Christmas Day is two sleeps away, but we all know of those last-minute shoppers. Running to the store or simply buying gift cards for each person on their present list.
The beauty of the holidays is spending time with loved ones and of course, embracing unique family traditions. Baking cookies with your grandmother, going to your favorite restaurant, or wearing matching pajamas on the ole faithful day.
Everyone has something they seek and sports is no different. A franchise quarterback, a strong ace, or a brand new stadium. We all want something.
So, what’s on the Boston Bruins wish list?
Wish 1: A #1 Center
Starting with a huge ask of Santa Claus, but hey go big or go home right? Ever since the retirement of Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins have needed a new first-line center.
Some could even argue the last year or two, GM Don Sweeney should have acquired a top-line center and bumped Bergeron down.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but Boston is still without a true cornerstone top center. Recently, Pavel Zacha has fulfilled those duties, but the task is a little too much.
Entering the matchup vs Washington, Zacha has compiled eight goals, eight assists, and a +2 overall. That is a solid effort, but not enough for a first-line center.
Not to diss Zacha or second-line center Elias Lindholm, but they are not the solution. One can make the case, certainly, Sweeney can, if the signing of Lindholm was the address that was needed.
Signing a 7-year, $54 million dollar deal this offseason, Lindholm was potentially the answer. However, to date, the 30-year-old has five goals and 12 assists.
Currently third in the Atlantic, Boston looks bound to return to the playoffs yet again. However, if you look at the recent Stanley Cup champions, they all have a true top-line center.
Florida? Aleksander Barkov. Vegas? Jack Eichel. Colorado? Nathan MacKinnon.
Championship teams all have that top-line center, which Boston had for years with Bergeron, but since his departure, it’s been a huge void.
So, GM Don Sweeney should put a #1 center atop his Christmas list and hope the elves can deliver.
Wish 2: Another winger that can put the puck in the net
Like pitching in baseball, you can never have enough true snipers on your team. However, this year against good teams, Boston has struggled.
Captain Brad Marchand leads the team in goals (14) and David Pastrnak leads in points (35).
The two are the lone double-digit scorers this season.
A team tight on cap space, GM Don Sweeney will have to determine if making a big trade is worth the risk. The likes of Trent Frederic or Brandon Carolo come to mind as valuable assets, but would Sweeney pull the trigger?
For a team fighting for playoff contention, a trade like this is risky. Players understand it’s a business, yes, but you also never know how a locker room would react to swinging a big player for a player trade like Carl or Frederic.
Obviously nobody is going to hand you a 30+ goal scorer for pennies on the dollar, hence why this is on the Christmas list, but Sweeney has his work cut out for him this deadline.
After buying the last couple of years, Sweeney could reset and trade off a few pieces and call the 2024 year a retool. After firing Jim Montgomery 20 games into the season, a reset could be best.
Acquire a few picks or younger talent to free up cap space and attack 2025.
However, it’s hard to do that with a team like Boston who looks destined to make it back to the playoffs. So, contradicting myself, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs are so great because it is the most unpredictable playoffs.
If you’re in, you got a real shot as anybody. This is a cliche, but not every sport can realistically say that.
Despite all that, if Sweeney does decide this team has a shot, Boston needs to add more scoring. With a farm system ranked toward the bottom of the league, Sweeney will have to consider moving off some pieces to help generate more scoring.
Wish 3: The Farm System
What exactly are we asking Santa? Another big ask. A stronger farm system.
According to the Hockey Writers, the Boston Bruins have the worst farm system in the league.
Which should come as no real surprise of course since the Bruins have been fighting for playoff contention for years now and buying at the deadline, but last? This needs to change.
One of the biggest criticisms of Don Sweeney is his inability to draft. Most of his trades seem to work out, his free agency moves have been solid, but drafting yikes.
So, asking Santa for this is another huge ask, but the lack of depth in the farm system is starting to show. Fabian Lysell, their top prospect was drafted back in 2021 and has yet to really prove anything.
This is where the idea of wish two gets tricky. The Bruins have franchise players on their team. Pastrnak, McAvoy, Swayman, and yes even Marchand.
However, the team is aging and this era might be on its last legs. So, would it be better to move off a few pieces like Carlo, Frederic, or Coyle to try and acquire picks to bolster the system?
This whole discussion can be a whole discussion of its own, but I think everyone can agree they wish Boston had a stronger farm system.
Even for the simple fact that having young talent is a highly valued trade asset for so many teams.
Of course winning championships is the ultimate goal, but after making their first first round selection since 2021, the Bruins have started their drafts in the later rounds. For obvious reasons of going “all in”, but the result of that is beginning to take shape.