Hampus Lindholm & Sweeney’s Whiff
The Bruins locked in Charlie McAvoy’s left side at the NHL trade deadline. Hampus Lindholm is coming to Boston. In return the B’s send back this year’s first round draft pick, two future 2nds, Urho Vaakanainan and John Moore’s salary/ corpse. On the whole we should be fine with the deal. Bruins desperately needed a pairing for McAvoy for the now and the future. They got one in Hampus.
I won’t pretend to know Lindholm’s full scouting report like I’m Pierre McGuire on wine night with a bottle of KY. Here’s the jist. He’s a big body, puck mover. He’s great in his own end and skates well enough to join the rush. Don’t be surprised to see him on both ends of special teams. He signed an 8 year extension at $6.5 AAV. NICE pick up. Here’s the whiff. Jake DeBrusk.
DeBrusk signing a 2 year extension should have preceded him moving the fuck off the roster. The kid requested a trade months ago after two years of pouting and sucking. Cassidy was forced to show case him on the 1st line and wouldn’t you know it he showed up. ( A little. 1 goal 1 assist in his last 9 games). Reports had the Bruins heavily in on Claude Giroux. Even that they had the best offer on the table. That didn’t go well
…one report had Giroux “nixing” any potential deal with the Boston Bruins..”
Can’t blame that on Sweeney. But, you had the Jets, Kings, Canucks all in on DeBrusk. The Jets sent Copp to NY for a few 2nd rounders. Not that the Bruins had any left at that point. So, okay another pass for Sweeney I guess. That’s it though. Richard Rackell is a realistic name that went to John Henry’s Pittsburgh. Max Domi was moved, Phil Kessel didn’t. Here’s what I will tell you. There were 33 trades executed at the deadline and 54 players on the move. The Bruins got 2 (Lindholm and Josh Brown) and needed 3.
Sweeney went through the effort of extending DeBrusk, dumping John Moore’s salary, and creating $6 million in cap space specifically to make a move to help their forward group this year.
And he whiffed.
So, now the Bruins sit on $6 million in cap space and are looking at only $4 million to start next season. You’re still not good enough to win the cup even if Jake DeBrusk continues to produce on the top line. Big IF right there. In total Sweeney paid the most (over paid) for a need. I take it back Sweeney didn’t whiff. He went down looking.
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