Potential targets for the Bruins at the NHL trade deadline
COMMENTARY
Hockey’s version of Christmas Day is nearly here.
Come 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the NHL trade market will officially come to a close for the 2016-17 season. Unlike previous years, however, this year’s trade deadline may stay stagnant as teams weigh their options of adding players for a playoff run, selling assets, or standing pat.
With the expansion draft for the new Vegas Golden Knights franchise a few months away, many teams, including the Bruins, may opt for sitting this round out. But if GM Don Sweeney were to aggressively pursue options, there are a few names out there that may give the Black and Gold a short-term spark on the back end and their top two lines in hopes of returning to the postseason.
The notable names on the market are few and far between after Kevin Shattenkirk was dealt to the Capitals on Monday. As the list continues to shrink, here is a look at a few players the Bruins could pursue over the next two days.
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado
Like Shattenkirk prior to Monday’s trade, Landeskog’s name has been linked to the Bruins for quite some time. The Avalanche captain still has four more years left on his contract at a respectable cap hit north of $5.5 million.
Landeskog fits the mold of what the Bruins are looking for despite only having 26 points in 50 games. In his first six seasons, the second overall pick in 2011 has tallied at least 20 goals and 50 points on four occasions.
With the Avalanche in full tank mode, the Bruins would have to part ways with a young defenseman like Brandon Carlo, Charlie McAvoy, or even Colin Miller to acquire Landeskog. That’s a risky move even for a solid 25-year-old power forward.
Matt Duchene, Colorado
He hasn’t been linked directly to the Bruins on the NHL hot stove, but it wouldn’t hurt for Sweeney to at least inquire about another member of the Avalanche in Duchene.
Like Landeskog and the rest of the Avalanche, Duchene’s numbers have taken a hit. One year removed from posting a career high 30 goals, the third overall pick in 2009 has 53 points on 16 goals and 23 assists.
A perennial 50-point scorer, the versatile Duchene can play both center and wing. It would likely take a similar package to acquire the 26-year-old. For a player making $6 million per year for the next two years after 2016-17, acquiring Duchene is riskier compared to Landeskog.
Brendan Smith, Detroit
The Red Wings are another team that is selling off assets as their impressive streak of 25 consecutive playoff appearances will be coming to a close. Already, they have packaged off Tomas Jurco and others like Tomas Vanek will likely follow as Detroit enters a rebuilding stage.
A cheaper option compared to Shattenkirk, Smith may not have the same offensive tools as the St. Louis veteran, but he’d also be an upgrade to the blue-line. The big concern with Smith, however, is as his lingering MCL injury has caused him to miss a good portion of the regular season.
With one year left on his current contract, Smith expressed his desire to stay in Detroit. The Bruins may not have to give up all that much to acquire his services. A deal similar to the Flames acquiring Michael Stone from Arizona for a pair of mid-round draft picks might be enough to acquire the brother of former Bruin Reilly Smith. Of all the aforementioned names, however, Brendan Smith comes with the biggest risk in both the health and skill department.
Other options: Dmitri Kulikov (Sabres), Jiri Hudler (Stars), Johnny Oduya (Stars), Jannik Hansen (Canucks) Michal Neuvirth (Flyers)
