Being perceived as true Stanley Cup contender has its privileges on the commerce deadline. The palm bushes are a bonus.
The Florida Panthers have earned their standing by grinding their opponents to mud for the previous couple of months they usually reaped the rewards on Wednesday by buying Vladimir Tarasenko for primarily a music and dance – for a 2025 conditional third spherical and a 2024 fourth spherical decide. The Ottawa Senators additionally retained 50% of Tarasenko’s $5 million cap hit, leaving the Panthers with roughly $3 million in cap area to make one other transfer of significance. Tarasenko had a no-trade clause, so it stands to cause he helped engineer the deal to the present front-runners.
Life is sweet once you’re on high of the world.
Tarasenko may have helped the B’s. With the exception of goalie, the B’s may use certainly one of all the things. And the acquisition does make the duty of getting by the Atlantic Division within the playoffs that rather more daunting for the B’s.
But a scoring winger, although tantalizing, just isn’t on the high of the B’s want record — and their needs will probably be arduous to satisfy, given their lack of draft capital and cap area.
The B’s are in determined want of two issues – a dependable centerman who could be trusted to win key defensive zone attracts and play a stout, two-game and a rugged left-handed defenseman who’s the primary man over the boards on the penalty kill and close-out conditions.
The latter is one thing the B’s thought that they had when the season started. Derek Forbort could also be pegged as only a third pairing defenseman, however he was relied upon in these key conditions. Unfortunately for the B’s, he has by no means been capable of regain his recreation as he’s battled a groin damage and spent over a month on LTIR. No having him proper has been an enormous loss. Veteran AHLer Parker Wotherspoon has been one thing of a godsend, however the damage to Hampus Lindholm uncovered the shortage of depth of the left facet of the blue line.
Meanwhile, the membership knew they’d be challenged on the shut-down middle. You don’t lose a six-time Selke Award winner in Patrice Bergeron with out feeling it – and it’s been felt most in game-closing conditions. Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha have stepped up admirably and are each over 50% within the faceoff circle.
But each have misplaced key attracts in video games the B’s misplaced that they may have and will have gained. The most up-to-date instance was Tuesday’s painful loss to the Edmonton Oilers (who picked up centerman Adam Henrique on Wednesday, by the best way) on a late 6-on-5 after which in extra time.
While the B’s will probably be getting Hampus Lindholm (decrease physique) in some unspecified time in the future, and he will certainly assist, Patrice Bergeron just isn’t strolling by that door.
That’s why the report of the Vancouver Canucks, ought to they land Pittsburgh’s rental Jake Guentzel, may flip Elias Lindholm to the Bruins (as reported by The Athletic’s Chris Johnson on Tuesday) was so tantalizing.
As of the second — and offers have been occurring furiously on Wednesday (The Avalanche acquired by Philly defenseman Sean Walker and Buffalo middle Casey Mittelstadt) – Guentzel stays in Pittsburgh.
Logic states that on Tuesday, when the Elias Lindholm chatter first arose, that the B’s weren’t shut on something, contemplating their two finest presumed commerce chips, Linus Ullmark and Jake DeBrusk, have been each within the lineup for Tuesday’s recreation, with Ullmark getting his scheduled begin.
But if there’s an acquisition which may transfer the needle for the B’s, Elias Lindholm could be it. So much ought to occur throughout the league between now and Friday’s commerce deadline.
It stays to be seen if B’s GM Don Sweeney chooses to be part of it.
Source: www.bostonherald.com