Kalman: Why The Bruins Have To Trade Eriksson And Other Off-Day Thoughts
BOSTON (CBS) - The Bruins were tired after their longest road trip of the season, so they lost to Columbus on Monday and took Tuesday off.
For their sake, hopefully they got enough beauty rest that their showdown with Pittsburgh on Wednesday won't turn into another TD Garden horror show for the home team.
Outside of figuring out how the Bruins can play more like a playoff contender on home ice, there are several other things general manager Don Sweeney must decide, including several decisions that have to be completed prior to the NHL trade deadline on Monday.
Here are my off-day thoughts on a few topics:
1. Trade or sign Loui Eriksson
This is a no-brainer. The Bruins have a unique situation to maximize an asset and not set the organization back. In fact trading Eriksson would help the Bruins advance their cause to return to contender status, whereas re-signing him even for a hometown discount might hamper them down the road. Eriksson will turn 31 this summer. The Bruins don't figure to be a contender again until 2017-18. There are just so many players in their early to mid-30s contending teams can rely on.
When you figure the Bruins will still be leaning on Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, (probably) Brad Marchand and a few others, Eriksson might block the way for younger and cheaper talent. Once he signs a multi-year deal in excess of $6 million, he becomes harder to trade (not to mention he might want no-trade protection for much of the contract). Dealing him now is the perfect time. He's having a great season, he's healthy and the Bruins aren't going anywhere. They can easily plug in prospect Frank Vatrano in Eriksson's spot and be equally mediocre. Or maybe they can acquire someone in the Eriksson trade or make a second trade that brings them someone who's ready to play now.
Based on recent trades of much lesser talents, the Bruins can at least ask for a first- and a second-round pick for Eriksson. Even if that doesn't work out, a couple seconds or a second and a mid-to high-level prospect would work. This wouldn't be a deal that would benefit the Bruins way out into the future, either. It could benefit them as recently as this summer. And that bring me to my second thought.
2. How many draft picks does a team need?
In the Bruins' case draft picks and prospects aren't necessarily development pieces to help the team sometime around the start of the next decade. Stockpiling draft picks and prospects is the best way to maybe acquire a young, top-four defenseman down the road to patch over the Dougie Hamilton hole. Players of that caliber rarely move at the trade deadline.
The summer is the best market for moves of that nature and the Bruins could be big-time players come draft time and around July 1 if they add to their already solid collection. The Sharks didn't go in the tank (the Bruins own their first-round pick in 2016) and the Bruins aren't going to bottom out anytime soon. And there's no need to go full tank-job to reload for a championship-caliber future. The Bruins don't have to draft and develop the next Hamilton, they just have to convince teams that quantity will better the odds of landing a quality player.
A team looking to part with an over-priced piece or one in its own "Hamilton conundrum" could call and the Bruins would be ready to plenty of trade chips. So don't be disappointed if the Bruins don't get a cornerstone defenseman in an Eriksson trade. That would be the secondary move to come at a future date. (Hopefully it actually comes, unlike that second move Peter Chiarelli was going to make after he started to kill the Bruins' defense depth by trading Johnny Boychuk.)
3. What does Zac Rinaldo do?
We know he doesn't cross the line and earn suspensions anymore because he got one talking to from the NHL Department of Player Safety this season, and that's all. That's great that he's not injuring people anymore. But it would be better if the player Sweeney swapped a third-round pick for could be a difference maker at least once or twice a month. It's virtually impossible to think of a game-changing hit or play he's made.
He has scored only one goal and has three points. His Corsi For percentage, according to war-on-ice.com, is 40.32. He's a decent forechecker, but the Bruins must have someone comparable who might also be able to do at least one other thing down in Providence. Vatrano and Seth Griffith are tearing up the AHL and Rinaldo is just taking up space.
Energy-producing fourth lines are great if they provide energy and don't shoot the team in the foot. Rinaldo, Max Talbot, Landon Ferraro – they're all a minus on the season. At least Talbot and Ferraro help out on the penalty kill. The Bruins once toyed with Rinaldo on the penalty kill. He's totaled a little more than nine shorthanded minutes all season.
If they're serious about making the playoffs, the Bruins have to find a lineup alternative.
4. To add a depth defenseman or stand pat
The Bruins' "depth defensemen" right now are their young guys: Joe Morrow, Zach Trotman and Colin Miller (who's currently with Providence). Although they all have their faults and lately have been taking turns seeing who least deserves to be in the lineup, it's not worth surrendering any assets to add another Greg Zanon or Wade Redden.
With Adam McQuaid healthy, the Bruins have the right balance between veterans and younger defenseman. They're goal is to make the playoffs in the weak East, not make a three-round run (not that any depth defenseman would make a difference). The Bruins have to keep getting their younger defensemen experience and hindering that by making a move that says "we're in this to win it" would again defeat the purpose of this season and thin the Bruins' coffers of draft picks when it comes time to start throwing those around in trades.
Matt Kalman covers the Bruins for CBSBoston.com and also contributes to NHL.com and several other media outlets. Follow him on Twitter @TheBruinsBlog.
