There are times when Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney deserves every bit of the criticism that he receives. The drafting has been bad, his insistence on signing depth forwards with grit has worked out but has gone a bit overboard, and the front office's approach on how to deal with their young players is a bit outdated. However, if there's one thing he can do, it is find a diamond in the rough in a trade and come out on the winning end.
The Hampus Lindholm trade was a bit pricey, but the Swedish defenseman has been a rock-solid piece of the blueline when healthy. The Taylor Hall acquisition was a risk at the time, but he played well for the Bruins' second line in his tenure, and it only cost Anders Bjork and a second-round pick. Curtis Lazar, who also came over in that deal with Hall, was no slouch in the bottom six, either.
When compiling a list of the most underrated players of the 21st century for the Bruins, Charlie Coyle was a name that stood out, and fans might forget that the trade deadline deal was a bit of a throwaway and a gamble in hopes that the Massachusetts native could find his game at home. It cost only Ryan Donato and a fifth-round pick, and Coyle was nearly a key cog in leading the team to the Stanley Cup that spring.
The Bruins infamously came up short by laying an egg in Game 7 of the finals against the St. Louis Blues, but Coyle's performance that postseason was something special. He was initially going to be a third-line center or even a winger for that roster, but he and Marcus Johansson stepped up in a big way, with Coyle tallying 16 points in 24 games.
Don Sweeney's Charlie Coyle gamble paid off
It took plenty of nerve for Sweeney to head into that trade deadline and take a chance on a player. It was initially a concerning move, but fans would soon find out that when the general manager and his front office identify a player when he is at his lowest, there is a good chance they have a reason to believe that there are big things coming.
Coyle, Hall, and Lindholm are just three examples of many who had a resurgence in their careers since the Bruins acquired him. Coyle would become a solid piece in Boston for many years, and his arc is something to think about before writing off the JJ Peterka acquisition.
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