A recent run of bad play and a now-tenuous grip on an NHL playoff spot has the Boston Bruins reportedly willing to part ways with a couple of key veterans ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
Forward Loui Eriksson and defenseman Dennis Seidenberg are both being shopped by Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli in an effort to shed salary and potentially make room for a trade deadline deal, according to a report from Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, via Joe Haggerty of CSN New England.
"They need to alleviate some of that cap space. They want to add a center, or at least an impact forward that can lessen some of the physical pressure on a guy like Lucic," Kypreos said. "But they need to subtract money first, and the feeling is that Dennis Seidenberg's name is now out there. He still has three years left on his deal at roughly $12 million. If they could pull that back they do have restricted free agents on the back end like Torey Krug that they need to re-sign.
"So Seidenberg and even Loui Eriksson's name is now out there. Loui Eriksson has never been a good fit, and he's never been that typical Boston Bruins type of player that they were hoping for. Maybe trading Loui Eriksson can make them forget about Seguin, who was once there and was one of the hottest players in the NHL before he got hurt."
The Bruins are currently in the midst of a four-game losing streak and the clamoring for a deal is intensifying.
Getting rid of Seidenberg's contract would be huge for the Bruins, who already have a plethora of young defensemen that may not be able to fill his spot completely this season, but could certainly grow into the position. Seidenberg though, has a full no-trade clause for this season and next, and has shown his age since undergoing knee surgery last year.
Eriksson is a much more palatable trade piece, as he's still only 29 and has just one more year on his deal at $4.25 million. He's got 12 goals and 19 assists in 55 games this season.
