The Bruins are playing great hockey right now (second hottest team in the league at 7-2-1 over their last 10), but with one third of the season in the books, they have exposed one glaring weakness: offense. The B’s have the 25th best (worst?) offense in the NHL. Granted, there are a few players who aren’t scoring at their usual pace (I’m looking at you Ryder), but even if they were, this team is still one top6 forward short of being able to roll three scoring lines, and Coach Julien still hasn’t found a trio for the first line that works with any consistency.
So here’s an in depth look at the options that are available this year, starting with the rental crop…
Kovalchuk is the obvious cream of the crop. IF he were to become available the Bruins would have to consider making a move, and they should also be in one of the stronger positions to aquire him, what with their wealth of draft picks. On top of that, Kovy has a history/chemistry with Savard that has to be attractive to him as well. The question then becomes will he cost so much in roster assets that acquiring him defeats the purpose? Let’s not forget that a Kovy/Hossa/Tkachuk led team couldn’t win a playoff game in ’06. Depth matters.
Selanne, IMO is probably at the top of the Bruins’ wish list. Maybe even ahead of Kovalchuk. Not because he’s a better player, but because the ROI could be higher. In other words, he’s not going to cost as much in trade, he’s won a Cup and has a wealth of playoff experience, and adding him essentially recreates the dynamic the Bruins had on their first line last year. Problem is, Selanne has a NTC. On top of that, he convinced ANA to bring in his pal Koivu, so it'll take some convincing to get him to leave once he recovers from his hand injury (late January).
Kariya is starting to heat up and on the ice, is the left wing version of Selanne. Like Selanne, he also has a NTC, so he’s going to have some say in where he goes. Another issue is his hefty $6M cap hit. I don’t know if the Bruins could afford him without sending some roster assets back, and again, if they’re trading away salaried players, they’re probably not improving themselves all that much.
Whitney had 32 goals in '07, and 9 goals on Carolina's Cup winner. The Canes have also made no secret about wanting to unload their UFA's. However, Rutherford has expressed an interest in allowing Whitney, who’s been a good and loyal soldier for the Canes, to choose his own destination. And if that’s the case, I’m betting Whitney’s former team, Detroit, is the front runner. (Aren’t they always?) Detroit’s in the unusual position of having to fight for a playoffs spot this year, partly because they let so much of their scoring depth walk this off-season (Hossa, Samuelsson & Hudler). Whitney coming back could give the Wings the boost they need to get over the hump and into the top8 in the West.
Frolov is a guy I’ve been keeping an eye on all season. He’s off to a slow start this year, and has had some issues with his head coach, but this is a 27 year old who has twice scored over 32 goals- from the checking line. And he is the type of player that Peter Chiarelli loves: big, strong, highly skilled and a two-way player. So his game would fit in nicely on the defense-first Bruins, and playing with an elite playmaker like Savard (instead of Handzus) could do wonders for Frolov’s already impressive goal totals. The downside here is that, playing for LA, he’s never been in the post-season, so you don’t know what you are going to get from him when the real games start. But Frolov could be a deadline pickup that, if he works out, is someone the B’s look to keep, much like they did with Mark Recchi last year.
Ponikarovsky is a big, strong skating, energetic player who’s having a great season. He’s never score more than 23 goals in a season, but this year is on pace for 31. If you believe he’s for real, then he could be a nice fit. If you believe he’s just having a hot streak and will come back down to earth, then he’s not going to appreciably upgrade the Bruins.
Nolan did score at a 30 goal pace last year, and is the kind of right handed/one-timing right winger Savard has had success with before. But Nolan is hit or miss. He only had 16 goals two years ago, and is only on pace for 18 now. In short, I’m leary of acquiring a 37 year old who isn’t exactly having a strong season.
Tkachuk, is the player the Bruins tried very hard to land at last year's deadline. The big power forward plays with much less energy these days, but is still a menace in front of the opposition's goalie. Like Nolan, KT is also 37 years old, hasn’t broken the 30 goal plateau in 6 years, and is only on pace for 16 this season. He also has a fairly unimpressive playoff track record. Buyer beware on these two relics.
Svatos has 4 seasons in the NHL and has twice scored at better than a 34 goal pace. Problem is, in his other two NHL seasons he couldn't pot more than 14. He’s also small and brittle. But he plays a courageous style and like I said, he knows how to score.
