Derek Stepan, Center/Right Wing – Rangers (2010-17), Coyotes (2017-20), Senators (2020-21), Hurricanes (2021-23)
Perhaps the best option out of these four, is Derek Stepan. Not only is he a right-handed shooting center, but he is also lower cost, and intimately familiar with the Eastern Conference – specifically with the Atlantic Division through his time with the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and Carolina Hurricanes.
Throughout his time with the Rangers, much like the aforementioned Staal, he relished every opportunity to play the Bruins whether it was at the TD Garden, or the Madison Square Garden.
Much like Stastny, Stepan is a distributor with the puck, and will hand out assists before he goes for a goal himself, but at 33-years-old, he has time to develop his goal-scoring ability before he finally hangs up the skates.
If he doesn’t score much, what is his value to the Bruins?
Stepan’s value to Boston is very simple: availability. As former New England Patriots coach, Bill Parcells said, “the best ability, is availability.” And with the Bruins missing two very large pieces of their offense, it’s never rung truer than right now.
In his entire career, Stepan has only played in less than 65 games twice. Yes, you read that right. Now, he may have set career-highs in goals in 2015-16 with 22, assists in 2017-18 with 42, and points with 57 in 2013-14, he has been very available, but also very disciplined throughout his career.
Stepan highest penalty minutes total of any season is 26 which is unusually low for a league where most players are in the upper 50s for the most part. Stepan wouldn’t cost much either, giving him even more added value to the Bruins.
2022-23 cap hit: $750,000.00