After a second straight season full of disappointment, there was an obvious need for the Boston Bruins to be a key player in the NHL offseason. The Bruins made a bold move on the first day of free agency, signing former Blues captain David Backes. Other meaningful signings include backup goaltender Anton Khudobin, forward Riley Nash, and the resigning of defenseman John Michael Liles. These three players are good depth players but are fit for backup or low minute roles. With Backes being the only major addition, have the Bruins done enough to restore their winning reputation of a cup contender?
The offense was not the Bruins glaring issue this past season, as they were fifth in goals for per game with 2.88. The real issue in Boston this year was their porous and inconsistent defense corps. The need on the blue line has not been addressed through the free agent market yet this offseason and it seems that most of the NHL caliber players have been signed by other teams. The best option for Boston at this point would be to trade with another team for a young defenseman who could fill a top role. The best fit would be a right-handed defenseman who could play alongside Zdeno Chara on the first pair.
Two of the biggest names that have been mentioned as possible trade options are St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba. Both of these players are offensively minded defenseman who can play lots of minutes against top opposition. Shattenkirk is the older of the two options (27) and has a contract that is set to expire after the 201617 season. Trouba, 22 years old, is currently a restricted free agent that is having trouble coming to terms with his current team in Winnipeg. Both of these defensemen would be great fits in the Bruins system and would fill their dire need for talent along the blue line.
Trades in the NHL are not unheard of, but they often require teams to give up quality assets to acquire talented players. This could include any combination of prospects, draft picks, and NHL players being traded away to give the blue line some much-needed help. With the addition of David Backes, the Bruins now have plenty of centers that are NHL level players. Some of them include Ryan Spooner, David Krejci, David Backes, and Patrice Bergeron.
Assuming that Bergeron is untouchable and Backes would not be moved merely weeks after his signing, it is not farfetched to see either David Krejci or Ryan Spooner involved in a trade for a defenseman. The depth at center is the Bruins greatest trading asset and both Krejci and Spooner are known, offensive producers. Backes also has the ability to play on the right wing, making David Pastrnak a possible trading piece. Bruins management values the young Czech winger very highly and would only trade him if the return was extraordinary.
Therefore, the center position is the most likely trading piece for Boston to use. The Bruins must give up talent to get talent through the trade market. Their defense is simply too weak and unstructured to be trusted for the 201617 season. A trade for a defenseman is the best way to get the Bruins back on track.
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