Could the Bruins move Krejci at some point?
Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe: The Boston Bruins’ second line has been inconsistent with Jake DeBrusk on the left side, David Krejci in the middle and a rotating number of players over the past two years on the right side.
The 33-year old Krejci has a year left on his deal at a $7.5 million salary-cap hit. Krejci has a 15-team trade list – which the Bruins have had since the beginning of the season – and he may be one of their most tradeable assets. GM Don Sweeney could make him available at some point, especially if he feels he needs the salary cap space this offseason.
If the Bruins decide to keep Krejci around long-term, his next deal will definitely be less than the $7.5 million per he’s bringing home now.
Defenseman Torey Krug makes $5.25 million now but could be upwards of $9 million on his next contract. The Bruins need to extend him beyond this season.
Trading Krejci now would move Charlie Coyle into the second-line center role. Par Lindholm would then move into the third slot or maybe Jack Studnicka is ready to make the jump.
Toffoli may be a wiser acquisition for the Bruins than Kreider
Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports: It’s been well noted for a while now that the Boston Bruins are interested in pending free agent wingers Chris Kreider and Tyler Toffoli, and that a deal for Toffoli can basically get done whenever they want.
Elliotte Friedman three weeks ago.
“I’ll tell you this, I do think Boston, if they wanted to, could do a deal for Toffoli almost at any time. I think they know they’ve got that in their hip pocket, said Friedman to Jeff Marek way back on the Jan. 10 “31 Thoughts” podcast based on Friedman’s weekly notes column. “So the question is: Do you do that or do you wait for Kreider?”
Kreider may have suffered an injury on Saturday night. He may be the Bruins top preference ahead of the trade deadline, but would also cost the most to acquire – likely including a first-round pick.
Toffoli would cost the Bruins a prospect or draft pick and maybe the wiser move given the acquisition cost. The Bruins wouldn’t be giving up a top prospect like Urho Vaakanainen or Jack Studnicka.