I’m not saying this is the only thing the bruins need OR the most important thing they need but to make a deep run bruins need a top 6 winger, atleast an upgrade over Smith or atleast try something different. Don’t get me wrong I like Smith, I like his game, and his contract isn’t horrible. But he should be on the third line with coyle. He’s been playing on the top line constantly for over a month and has 3G,3A,6PTS in 17 games since the new year with a +\- of -3. He seems to be playing above his head, which he was not suppose to be a 1st line winger so to be expected, again not saying I don’t like him, just the effort he puts in every shift is great, I just think he could benefit from playing down the line up(third line) His TOI would drop a little, guessing somewhere around the 15min mark a game,(Coyle averaging about 17min over last month, but he’s center so makes little more sense, and debrusk is in the 14min area) so still plenty of time for him to be effective for us
Again I know not the most pressing need and with the limited cap and shallow prospect pool, we’re not going to go out and contend for top RW FA i.e no pavelski or boeser. One option could be Rakell(3.8m) he is a maybe I guess, bruins been tied to him in the past but ANA is in a race right now ( I think they get knocked out of playoff position with CGY, EDM and even DAL close on their heels with games at hand) but idk if they re going to be selling or buying ATM, another could be Hinostroza(1m) from BUF, definitely not the best option but should be cheap to acquire and at a 1m cap hit cheap overall depth at worst or Kapanen(3.2m) from PIT, idk if they’re going to trade him, seen speculation he was available and also seen some says management like him and don’t want to move him so idk but again shouldn’t be a whole lot to acquire and at worst is a depth, is RFA so will add little value, maybe a little Kap to Boston for debrusk + pick?, for RH RW FA anyways. Could go with LH RW which I mean obviously choice would probably have to be bringing R. Smith(5m) back from Vegas but cap going to be an issue there, or possibly a Barabanov(1m) from SJS but idk how he is playing on his off wing honestly, but maybe a little hertl, Barbanov to BOS action???
Obviously there are a lot more options out there but a lot of them are going to cost $$$ cap wise and acquisition wise, I don’t think it’s where bruins should spend big to upgrade but def. A point of interest to try to. Obviously a 2C is the most important IMO and then a top LD would be next I believe, or RD depth piece, idk winger upgrade is up there also
Bruins could try Steen up top, did a little in ARI a little while ago, don’t know if that would be enough to jumpstart smith, or even maybe bring up studs, not ideal for him by any means but gets him some nhl experience(not a good option at all IMO just putting it out there) neither of these are really going to help the bruins though, and we really don’t want to be failing experiments to much fighting for playoff berths( not that I think we will slide our way out of the playoffs but we do need all the points we can get in the 2nd half here
What do you guys think? who are your choices for upgrading RW, and what’s your estimate of what it’s going to cost?
Trades
BOS
ANA is placeholder, insert any team with a desired RW here
I think you said it all, they don’t have the assets. All those runs for the cup and trades I think are finally catching up to them. I feel like if they are going to fill in those holes they’ll have to wait until the offseason. As for now, short term, maybe looking at someone like Kessel or Namestnikov.
I think you said it all, they don’t have the assets. All those runs for the cup and trades I think are finally catching up to them. I feel like if they are going to fill in those holes they’ll have to wait until the offseason. As for now, short term, maybe looking at someone like Kessel or Namestnikov.
It is for sure catching up with us and at some point they have to stop pushing it, guessing this year is it but even with upgrades this year it’s going to be a very difficult ask to get deeper then a couple rounds.
I to thought Namestnikov, but was unsure how he was playing his off wing (being a LH) don’t know enough about him or seen him play enough to mention him. Why I threw hino in there from BUF, similar player , little better stats and little cheaper contract and should still be fairly cheap to acquire
Personally If were going to go for it I think R.Smith is best option, but I assume VGK is going to try to hold onto him as much as they can so, and I imagine there will be 3-4 teams calling about him so price isn’t going to be as cheap as everyone thinks it’s going to be. Being a rental and 5m cap with VERY unlikely VGK retains any puts the cost down a little and the bruins can actually swing the cap space with out retention by just moving debrusk for a pick ( I know sween doesn’t want to do that but think that’s a viable option) But again that doesn’t leave a lot of room for other trades, with Moore and maybe moving Reilly frees up another 4+ million so with a little retention on someone that should be enough to for sure get a 2C or D Depth but not both
Hinostroza has looked very good for us this season, he has scored almost every points at ES and has not always played with the best players.
Ya I think he could fit in with Berg and Marshy, obviously others are going to disagree and his size worries me a little bit, but he’s quick with good hands and good shot, would be worth a phone call and like I said at worst he’s depth option
A Vegas trade is tough because they can’t take any $ back or else they can’t fit Eichel under the cap. The Bs can’t take on Smith’s full $ so that would mean a 3rd team would have to be brought in. Maybe DeBrusk and picks/prospects to a team like NJ who in turn takes JDs contract and maybe a bit of Smith’s as well to get everyone cap compliant.
With so many teams up tight to the cap, I’m curious to see who gets moved
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