Oh, it’s the greatest time of the year. While we chug eggnog, put our feet up by the fire, and open a few gifts from under a fully decorated tree, Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli will be busy on the phone. With the Bruins on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, moves need to be made to reform this past championship contender into its old self. On the Bruins’ holiday wish list, a first line right wing is the priority. The Bruins rank 21st in the league in goals per game, averaging an uninspiring 2.5 per contest. The question isn’t really if the Bruins will swing a deal, but when and who. With Christmas Day upon us, who will Santa leave for the Bruins under the tree? [To read more posts like this, click here]
T.J. Oshie
Don’t tell me that you have forgotten about him. Does Captain America ring a bell? After dismantling Sergei Bobrovsky in a shootout in the Sochi Olympics to give the USA a crucial victory, Oshie became the idol of every kid in the United States. Hell, he could have even made Tom Brady jealous!
This season, Oshie’s numbers are rather disappointing. With a mere 12 points in 25 games for the St. Louis Blues, Oshie hasn’t set the league on fire. While many find the former University of North Dakota product to be disappoint after a breakout season, Oshie is a very skilled playmaker who creates opportunities by utilizing his impressive skill. He owns a career 0.67 point per game ratio, and would dazzle playing beside David Krejci, as the two playmakers would compliment each other offensively.
Jordan Eberle
Eberle is a truly exciting player who would add a lot of spark to the top of the lineup. A playmaker with flashy speed and a nose for the net, Eberle would have the chance to pile up points if he joined the Bruins. Over the course of his career, Eberle has averaged an impressive 0.78 points per game ratio while playing for the lowly Oilers. His drive to play defense has been noticeably lacking at times, but Claude Julian certainly won’t put up with lackluster effort on the back end. Eberle would certainly be a jolt to the struggling offense.
Eberle’s Corsi rating is a 95, which is far and away the best on the Oilers. Not only can he provide his own offense (81 shots in 34 games), he makes his teammates around him better. Take a look at the following chart:
| Teammate Name | Corsi With Eberle | Corsi Without Eberle |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | 54.5 | 43.3 |
| Taylor Hall | 52.6 | 45.8 |
| Benoit Pouliot | 58.0 | 45.6 |
The Bruins really could use a player who is not only offensively talented and can make plays, but one like Eberle who elevates the play of his teammates around him.
Chris Stewart
Chris Stewart rumors about being traded to the black and gold have been swirling around for some time now, although I don’t believe he is the player to fill the hole in the lineup. Don’t get me wrong, Stewart is a hard nosed hockey player who plays the game with grit. However, that’s all he is. Hockey-Reference.com has him listed with negative offensive point shares this season. It would be a head-scratching move by Chiarelli to acquire a player who has his own difficulties putting the rubber into the back of the net.
Between 2008-2011, Stewart was a force to be reckoned with in the attacking end. In those three seasons, Stewart boasted solid numbers, evidenced by his 0.74 point per game ratio. Since then? 0.44 PPG, a severe drop off from his previous numbers. Add in a salary of $4,100,000, and the logic doesn’t add up for the Bruins trading for a player in decline.
Which player tops your wish list? Have other ideas? Comment below!
The Bruins need a tough right winger who can score, Stewart has scored before and will again if on right team,, they also need another Thorton on the 4th line, Chris Neil has been mentioned, these are the two guys I’d get, Stewart is begging to play in Boston, , this way you don’t have to give up the farm, the Bruins losing skid was actually not as bad as everyone thinks, most games in those ten they were leading in those games, couldn’t seal the deal, how many goals called back, ,this team was a championship team 3 years ago, they haven’t changed that much, kreji has played well with two heavy wingers and Stewart could be the 3rd, i understand why a lot of you would rather go after hall or Eberle but in my eyes your giving up subban and possibly patreniak Spooner , not worth it, maybe even Kelly or lucid, Kelly has been great defensively and is helping the soderberg line a lot. My thoughts.
I don’t believe any of those mentioned players are coming the Bruins way without a bad overpayment and further cap problems.
And numerous Bruins have no trade clauses to boot.
Larry has it right. And for those that are calling for Chiarelli’s head, don’t forget, that he is the one that built the winning team.
It isn’t his fault that the league unexpectantly reduced the cap by a lot over the last few years. He had no choice but to dump salary.
As for Seguin, when your star player is showing up hungover in the playoffs, you kind of get the feeling you can do better without him.
The Bruins NEED a legitimate right wing for the first line. Krejci is finally back so enough of the Griffith and Cunningham expirements already!
I have to agree with John. Chiarelli has to go. It scares me that he is even flirting with the idea of trading for Stewart and after the Seguin trade and his history of cap problems, I think boston’s GM is a huge liability
Kessel? Seguin? Thornton? Boychuk? iguinla?
Tyler Hall would be the best fit but might have to give too much up for him
First, get rid of Chiarelli, Neely and Julian because a fish rots from the head down. The problem is management and coaching.
The problem with this article is it doesn’t mention who or what could possibly be going the other way nor does it address the Bruins cap situation. The Bruins dumped Johnny Boychuk at the beginning of the year just because of that. It’s a significant factor. None of the above would bring a cheap contract so a significant roster player would have to be going back the other way with whatever else. I really don’t think there’s a quick fix here.