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Trade deadline outlook: Boston Bruins
Buyers or Sellers?
Buyers. The Bruins are lucky enough that teams in their division are struggling, so if the Bruins simply continue to hold their heads above water, they should make the playoffs. That said, the Boston roster is not strong enough to compete deep into the postseason. Boston needs to add reinforcements if possible. Still, one player probably would not make a difference for the Bruins in terms of their low Cup chances, so they don't need to buy if there is nothing decent on the market.
Team needs
Defense. The Bruins' defense was weak last season and only got worse when the team traded Dougie Hamilton last June. Boston never replaced Hamilton and continues to lack depth on the blue line. The only reason to doubt that the Bruins would look for a decent defensive player at the deadline is the fact that the team has seemed totally disinterested in acquiring a defenseman up to this point. But beyond the aging Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg, the only consistently decent defenseman on this team is Torey Krug. That is a huge problem for Boston moving forward.
Key Players
Loui Eriksson
The forward has been the talk of the deadline for weeks now given that he is in the final year of his contract and has yet to agree to an extension with the Bruins. Boston fans have always struggled to embrace Eriksson, who underwhelmed the fanbase after he was acquired in the Tyler Seguin trade. But Eriksson is a decent option for many teams, and his value is high given his 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 60 games. He might be the type of player the Bruins need to offer if they are seeking a quality defenseman at the deadline. Other than Eriksson, the Bruins would likely look to their prospects if they really want to make a trade.
Arielle Aronson covers the NHL and special features for FOX Sports. You can follow her on Twitter @aharonson28.
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