It’s hard to believe the Bruins will shake things up at the NHL trade deadline amid a potentially historic season.
That’s not to say they couldn’t make slight upgrades or at least add some valuable depth.
The March 3 deadline is a little more than a month away. The NHL All-Star break is this weekend, and Boston’s “bye week” is tacked on to the break. After Wednesday’s game in Toronto, the B’s won’t take the ice again until Feb. 11.
It’s a perfect time to not only recharge but do some self-scouting and start preparing for the upcoming deadline. Given how good the Bruins have been in every area of the game, there aren’t pressing needs, but Don Sweeney and the front office are reportedly honed in on at least one area of the roster.
“Boston is also believed to be in the left-defense market,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wrote in his weekly 32 thoughts column. “Wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve checked in on Jakob Chychrun and Vladislav Gavrikov, among others.”
Friedman added: “They’ve got special chemistry, and tampering with that can be dangerous. But this is an absolute go-for-it year because you don’t know how long the group will be together.”
The obvious places to start with potential targets are Chychrun and Gavrikov. Chychrun has been a name connected to the Bruins for quite some time. Boston was reportedly among a handful of teams in the hunt for the Arizona blue liner last year. The Coyotes ultimately decided to keep the 24-year-old, but with little in the way of progress this season, they could revisit the option at the deadline. The Fourth Period recently reported there are at least six teams linked to the American-born D-man. He won’t come cheap, though. The reported asking price is three to four assets, including a first-round pick.