Are the Boston Bruins eyeing a local product in their search for forward depth?
The Athletic’s Joe McDonald wrote a few weeks ago the Bruins showed interest in Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle before the season, and again were considering the Weymouth, Mass., native in case they couldn’t internally fill the void created by Patrice Bergeron’s injury.
Nothing ever came of the rumor, but hockey insider Pierre LeBrun indicated Tuesday on TSN’s “Insider Trading” that the Bruins have “kicked the tires” on Coyle, a former Boston University Terrier who has spent his entire seven-year NHL career with the Wild.
“What I can tell you is this: I believe the Boston Bruins have kicked the tires on Charlie Coyle. Not really surprising given that the Bruins have all those injuries that they’re still dealing with,” LeBrun said. “I don’t know that this is something that’s imminent, but in terms of the Wild, I think (Minnesota general manager) Paul Fenton maybe finally is ready to act.”
WEEI.com’s Matt Kalman later reported, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, that Coyle’s name has come up in trade talks with the Bruins even though nothing is imminent.
This all comes on the heels of Bruins general manager Don Sweeney recently acknowledging that Boston was searching for help “up front” while battling injuries and looking for secondary scoring. (Bergeron, the team’s best all-around forward, has been out since Nov. 16 and was expected to be reevaluated after four weeks when the team announced his absence on Nov. 20.)
Coyle was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He subsequently was traded to Minnesota along with Devin Setoguchi and San Jose’s first-round pick in 2011 for Brent Burns and Minnesota’s second-round pick in 2012.
Coyle, 26, has totaled five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 30 games this season. He hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations that surrounded him upon entering the NHL, but he’s still been a productive player for much of his career. Coyle totaled a career-high 56 points (18 goals, 38 assists) in 2016-17 and scored a career-high 21 goals in 2015-16.
Coyle, who signed a five-year contract extension in October 2014, carries a $3.2 million cap hit this season and next season before hitting free agency.
