Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Bruins are considered by some to be a disappointment in 2014-15. They were considered one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference coming into the season, but they are currently trying to hold off the Florida Panthers to stay in the NHL playoff picture. Some believed they could be one of the most active teams during the NHL trade deadline.
Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has been in the rumor mill all season long. The latest report says that his job, along with head coach Claude Julien, is on the line if the team does not make the playoffs. One would have thought he would have acted with some more urgency since there may be no future if the present team doesn’t succeed.
The Bruins didn’t stay completely quiet during the deadline, as they made three interesting moves. The first move of the day came when former first-round pick Brett Connolly was brought to the team in exchange for two second-round picks. This move was the best of the day for the Bruins. They brought in a guy who could possibly work his way into the top six. He adds some much needed skill to the Bruins forward position, and he will give them a scoring touch they desperately need. The team ranks 20th in the NHL in goals scored, and this will only help that number.
The next move they made brought in veteran forward Max Talbot and Paul Carey in exchange for Jordan Caron and a 6th round pick. The interesting part of the deal is that the Colorado Avalanche will eat half of his salary this year and all of Talbot’s salary next season. The Bruins basically took Talbot off their hands for close to nothing. This won’t get anyone calling their friends, but it is a necessary depth move.
The final move of the day for the Bruins was their smallest — they received Zack Phillips from the Minnesota Wild for Jared Knight. This involves two guys who won’t make much of a splash in the NHL.
Overall, the Bruins won their trades. That usually means they won the day, but they just needed so much more for the team. They were looking at players like Antoine Vermette and Chris Stewart, but they ended up where they ended up. They still aren’t in position to call themselves contenders for the 2015 Stanley Cup. They could still make the playoffs with this roster, but that is about all they can claim.
Nick Villano is the New Jersey Devils writer for Rant Sports. He also adds to the site’s NBA, MLB and NFL content. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your Google circle.
