Haggerty On Toucher & Rich: Potential Trade Deadline Moves For Bruins
BOSTON (CBS) - Which players are on the Bruins radar heading into Monday's trade deadline? Joe Haggerty of Comcast SportsNet New England gave Toucher & Rich some names with just a few days left on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
The Bruins, who are 2-6-2 in their last ten games, cling to a two-point lead over the Florida Panthers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Boston has recently faced a motley of injuries -- defenseman Kevan Miller is out for the year after shoulder surgery, forward Gregory Campbell is out at least a week with an upper body injury, and center David Krejci is out 4-6 weeks with a torn meniscus in his knee.
In order to make a push into the postseason and beyond, a move at the deadline appears necessary to keep this team afloat.
"The guy that makes the most sense to me is Antoine Vermette. He's a guy that can fill the gap while Krejci is out and plays a contentious two-way game that the Bruins like," said Haggerty.
A center for the Phoenix Coyotes, Vermette has scored 13 goals and 22 assists in his 11th NHL season. Although he is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, Haggerty noted Vermette's ties to the Bruins locker room, citing his friendship with center Patrice Bergeron.
"That's meaningful to the Bruins, that a guy can come in and immediately mesh with the Bruins and affect the [team] chemistry in a positive way," said Haggerty.
Haggerty explained that if Vermette, was open to a trade, a multi-player deal with Phoenix could ensue.
"When you talk about Vermette, all of a sudden you talk about Keith Yandle as well in a package deal where they can get a defenseman and a forward, and obviously they're going to have to move salaries to make it happen," said Haggerty.
"It's going to cost them a lot. Maybe you're talking [defenseman] Torey Krug and you're certainly talking [left wing] Loui Eriksson as well as a draft pick if not a prospect to make something like that happen."
After dominating the majority of Tuesday's game against Vancouver, the Bruins failed to convert scoring opportunities, including four power plays, and subsequently lost 2-1. With 20 games remaining in the regular season, the Bruins face the Florida Panthers three more times in the heated battle for the eighth seed.
"I expect them to move at the deadline and make something happen," said Haggerty.
The Bruins return to the ice Friday at New Jersey at 7 p.m.
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