There are plenty of faces in new places with NHL teams making a combined 24 trades involving 43 players in the busiest deadline since the 2009-10 season.
“We’ve taken a lot of heat this year because we have been out of the playoffs for a bit but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what position you finish in,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said.
The Bruins torrid run through the NHL a year ago left them empty handed last summer and players hope the addition of Lightning Forward Brett Connolly gives the team a needed part for a playoff push.
“For me I have a lot to prove,” Connolly said. “It’s a good group of guys here, so I’m excited to produce and help the team win down the stretch.”
Boston also welcomes in Avalanche forward Max Talbot, a veteran presence to solidify the Bruins 4th line.
“He will do everything he has to on the ice to help the hockey club,” Bruins head coach Claude Julien said. “I know he’s been a good asset to every team he’s been on as far as being a good team player so there is a lot he can bring to the table.”
Adding a young forward in Connolly and a character guy like Talbot is going to help energize the Bruins locker room. Julien is adamant that risking the future is not worth a late season push.
“To be able to trade for those big names we would have had to get rid of a big name here and I think right now our organization feels strongly that those big names here are important parts of our hockey club,” he said.