The Bruins need a top-four LHD rental, preferably one who can skate with McAvoy and play big minutes in the playoffs. The inexperience and injury concerns on the left side are too much, especially with the Las test news on Lauzon. Unfortunately, the pickings are slim. Jake McCabe is done for the year, Alec Martinez and Derek Forbort appear playoff-bound, and there are doubts that Alex Edler will waive his NMC. That leaves a rental group that includes Arizona vets Alex Goligoski and Niklas Hjalmarsson, who are both struggling, and guys who may not be a top-four upgrade like Jamie Oleksiak, Patrick Nemeth, or Dmitry Kulikov. The one player who sticks out above all the rest is Ryan Murray. Murray would be a great fit, but I’m starting to worry about the cost and if he’s playing too well that NJ wants to re-sign him instead. If he’s not available or if the cost is exorbitant, the Bs could be out of good rental options when the deadline rolls around in six weeks.
Of course, the problem with adding anyone with term lies with the Expansion Draft. If Matt Grzelcyk isn’t part of the package heading the other way, the B’s either have to expose him or the player they acquire or instead use additional assets to make a side deal with Seattle. Among those with one year remaining on their current contracts, there are again not many top options. Of the eight or so top-four lefties in that class, Darnell Nurse, Morgan Rielly, and Mark Giordano are not available and Nick Leddy and Ben Chiarot might not be either (Bs should be interested if they are). There are a couple players that I would risk creating Expansion issues for: Matthias Ekholm and Hampus Lindholm. However, if the Bruins want to avoid that headache, there is one player left and that is Calvin De Haan. An underrated player imo, De Haan is solid defensively, hits and blocks shots, has the best relative Corsi of any Chicago defender, and can eat minutes and skate on a top pair. Due to being traded multiple times in the past few years and missing much of last season due to injury, his stock is low. That could mean he is both affordable to acquire AND able to slip past Seattle in the Expansion Draft. Or maybe it would be better for the Bruins if he is cheap to acquire that his play is good enough for Seattle to take him over a Lauzon or Zboril. Either way, there is some Expansion upside to adding De Haan at the right price and assuming he plays well with McAvoy, which I think he would.
It only cost the Blackhawks Anton Forsberg and Gustav Forsling to trade for De Haan with three years remaining as well as Aleksi Saarela. Hard to imagine after he missed most of last year and with the market for term players being limited anyhow that the asking price would be high for one and a half seasons of De Haan. Forsberg and Forsling were waiver players this year; Kuhlman and Blidh are in the same boat next year. Throw in a mid-round pick just because they’re each a little older. And honestly with Lauzon out a month and Grz and Zboril still sidelined, I make this trade ASAP rather than wait for the deadline.
I'd like to here other BOS fans thoughts on this. As a Hawks fan, I'm listening. They don't really have a need/want for Kuhlman or Blidh. They have a lot of fringe NHLers that are playing really well and younger. With that said it still wouldn't take too much (as your description states) Without Retention...maybe just a 3rd alone? Any retention will increase the pick required by quite a bit. HOWEVER, what about Zadarov? RFA status... Built for playoff hockey. He's quite slow for sure, but he's another option if the term for DeHaan is an issue.
I'd like to here other BOS fans thoughts on this. As a Hawks fan, I'm listening. They don't really have a need/want for Kuhlman or Blidh. They have a lot of fringe NHLers that are playing really well and younger. With that said it still wouldn't take too much (as your description states) Without Retention...maybe just a 3rd alone? Any retention will increase the pick required by quite a bit. HOWEVER, what about Zadarov? RFA status... Built for playoff hockey. He's quite slow for sure, but he's another option if the term for DeHaan is an issue.
Im not really interested in prospects/depth players for De Haan, if we could just get a serviceable pick like a 3rd or a 4th and a contract I would be happy. It certainly wouldn't take too much to get him out of Chicago as you referenced in the Carolina trade, but the circumstances for his departure would be different in both (Carolina wanted to move salary, and Chicago would want to make room for a younger player). Not excited for the prospect of retaining salary as we would have 2/3 retained transactions next year and 3/3 for this season which would limit us in other deals but if the compensation is enough then we can work a deal out.
If Boston brings in a defenseman with term it will be a solid 2 way type. That is not De Haan. Better chance they go a rental on that type of player. Nor would they give up depth pieces. Would be pick(s).
If Boston brings in a defenseman with term it will be a solid 2 way type. That is not De Haan. Better chance they go a rental on that type of player. Nor would they give up depth pieces. Would be pick(s).
I would probably classify De Haan as a 2 way guy (at least in Chicago thus far) even if his point totals are not super impressive. I think both Chicago and Boston would prefer only picks in this type of deal.
I would probably classify De Haan as a 2 way guy (at least in Chicago thus far) even if his point totals are not super impressive. I think both Chicago and Boston would prefer only picks in this type of deal.
De Haan has always been a d only d man. Boston has 4 of them already. Not what they need. And 2nd year is unwanted.
As a bruins fan, im not interested in DeHaan. Lauzon out at least a month but he comes back for april. Zboril should be a short term issue, grz might battle injuries all year this year which is a bummer. But we still have vaak, moore, clifton, miller, kampfer. Funny though, this is the exact reason the bruins still have john moore. 4 dmen get hurt and you need some depth veteran presence you can call up.
As a bruins fan, im not interested in DeHaan. Lauzon out at least a month but he comes back for april. Zboril should be a short term issue, grz might battle injuries all year this year which is a bummer. But we still have vaak, moore, clifton, miller, kampfer. Funny though, this is the exact reason the bruins still have john moore. 4 dmen get hurt and you need some depth veteran presence you can call up.
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