It didn’t take very long for the trade rumors to start circulating after a poor first few games for the Bruins.
From CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty:
“According to separate hockey sources, there has been some level of recent trade discussion about veterans Zdeno Chara and Brad Marchand with other teams around the league, just to name a few B’s players. The talks haven’t been substantial but more exploratory in nature, as the team quietly gauges the market value of higher-priced veterans who may not fit in the long-term picture if the decision is made to tear down the current roster.”
Both Marchand and Chara are known for their time on the Stanley Cup winning teams of the early 2010’s but they may not be a part of the future plans of the Bruins, who are trying to infuse the young with the old. This experiment hasn’t looked pretty thus far.
When taking a look at Marchand’s HERO chart, it shows that while playing in a second-line role he is producing at a first-line output both in possession and scoring. Has Marchand been doing this all on his own? Unlikely since he has spent most of his time with the likes of Patrice Bergeron, a player who is one of the best defensive forwards in the entire league. That doesn’t mean that Marchand doesn’t carry value, but it should be taken into account when assessing his value to the team.
Chara on the other hand is a certified number one defenseman. The thought by many is that Father Time would catch up with Chara, but that moment has yet to happen. No matter the category, Chara remains close to the top of all of them. In trades, he will demand an awful lot which would be pleasing to any Bruins fans.
It is important to remember that this is all exploratory, but the early rumors don’t bode well for the Bruins if they continue on this path.