Bruins Trade Taylor Hall

     

    The NHL Cap experience is one of the ages. Over this next year the total team cap space is going up from 82.5 million to 83.5 million. The Boston Bruins locked up their star goal scorer David Pasternak at 11.2 million over the next year. They have Brad Marchand locked up at 6 million. Charlie McAvoy at 9.5 million Hampus Lindholm at 6.5 million, Linus Ullmark at 5 million. The Boston Bruins are cap tied at this moment with roughly 65 millions on their books. to a total cap of 82.5 million. Taylor Hall was scheduled to make another 6.2 million which is a significant cap hit. Its sad to see the former super star from the Edmonton Oilers. 

    The Bruins traded Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks for Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell. The Bruins acquire two restricted defensemen that in larger roles can possibly flourish but overall it hurts to see Taylor Hall go. What this shows is the Bruins are valuing their cap flexibility. Also hopefully they have a plan for this off season and this was just the first piece on the trade block. 

    After this move, looking forward, Don Sweeney and Cam Neely place themselves on the hot seat... I'm sorry you went with Jim Montgomery who the Dallas Stars tossed to the curb. The man you let walk out the door Bruce Cassidy went on to win the cup. On the same year your team pulled off the greatest fraud job in hockey history. 

    This move next is to pay Tyler Bertuzzi the Bruins are clearing their cap to resign Tyler Bertuzzi putting it at the cost of Taylor Hall. Situation really sucks but it would be extremely difficult to pay all of these guys. Tyler Bertuzzi is a great piece he got 8 goals on 30 points. At 28 years old he's a great young talent that can be a playmaker and future goal scorer with time for this club. 

    Following this its time to pick one of the goalies and roll with them. Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. The notion that Swayman would play 2nd fiddle in a second direct year after the choke that was last year, would be blasphemous. No one is expecting him to buy back into that roll of being on call when Ullmark needs a night off. Jeremy Swayman is an electric talent in the net and he could be the Vesna himself with a defensive line featuring McAvoy, Lindholm, Carlo, Grzelcyk. Never mind Bergeron and Zacha, the team ran an elite defense. It would be wise in my eyes to sell high on your Vesna get a decent return recoup your draft assets following the aftermath of the trade deadline. It will be easier to find a goalie behind Swayman with all of these assets. Along with trying to find another center or wing player next year in a trade.