Bruins Have Taken a Long Look at Red Wings Defenseman

The Boston Bruins have reportedly taken a “long look” at one notable Detroit Red Wings defenseman.

That defenseman is Simon Edvinsson.

And it shouldn’t be surprising. Just about every team in the NHL would love to get their hands on the 23-year-old RFA blueliner.

For Boston, it makes plenty of sense. The team has been itching to get a defensive defenseman who can anchor their blueline in a clear shutdown role.

That’s Edvinsson in a nutshell. And as insider Elliotte Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts blog, the Bruins are just one of the teams that has more than kicked the tires on Edvinsson.

“Teams I’ve heard took a long look at Edvinsson: Boston (although less chatter recently), Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, Seattle.”

When looking at the other teams on the list, they’re clubs with evident needs for a true high-end defenseman. Now, one could argue that’s not the case with Boston. Having Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm is a great start. While that may be true, the fact is that the Bruins get pretty thin thereafter.

Plus, considering how hard the organization pushed to acquire Rasmus Andersson last season, there is a clear desire by GM Don Sweeney to bring in this type of defenseman.

The question is, however, do the Bruins have the dry powder to make this deal happen?

Bruins May Have a Hard Time Meeting Red Wings’ Price for Edvinsson

The prevailing chatter is that Simon Edvinsson won’t come cheap by any means. And if that’s indeed the case, the Bruins may struggle to come up with the sort of package the organization wants to let Edvinsson go.

Now, before proceeding, it’s worth pointing out that the Red Wings have stated that their preference is to keep Edvinsson. There seems to be a fat chance of that happening. That’s why this situation could have no other resolution than a trade.

Perhaps Boston can get the ball rolling by offering someone like Matthew Poitras. The chatter suggests that the Red Wings are willing to take a futures-based package for Edvinsson, Poitras, a couple of first-round picks, and potentially another prospect to sweeten the pot.

Boston Faces Tough Challenge from Sharks

There’s one other angle to consider here. Part of the talk surrounding Edvinsson is that the San Jose Sharks appear to be serious players in this entire conversation. If that’s the case, the Bruins may have a hard time fighting off San Jose. The club has enough young forwards to spare, potentially piquing the Red Wings’ fancy.

In that sort of situation, the Bruins might want to think about what they can offer, and if that has a realistic chance of moving the needle.

Perhaps Boston might pull off a surprising move. But the likelihood of that happening doesn’t seem to promising. The Bruins just don’t have as many young pieces to spare. But then again, why not have a veteran center like Pavel Zacha as the main piece of the return?

Let’s see if there’s any traction to the talk, as the December 1 deadline for Simon Edvinsson to sign is a real thing.

Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL and NFL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball, football, and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan