Bruins Defense: Mid-July Update

The Bruins most glaring need going into this offseason was help along the blue line after their defenseman were exposed throughout the 2015­16 season. The Bruins have not addressed their need through any outside source (i.e. trades or free agent signings) but have done some work. The first move was resigning Torey Krug, which was soon followed by resigning John-Michael Liles. Both of these players are offensively minded defenseman with defensive zone limitations. The Bruins then decided to buyout long time defenseman Dennis Seidenberg in an effort to become younger and faster. All of these moves are good for the organization but have not improved the team which is more or less the same as last year.

Torey Krug was signed by the Bruins 24 hours before the free agent frenzy began for 4 years and $21,000,000. This puts his AAV (average annual value) at $5.25 million, a steep price for the small defenseman. Torey Krug has proven that he is a weapon on the power play and can produce upwards of 40 points per year from the back end. Krug has most often found himself on the third pair with partner Adam McQuaid, where his skill set can reach its full potential. McQuaid is a defensively-minded defenseman who is big and strong in front of the net. These two complement each other very nicely and provide good third pair minutes for the Bruins.

Krug’s value, however, comes from his ability to run a successful power play and produce points on the man advantage. Nearly half of his points every year come from the power play and even when he does not get a point, he is always a threat. For the second year in a row, the Bruins have boasted a top 10 power play, (7th this year) which has a lot to do with the play of Torey Krug. The AAV of $5.25 million may be steep for the young specialist, but the skill set Krug possesses is just too good for the Bruins backend to lose during this time of blue line need.

John-Michael Liles was acquired at the most recent trade deadline by Don Sweeney and his staff. Liles is known for his ability to make good passes during the breakout and is a good skater. Last year, Liles came in for the last 17 games and filled a second pair role on a Bruins team that fell just short of the playoffs. Liles has the ability to play second pair minutes and could very well be paired with a young defenseman trying to make it in the NHL. Collin Miller is a name that comes to mind, the young defenseman had sparks of offensive brilliance last year but never quite put it all together. On a one-year, $2.25 million contracts, Liles could prove to be a very reasonable signing if put in the right situation.

Dennis Seidenberg has been in decline for some time now. The 35-year-old defenseman has never been the same since tearing his ACL and MCL during the 2013­14 season. It simply did not make sense for the Bruins to keep the aging defenseman while there are so many prospects looking for a chance. Seidenberg had a great career as a Bruin and was instrumental in their 2011 Stanley Cup Championship. However, his departure gives young players like Joe Morrow, Collin Miller, and Jake Zboril a spot to compete for at training camp. Seidenberg was a great player and did everything the Bruins asked for, but it was time to move on and give a younger player a shot to make the NHL club.