Boston, Mass
It's been a very interesting week in Boston as GM Grant got to work on his roster. In what has been another disappointing season for the B's, the changes have come swiftly as patience clearly ran out with the brass. GM Grant wanted to give his core another crack after winning the CCHL Stanley Cup in 2018 but after a dismal start changes were necessary.
League superstar (Half kidding) Jordan Staal was shipped to the Devils at the quarter mark in a multi player deal that brought legit superstar Erik Karlsson to the Bruins. Days earlier the Bruins said adios to longtime captain Alex Pietrangelo as he packed his bags for beautiful Seattle. The B's got younger as Ryan Hartman, Brandon Carlo and Seattle's 2025 1st arrived for the ex captain. These changes brought mostly positive results as the B's put an ugly 8 game losing streak behind them and began playing plus 500 hockey.
However, with the season half over and the B's 5 points out of a wildcard spot GM Grant decided to shake things up further. David Backes was acquired to anchor a third line that has struggled vs the competition. He will also be counted on for top PK minutes and should provide a boost in that department. Lars Eller and Seattles 1st exited Boston to add this depth. Saturday night proved to be the biggest change of all though as the team finally decided to move on from star forward TJ Oshie. Oshie wanted a kings ranson and at 33 years of age, the Bruins balked at these demands. Oshie along with Matt Grzelyck, Evgeni Dadanov and the Bruins 1st round pick in this coming draft were shipped to the big apple for Zach Parise, Tanner Pearson, John Moore and NY's 2nd in 2024. The deal makes the Bruins slightly older but it also provides more depth..and gauranteed contracts.
The new look Bruins will hope this weeks changes propel the team into contention. Goaltender Tuukka Rask needs to pull up his socks and return to the multi Vezina form the GM has come to rely on if the group stands a chance. It begins tonight vs the teams biggest rival, Montreal. A team that boasts the leagues most handsome GM no doubt.
The Bruins, GM and fans don't want a second consecutive season without playoff hockey. The time is now to avoid that outcome.