Can the Bruins realistically pull off a commerce for Miller or Pettersson?

The Bruins must get inventive with the intention to usher in a star ahead from Vancouver.

Each Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller have been listed in commerce rumors. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press through AP)

The Bruins have a number of choices transferring ahead in what’s shortly turning right into a rudderless season.

The present course of ready for a flawed roster to begin pulling its weight just lately led to a six-game shedding streak – and the very actual risk of Boston plummeting out of the playoff image totally.

Forward of the March 7 commerce deadline, Don Sweeney and Boston’s prime brass might embrace a youth motion — turning to children like Matt Poitras, Fabian Lysell, and Georgii Merkulov in hopes of a direct spark, or for some much-needed reps earlier than incomes an excellent higher position in 2025-26.

If the writing’s on the wall that the Bruins are doomed to overlook the playoffs (or limp in en path to a first-round beatdown), Sweeney and Co. might choose to observe the trail of the Capitals in 2023 and unload belongings not lengthy for the staff — particularly pending free brokers like Trent Frederic — in change for extra draft picks.

In contrast to in earlier years the place Sweeney relinquished first-round picks for leases in hopes of placing a core anchored by gamers like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci excessive, an analogous technique this winter could be akin to placing duct tape throughout a shattered hull of a ship.

Brief-term measures aren’t going to chop it for this staff.

However might there be an urge for food for the Bruins to shake up their roster — and purchase an influence participant each for the 2024-25 marketing campaign and past?

Such a situation is often solely reserved for message-board musings or rants echoed throughout sports-radio airwaves.

However it appears as if the Vancouver Canucks could be keen to bask in such a transfer with not less than certainly one of their two top-six facilities in J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.

“League sources have confirmed that the Vancouver Canucks are listening on each J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson,” The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun wrote final week.

“With the season going the way in which it has and the drama within the room involving the gamers, Canucks common supervisor Patrik Allvin is sensible to not less than see what the market is for every. It doesn’t imply both shall be moved, however the mere reality we all know for positive the Canucks are speaking to groups on every participant is actually not nothing.”

A reported private feud between each Pettersson and Miller — a story with just a few extra legs than the alleged Brad Marchand / David Pastrnak beef in Boston — coupled with Vancouver’s personal up-and-down play this yr has apparently induced the Canucks to think about the nuclear possibility.

And if Vancouver is critical about transferring a kind of two pivots this season, the Bruins make loads of sense as a suitor. Based on Marco D’Amico of RG.org, the Bruins have already expressed curiosity in that potential sweepstakes.

For a Bruins staff hindered all season lengthy by a dearth of scoring — particularly on the middle place — each Miller and Pettersson stand as potential saviors in black-and-gold sweaters.

Pettersson is the extra valued asset, provided that he simply turned 26 years previous in November. The Swede has already cultivated a fame as a confirmed top-six middle with a deadly shot — racking up 102 factors (39 targets, 63 assists) in the course of the 2022-23 marketing campaign earlier than posting 89 factors (34 targets, 55 assists) final yr.

Any staff buying Pettersson wouldn’t solely obtain a direct carry in 2024-25 — however a franchise pillar simply getting into his prime who’s signed via the tip of the 2031-32 marketing campaign.

Miller is probably not as interesting of an funding, provided that he’ll flip 32 years previous in March and remains to be signed via the 2029-30 season. However when it comes to rapid outcomes, Miller remains to be a power — and conceivably may very well be for the subsequent couple of seasons.

Miller has surpassed 70 factors 4 instances in his profession, together with a 103-point marketing campaign (37 targets, 66 assists) final season with the Canucks. Add in Miller’s proficiency at faceoffs (57.9 p.c this season), physicality, and intense disposition, and the veteran may very well be a participant that groups in search of a push within the subsequent few seasons covet.

Even when Pettersson could be the extra valued asset given his age and the attraction of including him to a core alongside David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman, Miller might be the extra lifelike goal for a staff like Boston.

Past the upper asking worth for Pettersson, the youthful ahead can also be commanding an $11.6 million annual cap hit for the subsequent eight seasons.

Miller’s AAV remains to be fairly steep at $8 million, however shaving off almost $4 million when in comparison with Pettersson’s deal might make a deal simpler for a cap-crunched squad like Boston.

Miller would even be a welcome sight on Boston’s beleaguered energy play (13.2 p.c, thirtieth in NHL). From 2021-24, Miller ranks eighth amongst all NHLers in power-play factors (108) — 10 extra factors than Pastrnak over that very same stretch.

In fact, any staff determined for a scoring punch on the facility play would love so as to add somebody like Miller to their roster.

However simply how viable are the Bruins as professional gamers for Pettersson or Miller?

Whereas the Bruins could be keen to relinquish extra draft capital (an annual custom in recent times for Boston) and even children like Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei with the intention to get a deal accomplished, Boston’s barren prospect pipeline implies that they aren’t precisely going to outbid different events providing up their subsequent wave of younger expertise.

Despite the fact that Sweeney has not made a first-round choose in back-to-back years since 2016-17, the Bruins would possibly view a star with time period like Pettersson or Miller as definitely worth the steep worth.

However even with a deal involving first-round picks or youthful gamers like Lohrei/Poitras, Boston can even want to maneuver out loads of cash (through roster gamers) with the intention to tackle a contract like Miller or Pettersson.

With Boston presently working with a projected $1.23 million in cap area (per PuckPedia), Sweeney and Co. must be inventive.

Pivots like Pavel Zacha ($4.75 million AAV) or Charlie Coyle ($5.25 million AAV) may very well be potential choices, though each even have no-movement clauses of their respective contracts. Pending UFA forwards like Frederic ($2.3 million AAV) might additionally sweeten the pot.

A Vancouver roster that has taken on water defensively might deal with a blueliner like Hampus Lindholm ($6.5 million AAV, no-movement clause) or Brandon Carlo ($4.1 million AAV, 10-team no-trade checklist).

Giving up a top-pairing blueliner like Lindholm — together with a ahead on the roster and probably a first-round choose/prospect — would sting.

However for a determined staff in want of shake-up, the Bruins ought to go away no stone unturned in the case of making modifications — particularly if it nets an influence participant in return from Vancouver.