Update on Bruins Playoff Race and Trades

A month ago we wrote about how things looked for our Bruins after the blockbuster deal. At that point the Bruins had climbed to 9th in the Eastern Conference and had four points up to a playoff spot as well as the Division lead and 3rd spot in the Conference. Now the difference is eight points after an impressive run by the Montreal Canadiens, including going 9-1-0 in their last ten. Interestingly enough, the only loss in that span was vs our Bruins in a 7-2 game which showed the Bruins mean business. But while we've lost some ground for the Division lead, we've moved into a playoff spot with a current 7th position and a five point advantage over the 9th team in the Conference, going 7-2-1 in our last ten.

During the latest month we've felt more comfortable getting a couple of wins in a row instead of just winning one and losing one. The club has also gone three games over .500 for the first time this season. One of the main reasons for the stability of our play has been the goaltending of Andrew Raycroft who really has thrived with the competition with acquired Mathieu Garon. While Garon had a hot start after joining the Bruins, Raycroft has impressed just as much when Garon started to cool off.

Bruins management has been active trying to get something done in the trade market having contacted several GM's to ask the availability for some targeted players. But things have been pretty quiet since then as many GM's are reluctant to make deals at this point. Since the Bruins aren't a contender, giving up prospects for veteran leadership is out of the question. And getting youth is always difficult, especially from non-contenders who look for good picks. Part of the problem is that management is happy with many of the players the club currently has, but several pieces of the puzzle are still missing and therefore the Bruins will try and get a deal or two done before the deadline. Another problem are some of the restrictions and requirements in the league which makes it that much more difficult to make a deal. Nothing is impossible, but it all depends on what you're looking for and the trading chips you possess.

On a related note the Bruins have been looking at the possibility at trading some earlier unavailable players in order to see what could be had in return. It mainly concerns some older players that still have a role to play for our club even after this season, but that might be of more value to a contender while we can get something of use to continue to move in the right direction next season. These players should be available as we move closer to the trade deadline which occurs after Day 139.