By: Tommy Bennett | Follow Me On Twitter @TJBennettt37
The Vegas Golden Knights have captured the Stanley Cup. Now that hockey season is over. The offseason is in full swing. General Managers will have their plates filled to the maximum. The first buyout window is officially open, and the National Hockey League Entry Draft and free agency are in a few weeks.
That will be something to monitor. One team that will be heavy in the trade market is the Winnipeg Jets. Recently there has been a trade profile on Pierre Luc Dubois, and today we examine a potential fit for Mark Scheifele.
Who The Player Is
Much like Dubois, Mark Scheifele is a big body. Standing at 6’3 and weighing 198 pounds, he would be your prototypical Bruin. He uses his size to his advantage and is unafraid to get physical. This past season, Scheifele was one of the top point producers for the Jets.
Scheifele was deployed in the offensive zone more than any other zone this season (25.3%). He made good on those starts as well. Scheifele scored 42 goals (team-high) and 68 points. In addition, his 32.7 expected goals were second behind Kyle Connor. His shooting percentage (20.4%) was the best on the team by a wide margin. From a team standpoint, good things happened when Scheifele was on the ice. His expected goals for were third on the team as well as scoring chances. One area that Scheifele thrived in was the high-danger area. With him on the ice, attempts from the area were the third most, and the goals followed suit.
Scheifele had a nose for the net and generated chances in bunches for the team. He also went on to have 50 hits, 38 blocked shots, and 61 takeaways. Scheifele is not Bergeron regarding faceoffs, but he did win 48.8% of his draws. Scheifele is a proven center with a productive track record and would pair nicely with a player like David Pastrnak.
The Fit In Boston
Until the picture becomes crystal clear regarding Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, centers will be in need. For a position that has been a strength of the club for more than a decade, it is now a weakness. Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle are great complimentary centers for depth. But giving them the task of top-line duty and labeling them as the franchise centermen are asking a lot.
This is where Mark Scheifele can come in. Scheifele has been a top two-line center for the Winnipeg Jets. He has been in that position his entire career. Given where he plays on the depth chart and the need in Boston, it fits like a glove.
Does A Trade Make Sense
As discussed on Pierre Luc Dubois, a Mark Scheifele trade would be difficult to facilitate. The Boston Bruins have little salary cap space. In addition, the club has goaltender Jeremy Swayman at the top of the priority list. Mark Scheifele is similar to fellow teammate Connor Hellebuyck. Scheifele has one year left on his current contract with a cap hit of $6.125 million.
That poses a problem as they would have to unload players with higher cap hits (Taylor Hall, