It’s no secret. The Boston Bruins are searching for defense in advance of the March 3rd NHL trade deadline and one name keeps coming up: Vladislav Gavrikov of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gavrikov was scratched from Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils due to “trade related” reasons. The Blue Jackets say no deal is imminent but that the team is guarding against injury.
Gavrikov checks a lot of boxes
The 27-year old Gavrikov checks a lot of boxes for the B’s. He’s big and tough and would provide upgrade to Boston’s already solid blue line. He’s also fifth in the NHL in short-handed time on ice per game so he could conceivably be a big plus for the Bruins #1 penalty kill unit as well. He’s averaging 22 minutes per game and has three goals and 10 assists in 52 games this season.
Columbus has held steady in their desire to deal Gavrikov, a sign that a deal is going to happen sooner than later.
What are the Blue Jackets seeking?
If Boston is Gavrikov’s destination, the Bruins are likely going to send a few draft picks to Columbus. It’s believed a package of one first round pick and 3 to 4 lower round selections would do the trick.But here’s where things get dicey. Before a deal for Gavrikov can be made, the B’s will need to make another trade to clear cap space.
Also added to the mix is the fact that he’ll hit free agency in the offseason. With Boston in win now mode, they might roll the dice and deal with that issue at a later date. There’s no guarantee that either Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will be back next season. And there’s David Pastrnak’s contract. He’s been grossly underpaid but his contract is expiring and he’ll get a huge raise next season.
It’s obvious from Tuesday’s scratch that Columbus feels like a deal is close. Keep in mind that Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has done at least one deadline deal since he’s been on the job. Is another one on the way?
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