We are now just about a week out from what was yet another busy and thrilling 2018 NHL Trade Deadline as it certainly was for many teams across the league including the Boston Bruins run by head coach Bruce Cassidy.
Starting from the day’s beginning, the team was involved in talks with the New York Rangers in regards to veteran Rick Nash which had started just a few days prior and at the end of the day, they acquired him in exchange for a first- round pick in this year’s draft as well as forwards Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey. The club also added a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft to the package.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney wasn’t done there as he later went on to add defensemen Nick Holden as well in an unrelated more minor trade with New York sending defenseman Rob O’Gara and a third-round pick in the 2018 draft the other way in return.
If you look at Holden’s statistics for the season and what currently remains of it, the 30-year-old native of St. Albert, Alberta has recorded three goals to go alongside 12 points in 55 total games played this season.
Prior to joining the Rangers organization, Holden spent three previous seasons with the Colorado Avalanche before having been acquired on draft day in 2016. Holden is a pending unrestricted free agent.
With these in mind, some fans may question the acquisition given the level of production, however, he brings his height to the table while at the same time providing depth defensively and representing a low risk option to a team soon to start yet another bout in the playoffs.
Taking a look at Nash’s statistics now, the 33-year-old native of Brampton, Ontario has scored 18 goals and recorded 28 points in a grand total of 60 games played this season. Nash, who is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, carries a $7.8-million cap hit, which pro-rates to just under $1.7 million as of Sunday, and like many others who were moved around on this day, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the season’s conclusion while it is also worth noting that New York is set to retain 50 per cent of Nash’s salary, the maximum allowed under the CBA policy.
Nash has since made his Boston debut and scored in part of what was an 8-4 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night when the two sides faced off at TD Garden in Massachusetts.
As for Holden, he made his club debut on Thursday night alongside another league veteran in Brian Gionta whom the Bruins added this week upon a strong showing over the past two weeks in PyeongChang.
From an all-around standpoint, this is the Bruins just getting stronger as they look to bolster up for another competitive postseason run while potentially doing so without the likes of Patrice Bergeron on the ice to guide them.
Boston is back at it on Saturday night when they host former head coach Claude Julien and his Montreal Canadiens as they get set to visit town for this week’s edition of Hockey Night In Canada on City, Sportsnet and the Canadian Broadcast Corporation.
Puck drop is scheduled for 5:00pmET and can be seen on Sportsnet as well as TVA Sports while it can also be heard on 98;5FM and TSN Radio 690 Montreal.