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Bruins getDefenseman Dmitry Orlov (50 percent of his salary was kept from the Wild, 25 percent from the Capitals), forward Garnet Hathaway, forward Andrei Svetlako.
get capitalsForward: Craig Smith, 2023 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, 2024 third-round pick
get wild2023: Bruins fifth-round pick
Shayna Goldman: the rich are getting richer. The Bruins were already one of the strongest teams in the league, and somehow they just got even better. Boston could have slipped up and overpaid for another defender who was on the market and that could have slowed this team down. Instead, they found a legitimately good left-hander to bolster their blue line. This year has been a bit tougher so far, but overall, Orlov is a defensive guy who can shut down his opponents and keep them from taking offense. With the support of the Bruins around him, his game should be upped. Nor is his play one-dimensional. can be counted on to recover pucks in his own zone and help out the defensive end with possession; It is stable with this ability to move the disc and does not turn it over often.
Hathaway is a good striker who can strengthen the team’s six broadcasters. He can play tough minutes, recover offloads, and win puck fights under pressure. As if Boston needs to get any tougher player to play against.
It makes perfect sense that management would want to give the Bruins the best possible opportunity to capitalize on this season. The Eastern Conference is as strong as it gets, and there isn’t much clarity about the future of the team’s two biggest centers. Surprisingly, it didn’t cost much to acquire these players and take out Craig Smith’s contract, And Getting salary retention in exchange for Orloff deal to make everything click.
From the Capitals’ perspective, the fact that management understands that this team is not where they need to be to truly compete is very important. A lot of times teams just want to get to the playoffs and hope for the best. Instead, Washington will acquire some assets in the expiring contracts, and figure out where to go from here. These deals won’t stop the team from trying, despite all the setbacks they’ve had this year, but they do put them in a better position moving forward. Having said that…they should have pushed for more here, and that’s the problem with packing assets together.
As for the Wild, they continue to take advantage of portions of the cap space for draft picks. Keeping the salary in two deals, they can only get one more. Have they made the best use of their space yet? No, but they prevented another Western Conference team from taking advantage of Orloff and Hathaway and taking advantage something out of it with a future origin.
Bruins row: a
capitals degrees: B
wild row: b +
Sean Gentile: The wildest part of the Bruins’ season, given their great looks and the number of points they’ve accumulated, is that their roster had two bald spots. It seemed odd to pick those very nits, and probably pointless — no team is ever perfect, let alone in the world of flat hats.
But if someone has forced you to find faults, the simplest call would be the left side of defense and fourth line. And gee hums, look what they went and did. The addition of Dmitri Orlov and Garnet Hathaway is what “going for” looks like. This is how it is supposed to work.
Orlov has been underrated for two years in a row. He is a well-rounded player who makes positive influences on both sides of the ice with a proven track record of puck movement. He starts things and does them well. His physicality will be a focal point for some, and it should be. Is he the size of Vladislav Gavrikov, the Blue Jackets defenseman who was closely associated with the Bruins? No – but he’s no less physical and a better all-around player.
This season, he averages more than 22 minutes of ice time. If he brings that to Boston, great. If they depend on it a little less than the capitals were, that’s okay too. He is undoubtedly a top-four player and has proven to be able to do everything well; He’s also capable of the right side, which would either make Jim Montgomery’s job more complicated or give him some extra options.
Hathaway is a rare beast – a fourth-rate player who possesses his own skills in terms of play driving and point production. Nine goals in 59 games this season is added value for a guy who has managed to be in the top 10 league goalscorers without constantly chasing the puck. Adding it makes all sense in the world. It’s a GM playoff fantasy.
Was the price high? definitely. Boston always had to engage in some gymnastics to add meaning, and that reflected in the cost. But in the end, who really cares? This is the best team in the NHL. No one hangs banners for lead pool ratings. (Sorry, Scott Wheeler.) Get better now, deal with it later. And not for nothing, this package is almost exactly what the Blue Jackets are asking for Gavrikov. Boston got better players for a similar price.
As far as caps are concerned, the comeback is… good. Brian MacLellan saw an opportunity to add and move a solid package. The Gavrikov rumors probably hurt perception here, but there’s also a reason he’s still a Blue Jackets wearer. Credit for hitting first. In addition, Smith may be volatile in the coming week. It’s a fitting job for two suspended UFAs. We’ll see what comes next for the caps, who have nine more UFAs on the list.
The Wild paid $88,000 to get a fifth player? amazing. They keep making deals, and we applaud them for that.
But really, this deal isn’t about them. It’s about improving the best hockey team. Good luck on the field.
Bruins row: a
capitals degrees: B-
wild row: B
(Photo by Dmitry Orlov: Jimmy Sabo/USA Today)
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