Date de création initiale: nov 23, 2020

Publié: 23 nov 2020 à 21 h 55

Équipe: 2020-21 Bruins de Boston

Now that DeBrusk is signed, and to a very fair deal, it becomes more clear how the Bruins can fill out the roster.

By all accounts, Chara is coming back. While many people say that he is waiting to see how the league is formatted this season, I think he was actually taking some time to decide if he was willing to return to Boston in a more limited role. It sounds like he is and he should be compensated as such. I expect a minimum AAV of $700K-$1MM plus performance bonuses.

I also think the Bruins are not content with their scoring. While Hoffman has been the most talked-about target, I think that he can still command $5MM+ on a one-year deal and I am not sure the Bruins can afford that. I think Granlund is a slightly more affordable target and I think he has the ability to play on the top line with Bergeron when Marchand and/or Pastrnak are out and could have instant chemistry with former linemates Coyle and Smith.

I don't believe the Vaakanainen trade rumors. It wouldn't make much sense to deal away a top D prospect who is still waiver exempt when you have an overage of others who are not waiver exempt.

If Chara returns and Miller is healthy, the Bruins will have ten one-way defensemen, though I think Kampfer will safely clear waivers. Obviously McAvoy, Carlo, Grzelcyk, Chara, and Miller would be roster locks. That leaves one starting spot and one or two bench spots open. Moore would be a nice trade candidate and would even make Hoffman a more realistic target if they can trade him without taking salary back. However, Moore will not bring much if anything back in return. If Moore is on the roster, that leaves two spots for three young players, all of whom would likely be claimed on waivers. I personally think people are sleeping on Zboril and I also think the team likes Clifton and the contrast he brings to Miler as a RD3 option. Is Lauzon the odd man out? It could be Zboril, it might be Clifton, or maybe Moore has some value after all. I think the Bruins see how training camp goes and move one rather than lose him on waivers (they could also lose him in expansion). I think RW is the biggest need in the pipeline and I love the fit of Lauzon helping LA now and ****emo helping the Bs down the road.

As for those players who DO go on waivers to be re-assigned to Providence, I don't really think that anyone will be claiming Kampfer, Lindholm, McKegg, Carey, Blidh, or Senyshyn and honestly Senyshyn is the only one of that group that I would really care about getting claimed anyhow.

After all is said and done, the Bs are on the right side of the cap limit and have a pretty balanced lineup. The left side of the D is still weak and I hate seeing Grzelcyk on the top pair, but the hope is that Zboril or Vaakanainen can grow into that role or maybe Moore returns to form. Grz-Carlo is a good second pair and Chara-Miller is a shutdown third pair if they stay healthy. The forward group is great and given the injury questions to Marchand and Pastrnak and the injury history of Kase, I think that Bjork and Studnicka will still see some action. Those early injuries will also help to bank some cap space for down the road. I expect that by the deadline the team will have enough space to add reinforcements on defense if need be. Hjalmarsson, Murray, and McCabe are my preferred rental targets looking down the road a ways.