Boston Bruins 2017 Trade Deadline Possible Targets

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.