The Boston Bruins head into this year’s trade deadline in a much different situation from a year ago. Last season, the Bruins were in the midst of their worst season in over a decade and in full selling mode.
Boston made a nice profit from their sell-off, even landing a high-end prospect in James Hagens. That situation was possible due to proactive moves that relied on fleecing contending clubs. For instance, the Brandon Carlo trade was one of the shrewdest moves by Don Sweeney in recent history.
That said, the Bruins cannot afford to rely on this trade deadline on last-minute, reactionary trades. Like last season, the club must take a proactive approach in finding the right deals to suit its long-term outlook.
That’s why fans shouldn’t be surprised to see the Bruins have a relatively quiet deadline. Of course, we all want to see big moves. A major trade for a superstar player like a top-line center would make fans’ heads spin.
But realistically, this isn’t the time for the Bruins to go all-in on a rental. Now is the time for the Bruins to focus on building a situation that makes sense now and beyond.
As for what those trades could be, that’s another story. It’s too tough to predict what may come the Bruins’ way, given how few teams are hitting the deadline as bona fide sellers.
Should Bruins just sit on the sidelines at this year’s deadline?
So, a fair question to ask is whether the Bruins should just sidestep this trade deadline. The possibility of Boston actually making a solid deal is slim. That statement depends on what the club is looking for.
Judging from the Rasmus Andersson rumors, the Bruins could be looking to add a defenseman. For instance, someone like Justin Faulk may work. While that wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, making sense of it would depend on the price tag.
Therein lies the issue.
The Bruins must be cognizant of the price tags out there. With few sellers on the market, the plan for sellers would be to maximize their returns. In fact, the shortage of supply in the market could lead to a bidding war for some players.
Again, that’s a situation that the Bruins cannot afford to get dragged into. There’s a time when taking a big swing makes sense. The Andersson situation was one of them. But as far as this deadline, unless a major piece suddenly becomes available in the market, it might just be better to sit things out. The Bruins could do a lot of damage to the club by making the wrong moves.
That’s why sometimes the best move is no move at all.