Brunette is another cagey veteran who’s having a great year (on pace for 28g/73p). He lacks speed and a physical game, but he’s very slick around the cage. He could certainly help a playoff team, but would his addition give the Bruins a legit first line?
Sykora couldn’t score 30 playing with Malkin and Crosby, and without them he’s only on pace for 12 goals. What could we reasonably expect from him in Boston?
Tanguay is part of Tampa’s struggling second line along with Vinny Lecavalier, so it’s hard to tell if his poor numbers this season are self inflicted or the result of his surroundings. But he’s only 30 years old, so one would think he hasn’t lost it yet. Tampa is also very close to being a playoff team. If they’re still in the mix at the deadline, he probably won’t become available. If they fall out of the race, he could be a nice pickup for a team in need of a playmaking winger. But I don’t think his skill set (passing) is what Boston needs.
Stempniak has struggled mightily since he had 27 goals in ’07, scoring just 14 goals last year in Toronto and only 13 the previous year. Once thought of as a shoot first winger with some good speed and scoring instincts, he could make for an inexpensive reclamation project.
Kozlov is more of a playmaker than goal scoring winger, and like Tkachuk and Nolan, is an aging vet mired in a bad season. So the warning signs are up on this player. He’s had his share of success in Atlanta (he was a ppg player last year), but I don’t get the feeling the Bruins would be interested in his style or services.
Afinogenov is probably the comeback player of the year. Last season, he had just 6 goals, this year, he already has 11 and is on pace for 33g/78p. He also has 30 takeaways in just 27 games! When he’s on his game, he’s one of those players who changes how teams defend because his blazing speed and puck handling ability pushes defenders back. He’s not a ‘shoot first’ type of finisher, but he is a first line talent who would make the Bruins attack much more dangerous. IF the Thrashers fall out of the playoff race, a good prospect or pick could probably pry him away.
Non-rental trade options: Established players
Ryan is, IMO, the cream of this crop. The kid scored 30 goals as a rookie last year, and is on pace for 36 this year. Ryan is everything that Kessel was, and everything he wasn’t: Fast and ultra talented, while also being big, strong and powerful. Despite all that, there continue to be rumors that Anaheim isn’t thrilled with his play, and is listening to offers. To complicate things further, contract talks reached an impasse and were reportedly shelved until the off-season. So there are a lot of factors at work here that are reminiscent to the Kessel situation in Boston last year. The cost in trade would be exorbitant, and probably starts with Toronto’s first this year so that Anaheim could quickly recoup their loss. And it would cost the Bruins a lot in cap space next year, at least the $5.4M that Kessel got from Toronto to resign him. But adding Ryan now would make Boston instant contenders this year.
Carter is another elite talent who could be shopped if Philadelphia continues to struggle. He can play center and wing and like Ryan, would explode with Savard feeding him the puck. Philly’s biggest weakness is between the pipes and the Bruins are one of the few teams in the NHL with two outstanding netminders. A Tim Thomas for Jeff Carter swap could save Philly’s season and put Boston into contention. But the age difference between Carter and Thomas makes this an unlikely swap.
Gagne for Thomas? That’s certainly closer to a like-like exchange, IMO. Both guys have proven themselves to be elite players, both guys are making $5M per year. But both guys have NTC’s.
Horton is one of those players who has played well in a bad situation. He’s never played on a team good enough to make the playoffs. He’s constantly mentioned in trade rumors. He’s never had an elite playmaking center to play with. Yet he continually scores at a 30 goal pace. And he’s still just 24 years old. Who knows how good he could be with Savard? The difficult part of this equation is knowing why the Panthers would deal him, and what they’d want in return? No doubt, it would be significant.
Sharp & Versteeg are a few more names often mentioned in the rumor mill because of Chicago’s cap troubles. No doubt either one would provide a huge boost to the Bruins offense. But unless Chicago is getting a goaltender who’s a clear cut upgrade over Huet, I don’t see them moving either player until the off-season, as they have no other holes in their lineup and need these talented players for their own Cup run.
