Bean: Who B's should keep, trade & target this offseason
The NHL season is over and we've got a whopper of a week-plus coming up. The draft is Tuesday and Wednesday, then free agency opens Friday.Typically, a lot of moving and shaking happens around the draft. With it being done virtually this year -- meaning GMs won't all be in the same place -- it's possible there won't be as much action, but this is still the starter's pistol for teams revamping their rosters.If the Bruins are in on the trade market, it could be to shed dough or to get some more scoring. Here's a quick rundown of players on the roster and how the Bruins should view them when it comes to trades.(Note: I'm leaving out some bottom-of-the-roster players. Depth players aren't the issue here.)
Nick Ritchie: In addition to being the face of a blown trade deadline, Ritchie isn't good and has another year on his contract at $1.49 million. They wouldn't get anything for him, but they'd be able to save at least half a million dollars in cap space by replacing him on the roster with either an entry-level player or a veteran making the minimum.
Tuukka Rask: This would be suboptimal. Rask's the best goalie they've ever had, but he's got one year left on his deal and his future with the team doesn't seem set in stone. Is he going to play next season then walk? Retire? Moving Rask would come with a lot of moving parts, most notably trying to replace the best statistical goalie in the NHL last season.
David Krejci: Also in the final year of his deal, Krejci is 34 and still very good. If the Bruins feel Charlie Coyle is ready to be the second-line center (and Jack Studnicka can be the third-line center), they could trade Krejci and use his $7.25 million elsewhere. Like a Rask trade, I wouldn't expect this.
The youngish, OK wingers: That's Ondrej Kase, Anders Bjork. Both could be decent pieces to try to land a more solid top-six winger.
John Moore: His placement here might come as a surprise considering he doesn't play, but keeping him one more year means he can take up one of the unprotected spots in the expansion draft.
Charlie Coyle: He's in his prime, he's a year into his contract and they love him. Can't see a scenario in which he'd be moved.
Brandon Carlo: Maybe he'd be the centerpiece of a trade for a star, but he's one of the last people they should want to lose in an offseason that could also see Torey Krug depart.
Jake DeBrusk: He's a restricted free agent and a good middle-six wing. He'll most likely be re-upped, but he could also be a nice main piece of a trade for a star scorer.
Matt Grzelcyk: Also an RFA, and the potential heir to some of Krug's responsibilities.
David Pastrnak: One of the best players in the league on one of the best contracts in the league. I can't imagine what it would take to get the Bruins to part with that combo.
Brad Marchand: Remember when there used to be Brad Marchand trade rumors? Hilarious.
Patrice Bergeron: We still don't know if Zdeno Chara will be back. If Bergeron and Chara both left, the team might need to change its name or something.
Charlie McAvoy: He's young and he's their best defenseman. The type of player that doesn't usually get moved.
Patrik Laine: I'd move heaven and earth to get Laine, whose name has at least been floated around, albeit not with the Bruins. That'd be a tough trade to work out considering he's entering the last year of his contract (he'll be an RFA).
Does that mean he'd only cost Carlo and a prospect? Carlo and DeBrusk? I'm a big Carlo fan, but I'd move him if it meant getting the prime years of a guy who's already put up a 40-goal season.
[rolls eyes out of how predictable it would be] Josh Anderson: He's a good player; he scored 27 goals two seasons ago. The 26-year-old right wing is coming off an injury-plagued season and is an RFA. The reason I roll my eyes is because he's 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, which knowing this organization could be the primary reason they want him.
UPDATE (Oct. 6): The Blue Jackets traded Anderson to the Canadiens in exchange for Max Domi and a third-round draft pick.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson: Great player, but it would cost a lot to get him and he makes $8.5 million a year. You'd just be replacing Torey Krug with a way more costly player when defense isn't where you need to spend the most.
Noah Hanifin: This is a dark horse because it really doesn't make a lot of sense other than "he's local and the Bruins wanted him in the draft." That said, if for some reason the B's could make it work, Hanifin would be a $4.95 million Krug replacement for the next four years.
