The Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild have been kicking the tires on a potential trade involving Boston’s 2017 1st round pick and Minnesota defenseman, Jonas Brodin, as first reported by CSNNE.
Brodin, 23, is a left shot defenseman, drafted 10th overall in 2011 (one spot after Dougie Hamilton) and is signed through 2020-2021 at an affordable $4,166,667 million AAV.
The Bruins could utilize the services of the young top-4 defenseman to ensure that they take their time to develop their plethora of prospects, while implementing young guns, Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy full time on the blue line next season.
With free agency potentially looming for pending UFA John-Michael Liles and RFA Joe Morrow, the Bruins would be wise to make a move to acquire a top-4 defenseman, given the Vegas Golden Knights could be eyeing Colin Miller, Kevan Miller and/or Adam McQuaid as at least one of them is likely to be exposed and ripe for the picking in this year’s Expansion Draft.
A player like Brodin could fill the role of guiding Boston’s young defense through some of the early learning curves of their career and transition to the NHL, as well as balance the immense load of NHL minutes they are expecting to face.
Minnesota, on the other hand, is lacking a 1st round pick, thanks to the Martin Hanzal trade at this year’s trade deadline and would love to 1) boost their prospect pool and 2) unload Brodin from their roster.
While Brodin hasn’t panned out exactly as planned– he has 18-61-79 totals in 331 career games played– a change of scenery might just be exactly what he needs.
Or maybe he’ll be a smart investment as a tactically sound defenseman that’s not expected to put up points like Torey Krug, but rather keep the puck moving out of the defensive zone and strengthen the youth movement for Boston with 40-year-old captain Zdeno Chara entering a contract year (though Chara has indicated a desire to continue playing past next season in the Hub).
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