Before we know the NHL trade deadline will be here and the Bruins have some decisions to make ahead of March 3.
Boston is atop the NHL standings with a 38-6-4 record going into Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers and look like a legitimate Stanley Cup Final team.
The Bruins’ depth has been tested this season between beginning the year without Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk, losing Brandon Carlo for a few games due to a concussion, Derek Forbort breaking his pinky finger and now Tomas Nosek and Jake DeBrusk dealing with injuries.
Somehow, some way, the Bruins find ways to win games even when they’re down going into the third period.
This team doesn’t need a lot of tweaks, but with the Stanley Cup window getting closer to being closed and the unknown futures of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci beyond this year, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli believes the Bruins should “all in” at this year’s trade deadline.
“The clear answer is to go all-in,” Seravalli wrote Saturday. “The Bruins would hate to get bounced in the second or third round and be left wondering why they left stones unturned in the quest for that elusive second Stanley Cup for Bergeron, (Brad) Marchand and Krejci.
“There may be a way to add that not only enhances this year’s run, which has Last Dance vibes written all over it, but also do it in a way that keeps the championship window open for years to come.”
Seravalli notes that Boston’s “secondary objective” should be trading for a center. (The first is re-signing David Pastrnak as to figure out its financial situation for next season and beyond). Bo Horvat has been connected to the Bruins in the past, and it’s fair to wonder whether they should call up the Vancouver Canucks to see what a potential deal would look like.
There still are a few weeks before March 3 gets here, but the Bruins should be thinking now about how they want to enhance their team for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
