The Pros And Cons (Mostly Cons) Of The Bruins' Pursuit Of Jacob Trouba
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Bruins appear to be in desperation mode in their quest to find a new No. 1 defenseman. Or even just a top-pairing guy. Hell, a top-four guy. The latest report (rumor?) suggests that they may be reaching the ultimate form of desperation.
If you are to believe what a "hockey source" told CSNNE Bruins insider Joe Haggerty - that the Bruins are "preparing an offer sheet" for Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba, an impending restricted free agent - then you are to believe that the Bruins are ready to make the most disgusting, revolting of overpayments for a player who, while having the potential to be great one day, could come at a price tag that's virtually impossible to fulfill.
Due to the rules of offer sheets for RFAs - and the Bruins' dubious recent trades - if the Bruins were to actually sign Trouba to an offer sheet, the average annual value would need to be north of $9,333,080. And if the Jets declined to match, the Bruins would have to send them four first-round draft picks.
Not one, not two, not three, but FOUR first-round picks.
Granted, there are plusses to the Bruins bringing Trouba in, but unfortunately there are also drawbacks with the umbrella of the four first-round picks hanging over it all. If you're wondering whether that price tag is worth it for Trouba, would you give it up for, say, Drew Doughty? Duncan Keith? Even that ought to at least give you pause.
You could argue that the Bruins have made five selections in the first round in the past two years, and giving up four of them would almost be a wash with that. But it's still swapping four years of potentially high-upside players, that the Bruins would have no chance at developing, for one player - and one that hasn't been fully developed yet.
However, there is also a bright side to the mere idea of an offer sheet, even if it never actually happens (it probably won't). Let's go over the pros and cons (mostly cons) of the Bruins' apparent pursuit of Trouba...
PRO: He immediately fills a pressing need on the Bruins defense. The Bruins need a legitimate top-pairing defenseman, preferably a No. 1, and Trouba has the upside to be that for years to come. Although GM Don Sweeney said the team seeks a "transitional" defenseman, their true Achilles heel on the blueline was playing actual defense. Trouba has the potential to be a stud shutdown defender for a long time and has the skating ability to help the Bruins in transition. He also has untapped potential on offense, but his real value would come from playing lockdown defense in his own end.
CON: They may have to frontload a potential offer sheet and give up four first-round picks. If the Bruins are serious about this offer sheet business, they would probably have to frontload a deal for Trouba, which would make the 22-year-old grossly overpaid in the early years of his contract. It's also as-yet to be determined whether Trouba would even be worth the $7 million cap hit that Haggerty theorized. I think he would be ... eventually. Trouba has not yet fully developed his game to that point. Plus, they'd be gambling big-time with the four first-rounders given up in addition to the money.
PRO: He could be the heir apparent to Zdeno Chara and anchor the defense for years to come. I may be higher on Trouba than others, but the 22-year-old already plays great defense and could one day develop into an elite two-way defenseman. Plus, he has the toughness and physical edge of a prototypical Bruins/Claude Julien defenseman and has potential as a team leader in the long-term. But again, this is all upside that hasn't been realized.
CON: They'd be gambling on potential, while mortgaging a chunk of their future by giving up four first-round picks. Trouba could certainly end up the No. 1 defenseman of the future in Boston, but he would come at the hefty price of a four-year period without any high draft picks. Not only would the Bruins be making a massively risky bet on this one player, they'd be banking on their recent spate of draft picks to pan out as well - or else they'd really be in trouble.
PRO: The mere threat of an offer sheet could force a trade with the Jets. I don't believe that an actual offer sheet is going to happen, due to the outrageous price the Bruins would have to pay, but that doesn't mean that they aren't preparing one, or that they're legitimately interested in Trouba's services. Offer sheets are like nukes ... They aren't meant to actually be used. But the mere threat of one could spur the Jets into swinging a trade with the Bruins before Trouba becomes a free agent.
CON: The Jets may be OK with declining to match the offer or make a trade ... and simply taking the four first-round picks. The only way the threat of an offer sheet could force the Jets into a trade would be if they decided they'd rather take a player or two off the Bruins roster (say, David Pastrnak or Frank Vatrano) than take the four first-round picks. In theory, the picks would be in the mid-to-late first round, anyway, but still ... four.
CONCLUSION: As much as I would love Trouba on the Bruins and as much as I believe he will eventually become a perennial Norris Trophy candidate, four first-round picks is an incredible price to pay for even a proven star, let alone a 22-year-old kid with time left to develop. Simply a non-starter that may never happen with any team, ever. At the same time, what are the Bruins' other options? Continue to suck on defense? Break the bank for Steven Stamkos instead?
Whatever the Bruins end up doing with their defense, it's clear that they are approaching desperation mode, if they aren't there already. Of all the pros and cons, the biggest con of all is that they put themselves in this position in the first place.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
