The Bruins have a trade on the table and it sucks
A 1st and 3rd round pick for a rental who could just easy be a 6th or 7th defenseman on a championship team. The Bruins are asking him to come in and be a top 4 pairing guy.
The 27-year-old veteran is not much of an offensive player. He has tallied 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 52 games this season. He's best used as a defensive defenseman who eats up 20-plus minutes per game, kills penalties and blocks shots. SOURCE
A first and a third is a lot of scratch for that kind of player, but I’m not really concerned with the price. We have known from the offseason this was going to be an “all in” year for the Bruins. Then they came out like gang busters and haven’t let their foot off the gas. They are still on pace to have the most points in NHL history. So, my gripe is not with the payment it’s with the player. Is this shot blocking goon the guy that’s going to take them over the top? How much more would it take to get Chychurn?
“If the Bruins want Chychrun, they’re moving a roster D,” an NHL source told BHN on Thursday. “I’d be surprised if they do go after him right now even though he improves them now and in the future. They would need to move a current guy on their defense to make it happen, whether it’s to the Coyotes or another team. You look at what happened with Horvat, and I think Sweeney’s goal is to add without an impact subtraction.” SOURCE
What the hell is that? Sweeney is not willing to move anything from the roster? He’s petrified to fuck with the chemistry by removing a 3rd pair defenseman? It’s tough to criticize Sweeney right now. He’s got passing marks on basically all his moves over the past year. His trade deadlines have been mostly wins. But, come on. Take the big swing. Yes, his deadlines have been positive but never enough to win them a cup. You’re telling me Jake Freaking DeBrusk and Brandon Carlo are getting in the way of shit?
Numerous sources have confirmed to Boston Hockey Now that the Canucks were interested in Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo and even more interested in winger Jake DeBrusk as part of any NHL trade package from the Bruins. The fact that neither of them were dealt and Horvat wound up with the New York Islanders likely means that Sweeney wasn’t interested in surrendering roster players and potentially altering the roster..
Woof. The latest package I heard for Chychurn would be something like DeBrusk or Swayman, a 1st, a 3rd, and Fabian Lysell. That’s a lot. But’s it’s not a hell of a lot more than the deal on the table for Gavrikov. That’s THE deal that gets made to really push a team over the top for a cup.
Pros:
Chychurn is a top pair defenseman with size and skill.
He has term on his deal. Two years left with an average AVV of $5.2 million
He’s young enough to re-sign long term. (24 years old. )
Cons
Losing Fabian Lysell. In a system that ranks nearly dead last in the NHL for prospects, giving up your best one is a tough pill to swallow
Losing Swayman. I would push hard for this to be DeBrusk leaving. The biggest benefit for Swayman is his cost moving forward, but honestly how many best goalies in the league do you need?
That’s it. That’s the con list. You’re getting rid of your 1st and 3rd round picks anyway. What’s a couple more prospects if you’re getting a stud in return with term and cheap money?!?!
The more I think about it the more this deal for Gavrikov is starting to feel like a Marcus Johansson type move. Just enough to fall short again