We are in the dog days of summer for the NHL, and we are still over a month away from training camps opening. This offseason has not been as action-packed for the Boston Bruins as fans would have liked in terms of retooling the roster.
General manager Don Sweeney has added his biggest piece this offseason, forward Viktor Arvidsson, in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, before shelling out a five-year, $17 million contract to Tanner Jeannot. Boston is hoping that Arvidsson can find his offensive touch playing for first-year Black and Gold coach Marco Sturm.
The rest of the moves have mostly been rebuilding the Boston bottom-six, with a top center still needed. There is still time that moves could be made by Sweeney before camp and the regular season begins, and names have been swirling about in trade rumors. One of those names is Casey Mittlestadt, who the Bruins acquired through a trade with the Colorado Avalanche that sent Charlie Coyle to the Mile High City.
Jimmy Murphy of RG Media reported that Mittlestadt could be moved at some point by Sweeney, as told to him by an anonymous executive.
“I think a lot of teams have been and are expecting the Bruins to flip him at some point, but where’s his value at right now if that’s the case? They may just see how it goes this season. Maybe he reshapes his value, and if they’re out of it again at the next trade deadline, then they move him then and parlay him into another pick or prospect.”
Murphy is well connected, and if that report is indeed true, then Mittlestadt just might be on the move at some point. A mock trade by one writer involves Mittlestadt with an Atlantic Division rival, but it doesn't solve Boston's biggest need.
Mock trade between Bruins & Red Wings doesn't solve Boston's biggest need
A one-for-one player trade suggested by Jake Rivard of Heavy.com has the Brins trading Mittlestadt going to the Detroit Red Wings for J.T. Compher. A center-for-center swap is very doable money-wise wise with money going out and coming in for both teams; however, this doesn't solve the Black and Gold's need for a top-line center.
Compher has three years remaining on a contract that carries a $5.1 million AAV, while Mittlestadt goes the other way with a $5.75 million AAV. Money isn't the problem, but the player coming to Boston not being what the Bruins need is the problem.
Numbers-wise, Compher would bring a little more offense and production than Mittlestadt, but he's not the play-making center the Bruins need. He does play on the power play and kill penalties, which is nice depth. However, if there is one thing that we have learned with Sweeney recently, he's not afraid to trade within the division, but a deal that doesn't solve what Boston needs to retool on the fly.