The time has come for us to readjust our buying and selling deadline want checklist for the Bruins – and it’s extra modest than it as soon as was.
The dream acquisition, after all, is just not going to occur. Lou Lamoriello, his Islander crew underachieving and simply outdoors of the playoffs, jumped the sector and landed middle Bo Horvat from Vancouver, then locked him up for eight years at $8.5 million per season. Horvat would have bolstered the B’s formidable assault for this yr and fill one of many prime two middle spots for at any time when Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retire.
That doesn’t imply the B’s can afford to face pat. Too many gamers are anticipated to be on the transfer and all of the B’s rivals will probably be trying to gird themselves for a run.
The newest massive fish being linked to the B’s is now Arizona Coyote left defenseman Jakob Chychrun. I’ve to confess, he’s intriguing. A possible No. 1 defenseman, Chychrun comes with a greater than palatable wage cap hit of $4.6 million for 2 extra years after this season.
There is little to not like concerning the participant. He has 7-20-27 totals in 35 video games, is averaging 23:05 of ice time and is plus-6 on a reasonably dangerous crew. He’s additionally 6-foot-2 and 220 kilos and simply 24 years outdated. A prime 4 of Chychrun, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo – all massive males who can skate – can be fairly darn formidable.
The drawback, as traditional, can be the fee. While there’s not a lot concern right here with packaging up the first-round draft decide and any variety of prospects, together with Fabian Lysell or Mason Lohrei, it might additionally take a bit off the present roster. That, presumably, can be Matt Grzelcyk, not solely to make it work financially (Grzelcyk has an annual cap hit of $3,687,500 via subsequent yr) but in addition to suit Chychrun into the lineup.
It can be a daring transfer, however I might not be comfy messing that a lot with the chemistry of a crew that has just about shredded the competitors for greater than half the season. Unlike the Islanders, this crew is just not in want of a roster shakeup. Besides, the B’s not solely have a No. 1 defenseman, they’ve two of them. Does Chychrun bump McAvoy or Lindholm off both of the 2 energy play items? Would he be comfortable being extra of a spectator whereas all the highest gamers are having enjoyable on the person benefit (most up-to-date struggles however)?
It’s at all times robust say that you just don’t want a participant the caliber of Chychrun. It smacks of “Where would we play Willie McGee?” But contemplating what the B’s have already got, it’s laborious to see how they may maximize Chychrun’s abilities.
On prime of that, Grzelcyk, now wholesome after offseason shoulder surgical procedure, is at present enjoying a number of the greatest hockey of his profession. In the final dozen video games, he’s acquired 2-7-9 totals and, increasingly, he appears to be profiting from the inexperienced gentle to assault. With all his 3-16-19 totals coming at even energy, he’s a plus-31.
There is a legit concern concerning the sturdiness of 5-foot-10, 175-pound Grzelcyk. But in 2019, he made it to the Stanley Cup Finals towards some heavy groups and it took an affordable head shot to knock him out of the collection towards St. Louis. Will he be focused? Sure. But so will McAvoy and Lindholm and Carlo and whoever goes again to retrieve a puck. The B’s even have a reasonably good insurance coverage coverage sitting in Providence in Mike Reilly, at present a cap casualty in Providence. He’d be obtainable within the post-season when there isn’t a cap. As far as seventh defensemen go, it’s laborious to beat Reilly.
So what needs to be the B’s precedence now? It’s one other piece for the underside six forwards, somebody who might deliver just a little extra scoring pop as a fourth line middle or, in a pinch, transfer up the road up as both a middle or wing.
A reputation to whom the B’s have been linked for months has been Blackhawk Jonathan Toews, who’s having an honest bounce-back season with 14-14-28 totals and is profitable 63.3% of his attracts. The solely drawback can be becoming his $10.5 million cap hit.
A more economical transfer can be to focus on Arizona’s 6-foot-6, 210-pound middle, 30-year-old Nick Bjugstad. The promise of his 24-goal season again in 2014-15 by no means got here to fruition. But he’s performed nicely for the Coyotes, notching 11-10-21 totals and, together with Chychrun, is likely one of the few gamers on that crew that’s within the black at plus-8.
And with Bjugstad at a cap hit of $900,000 on an expiring deal, the B’s might exit and bolster the suitable aspect of the protection. Vancouver’s Luke Schenn, 33, the NHL’s hits chief on an expiring contract with a cap hit of $850,000, would match that invoice.
Yes, that path goes again to the outdated rental mannequin, a route from which the B’s have departed in recent times. But you’ll be able to’t land a Lindholm or a Taylor Hall – or, sadly, a Bo Horvat – each season. But it’s not at all times crucial, both.
Source: www.bostonherald.com