After a tough February, wins have been at a premium lately for the Boston Bruins. After an impressive win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Bruins appear to be turning things around. However, that shouldn't stop Don Sweeney and company from pursuing scoring help at the trade deadline.
One name that the Bruins could target to add some scoring punch is Anthony Duclair, currently playing for the San Jose Sharks as they are mired in a terrible season. What does Duclair bring to the table for the Bruins?
Should the Bruins try to land Anthony Duclair in a trade?
Duclair is a speedy winger who can be useful on rushes because of his speed, but also has finishing touch and plenty of points to boot, particularly at even strength. He is a middle-six winger, which can help Jim Montgomery stabilize that part of the lineup, and he's certainly an accomplished scorer.
So far this season, Duclair has 16 goals and 11 assists through 56 games for the Sharks. That's not an ideal point total at this point in time, but some of that can be attributed to the lack of scorers around him on the Sharks. Duclair would certainly fare better playing with guys like Trent Frederic, Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, and Jake DeBrusk, if DeBrusk remains in Boston beyond the trade deadline.
As for the cap hit Duclair is on, it's a little challenging to fit in, however it is possible. He's in the final year of a three-year deal signed with the Florida Panthers that pays him $3 million annually. With the Bruins straddling the salary cap, even a trade with the Sharks retaining salary would require money being sent out in a trade. It's not an ideal situation, but it is one that the Bruins can make work.
Duclair is two years removed from a 31 goal, 58 point season for the Florida Panthers, so the production is clearly still there. At age 28, he also still has a long career ahead of him if he can keep playing as advertised.
The main issue with acquiring someone like Duclair, salary aside, is that he too can be a streaky scorer. When he's hot, he's hot, but when he's cold he tends to stay cold for stretches. That profile ends up being a little redundant on the Bruins with DeBrusk in the mix, but Duclair can still rack up points at good rates.
While a deal for Anthony Duclair would be a useful addition for the Bruins, the streakiness could end up haunting them just like it has with DeBrusk. If I'm the Bruins, I still roll the dice with this one because Duclair would still shore up the middle six as the Bruins get set for a playoff run.