The Boston Bruins have seemingly turned things around this season after a lackluster start. They’re on a six-game winning streak and looking for more. While the club has shown significant progress under Marco Sturm, there are gaps to fill.
The most notable gap at the moment is the top-line center position. At the moment, Marat Khusnutdinov ranks as the Bruins’ number-one pivot. Of course, it’s great to see the 23-year-old Russian step up for Boston.
But what if the Bruins could land a true number-one center?
Enter Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews. There is no hint of anything whatsoever indicating that Toronto would be willing to move its franchise player. But would that change if the Maple Leafs completely flamed out this season?
After all, a playoff miss would be the worst thing that could happen to the organization this season. So, as a thought experiment, what if the Bruins mortgaged the farm to get Matthews?
As far as thought experiments go, it’s one of the wildest ones. But then again, there aren’t very many teams that could offer the fit the Bruins do.
Yes, there are various teams out there looking for top-line centers. But not all teams can offer a high-end, 100-point scorer to play with Matthews. Plus, the Bruins have one of the best blueliners in the NHL in Charlie McAvoy and a legit starting netminder in Jeremy Swayman.
Those are two things the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t really offer at the moment. Furthermore, the Bruins have a decent prospect pipeline. When putting everything together, the Bruins could be the team that makes the most sense for Auston Matthews, should he ever leave Toronto.
Bruins May Have to Wait Till Matthews Hits Free Agency
The likelihood of the Maple Leafs trading Auston Matthews at this point is virtually null. The team still views itself as a contender despite the evident issues plaguing it. But if Toronto completely falls off the radar, chatter will surely pick up.
Again, it’s unlikely the Maple Leafs trade Matthews at this point. He’s got two more years left on his current deal after this season. So, that would mean the Bruins might have to wait till 2028 to land Matthews in free agency.
But then again, who knows where Toronto might be by then? The Leafs could be teetering on the edge of a rebuild. So, trading Matthews in the final year of his current deal could make the most sense for the team.
Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman could still be firing on all cylinders. So, it’s the type of deal that could make the most sense given the dynamics in two seasons or so.
Price May Not Be as High as Some Might Think
The asking price in a trade for Auston Matthews could be sky-high. The Bruins, consequently, might have to mortgage the farm to make a deal work. But who’s to say that might be the case at all? Could it be that the Leafs, desperately trying to avoid a repeat of the Mitch Marner situation, move Matthews in the summer of 2027? Does the team preemptively get the best possible deal before officially tearing everything down?
This entire discussion is merely speculation at this point. But judging by the way things are going, it’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion. It’s going to happen. The problem is anticipating the precise moment when it will actually occur.
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