With their 3-1 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday night (Jan. 19), the Boston Bruins improved to a ridiculous 36-5-4 record. With their great start earlier in the year, they are expected to be one of them Most active buyer At this year’s trade deadline. Ultimately, it makes sense for them to be aggressive, as this could be the last loss with captains Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, so they should go all-in. However, while it would be great to see Boston make a big splash at the deadline, they should also try to bring in some depth for their postseason run.
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One team the Bruins should consider trading is the Florida Panthers. After winning the Presidents Trophy in 2021-22, the Panthers have taken a terrible step this year, as they have a 22-20-5 record and are currently out of a playoff spot. If they can’t warm up before the deadline, They will be sellers, and there is a certain depth player that I believe Boston should make a push from them. Let’s dive into why now.
Eric Staal is a rental candidate for the Panthers
After impressing during his tryout with the Panthers during training camp, Eric Stahl Earned himself a one-year, $750,000 contract. The 38-year-old center has signed with Florida to compete for the Stanley Cup. However, with the Panthers playing inconsistently right now and having a real shot at missing the postseason, it’s certainly possible they could move the Thunder Bay native to give him a chance to finish his career with a legitimate contender.
Furthermore, Staal has been hot as of late, so the Panthers could get a decent return for the 18-year veteran. After starting the season with zero points in his first 16 games, he has bounced back nicely, as he has seven goals and 14 points in his last 24 contests. Remember, he’s been used on the Panthers’ fourth line during this hot streak, so he’s showing he can still provide solid secondary scoring at this point in his career. This, in turn, could certainly lead to several teams making a push for him at the deadline.
Finally, if Panthers are incapacitated To turn this ship around, it seems quite plausible that they will test the market for Stall. If he is made officially available, it would certainly make sense for the Bruins to consider bringing him in.
Why the Bruins could use Staal
Although Staal is no longer the star center he was in his prime years, he has shown this season that he can still be a very effective fourth line forward. As a result of that, it’s fair to argue that he could be a good addition to that line for the Bruins. While the Bruins have been nearly perfect this season, one could argue that their fourth line could use a bit of a boost. Players like AJ Greer And Craig Smith has had trouble finding consistency in that role this season, so bringing in Staal could be a way to turn things around. Furthermore, if the Bruins were looking for more offense, he could substitute at times Thomas Nosek At 4C
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Moreover, as the season progresses, injuries occur more often. As a result, even if Staal is used as the club’s extra forward, there could still be a great matchup here. Additionally, the grizzled veteran will be another great leader and mentor to the club’s younger players, as he is a former captain with 1,333 NHL games to his name along with a Stanley Cup championship.
The stall is This season is showing That he can still be productive in the sport’s most competitive league, and that’s impressive when you consider that he hasn’t appeared in a single NHL game in the 2021-22 season. Whether the Bruins bring him in as a fourth liner or depth forward, he’s capable of making an impact for the Original Six club.
Possible trade between Bruins and Panthers
Now, let’s look at what it might take for the Bruins to acquire Staal. With Staal likely at the end of his career and a rental, it seems unlikely that Boston will need to part with much. If he continues to play this hot until the trade deadline, perhaps their 2023 fourth-round pick could be enough to successfully acquire him.
With Staal a veteran and looking to win another Stanley Cup, it seems the Panthers would be willing to trade to a division rival if they find themselves out of the playoff race at the deadline. Still, if they get hot and catch teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders in the wild card race, Florida could elect to keep Staal for the rest of the year.
A potential trade won’t center around Staal, though The biggest of blockbusters, the Bruins will be landing an effective depth forward with immense experience. As a result, I see him as an underrated trade target for Boston, but we’ll have to wait and see if these two Atlantic Division rivals work out a deal from here.
Michael DeRosa is a contributor who covers the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings for Hockey Writers. Since 2017, he has written and edited for numerous websites. In addition to his work for THW, you can also find him on NHL trade rumors.
