With the playoffs approaching, Bruce Cassidy talked about where the Bruins are as a team and how different the intensity is in the playoffs compared to the regular season.
The NHL trade market has been fairly slow the last couple months, but we should see an uptick in activity as Monday's 3 p.m. ET deadline approaches.
The Anaheim Ducks made a notable move Monday night by trading defenseman Josh Manson to the Colorado Avalanche for a second-round draft pick and a defenseman prospect.
That return could help set a template for future deals involving defensemen.
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Ranking Bruins' best assets to use at 2022 NHL trade deadline
One d-man rumored to be available is San Jose Sharks veteran Jacob Middleton, and the Boston Bruins reportedly have interest in him. The asking price for Middleton, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, is very close to the return Manson brought the Ducks.
"A number of playoff teams from the East continue to check in with San Jose on Jacob Middleton," LeBrun said Tuesday on TSN's "Insider Trading" segment. "The price is right, $725,000 is his cap hit, he’s had a wonderful year, he’s a great story, he was signed to an AHL deal by San Jose and this year he’s played a top-four role alongside Erik Karlsson, alongside Brent Burns.
"Here is the asking price from San Jose as I know it: a second-round pick, plus another pick or a prospect in that package, pretty high price similar to the Josh Manson deal. The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the Eastern Conference teams that I’m told have checked in on Jacob Middleton. I think the Leafs have some interest, all kinds of reasons why his physicality on the left side would be of use to Toronto. Boston and Tampa also in there, I believe."
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NHL trade deadline: Why Bruins should call Ducks about Rakell, Lindholm
Middleton is a solid player and the Bruins could easily absorb his tiny salary cap hit. He's a quality defender, a very good penalty killer and plays the type of physical style that Bruins fans love.
That said, he's not a significant enough upgrade for Boston's blue line. They need a more skilled defenseman to play on the top two pairings, someone like Jakob Chychrun of the Arizona Coyotes or Hampus Lindholm of the Anaheim Ducks. Reports indicate the Bruins have shown interest in both Chychrun and Lindholm. Either player would provide a significant upgrade to Boston's blue line with their dynamic offensive skill set.
If the Bruins aren't able to pull off a move for Chychrun or Lindholm, then circling back to Middleton makes sense. But they should save their best assets for better players than Middleton.
