Boston Bruins: Ranking the Bruins’ top trade deadline targets

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 26: A detail of the Boston Bruins logo is seen during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on November 26, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 8-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 26: A detail of the Boston Bruins logo is seen during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on November 26, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 8-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
8 of 8
charlie coyle bruins
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 12: Bruins bench congratulates Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) after he scores shootout goal during the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins NHL game on November 12, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Conclusion

There are plenty of trade options available this year that the Boston Bruins would be wise to explore.

No single player can be seen as a true game-changer though, hence the lack of A ratings! Every player the Boston Bruins are being associated with looks to be a calculated addition to what is already a strong line-up.

What Boston need to ensure they don’t do is over-pay for a player. If a player is on an expiring deal, we shouldn’t be giving up a first-round pick unless that player could legitimately offer something new to our first or second line or alternately our top four on defense.

More from Rumors

Equally, even with term the Boston Bruins need to ensure they’re not mortgaging too much of our own prospect pipeline. Teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins are a great template to build yourself around, with their willingness to gamble all the time Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are still going.

However, just because the Boston Bruins window is narrowing with age slowly catching up on David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and company; the Bruins shouldn’t be throwing everything at it.

One Stanley Cup win isn’t necessarily worth years of slow rebuilding. Any trade deadline decision must be measured for what it can afford us now and how it impacts our future. The Bruins got it right last year with Marcus Johansson and Charlie Coyle, so that must be the target again this year.

Adding players that aren’t world-beaters but that will gel with the team and actually ended up being difference-makers in their own way.

Trade deadline is always an interesting time of year; it’s quite clear the Boston Bruins fully intend to compete again; everyone wants to head back to the Stanley Cup Final after last year’s heartbreak.

What trades actually end up taking place and how a play-off roster looks is anyone’s guess at this stage, though.