NHL Rumor Mill – December 16, 2023
What will the Bruins do with Jake DeBrusk? Could David Savard become a trade chip for the Canadiens? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHAT WILL THE BRUINS DO WITH DEBRUSK?
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa recently pondered Jake DeBrusk’s future with the Boston Bruins.
The 27-year-old winger is averaging the third-highest even-strength ice time (13:40) and the third-most shorthanded ice time (1:58) among Bruins forwards. He’s played left and right wing on their top three lines this season. However, he’s struggling to score this season with four goals and 11 points in 27 games after matching his career-high in goals last season with 27 in 64 games.
DeBrusk is in the final season of his two-year, $8 million contract and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Shinzawa wondered if they’d re-sign him, peddle him before the March 8 trade deadline, or let him depart via the UFA market on July 1.
Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk (NHL Images).
Shinzawa believes the Bruins would be happy to sign DeBrusk to an extension but they have a ceiling and an amount that they won’t exceed. If he walks, they could put the $4 million they’re currently paying him toward addressing other roster needs.
A trade appears the least likely scenario unless the Bruins get a player back in the deal rather than futures. Otherwise, moving him wouldn’t improve their current roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Bruins were a marginal playoff contender perhaps it would be easier to decide DeBrusk’s fate. Instead, they’re jockeying with the New York Rangers for first place in the Eastern Conference. Unless general manager Don Sweeney can swap DeBrusk for a scorer, I think he’ll retain the winger and see how things play out leading up to the start of free agency on July 1.
COULD DAVID SAVARD BECOME A TRADE CHIP FOR THE CANADIENS?
MONTREAL GAZETTE: Stu Cowan recently noted the value of David Savard to the rebuilding Canadiens blueline. The 33-year-old veteran defenseman’s experience and leadership as well as his penalty killing and shotblocking have made him a valuable asset.
Cowan suggests those assets could also make Savard a key commodity for the Canadiens leading up to the March 8 trade deadline. He has a year remaining on his contract with a $3.25 million salary-cap hit. General manager Kent Hughes must open up some spots on his blueline with so many young defensemen in the organization.
The Tampa Bay Lightning only gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2021 NHL trade deadline. Cowan speculates Hughes would seek more than that after landing a conditional first-round pick as part of the return for Ben Chiarot from the Florida Panthers at the 2022 NHL trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Savard also lacks no-trade protection. If Hughes gets a worthwhile offer it wouldn’t be surprising if he ships out the veteran defenseman by deadline day.
Bruins should retain Debrusk if his ask and term are within the plan. If not they should trade him for best return not use as their own rental IMHO
I agree Mr Bruin. I like Debrusk a lot when he is on his game. But he is also streaky and when he is not on his offensive game, he does not often bring many other qualities. So his contract value absolutely has a ceiling. I think his camp and the Bruins have had some early discussions, and the fact that there is no extension, as well as rather disinterested play so far, suggests that those early talks did not go well. So if he isn’t going to be signed, don’t keep a disinterested player around (that will come back to bite you) and trade him for another quality player. We will miss his offense on the wing, so maybe a winger should be considered.
Before trading for him, any team should do a Due Diligence and find what color Pajamas he has, or you will get Tavaresed. Buyers beware…
Not to nitpick but Cowan’s details of the CBJ-TBL Savard trade are not accurate. It was a complicated 3 team deal w/ DET that involved retention but ultimately CBJ received a 1st and a 3rd from TBL in the Savard not just a 4th.
Yes DF – Detroit received the 4th for absorbing some of the cap hit.
Stu Cowan has misrepresented the Savard trade. It was a 3 team deal that included Detroit and Columbus. Tampa acquired Savard and Lashoff, traded away its 1st round pick in 2021, its 4th round pick in 2021, and its 3rd round pick in 2022.
Many knowledgeable people on the site all over this….no offense to Cowan but he needs to update his details as it is very misleading to suggest the trade value was only a 4th when it was 3 picks (1st, 3rd, 4th)
Welcome to Stu Cowan. He once criticized a player for being on the ice for an important face-off, which in Cowan’s mind kept the Habs’ best face off player off the ice.
Except that the player he criticized didn’t put himself on the ice, and the Habs’ best face off player was indeed on the ice – and lost the draw. But no acknowledgement or correction from Cowan.
Exactly LJ. Cowan isn’t exactly the guy you go to for accurate reporting.
If I was DeBrusk, I would finish the season and say a big F U to Boston… even when he plays well he’s never been respected there. He could score 60 and put up 60 assists and Fluto would suggest trading him, and that people in Boston expected more…. I bet that 2/3rds of the league would see him as a very good 2nd liner compared to their current options.
I wouldn’t trade him.
Starsfan, you write like he has a choice of finishing the season with the Bruins. I’m not sure he has a no trade contract, if not he goes where he is put.
So as one of those teams that would love Debrusk,what will you give us in a trade?You want him so much you Don t want to lose him to free agency!Let s make a deal!
Is Pasta the MVP so far this year? Playing with different players every night no clear cut stud center man and carrying the team on his shoulders. His shootout goal was just insane he’s playing at another level. If I’m Boston Jake’s contract would be two years max unless team friendly amount.
Pasta should definitely in the running, but, with 50 games or so remaining on the schedule, there’s a lot of hockey left to play.
Kucherov is probably leading the pack at this moment.
Obe
That is a good route to go with DeBrusk. Pasta is all world for sure hard to believe people were saying bruins over paid him on last contract
So as one of those teams that would love Debrusk,what will you give us in a trade?You want him so much you Don t want to lose him to free agency!Let s make a deal!
I agree Mr Bruin. I like Debrusk a lot when he is on his game. But he is also streaky and when he is not on his offensive game, he does not often bring many other qualities. So his contract value absolutely has a ceiling. I think his camp and the Bruins have had some early discussions, and the fact that there is no extension, as well as rather disinterested play so far, suggests that those early talks did not go well. So if he isn’t going to be signed, don’t keep a disinterested player around (that will come back to bite you) and trade him for another quality player. We will miss his offense on the wing, so maybe a winger should be considered.
How about a trade with the Leafs?
DeBrusk for Bertuzzi straight up??
Both are pending UFAs.
Because it is the Leafs and Bruins and the rivalry is so long standing the chances of a trade between the two teams is highly unlikely but….
I wonder if Stamkos would waive to go reunite with Stevie Y in DET. I would think Fabbri, Beggren and the Boston 1st (possibly a conditional 1st next year) should get it done.
Why would Detroit give that much up when they are not, even with the addition of Stamkos, a legit contender for the Cup?
The wings are in the hunt for the wild card and only 2 points out from spots 2 and 3 within the division. Clearly they’ve gone unnoticed as a potential contender, but then again so did Florida last year. It isn’t uncharacteristic of Yzerman to make the homerun swing his team over the top. Tampa Bay is starting to look mortal enough for their all time leading scorer to look elsewhere. Perhaps he feels he can be the difference maker in DET. I would bet thinks he would be.
Someone will overpay for DeBrusk as a UFA next year. If he gets moved this year, it’ll probably take a three team trade to do it.