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Can Don Sweeney hit the trade deadline jackpot once again?

February 20, 2020, 8:29 PM ET [31 Comments]
Anthony Travalgia
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
When general manager Don Sweeney sent Ryan Donato and a conditional fifth-round draft pick to the Minnesota Wild for Charlie Coyle a year ago Wednesday, I was one of many who shrugged my shoulders.

I was okay with parting ways with Donato, as I was never really a fan of him to begin with. It was getting Coyle back in return that didn’t do much for me.

Like many, I was wrong.

The trade didn’t look all too great off the bat as Donato picked up seven points in his first five games after the trade, while Coyle had just six points in 21 regular season games with the Bruins.

But Coyle flipped the switch in the playoffs and hasn’t looked back since with 16 playoff points a season ago and now 33 points in 61 games this season.

Donato has just 27 points between this season and last, since his seven in five performance to begin his tenure in Minnesota.

Let’s also not forget Sweeney swinging a deal for New Jersey’s Marcus Johansson who was a big help in the Bruins run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Johansson had 11 points in 22 playoff games after being acquired for a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 fourth-round pick.

So now, a year later and with Sweeney in a similar position, can he hit the trade deadline jackpot for a second straight year?

With the Bruins being in on, and outbid for names like Jason Zucker, Blake Coleman, Tyler Toffoli and Brenden Dillon, Sweeney’s chances of a trade deadline repeat have dwindled. However, they’re not dead yet.

Boxford, Mass native and former Boston College Eagle Chris Kreider remains as the biggest available fish in the sea.

The Rangers reported asking price reflects that.

Appearing on NBCSN Wednesday night TSN’s Bob McKenzie revealed what the Rangers might be looking for in a trade for Kreider.

“Right now, the Rangers expect to get a first-round pick, a good prospect as well as a third piece, which could be a player, a lesser pick or a lesser prospect, and possibly a conditional pick if the team that acquires Kreider ends up signing him to a long-term deal,” McKenzie said.

It’s a very similar to last February’s trade that sent pending UFA Matt Duchene from Ottawa to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Vitaly Abramov, Jonathan Davidsson, a 2019 first-round pick and a 2020 conditional first-round pick.

As nice of an addition Kreider would be to the Bruins top-six, I have a hard time seeing Sweeney paying the price for Kreider, mostly because of the fact he would be moving a first-round pick for a rental player.

After failing to have a first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft thanks to their trade with the Rangers for Rick Nash, Sweeney on multiple occasions made it well-known he didn’t like not having a first-round pick and nothing to show for not having it.

The Bruins believed they had a real shot at signing Nash in the offseason, making departing with a first-round pick that much easier. There certainly was interest on both sides. But unfortunately concussion issues changed things up for Nash who later went on to retire.

If I’m Sweeney I go back to New Jersey and strike a deal for Kyle Palmieri, a guy who checks a ton of boxes for the Bruins.

The 29-year old Palmieri is under contract for the 2020-21 season with a cap hit of $4.65 million. He’s a right shot winger who would fit in nicely alongside Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. Palmieri can put the puck in the net, notching at least 24 goals in each of the last four seasons, including 27 last year.

With 22 goals so far this season, Palmieri should have no problem flirting with a 30-goal campaign.

All those factors should make moving a first-round pick for Palmieri more comfortable than a deal for Kreider would.

So what would a full deal for Palmieri look like you ask?

According to The Fourth Period the ask for Palmieri is unknown, but could start with a first-round draft pick and a top prospect or young NHL-proven asset.

Could a 2020 first-round pick, 2021 third-round pick, Jakub Zboril, Danton Heinen and David Backes get the job done?.

The Devils have the cap space and by adding in a third-round pick and Zboril, the Bruins entice the Devils enough to take on Backes contract.

Take Backes out of the equation and a 2020 first-round pick, Danton Heinen and a Pavel Shen-type prospect could also be enough for each side to find common ground.

Palmieri’s modified no-trade clause includes eight teams he cannot be traded to. He submitted this list to the Devils over the summer and it’s unknown who is, and who is not on the list.

I put the Eastern Conference as a four-team race between the Bruins, Penguins, Lightning and Capitals. The Bruins are the only one of those three yet to make a trade in the days leading up to Monday’s deadline.

Sweeney has the assets to do so.

Adding Palmieri could be the move that ultimately gets the Bruins past the Capitals, Penguins and Lightnings of the world, and more importantly the piece that helps bring Lord Stanley back to Boston.
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