Boston Bruins: John Moore might still be on teams’ trade radars

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 17: John Moore #27 of the Boston Bruins defends Nikolai Prokhorkin #74 of the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at TD Garden on December 17, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 17: John Moore #27 of the Boston Bruins defends Nikolai Prokhorkin #74 of the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at TD Garden on December 17, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins have a useful player in defenseman John Moore; he’s not vital to the team and thus a trade-able asset.

Until yesterday, I’d have said John Moore would definitely be of some interest to the Edmonton Oilers, but then they went and snapped up Mike Green from Detroit. Still, all is not lost for the Boston Bruins.

Moving on to other teams that could be in the play-off hunt and there’s a perfectly decent candidate in Carolina to acquire John Moore’s services.

The Hurricanes organisation typically avoids signing rental players at the trade deadline, hence why a deal with the Boston Bruins might be so appealing, especially in light of losing another defenseman on Saturday.

More from Rumors

With Brett Pesce and Dougie Hamilton both seemingly out until at least the playoffs; you’d have to imagine they’re shopping for a defenseman.

There are, of course, better left-sided options on the trade block than the Boston Bruins’ John Moore; the likes of Erik Gustafsson of the Blackhawks and Jonas Brodin in Minnesota immediately spring to mind.

In the case of Chicago, the price might be quite high given how team-friendly Gustafsson is cap-wise. Likewise, Brodin isn’t going to come cheap as he flies under the radar with the Wild as a very effective defensive presence.

The Boston Bruins could offer John Moore for a relatively cheap cost, if only to get rid of his $2.75 million cap hit and free up space to load up with a bigger name; maybe a Brandon Saad, Kyle Palmieri or Chris Kreider, if we’re lucky.

Given the Ottawa Senators managed to cash in on a third-round draft pick in return for Dylan DeMelo, you’d have to imagine that’d be the target for Don Sweeney, were he to do a deal.

If nothing else, it recoups a draft-pick having already given up our first to get rid of David Backes‘ burdensome contract. John Moore remains perhaps the biggest contractual burden left, though he still could hold appeal on teams lacking defensive depth.

Beyond the Hurricanes, you’d have to imagine the Winnipeg Jets might see value in looking at Moore, likewise a team like the Calgary Flames have suffered blows to its’ defensive depth of late, losing Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic to injury.

Any deal that the Boston Bruins pull off is unlikely to be a blockbuster, unless of course, John Moore is included in a much bigger package. Still, it’s always nice to know that even as a buying team, we have at least one option we could sell on.