Boston Bruins Patience at Trade Deadline May Bring Benefits Now and Later

Although they seemed like a pair of relatively minor depth moves, the Boston Bruins two new acquisitions at the February 29 trade deadline have fit in just right with the team’s new strategy this year to push the puck up ice with quicker pace.

The Bruins are on a 5-1-2 run since the trades and while they gave up a significant haul of draft picks for winger Lee Stempniak, 33, and defenseman John-Michael Liles, 35, they have helped fill a couple key needs. Stempniak has put up six points while slotting in nicely in a top-6 role with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand as a speedy right wing with a scoring touch, and Liles has picked up a couple assists as another steady puck-moving defenseman to complement Torey Krug who can get the puck quickly and efficiently up ice to the forwards with sharp passes.

“We feel like we balanced our lineup as well since the trade deadline, so that’s helped us a lot,” said coach Claude Julien on the Bruins website this week.

The B’s sent 2^nd and 4^th round picks to New Jersey for Stempniak, who was having one of his best seasons while leading the Devils in points (41) and assists (25), and gave up a 3^rd and 5^th along with AHL grinder Anthony Camara to Carolina for Liles, who while not matching his prime 45-point years of the past had still put up 15 points in 64 games.

Although not all-stars the two are solid veterans that allowed Boston to send light-scoring Zac Rinaldo, Joonas Kemppainen and Max Talbot to Providence and move Brett Connolly down to the 4^th line -- where he may be better suited as a guy who plays with an edge but still hasn’t lived up to the scoring potential that made him a previous number 6 pick for Tampa Bay.

"Listen, we know our holes. I ask for a little patience of what we're trying to accomplish here."   - Bruins President Cam Neely

Immediate reaction to the moves was critical, both for not doing something more significant to get bigger impact players and also for not trading Loui Ericksson – who will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and will likely change team sweaters for nothing at that point since the B’s have been far apart on reaching agreement for a new contract with him. The Bruins made NBC Sports’ trade day losers list. “You can make a winner argument for the Bruins, but [they] gave up so much to maybe only make a moderate step forward,” according to NBC Sports. “[Stempniak and Liles] could help out a bit on defense, yet are they worth a bucket of picks? Was it really the best move to keep Loui Ericksson? A first-round exit would make this a very costly week.”

Another downside is that emerging B's offensive-minded blueliner Joe Morrow, 23, had improved over the course of the season but will now lose playing time to Liles. Morrow (7 points in 29 games) needs to play and continue his development, especially if he may be one of the potential long-term solutions on D.

Ericksson, who is having his best season in five years with 27 goals in a contract year and will turn 31 in July, was at his peak trade value at the deadline. Despite being in a playoff position the B’s had been knocked around several times by the league’s elite teams this season entering the deadline and with several new and young players still coming together, they didn’t appear to be a legit Cup contender.  This elevated the criticism for keeping Ericksson.

Bruins President Cam Neely responded on the Felger & Mazz show early this month, saying they were not offered either a first-round pick, two second-rounders or a top-two line younger roster player for Ericksson. They were also not willing to sacrifice their own two first round picks in the coming June draft or top prospects to make a bigger splash on the trade market. They hold a second, as well. “Listen, we know our holes,” Neely said. “I ask for a little patience of what we’re trying to accomplish here. I know there’s expectations from media and our fans and everyone wants things to turn around quick.”

Given the team’s progress with young players and remaining needs, taking a little longer view makes sense.

It’s also possible the B’s still might be able to get at least something – albeit a much lower pick -- for Ericksson in the offseason if they get a taker at draft time from a team interested in trying to sign him  with exclusive negotiating rights for the short window before free agency begins, a la Carl Soderberg (the Bruins traded Soderberg to Colorado just prior to last June’s draft for a 6^th round 2016 pick, and the Avalanche signed him to a 5-year contract the next day).

Furthermore by not unloading Ericksson, the Bruins keep a decent two-way winger and good net-front scoring presence to go with the two new players that should help them in a playoff run -- even if it’s all only for the rest of this season.  From a player’s perspective, Neely said it’s crucial for the team to get the experience of competing together in the playoffs since that is what every player strives for.

It should particularly help young B’s like Ryan Spooner and David Pastrnak who have not yet tasted the postseason. The B's have surprisingly surged to 2nd in the Atlantic, but are precariously just 7 points ahead of 9th place in the tightening East so will need to work hard to sustain their momentum.

After disastrous recent trades such as letting burgeoning star and former number 2 overall pick Tyler Seguin go at only 21, shying away from big moves to focus on building a true contender through drafting and developing youth over the longer term may be just what the doctor ordered.