Will Boston Bruins Sell Off Pieces If Their Season Doesn’t Start Off Strong
During his segment on TSN Radio in Montreal, when he was asked about reactionary teams making moves, whether getting off to good or bad starts, Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period mentioned the Boston Bruins as one of those teams.
“I mean, the other club that I look at that we haven’t mentioned is Boston. If the Bruins perform the way I anticipate them to perform this season, which is not that great,” Pagnotta said. “I see them being a team that starts to look to move out some additional pieces that they’ve got. Similarly to how they did last year, but being a little bit more aggressive in their attempt to do it, because of their opportunity to go after the number one pick with Gavin McKenna being the top prize.
You’re going to see some teams looking at that quarter mark, that first third of the season, going all right, we just don’t have it. It’s time to look to move out some pieces here, and maybe we can better our odds at getting that first overall pick. And I think Boston’s in that boat.”
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One of the players that was brought up in the segment was Pavel Zacha, who was mentioned as a potential player that could draw teams around the league, according to Jimmy Murphy of RG Media. Pagnotta was then asked if Zacha was at the top of the list, and then proceeded to mention other players who are entering the final year of their deals that could be on the move if things don’t go their way to start the year.
Host: “Top the list. You talk about Zacha, right?”
Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, yeah. Zacha. Andrew Peeke is a pending UFA. I mean, Zacha was available last year. They tried to move him out, even going into the off-season. And I know there have been some whispers, ties, and reports that the Canadiens are one of the teams in that mix. But I certainly look at Zacha. I look at Victor Arvidsson on an expiring contract, who they got from the Oilers. I look at some of those pieces that they’ve got.
Keep in mind, (Charlie) McAvoy was hurt for a good chunk after Four Nations. (Hampus) Lindholm was banged up for a good chunk of the season as well. They had some injury issues that factored into their poor performance last season. But I think if this team starts to falter a little bit, I think they look to those types of players as potential guys that can, that they can move. It’s again, this is another retool on the fly scenario because of the off-season that they got there.
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They feel Tanner Jeannot, whom they signed as a free agent is the power forward that hasn’t been able to be unleashed yet that could fit the mold of what the Bruins bring. So if they again, if they falter, I could certainly see them being a club that looks at some of their other pieces and going all right, we don’t need to tear this down fully, but if we move out some of these pieces to better our future here again, it may better our odds at that first overall selection.”
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