Boston Bruins: Kovalchuk deal sets price too high on Joe Thornton

The Montreal Canadiens have made money on Ilya Kovalchuk, but for the Boston Bruins it sets a high market price for any veteran.

Fair play to the Canadiens for taking Ilya Kovalchuk in on a free-agent deal after he failed to impress in his time with the Los Angeles Kings. In dishing him for a third-round pick and retained salary, they’ve made money on a player the Boston Bruins might’ve been in on.

For Boston, it’s disappointing given how cheap he eventually moved for that they didn’t go for him. If nothing else, at such a low cap hit, Ilya Kovalchuk could’ve offered star-quality as a depth player.

Instead, the Boston Bruins must face up to the fact that veterans like Kovalchuk and Joe Thornton, who they’re still reportedly interested in, won’t be coming cheap.

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The Canadiens have set the market value of an expiring veteran rental, at least one that can still contribute, at a third-round pick and no less.

This was further cemented as the market price when the Detroit Red Wings dealt Mike Green to the Edmonton Oilers for an long-term injured-reserve contract in Kyle Brodziak and a conditional fourth-round pick.

Obviously the challenge is picking which veteran players can still offer value and knowing the team at the other end of the deal will willingly retain salary, in most cases.

Joe Thornton is an intriguing proposition, not least because he is a former Boston Bruins’ first-overall draft pick and former team captain that is in the last-chance saloon with regards to finally winning a Stanley Cup.

He may be experiencing a down-year but has still contributed 27 points in 62 games for the San Jose Sharks. He also still has the vision and play-making skills as well as the size to fulfil an important role in the play-offs.

You’d imagine any Boston Bruins deal would center around 50% salary retained by the Sharks and likely a conditional third/fourth-round pick. After all he’s done for the organisation, if he wants a shot at the Cup, you think he gets that option, purely out of sentimentality.

Whether or not he’d be a fit is another question. Bringing a veteran in is never going to be bad for the team, but given how stable our four centers have been, it might be a challenge to carve out a spot for him.

If indeed it is a route we pursue, you’d imagine he usurps Sean Kuraly on the fourth line, with the latter likely still featuring, maybe on a wing. Add some second-unit power-play usage for Thornton to that too.

Question is; are the Bruins willing to give up that third or fourth-round pick for an expiring veteran that hasn’t been top of his game this season. It worked for the Canadiens and they ended up benefiting, can it work for Boston in the post-season?