With Monday's NHL trade deadline fast approaching, the Bruins haven’t done anything yet beyond a little housekeeping. By putting Max Talbot on waivers and sending Tyler Randell to the AHL on a conditioning stint, general manager Don Sweeney now has a couple of roster spots to play with in anticipating of possible deals.
And the expectation is he'll need them.
The word around the league Saturday night was that the Bruins will be very active over the next two days. Sources have indicated to CSNNE.com for days now that Sweeney is preparing to make multiple deals before the 3 p.m. Monday deadline, but, to paraphrase the famous saying, it takes two to do the NHL trade deadline tango.
TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger said the Bruins have interest in veteran Vancouver defenseman Dan Hamhuis, though there’s a belief he's more likely to be traded to Dallas, which badly needs defensive help. Calgary defenseman Kris Russell and Coyotes winger Mikkel Boedker are among other available names that have been connected to the Bruins by various NHL sources.
Contract negotiations with Loui Eriksson stalled on Saturday, with the sides far apart on both terms and dollars. That being the case, the Bruins -- more likely now to dangle Eriksson as a chip in trade negotiations -- will be in the market for both a defenseman and a wing. They may find a trading partner in Vancouver, where former B's executives Jim Benning and John Weisbrod are in the front office. Hamhuis and winger Radim Vrbata would fit needs for Boston, and Benning holds plenty of B’s prospects in high regard since he helped draft and develop them. Bruins scouts have been paying close attention to Vancouver’s AHL affiliate over the last few weeks.
Ex-Bruin and current Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli had both a winger (Teddy Purcell) and a defenseman (Justin Schultz) available on the trade market, and traded them to Bruins playoff competitors --Florida and Pittsburgh, respectively -- on Saturday afternoon.
Given the lack of movement between the Bruins and Eriksson on a new contract, there are a number of suitors lined up for the Swedish winger should he become available on the trade market. St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Minnesota and perhaps even some Eastern Conference teams would be in the mix if Sweeney decides to cash in his chips on Eriksson.
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All things beings equal, it would be very, very surprising to see the Bruins trade Eriksson to an Eastern Conference playoff competitor if they do decide to be both buyers and sellers at the deadline.