Another Trade Deadline, Another Underwhelming Performance By Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli

In what is becoming an annual rite for Bs fans, expectations (whether warranted or not) of a major deal once again went unfulfilled and the GM instead did some minor tinkering to a roster that needed depth on both offense AND defense. With prices for even rentals pretty steep, the conservative Chiarelli again opted to not pay them and instead played his cards like a guy who will be around here for awhile—not a guy who might be trying to save his job.

Early this morning, the Bruins acquired RW Brett Connolly from the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Bs 2nd round picks in 2015 and 2016. The 22-year-old was taken 6th overall in the 2010 draft and has 18-14–32 totals in 134 NHL games spread over four seasons. After playing a career-high 68 games in 2011-12, he spent most of the next two seasons in the AHL but did stick with the big club this season. In 50 games with the Lightning, he scored 12 goals and added three assists to go along with 38 penalty minutes while averaging 11:55 on ice per game. Connolly is set to become a restricted free agent after the season.

This is a deal that obviously hinges on Connolly’s potential upside. He got picked pretty high in a talented draft class but hadn’t yet made a significant impact in Tampa. With the Lightning having a lot of young talent champing at the bit, Stevie Y apparently felt Connolly was the most expendable and decided to turn a #6 overall pick into two second-rounders.

Once again, Chiarelli went out and got a player that nobody had coming here. Instead of a rental, the GM got somebody that can potentially help beyond this season (assuming the RFA stays here). But this is a rather intriguing trade. If Connolly realizes the potential that saw him get picked so high, it could end up being a savvy move by the GM. And if he doesn’t pan out, the trade will just become more fodder for the “Fire Chiarelli” crowd. One positive is that the trade didn’t cost any current roster players.

The second deal by Chiarelli was sending the much-maligned Jordan Caron to Colorado for Maxime Talbot. Talbot is a battle-hardened forward who should help solidify the Bruins’ bottom six forwards. He won a Cup with the Penguins in 2009 and scored a career-high 19 goals for the Flyers in 2011-12. He’ll bring grit and veteran leadership to a room that never quite replaced all of the experience it lost over the summer. He’s signed through 2015-16. And he’s certainly an upgrade over Caron, who re-signed before the season to the chagrin of many. But at least Chiarelli got something for Caron, unlike losing Matt Fraser and Craig Cunningham for nothing.

This one just came in: Bs traded Jared Knight to Minnesota for Zack Phillips in what looks to be an organizational depth move (neither guy has played an NHL game yet). Time to recalibrate that “Phil Kessel Trade Evaluator” machine.

So are the Bruins a better team than they were yesterday? Yeah…but barely. The D is still going to have depth issues. Scoring will likely continue to be an issue. But this is it—this is the squad the Bs will (hopefully) enter the post-season with. If they flame out, they just may take their GM down with them (not because of today but the many decisions that preceded it).

I went into today with tempered expectations given Chiarelli’s deadline history. I wasn’t expecting a huge move but I was expecting more from a team that considers itself a contender (and has holes on D). That didn’t happen so today was yet another disappointment in a season chock full of them thus far.