BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins ‘Still Need To Make A Significant Move’

There’s almost always a few interesting NHL nuggets dropped when you speak with NHL agents, and that includes news about your very own Boston Bruins.

The NHL agent survey done by The Athletic this week revealed some interesting things, including big-name players they believe will be dealt within the next calendar year. Those names: Jack Eichel, Patrik Laine and Mitch Marner would be at the top of the list of any interested team including the Boston Bruins.

But of even more interest to B’s fans? The Boston Bruins were named the team that most “still needs to make a significant move” prior to the start of next season. That it’s plainly obvious to agents as well as prognosticators and fans makes it all the clearer that GM Don Sweeney should still get an incomplete grade for his current offseason.

The B’s beat out both Tampa Bay and Edmonton by one vote, and it would seem still need to find a way to get a top defenseman after their attempts to deal for Oliver Ekman-Larsson fell through last month.

Here’s what the agents had to say:

“It’s Boston. Tampa is the obvious answer. The Islanders still need to make a significant move because of the cap. The thing with Boston is they want to do a youth movement on the fly. You can’t be a contending team where they’re at. You either have to go for it or not. They’re on the fence. Boston, what direction are you going to go?”

“I’m going to go with Boston. I think Boston is a very legitimate Stanley Cup contender. The Craig Smith signing is very good. It boosts what could be the best top-six forward group in the league. Maybe even top nine once they get Jake DeBrusk signed … But they lost Torey Krug, they need a defenseman. I do think their Stanley Cup window is open and will shut fairly soon. There is uncertainty with Tuukka Rask. They need to find a defenseman.”

So it’s stunningly obvious to everyone that the Bruins need another defenseman after letting Torey Krug walk in free agency (and perhaps Zdeno Chara as well), and in essence did nothing to replace him except hold onto their young, incumbent D-men. The Boston Bruins have some work to do still and everybody knows it.

Now on to the links:

*Speaking of the Bruins, David Pastrnak is looking pretty darn comfortable doing some rinkside reporting over in Sweden:

David Pastrňáks peptalk ger effekt direkt när Evan Bouchard kvitterar efter 30 sekunder! 🤷💥 #twittpuck #hockeyallsvenskan pic.twitter.com/rmnIYxhRX1

— C More Sport (@cmoresport) November 13, 2020

*The NHL isn’t going to be anything close to normal this upcoming season, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun right? (Toronto Star)

*Interesting look by FOH (Friend of Haggs) Mark Divver into a tricky balance for young hockey players between representing your school and playing for your country. (New England Hockey Journal)

*New York Rangers first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere received an assist from his hockey-playing sister in his journey to young stardom in the Big Apple. (New York Post)

*How much is it going to cost the Edmonton Oilers to hang onto Ryan Nugent-Hopkins? Well, it ain’t going to be cheap. (NBC Sports)

*Pittsburgh Penguins fans are waiting for the retro reverse jerseys to be released for this upcoming season and they look pretty damn cool. Nice classic look. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*For Something Completely Different: Here’s a story from NPR to brighten your day about a Boston-area man that’s hosted a free Thanksgiving dinner for strangers for decades, and done so only out of the goodness of his heart. (NPR)