Are the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames Trade Partners?
The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames started the season with high expectations. Given the current the standings, could they make great trade partners right now?
We find ourselves at the quarter-mark of the NHL season; struggling teams need to act now to salvage their seasons. Otherwise, they won’t have enough time to turn things around and make the playoffs. Can the Boston Bruins take advantage?
Usually teams that underperform through 20 or so games will do something like fire the head coach (hello, Toronto) or make a big trade. The Bruins obviously aren’t at this point, but they can be a willing trade partner for one of these teams.
One team that stands out as a trade partner for Boston is the Calgary Flames.
Like Boston, Calgary started the season with high expectations. The Flames finished at the top of the Western Conference last year, and after a first-round exit, they were ready to bounce back this year.
So far, the season has not gone on as planned for the Flames. Through 25 games, Calgary only has 10 wins and 23 points. This puts the Flames in fifth place in the Pacific Division and out of the playoff picture.
Every day, something new seems to go wrong for Calgary, and the players and coach can’t figure things out. According to TSN, there was a players-only meeting this past week to try to solve any issues.
Many analysts in Canada started to speculate that the Flames might shake up things with a coaching change or a trade. Darren Dreger of TSN mentioned that Calgary general manager Brad Treliving is likely to consider a trade at this point.
Which Calgary players are on the trade block? And do any of them make sense for the Bruins?
Believe it or not, one name that came up in the past week or so is Johnny Gaudreau.
Could the Bruins make a play for Johnny Gaudreau?
Gaudreau is one of the premier left wings in the NHL, but he only has 18 points and is a -11 this season. These numbers aren’t bad, but Calgary expects more from its franchise player. He needs to be better for the Flames.
Given his play and Calgary’s place in the standings, some people question whether or not the Flames could trade Gaudreau to really shake things up. Darren Haynes of The Athletic outlined the rationale for a Gaudreau trade.
This would obviously be a major move for the Flames, and honestly it doesn’t seem very likely. Gaudreau is too good a player, and the Flames can’t simply give him up.
But, what if Calgary did decide to move Gaudreau? The Bruins would definitely need to consider the chance to bring the former Boston College star back to the northeast.
Here’s the deal: Gaudreau is a left wing, and the Bruins are pretty set at that position now. Unless Gaudreau can play the right side (which could work), Boston would need to open up a left wing spot.
Maybe the Bruins could send someone like Jake DeBrusk or Anders Bjork to Calgary. Then, Gaudreau could slide into the left side next to David Krejci. Boston probably doesn’t want to part with DeBrusk or Bjork, but you have to give up something valuable to get a player like Gaudreau.
We also must consider the salary cap as well. Gaudreau’s cap hit is $6.75 million, so Boston needs to shed salary to fit him under the cap.
Boston could move Torey Krug and his $5.25 million cap hit to make things work. Krug is an unrestricted free agent after this year, and given Matt Grzelcyk’s play with Krug out of the lineup, some started to ponder Krug’s availability.
Krug is a player who could step in and help the Flames this season. Mark Giordano is the only Calgary defenseman with at least 10 points, so the Flames could use some offense from the backend.
Could the Bruins build a package around Krug and Bjork to pry Gaudreau out of Calgary?
Again, Calgary likely won’t move Gaudreau this year, but his name has come up. As such, we can have some fun and speculate. Imagine a top six with David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Johnny Gaudreau on the wings! With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci down the middle!
Elias Lindholm is a more likely option for Boston
If we put fantasy hockey aside from now, let’s consider someone Calgary is more willing to trade.
Like we mentioned before, Calgary appears to have a need on defense. To fill this need, the Flames could move a player from their deep forward group.
Elias Lindholm comes to mind as a forward Calgary could move.
Lindholm has 10 goals and seven assists in 25 games this year. He’s got decent size, and although the Flames list him as a center, Lindholm lined up on the right wing this year.
Lindholm actually had a relatively strong start to this year for the Flames. Not only does he have 17 points; he also has a 53.7% CF. These numbers are right in line with Gaudreau’s.
He’d be a perfect fit in that right wing spot next to Krejci. Put Lindholm with Krejci and DeBrusk and keep that top line together, and you might have the best top-six in the NHL.
Lindholm’s cap hit is $4.85 million, so a trade works if Boston moves Krug to Calgary. Or, the Bruins can package Grzelcyk with a pick or prospect and then move on from Kevan Miller or John Moore.
Next. Marchand is the best winger in the NHL. dark
A Lindholm trade is the more likely scenario for Boston, while Gaudreau remains a dream. Either way, Calgary and Boston look like decent trade partners. The Bruins need another top-six forward, and the Flames need a shakeup. Let’s make something happen.