Revisiting A Johnny Boychuk Trade?

Elliotte Friedman’s splendid 30 thoughts article returned on Monday to the internet. Aside from being another sign that hockey is right around the corner, it gave us some interesting tidbits to think about, including one about the Oilers and a certain rumor that simply hasn’t died since it started when the off-season began last spring.

That rumor? It surrounds a cap-strapped Bruins team, a team desperately trying to get better in the Oilers, and big contract in defender Johnny Boychuk, an Edmonton native who still spends his off-seasons in town.

10. Obviously, Boston remains in this category as well, with a need to free cap room. Much of the speculation surrounds Matt Bartkowski and Johnny Boychuk. Two months ago, as talks between the Bruins and Oilers fell apart, it sure seemed like the plan was to try and keep Boychuk for one more run. But there’s more smoke than a Cheech and Chong movie, so you wonder if that’s changed.

First thing is first, this whole scenario should come as no surprise. There were tons of rumblings surrounding Boychuk getting traded from Boston, and Edmonton made all the sense in the world. He’s a legit top-four defender, he’s big, he’s tough, he has a bomb of a shot, and he is well known by assistant coach Craig Ramsay, who many believe played a huge role in developing Boychuk.

Why Would Boston Deal Him?:

Friedman mentions that the Bruins would rather deal Matt Bartkowski, who has become a whipping boy for the fanbase out here in Boston. The fact of the matter is however, Boychuk is the player that makes the most sense to move. He will be a free agent next July, and will likely command a contract similar to the one Brooks Orpik recently signed in Washington. Boston simply can’t afford that.

The Bruins could wait until after the season in a normal year, but currently they are actually over the salary cap. They will get some relief, Marc Savard will be put on the LTIR, but they still need to re-sign defender Torey Krug and forward Riley Smith. They’ll need to shed some cap to make that work.

Peter Chiarelli also admitted that something will have to eventually give when he talked to the media on Monday, saying that they know they have a large number of defenders and that one will eventually need to be traded.

Why Would Edmonton Deal For Him?:

This is a fair question. He’s a pending UFA and will require an over-payment on his next contract. The Oilers also already added Mark Fayne and Nikita Nikitin to the roster. Is there enough room on the roster without moving someone out to add a player like Boychuk? The short answer is no, but the long answer is yes.

On Tuesday morning we looked at how Edmonton could still be center hunting if Leon Draisaitl proves he isn’t ready for the NHL game. In that scenario, we wondered if Edmonton would move out a guy like Martin Marincin to get a proven NHL center, and move in a guy like Boychuk to fill the hole left by Marincin’s departure.

It’s not the first choice for Edmonton, but it’s certainly something that could be on the mind. Another scenario could be moving a pending UFA like Jeff Petry out in exchange for a guy like Boychuk, but he too is a pending UFA and the Bruins will almost certainly not be looking for a defender in return.

How Much Is This Gonna Be?:

Less than many people realize. It isn’t because Boychuk is a bad player, he isn’t, but it’s because Boston is in a bad cap spot, just like the Blues were a summer ago. The real asset being acquired by Boston in a deal like this is cap space, so the tangible return will likely be less. Personally, I expect the Bruins to get what St. Louis did a year ago for David Perron. A second round pick and a young roster player that is easy on the cap.

For a pending UFA, that’s actually a solid return. From Edmonton’s stand point, it would be their second round pick and a guy like Martin Gernat or Tyler Pitlick. Not sure if it is enough, but you get what I’m saying.

So Will They Revisit This?:

I’ve blogged about this topic a few times now since July, and to be honest I wasn’t going to again when I saw this story on Monday, but I did some thinking, and I honestly believe this deal could be revisited by both teams in the next couple of weeks while camp is ongoing.

Let’s be honest here, Boston has to make a trade, they absolutely have to in order to get under the cap. Edmonton, while having improved their defense, still could use a top-four guy like Boychuk, and still has roster holes.

If Boston doesn’t get their asking price for Boychuk, and one would assume it’s pretty high considering they have yet to make a move, and Edmonton has some other things happen during camp, it’s easy to see these guys linking up on a trade.

If Leon Draisaitl doesn’t make the Oilers, and it’s possible it’s not right for his development, Edmonton could very well move a young defender for a center, opening up a top-four spot on their NHL roster, a perfect slot for Johnny boy.

That last line from Friedman caught my eye a bit too, “Two months ago, as talks between the Bruins and Oilers fell apart, it sure seemed like the plan was to try and keep Boychuk for one more run. But there’s more smoke than a Cheech and Chong movie, so you wonder if that’s changed.”

One gets the feeling that Friedman might have heard that things have changed. Certainly interesting to think about and ponder come training camp. I’m not saying this will absolutely happen, but it really wouldn’t surprise anyone if these teams started talking again.

Clearly there was an interest here even after Nikitin and Fayne were added.