The Boston Bruins find themselves trying to gain ground in the Atlantic Division standings with the March 21 NHL trade deadline right around the corner.
There are some trade targets that would make sense for Boston to look into. We've examined a few possible Bruins trade targets and offered a verdict on whether the team should make the move. Now we'll look at some under-the-radar players Boston could target ahead of March 21.
The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching, and teams have begun to bolster their rosters.
The Bruins figure to make a move or two in order to go deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While they've been linked to names like Jakob Chychrun, there are some under-the-radar players who could make sense for Boston.
Let's dive in.
Artturi Lehkonen, Montreal Canadiens
The Bruins and Canadiens making a deal with one another seems nearly impossible, but Lehkonen might be a nice fit for Boston. While his 13 goals and 15 assists might not jump out at you, his versatility could help the B's by adding a little extra spark to their lineup. Lehkonen also has just a $2.3 million cap hit and will be a restricted free agent after this season.
Travis Boyd, Arizona Coyotes
Secondary scoring long has been an issue for Boston, but Boyd could help in that area. Sure, the Bruins have gotten production from Craig Smith of late, which certainly has helped, but adding some extra goals in the bottom-six could be crucial to the B's as they prepare for the playoffs.
Plus, the $750,000 cap hit is quite attractive.
Calvin de Haan, Chicago Blackhawks
The Bruins need some help on defense, and de Haan could provide that. de Haan would be a rental and comes with a cap hit of $4.5 million. He wouldn't be as expensive as someone like Chychrun, and his name certainly isn't as big as the 23-year-old Coyotes D-man, but de Haan could pair well with Derek Forbort and add some pop to the blue line that could help get the Bruins deeper into the playoffs.
Andrew Copp, Winnipeg Jets
A swiss army knife of sorts, Copp could help the Bruins on the power play, penalty kill and fill the need for a second line center. He's also a strong defensive player. So even though he's a forward, he could help Boston's defensive game. He's also would be a good fit for the Bruins in a piece published by ESPN in February.
Copp is dealing with an injury after taking a hard hit Sunday against the St. Louis Blues. While it's certainly not ideal to acquire an injured player, it might be worth taking a flier on if the extent of it isn't too serious.
