The Bruins may be shopping for help on the blue line when free agency opens July 1, and one name that’s been tied to Boston is Jacob Trouba.
NHL analyst Matt Larkin of DailyFaceoff pegged the Bruins as a dream fit for the hard-hitting defenseman in a roundup of the top free agents and their best landing spots. In his view, Boston’s need is clear after a season in which the team struggled to defend.
“The Bruins didn’t defend well at all last season,” Larkin wrote in an article published on Monday. “They shouldn’t have made the playoffs; goaltender Jeremy Swayman carried them there.
They need to get deeper and harder to play against in their own end. Trouba might not actually be the remedy they need, as he’s in decline and he was not a break-even defensive player this season.
“But the Bruins sometimes value players who fit their culture over those who drive the play. Trouba’s punishing physicality might appeal to GM Don Sweeney and team president Cam Neely. With Charlie McAvoy handling the harder matchups, Trouba could handle the secondary threats on a middle pair.”
Trouba just finished a seven-year, $56 million deal after being traded by the New York Rangers to the Ducks. He spent the season with Anaheim after serving as the Rangers’ captain, and his game is built around a heavy, physical style that could bring more bite to Boston’s back end.
In 81 games with the Ducks last season, Trouba posted 10 goals and 25 assists for 35 points.
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