Who should the Bruins leave unprotected heading into the NHL Expansion Draft?
Breaking down the fringe players on Boston's roster.
COMMENTARY
Next week, in conjunction with the annual NHL Awards, the Vegas Golden Knights will reveal players selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft as they move towards their inaugural season at T-Mobile Arena. Each of the 30 other teams in the National Hockey League will lose one player to the Sin City franchise.
Some teams, like the Western Conference champion Nashville Predators, are bound to lose an important piece to their squad. Others, like the Boston Bruins, are in pretty good shape when it comes to the Expansion Draft.
Earlier this week, The Boston Globe‘s Fluto Shinzawa revealed that general manager Don Sweeney did not ask any of his players to waive their no-movement clauses. The five players with NMC’s are captain Zdeno Chara, Selke Trophy finalist Patrice Bergeron and veterans David Backes, David Krejci and Brad Marchand. All of the aforementioned players will be protected.
With the Bruins likely going with the format of protecting seven forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender, that leaves Sweeney with six more players to protect. Three of the six are locks to be protected – David Pastrnak, Torey Krug and Tuukka Rask.
This leaves the Bruins with two forwards and one defenseman left to protect. Here’s a look at some of the players on the fringe as Friday’s deadline looms.
Riley Nash
As the 2016-17 season progressed, Nash solidified himself as a key contributor on the fourth line. Though his offensive stats weren’t anything to write home about — 17 points in 81 games — Nash came through with some clutch goals late in the regular season to help the Bruins clinch a playoff spot for the first time in three years.
Whether it was engaging in puck battles or being assertive on the penalty kill, Nash filled an important bottom six role that was lacking in Boston the previous two seasons. With one more year left on his contract at $900,000, Nash’s salary is a friendly asset and another reason why Sweeney should not expose him in the upcoming Expansion Draft.
Matt Beleskey
Hoping that some of his success from Anaheim would translate over to a new club two summers ago, the Bruins signed Matt Beleskey to a five-year contract worth $3.9 million. It is another transaction by Sweeney that hasn’t panned out.
Though he showed glimpses of solid play in his first year with the Black and Gold that resulted in a career-high 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists), the former Duck suffered through injuries, inconsistencies and healthy scratches leading to a paltry eight points (three goals, five assists) in 40 games.
Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes are two prime candidates for a potential buyout this summer. Though there may be hope that the former can return to form after an injury-plagued and inconsistent 2016-17, one has to wonder if his most productive days are behind him.
Ryan Spooner
Ever since he became a regular in the lineup a few years ago, the Bruins were hoping for Spooner to showcase his full potential. He was able to flash that at times, especially on the power play, but his inconstancies in the face-off circle and struggles in defensive end caught up to him both under Claude Julien and Bruce Cassidy.
As he enters the offseason as a restricted free agent, Spooner’s time in Boston appears to be coming to a close, especially after being a healthy scratch in the final two games of the B’s first-round series with the Senators. That process may come as soon as Friday when the final list of protected players and players are made available for the Expansion Draft.
Drew Stafford and Dominic Moore
Though they don’t have much to worry about in terms of negotiating with pending UFA’s, both Moore and Stafford have expressed interest in returning with the Black and Gold. Both have also turned out to be pretty good finds for Sweeney, who has struggled in general with signing and acquiring veterans through trades during his first two years at the helm.
After signing with the club late last summer, Moore, like Nash, was a consistent presence in an improved fourth line. Meanwhile, Stafford, who was acquired from Winnipeg at the trade deadline for a conditional 2018 draft pick, provided versatility throughout the Bruins lineup during his two-month stint
With Vegas having a three-day window to negotiate with unprotected players on the free agent market, Sweeney has a decision to make on whether the likes of Moore, Stafford or even Spooner fit into his plans next year. But that isn’t the only tough choice he’s pondering over as we’ll see with the next trio of players.
Kevan Miller
Following an inconsistent 2015-16 season in which he was forced to play top minutes on a depleted blue-line, Miller, who signed what appeared to be a rather head-scratching contract last summer, settled into his familiar bottom pairing defenseman role in 2016-17. As the season progressed and his injuries healed, Miller became a reliable asset for Cassidy and company.
Once the playoffs arrived, Miller was forced to play top minutes again as the likes of Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, Adam McQuaid and Colin Miller all became victim to the injury bug against the Senators. This time, Miller responded nicely with some timely hits and was more than reliable in his own end of the ice, becoming one of the better performers outside of Charlie McAvoy on the back end during the six-game series. As a result, Miller may have played his way to the Bruins’ protected list.
Colin Miller
Acquired in the Milan Lucic trade two years ago, Miller’s hard slap shot and two-way play were thought to be assets to the Bruins’ pipeline.
Having just turned 24, Miller still has a few kinks to work out before realizing his potential. Between his time in Boston and Providence, Miller, like any youngster, has had his share of ups and downs during his first two years in the Bruins’ system. He does have one more year left on his contract and leaving him unprotected could be a risky proposition for Sweeney, especially if Miller turns out to be a solid pro.
On the other side, Sweeney is in desperate need of filling immediate needs for a top-four left shot defenseman and a top-six left winger. That does not favor Miller, a right shot blue-liner, in this scenario.
Adam McQuaid
Ever since the announcement of the Vegas franchise, McQuaid has been one of the popular names floating around the mock Expansion Drafts.
Though injuries have plagued him during his seven years in Boston, McQuaid has become a fan favorite in Boston thanks to the tough, hard-nosed effort he displays on a nightly basis. Kevan Miller, who displays similar traits, is a year younger and has a cap hit of $2.5 million compared to McQuaid’s $2.75 million. Both are friendly salaries for Vegas to take for a bottom-six defenseman. Even though he only has two years left on his contract compared to Miller’s three years remaining, Sweeney may opt to expose McQuaid’s salary given the Bruins’ cap situation.
