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Boston Bruins: Could the Winnipeg Jets be a willing trade partner?

By jc

WINNIPEG, MB - MARCH 14: David Backes #42 of the Boston Bruins and Dmitry Kulikov #5 of the Winnipeg Jets watch as goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #37 makes a first period save at the Bell MTS Place on March 14, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Bruins 4-3. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MARCH 14: David Backes #42 of the Boston Bruins and Dmitry Kulikov #5 of the Winnipeg Jets watch as goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #37 makes a first period save at the Bell MTS Place on March 14, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Bruins 4-3. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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john moore bruins
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 19: Boston Bruins defenseman John Moore (27) starts up ice during Game 5 of the First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 19, 2019, at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Bruins have a deep group of defensemen

While the Jets are thin on the backend, the Bruins are quite deep. In fact, when everybody’s healthy, the Bruins have too many NHL defensemen on the roster.

The Bruins started all three games this year with the same six defensemen: Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk, and Connor Clifton.

This group looks set for the time being. Unless somebody goes down with an injury, expect these six defensemen to be in the lineup night in and night out. And, if somebody needs a game off, Steven Kampfer, with his 201 games of NHL experience, is ready to go.

Things will change once John Moore or Kevan Miller come back from injury. The Bruins will need an extra roster spot to activate either Moore or Miller.

They could place Kampfer on waivers to clear up a spot, but this becomes complicated if the Bruins activate Moore. Moore is on LTIR, so Boston will need to make sure there’s enough cap space for his $2.75 million hit.

Don’t be surprised if the Bruins look to trade one of their NHL defensemen if Moore or Miller come back healthy. Winnipeg could certainly use some veteran help.

Then there’s Boston’s group of prospects. Even with Chara’s retirement on the horizon, the Bruins organizational depth chart is loaded with left-shot defensemen. Jeremy Lauzon looks ready to play right in the NHL now, and Urho Vaakanainen isn’t far behind. Both players are currently in Providence. Jakub Zboril is there, too.

The Bruins could entice Winnipeg with one of these young defensemen. Or, they could trade a veteran like Moore and replace him with Lauzon.

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