As previously stated in one of my more recent articles, the word out of Montreal is that veteran defenseman Ben Chiarot is available on the trade market this season, even before the trade deadline.
A lot of Boston Bruins fans — even our very own Shukri Wrights — would welcome the bruising blue liner calling TD Garden his new home if a trade were facilitated.
There’s two defenseman I strongly believe the #NHLBruins could in fact benefit having:
— Shukri Wrights (@ShukriWrights) January 8, 2022
Ben Chiarot & John Klingberg.
Chiarot is a solid physical defenseman who could be a solid top four defenseman.
Klingsberg is a solid two way defenseman who add depth on the B’s blue line
Understandably so, as at 6-foot-3 and 234-pounds, the veteran 30-year old blue liner plays a heavy, hard-hitting and tough-to-play-against, brand of hockey. A defensive style the Bruins, historically, haved love since their inauguration (circa 1924) and would absolutely appreciate having on their bottom-six defense corps again.
Chiarot brings a style of play that many B’s defensemen don’t or can’t
Indeed, especially since the B’s biggest blue liner Brandon Carlo is often accused of being a Hal Gill-type (a big, but not very physical, defenseman), who has a concussion history no less, adding insult to injury (no pun intended). And then, of course, most of Boston’s offensive defensemen offer little to nothing in the physical aspects of the game.
Although a left-shot, Chiarot can also play adequately on the right-side as well, if need be. As such, if acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in a trade this season, he could easily slot in on the right next to Derek Forbort on the third pairing. A bottom-six defensive pair that could, in theory, wreak all kinds of havoc on opposing forwards with their respective size, strength and physicality.
The unrestricted free agent has more to offer than just hits and fights
While not a puck-mover or an assist-machine, Chiarot can still strike gold at the net sometimes. So far, this season, the Ontario native has nine points (five goals and four assists) in 40 games. Now, he can’t rush the puck like Reilly or dish it like Grzelcyk, but his shot release is probably nastier than either of theirs.
In fact, here he is in 2019 demonstrating it for the B’s in the third period of a game, tied at four, at the Bell Centre.
Another vintage Bruins/Habs game in the books, courtesy of a Ben Chiarot (@BChiarot7) game winner. pic.twitter.com/UxaM7rTXC1
— NHL (@NHL) November 6, 2019
However, as good of a shot Chiarot may possess, Bruins GM Don Sweeney should still, in no way, send a first-round draft pick to their arch rivals for a big, albeit defensively poor defenseman.
Not to mention, despite Chiarot’s earned reputation as a fighter, the blue liner’s success in them is inconclusive at best and dubious at worst. Though more so the latter, especially against skilled forwards, like J.T. Miller and the Tkachuck brothers, for some strange reason.
And so, while the veteran defenseman would be an upgrade in size over the likes of Connor Clifton, acquiring him still won’t be the good-get some might think it is.
As such, the Bruins would, really and truly, be better off just signing a free agent, with a similar physical profile but a superior defensive skill-set than Chiarot’s, this upcoming off-season during free agency.
Indeed, because at the end of the day, less defensive liabilities — not more — is a good thing.