Setoguchi is a player you wouldn't think would be available. Last year, he was a 22 year old 30+ goal scorer. He's fast, shifty, and gritty. But he is struggling since having his role reduced due to the arrival of Danny Heatley, and as of this writing, he's 0 for his last 7 games. He's also missed 12 games with a leg injury, and over those 19 combined games (injury + slump), San Jose's offense didn't skip a beat. On top of that, San Jose has $22M to resign 12 free agents including prominent players like Nabakov, Marleau, Blake and Pavelski, who could cost SJ close to $20M by themselves. If San Jose has a weakness this year, it's that they rely on a pair of #7/reserve dmen to round out their top6. So they might look to convert this talented, but soon to be expensive, young forward into a talented, but cheap, young defenseman.
Hagman is an intriguing player. He scored at a 28 goal pace last year, and had 27 the year before that. So the fact that he’s on pace for 40 this season is probably just a function of an early season hot streak. Still, there’s no denying his speed and hands would be an asset to the team, and you’d have to think that Savard could boost Hagman’s typical goal totals into the 30’s if they played together consistently. And at $3M per year for two more years, that could be a real good value. Most comparable top6 forwards go for a 2nd round pick at the deadline, but because Hagman is signed past this year, he could command more.
A. Kostitsyn is probably the last name Bruins fans want to see on this list. Over the last couple of years, Bruins fans learned to hate him for his ‘on the edge’ style of play. But like Steve Begin, I bet that they’d get over that quickly if he delivered. And the fact is, Kostitsyn has the skill to be an impact player. He scored 26 goals as a rookie, he’s got speed, strength and a fantastic release. He’s certainly gotten off track this year, and who knows how much of that is tied to his brothers struggles… Regardless, a change of scenery could be just what he needs. But would Montreal ever trade him to Boston?
O'Sullivan is another intriguing player. He has the shot, release, willingness to shoot, and pedigree of a true sniper (47 goals as an AHL rookie). But to date, the 24 year old’s career high is just 22 goals. The Bruins could try to acquire Sully with the belief that they’d be buying low, and that he’d break out with the B’s. But I’m sure that was Edmonton’s thought process when they acquired him as well. And considering he makes $2.9M, that’s a bit of a risky proposition. High risk/reward with this player.
Non-rental Trade Options: Up and Coming Players
Filatov is a player who’s popped up on everyone’s trade radar this season. A pre-season frontrunner for ROY, Filatov couldn’t seem to get on Coach Hitchcock’s good side, so he asked out, and Columbus loaned him to the KHL. Columbus then extended Hitchcock’s contract so the situation doesn’t look like it’s going to be easily resolved. On top of those issues, Columbus has fallen outside the top8 in the West, and management has to be feeling pressure from the owner and fans to prove last year’s playoff entry wasn’t a one-time thing. Filatov could net them the piece that could make all the difference in their season. A quick look at the stat sheet shows that Colubus’ biggest weakness this year has been in preventing goals, so Filatov for a talented, young shut down defenseman might make sense.
Mueller scored 22 goals as a rookie and looked as if he was going to be a future star. But last year he only netted 13 goals and this year, he’s on pace for just 3! I can’t imagine a player trending like that would cost much in trade. Still, he was the 8th overall pick in ’08 so it’s hard to imagine he’s washed up already. Somebody’s going to take a chance on him finding finding his confidence with a change of scenery. Boom/bust potential on this deal. But Claude Julien has an excellent track record of working with and developing young players.
Brunnstrom is another boom/bust player. There’s no denying Brunnstrom’s impressive size/speed/skill package. And he had 17 goals in just 55 games as a rookie last year (which included 5 game winners)> But has been relegated to a healthy scratch these days. Still, I’m keeping my eye on Brunnstrom because the Bruins were considered a finalist in signing him as a UFA a year and a half ago- and Chiarelli was clearly upset when Brunnstrom chose Dallas. So Chiarelli may look at Brunnstrom’s struggles as an opportunity to finally get his man. Like Mueller, there’s a high boom/bust factor on this acquisition. Under Julien, Brunnstrom could break-out on a line with Savard, or he could show Bruins fans why he can’t seem to stay in Dallas’ lineup.
S. Kostitsyn, like his brother, has built up some ill-will around these parts. There are also some character questions here, because of his alleged involvement with a criminal, and the way he handled getting sent down this season. However, there's no denying he has top line talent. The Bruins would have to do their homework on this kid, including talking with him directly, to see if he's matured at all and to gauge how his personality would fit in the locker room. But this is one of those low cost/high reward opportunities, where he won't cost much in trade, he doesn't cost much in cap space, and if he doesn't work out, you can simply let him walk.
