The ol’ double trade!
As we get closer to Friday’s trade deadline, rumors are starting to pick up steam – including a new one today that has the Bruins potentially acquiring a guy they already missed out on.
Wait, what?
Yes, the “double trade” report comes from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston:
With the #canucks believed to be among those pursuing Jake Guentzel, word is they’ve had discussions about potentially flipping Elias Lindholm to the #bruins as part of the machinations to make it happen.
Nothing concrete in place at this time. Still lots of moving parts.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 5, 2024
Obviously his report comes with the usual caveats, but it’s silly season! Might as well lean into it.
Lindholm, you may remember, was acquired by Vancouver a little more than a month ago.
In exchange, the Canucks sent youngster Andrei Kuzmenko, a first-round pick, a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and two defense prospects.
It was a pretty decent haul for Lindholm, a right-shot center who will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Prior to getting dealt, Lindholm had 32 points in 49 games with Calgary.
Since joining Vancouver, things haven’t gone terribly well. He had a pair of two-goal games early on, but those ended up being the only ones.
In 14 games with Vancouver, Lindholm has just the four goals mentioned above, plus two assists.
Not exactly crushing it.
It makes a degree of sense, then, from a Vancouver perspective to consider cutting bait and trying to get Guentzel instead.
Logically, the price to acquire Lindholm would be lower this time around, but who knows? It’s crazy season, after all.
Then there are the usual arguments from a Bruins perspective: do you want him on the team? How do you make the salary work?
Up to you, Don.