NHL Rumor Mill – October 4, 2021
Check out the latest Bruins speculation in today’s NHL rumor mill.
THE ATHLETIC: (subscription required): In a recent mailbag segment Fluto Shinzawa was asked about the odds of the Boston Bruins trading for a second-line center and the cost of acquiring someone like the San Jose Sharks Tomas Hertl. He believes the Bruins will turn to outside help if they can’t suitably address that issue internally. Someone like Hertl could cost at least a first-round pick and a prospect.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s also going to be the cost for every team interested in Hertl if the Sharks decide to move him before the March 21 trade deadline. The Bruins could get outbid by teams carrying a deeper prospect pool.
Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (NHL Images)
Shinzawa expects the Bruins will keep the door open for Tuukka Rask. The veteran goaltender’s recovery from offseason hip surgery, how much he’ll seek on a new contract, the club’s position in the standings and the playoff of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman are among the variables to be considered.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ullmark’s shaky preseason has some Bruins followers concerned and looking forward to Rask’s return. His regular-season play, however, could be key to Rask’s future with the Bruins.
One reader asked if the Bruins might attempt to trade Ullmark for a second-line center if Swayman plays well and Rask is healthy. “No chance,” replied Shinzawa, pointing out the 28-year-old old Ullmark has a full no-movement clause for the next two seasons.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Bruins decide to bring back Rask for another season, Ullmark becomes his backup and Swayman gets demoted regardless of performance because he’s waiver-exempt this season.
It’s doubtful the Bruins pursue Jack Eichel. There are too many questions about the health of the Buffalo Sabres captain. “It would be irresponsible to give up assets if he is at significant risk of a bad outcome,” writes Shinzawa.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That applies to every other team that expressed some interest in acquiring Eichel. They could all be waiting until he finally undergoes disc replacement or neck fusion surgery and makes a full recovery before making serious bids for him.
Bruins??? who cares?
Ricky Dubya?
Looks like none really cares about your comments either……..Eddy
No one cares about yours either, Rick the homer!
Eichel’s going to Boston. I’d be satisfied with Hertl The bruins have no one till that second line centre spot. Ullmark stinks
at 10m$ per? Not a chance. Plus, the Ruins have nothing much to give back, so how exactly is he going to the Ruins?
HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA
If you honestly believe that the Bruins are going to gut their roster to acquire Eichel, you need to start seeing a psychiatrist immediately to deal with your delusional state.
Rick, as a non Bruin fan…I hope you’re right about Eichel going to Boston.
Big part of the Bruins season will rely on Ullmark’s performance.
A full NMC does not mean a player can’t be traded, it just mean his consent is needed.
If Ullmark sees the Bruins season becoming a tire fire which it might very well be, why wouldn’t he consent?
The Bruins on the other hand, in such a situation, couldn’t expect a 2C in return.
Why not?if Ullmark keeps stinking up the joint he’s history
Could this be the year the Bruins look like anything but we’re used to seeing? Cracks seemed to develop last season but being what last season was, you really couldn’t tell but this off season and lack of addressing some blatant holes so far with not much to look forward to means the big bad bruins might just be the bad bruins this season.
The Bruins are a playoff team.
Not sure they can challenge for a cup though.
The East is stacked with top tier teams and it will be difficult just getting past the first round, let alone make it to the finals.
I’m not worried, just trying to be realistic.
I think a healthy Coyle will be a very good 2C, given the wingers he has to play with.
The PP will be the strength in the regular season.
Not worried about the goaltending. It’s just gonna take a little bit of time.
Count me in that camp too SOP.
We should probably let Ulmark get used to his new D, their tendencies and system before we throw him overboard. From what I can tell reading the play is kind of important for a tender, and he likely hasn’t forgot how to play over the last few months.
But it is goaltending, so who the hell knows.
Bruin fans,
Is Shenyshyn worthy of being claimed? Any chance a change of scenery turns his game around? It certainly seems like he has the speed to play at the NHL level.
You could put Shenyshyn on a line with Mcdavid and Leon feeding him the puck and he still wouldn’t score. Although I wish someone would pick him up it would open up a position in Providence.
I figured St. Louis would have claimed him.
I read somewhere that Donnie only selected him to give Chia the old F.U. (when Chia was running the Oilers, and signing Leon to the best deal in the league). cause Chia was gonna take him with an early pick.
So ullmark is playing bad enough to jettison but he is valuable enough for a second line center? My eyes are crossing.
It all makes sense, if you view things irrationally and with extreme bias.
There is surgery to correct that. Tell you what Chisim I don’t really think we agree on much. This will be my only reply to you. Any other correspondence would be useless. If you don’t like my posts don’t read em.
Ullmark is massively over rated. His $5mx4 contract is going to be a burden by January of this year, much less the remaining 3 years.