The Boston Bruins have spent this offseason trying to replace several key forwards that they lost to retirement. Both of their top six centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci have retired. This left a massive hole at the top of their lineup. Now one player linked with the Bruins is reportedly no longer an option.
The Bruins have reportedly been interested in Mark Scheifele throughout the summer. The 30-year-old center is heading into the last year of his deal and is potentially not looking to be in Winnipeg long-term. His age and production fit perfectly into the current needs of the Bruins. Over the past four seasons, Scheifele has been remarkably consistent for the Jets averaging between 60 to 75 points each season. He has also had a couple of good playoff performances in his time with the Jets as well.
The tricky part becomes clear when looking at what a potential deal could be between the two teams centered on Scheifele. The Bruins currently don't have a particularly deep prospect pool which would mean they would have to give up either future picks or roster players. The Bruins are also in a tough spot with the salary cap despite losing multiple players to retirement.
While this deal looks like a long shot at the moment the longer that the Jets go without signing out trading Scheifele his price could drop. This would also give the Bruins time to clear cap space to bring in Scheifele. If a trade does not happen and Scheifele makes it to free agency the Bruins are rumored to be one of the favorites to scoop him up.