Despite being tied with the Montreal Canadiens for the lead in the Northeast division,—technically Montreal is in first due to more regulation wins—the Bruins have some issues that need to be fixed if the team has plans on bringing Lord Stanley’s Cup back to The Hub of Hockey.
The Bruins currently sit 13th in the National Hockey League in scoring as they are averaging 2.74 goals per game. They rank eighth among Eastern Conference teams. Not too bad right? No its not, but of late scoring has been an issue. The Bruins have averaged just 2.40 goals per game over their last ten contests, a stretch where they have gone 6-4.
If you take a closer look at the Bruins goal-scoring woes, check this out. The Bruins best line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin has combined for 32 of the 85 goals the Bruins have scored this season.
The Bruins have tried to solve their scoring woes by finding help from within the organization by calling up the likes of Jordan Caron and Ryan Spooner from the Providence Bruins. Neither Caron nor Spooner has scored this year, and Spooner was sent back down to the AHL after the Bruins 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night.
Now the Bruins are looking to the trade market and boy are the Bruins going after a big one.
It’s been rumored for some time now that with free agency coming after the season, and the team ready to rebuild, the Calgary Flames are finally ready to part ways with their captain and lifelong Flame, Jarome Iginla.
You better bet the Bruins are interested. TSN’S Darren Dreger confirmed today on twitter that the two sides are talking about a potential deal.
Word broke last week that Iginla—who has a no-trade clause—submitted a list to the Flames with four teams he would accept a trade to. The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and L.A. Kings are the four teams reportedly on that list. See the common theme there? Those are the previous four Stanley Cup Champions and four of the top favorites to win it all this season.
But today on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Gresh and Zo radio show, Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun stated that there is no list, and there are a few other teams in on Iginla that the Edmonton, Alberta Canada native would accept a trade to.
Regardless of there being a list or not the message is clear, Iginla knows he only has a few years left and just wants to win a cup.
Here is the issue though, Jarome is a free agent next year, and reportedly the Flames are asking for a ton in order to pull in the talented forward.
If the rumors are true, the Flames won’t part ways with Iginla unless in return they receive a top prospect, a secondary prospect and a first round draft pick. Thanks, but no thanks Calgary. That’s just way too much to give up for a guy that may not help you win a cup this year, and very well may be lacing up the skates for someone else next season.
Iginla has scored 30-plus goals in each of the last 11 seasons which includes a 50 and 52 goal season, but just like his Flames team as a whole, Iginla has struggled this season with just nine goals and 22 points in total on the year.
Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald is reporting the Bruins have shown in interest in Flames’ forward Curtis Glencross, and with Dreger reporting the Bruins and Flames have “multiple assets in play” this report should come to no surprise.
Over the weekend CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty reported the Bruins are unwilling to move top prospects Spooner and goaltender Malcolm Subban. ESPN Boston’s Jimmy Murphy confirmed the report this afternoon.
With the Bruins top two prospect’s off the table, do the Bruins have enough to entice the Flames? Only time will tell.
If the Bruins strike out on Iginla, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, and some pretty good fish indeed.
Haggerty has gone on to report that the Bruins have shown interest in Lightning forward Martin St. Louis and Stars future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr.
If I was in Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli’s shoes—thankfully I’m not—I would offer something along the lines of Alex Khokhlachev, Torey Krug and a first round pick. If that brings Iginla to town, great, if not I tell the Flames I am all set and move on to other forwards.
The National Hockey League’s trade deadline is April 3. The days leading up to the deadline are sure going to be fun. With the already deadly Penguins making moves, the Bruins are now on the clock.
Boston Bruins – Anthony covers the Boston Bruins for the Inside Edge Hockey News. During the Bruins 2010-2011 Stanley Cup winning season He created his own blog called Bruins Buzz. Just prior to the Stanley Cup Playoffs he began writing for Bruins Daily, which at the time was called The Hub of Hockey. He is a paralegal who also works as waiter at Fenway Park. In his spare time he plays and closely follow hockey from the NHL ranks to College hockey.