An intriguing waiver wire option emerges for Bruins

The Dallas Stars are taking a massive risk by putting Vladislav Kolyachonok on waivers. The left-hand shot puck-moving defenseman can play either side and has been able to produce at an acceptable rate during his time in the NHL. The defenseman has 17 points in 85 career games, but it's his underlying numbers from JFresh Hockey's player cards that really make him look like a productive NHLer.

Kolyachonok isn't just a puck-mover. He has also been playing above-average defense, but offense is still his calling card. He is a former second-round pick in 2019 and is still only 24 years old. There is still room for the Belarusian to grow.

The 24-year-old Mason Lohrei has better offensive numbers, but Kolyachonok could serve the same purpose while giving the Bruins a bit better defensive play. Another positive of the Stars' cast-off is that he has a minuscule $800,000 cap hit for the next two seasons.

If you're Don Sweeney, you're not just going to bring Kolyachonok in to replace Lohrei and let him sit in the press box. However, Lohrei comes at a more expensive cap hit, and you're likely going to have to move him out if acquiring a scoring winger, as the Bruins are reportedly exploring.

An intriguing waiver wire option emerges for Bruins

It's unknown how close the Bruins are to acquiring a scoring winger, but picking up Kolyachonok on waivers could speed the process along. They do have some time, considering that Jonathan Aspirot is set to miss some time with an injury. If they did go the trading Lohrei route, there is time to wait until Aspirot returns.

There are going to be some teams that see value in Kolyachonok. One rival team of the Bruins who could use a waiver claim on Kolyachonok is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are in desperate need of some puck-moving help on the backend. The Bruins could regret not picking him up if he joins the Leafs and becomes a contributor.