The Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars set off a few of their own fireworks on the Fourth of July, pulling the trigger on a blockbuster deal involving seven players.
Forwards Tyler Seguin and Loui Eriksson highlight the trade, as Seguin will depart to Dallas and Eriksson will become a Bruin.
Boston will also send forward Rich Peverley and Providence defenseman Ryan Button to the Stars and receive three prospects —Â Joe Morrow, Reilly Smith and Matt Fraser —Â in return.
Take some time to get to know the four new Bruins by checking out their bios below. All scouting reports come courtesy of HockeysFuture.com.
Loui Eriksson — Left Wing
Age: 27
Birthplace: Goteborg, Sweden
Drafted: Second round, 33rd overall (Dallas, 2003)
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 196 pounds
2012-13 stats: 48 games, 12 goals, 17 assists, minus-9
NHL career stats: 501 games, 150 goals, 207 assists, plus-31
Scouting report: “Eriksson has a NHL-sized frame to go with a great set of skills to build upon. Most notably, he possesses excellent all-around skating ability, showing very good speed and agility in most situations. His overall offensive awareness and passing have also shown to be good assets. Not just a pure skilled forward, Eriksson will go into the dirty areas of the ice and play tough.”
Joe Morrow — Defenseman
Age: 20
Birthplace: Edmonton, Alberta
Drafted: First round, 23rd overall (Pittsburgh, 2011)
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 204 pounds
2012-03 stats: With Texas (AHL): nine games, one goal, three assists, plus-3. With Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AHL): 57 games, four goals, 11 assists, minus-7
NHL career stats: N/A
Scouting report: “A mobile and aggressive two-way defenseman who can play in all situations, Joe Morrow has seen his stock rise meteorically since his draft year in 2010-11. Playing with poise and maturity far beyond his years, Morrow possesses the ability to retrieve the puck from his own zone and start the play up ice. His puck-distribution ability is top notch and he has a hard and heavy shot that typically hits the net.”
Reilly Smith — Right Wing
Age: 22
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Drafted: Third round, 69th overall (Dallas, 2009)
Height/weight: 6-foot, 185 pounds
2012-13 stats: With Dallas: 37 games, three goals, six assists, even. With Texas (AHL): 45 games, 14 goals, 21 assists, plus-13
NHL career stats: 40 games, three goals, six assists, minus-3
Scouting report: “As Smith continues to grow and gain muscle, it’s likely that he’ll start to reach his lofty offensive upside. He has very good vision and can skate well — his offensive instincts are top-notch. Smith is a noted finisher with a quick shot. He finds open space aptly.”
Matt Fraser — Right Wing
Age: 23
Birthplace: Red Deer, Alberta
Drafted: Undrafted
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 204 pounds
2012-13 stats: With Dallas: 12 games, one goal, two assists. even. With Texas (AHL): 62 games, 33 goals, 13 assists, plus-13
NHL career stats: 13 games, one goal, two assists, even
Scouting report: “Fraser is one tough customer. He can dish out hits aplenty in open ice and along the boards, he’s willing to take responsibility for his actions or stand up for his teammates by way of fisticuffs and he won’t back down from anyone. He has a big shot with a pretty quick release. Has a good frame for his bang-and-crash style.”
