BOSTON -- Reading between the lines of what Don Sweeney said late Sunday afternoon, the Bruins haven’t yet received a good enough offer for Loui Eriksson. The 30-year-old Swedish winger is expected to be traded prior to today's 3 p.m. deadline, and there are many interested suitors across the Western Conference. Minnesota and St. Louis appear to be the lead buyers at this point.
The Bruins and Eriksson are very far apart on a contract extension, with too much ground to cover to reach an agreement by Monday afternoon, but it’s also apparent no one has yet ponied up enough assets to pry him loose from Boston.
“Most of the talks have centered around draft picks, and a lot of prospects have not changed hands, here and there,” said Sweeney. “I think this is the time where teams zero in on not giving up much on their own club, when that they feel they’re in position.
“Other teams are feeling like they may take a step back and restock come June, so they’re trying to accumulate those [future assets]. That’s sort of where the balance of the talks have been.”
It would seem trade talks over Eriksson are also linked to what Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman will do with left wing Jonathan Drouin, and that’s where the availability of young defensemen like Anaheim's Sami Vatanen and Minnesota's Jonas Brodin comes into play. Clearly the Bruins are trying to make something work that would land them a player like Vatanen or Brodin, but it’s a question of at what cost beyond Eriksson . . . and whether teams like the Ducks and Wild will turn to the Lightning in an attempt to get Drouin rather than Eriksson.
Clearly, teams like Minnesota, Anaheim and St. Louis desperately need more scoring, which is why Eriksson is attractive to them. But the Bruins would need to build a package of assets beyond Eriksson -- one that includes draft picks and prospects -- in order to acquire the kind of young, established defenseman they seek.
The good news: The Bruins have two first-round picks this year and a bevy of bright prospects.
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“I think anybody that has an opportunity to improve their club . . . [with] a top-four potential, top-four defenseman, I think they’d be excited to do that,” said Sweeney. “What the cost of that is, is what we’re all balancing. During the last several weeks, I’ve had a lot of discussions with 29 other general managers, to see where they’re trying to improve their clubs, and the overwhelming thought is that we’ve stockpiled a number of players.
“I think that it has set this organization up going forward very well and we’ve done a very good job this year. Our team has grown along as we’ve said. I think our players have done a good job, and I think our coaches have also done a good job. As we stand right now, we’re in a playoff position. I’d like to try and help and support the group, and that’s what it’s really all about.”
Sweeney just needs to get a good enough offer to start “supporting the group”, and get premium value for Eriksson as the biggest remaining name available on this NHL trade deadline day.