when the Bruins made moves to acquire Lee Stempniak and John-Michael Liles. Both were good fits for the Bruins, and both gelled immediately in the lineup. The Bruins, of course, failed to make the playoffs regardless of the additional boost they received, much to the chagrin of Bruins fans and media.
While Boston didn’t make the playoffs, the potential to re-sign both Stempniak and Liles showed that there was potentially a saving grace for the assets given up. The team, of course, retained Liles in the offseason but saw Stempniak sign with the Carolina Hurricanes.
This season, the Bruins have been mentioned in many trade rumor. General manager Don Sweeney has already mentioned that he isn’t looking to get involved in the rental market but more looking for long-term options that could fit into the team’s plans. With that in mind, the team is definitely in a different position than they were last season. While the Bruins may or may not be buyers at this trade deadline, here are possible players they could trade for that could help them now, and in the future.
While the Bruins may or may not be buyers at this trade deadline, here are possible players they could trade for that could help them now, and in the future.
Gabriel Landeskog – Left Wing – 24 Years Old – $5.571 Million Cap Hit
The Boston Bruins have been linked to Gabriel Landeskog for months. It was mentioned that Landeskog could be a fit for the Bruins in early January. The thought made sense but wasn’t based on any actual discussions. Coincidentally, the Bruins became linked to Landeskog very soon afterward, and where there was smoke, there was seemingly fire
Related Story: Bruins Trade Options: Gabriel Landeskog
It’s no secret that Landeskog is a very good hockey player. A former second-overall draft pick, Landeskog has shown that he can do just about everything at the NHL level. His play on the ice is reflective of what the Bruins typically look for – big, gritty forwards who can play well with the puck, as well as without the puck. 200-foot players are always wanted in Boston, and Landeskog has shown that he can be exactly that while also showing he isn’t one to back down from the physical aspect of the game.
A Natural-Born Leader
Off the ice, Landeskog has always shown he can take on a leadership role. Once the youngest captain in NHL history, Landeskog was given the “C” in Colorado at just 19 years and 286 days old. Connor McDavid eventually became the youngest player in history, but Landeskog has always been mature beyond his years.
Related Story: Peter Cehlarik Gelling with David Krejci
At just 24 years old, Landeskog is still a very young player. He’s also signed to a very reasonable cap hit for what he can provide a team, which happens to be legitimate top-six left wing minute. Adding Landeskog to the mix alongside David Krejci and David Pastrnak could be exactly what the Bruins need. While Peter Cehlarik has gelled well with the Czech duo early in his career, Landeskog fits the mold for what the Bruins typically like alongside Krejci – a scoring winger with size who can play accountable hockey.
The Cost is a Sticking Point
With Landeskog seeming like such a perfect fit for the Bruins, there’s a very good reason why rumors revolving around him have cooled as of late. With the cost for Landeskog starting with Brandon Carlo, the Bruins have (rightfully) balked so far in discussions with Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic. Carlo has shown that he’s a true top-four defenseman in the NHL at just 20 years old, and though he still has room to improve, the Bruins would be wise to keep him on their roster after seeing how difficult it is to make the playoffs without a solid defensive group.
Matt Duchene – Center – 26 Years Old – $6 Million Cap Hit
Matt Duchene might be the best available player on the trade market. The Bruins have a slew of centers on their roster, but their three top options are all over 30 years old. While the Bruins would have to break the bank to acquire someone of Duchene’s caliber, any potential deal sending the 26-year-old to Boston would also rely on a contract like David Krejci’s being sent back.
This is the biggest long-shot player on this list, but he’s still worth mentioning given the sheer talent he possesses. Duchene has recorded at least 20 goals in five of his six full NHL seasons. His only season with less than 20 goals came in 2011-12 when the former third-overall pick scored 14 goals in in 58 games in his worst season to date. Duchene has scored 30 goals once, 50 points five times – including 67 points in 2010-11 and 70 points in 2013-14, and his best hockey is likely still ahead of him as he’s just entering the prime years of his career.
Related Story: Boston Bruins - Possible Fits Ahead of Trade Deadline
At 5 foot 11 and 200 pounds, Duchene has the size to play down the middle for the Bruins. His offensive creativity could be invaluable for the Bruins, especially in a new offense-first system. While he may not be as reliable defensively as Krejci, Duchene’s consistent offensive output each season should be enough to make up for it.
Unfortunately, any deal involving Duchene would definitely feature around Carlo, similarly to Landeskog. For this reason, Duchene is likely just a pipe dream for Boston – still, the idea of acquiring him is a fun one to toy with at the very least.
Kevin Shattenkirk – Defenseman – 28 Years Old – $4.25 Million Cap Hit
Another day, another Kevin Shattenkirk to Boston rumor. The former-Boston University star has been linked to the Boston Bruins for years, and it makes sense given the need of the Bruins and the desire to play closer to the east coast from Shattenkirk. At 28 years old, Shattenkirk still has a lot of hockey left in him – many teams know this and covet the services of the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent.
The Bruins discussed a deal with the Blues in the offseason to try and acquire the right-handed defenseman. The cost, however, was way too rich for the Bruins’ blood. It was reported that the Blues were seeking a major haul for their blue-chip defenseman, with David Pastrnak, as well as the Bruins 14th and 29th overall draft picks in 2016 being demanded in return. From Detroit, the reported deal was set to center around Dylan Larkin.
As of now, the cost for Shattenkirk looks to be a first-round pick, a top prospect, and a player. the price is certainly steep for a player that is a pending unrestricted free agent and could ultimately prove to just be a rental. If the Bruins can get Shattenkirk to agree to a contract extension prior to a trade, however, things could be different. In fact, the Tampa Bay Lightning thought they could acquire Shattenkirk in a similar fashion, but the blueliner refused to sign an extension of seven years and $42 million.
At the end of the day, Shattenkirk won’t be cheap to acquire or to extend. If the Bruins do end up getting Shattenkirk locked up to a long-term deal, however, they’ll certainly be taking a big step forward.
Noah Hanifin – Defenseman – 20 Years Old – $925,000 Cap Hit
Noah Hanifin hasn’t directly been mentioned in trade rumors. As Jim Murphy mentioned on Twitter, however, the Hurricanes could be shopping Hanifin and Brett Pesce if the right return is found, per Pierre McGuire. This could simply be speculation, but still, Hanifin would be a very welcome addition to the Bruins blue line.
While many of the Bruins trade targets over the last few seasons have revolved around right-handed defensemen, they also could look for some left handed defensemen to step in right away and play. With Brandon Carlo, Colin Miller, and Charlie McAvoy all looking like the future for the Bruins on the right-side, and Kevin Shattenkirk also an option, the Bruins will need to plan for Zdeno Chara’s replacement. This isn’t to say that Chara’s replacement will fill his specific role, but a new top-four left-handed defenseman will be needed sooner than later.
Hanifin is only 20 years old but he’s already shown that he’s a legitimate NHL defenseman. At 6 foot 3 and 206 pounds, Hanifin has legitimate NHL size. He’s also a Boston native and excelled at Boston college in his draft year before being selected fifth overall by the Hurricanes.
Hanifin isn’t a top-tier defenseman at this point in his development, but he could still fill a big role for the Bruins on a team that could allow him to play more to his strengths. It’s unclear what the cost of Hanifin would be, but the Bruins should at least inquire if they think they could pry him away from Carolina for a reasonable price.