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Boston Bruins: Looking back at 5 bad trades in hindsight

By Chad Zimmermann

BOSTON - FEBRUARY 11: The statue of Bruins Bobby Orr outside TD Garden is covered in snow after the overnight snowstorm, Feb. 11, 2017. The statue depicts Orr's 1970 Stanley Cup winning overtime goal. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - FEBRUARY 11: The statue of Bruins Bobby Orr outside TD Garden is covered in snow after the overnight snowstorm, Feb. 11, 2017. The statue depicts Orr's 1970 Stanley Cup winning overtime goal. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
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Boston Bruins
BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 22 : Zac Rinadlo /

June 29, 2015

Bruins receive:  Zac Rinaldo
Flyers receive:  Bruins 2017 3rd round pick

There’s no way to sugarcoat this:  Zac Rinaldo is one of the sorriest individuals to happen to the NHL in its existence.  His tenure in the NHL is about a decade or so late, because all he was good for is physicality.  And unfortunately, for the most part, his physicality tends to dirty in nature, and leads to him being a frequent customer of the NHL Department of Player Safety.

In his first season with the Bruins, Rinaldo was suspended for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette.  While on his NHL suspension, the Bruins waived him and he was sent to Providence.  While in Providence, he continued his dirty ways, and ended up being suspended in the AHL for another illegal hit.

Rinaldo got another shot in the NHL with the Arizona Coyotes this season, and what do you know, another suspension for a sucker punch to young Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard.  Just added another black mark to Rinaldo’s career, if you can find a spot to put it.

The Bruins actually gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 2017 THIRD round pick for this guy?  Are you kidding?  This was one of General Manager Don Sweeney’s first moves after taking over for the fired Peter Chiarelli.  And boy, this was an absolute dud.  There’s a lot of good talent that can be had in the 3rd round.  For example, Brad Marchand was a 3rd round pick.

But we’ll never know what could have been of that Bruins 3rd round pick.  All I know, is if given the option of wearing a Zac Rinaldo Bruins jersey or being set on fire, I would supply the gasoline.

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