The Boston Bruins are going to have to make a trade in the very near future according to a report from the Boston Globe. The Bruins may have to ship a player out in order to slide beneath the salary cap and afford new contracts for Torey Krug and Reilly Smith.
While you can file the article from the Boston Globe away as an educated guess, it’s a pretty safe assumption. The Bruins have a ton of money already committed and they’re still trying to hand out a couple of new contracts. Defensively, there are more options than there are roster spots. If a trade was to be made, it’d likely have to involve a defenseman.
Here’s what the Globe has to say on the situation:
“The Bruins have excess on defense. General manager Peter Chiarelli has repeatedly classified nine defensemen as contenders for jobs when training camp opens Sept. 18. David Warsofsky, one of the nine, can be assigned to Providence without clearing waivers. But that leaves eight still in varsity play, which is one more than the Bruins usually carry.
Locks to stay are Hamilton, Krug, and Zdeno Chara. The captain is one of the team’s three most important players. Hamilton is developing into a top-four fixture. Krug is the power-play specialist.
Dennis Seidenberg is coming off major knee surgery. He also has a no-trade clause.
The four remaining defensemen are Johnny Boychuk, Matt Bartkowski, Adam McQuaid, and Kevan Miller.”
Of those four, which would be the most attractive option? That’s debatable depending on who you ask, but it’s highly likely that the Bruins could find teams interested in at least a few of the four men listed above. Whether an opposing team is looking for strength, a big hitter or a guy with a powerful shot, the Bruins should be able to accommodate most trade requests involving the defense.
If the Bruins want to keep Krug, they’re going to have to clear some space. While a deal involving a forward is still possible, especially if Simon Gagne impresses and signs a cheap contract, all of the signs point to the Bruins shedding some salary by moving a defenseman.
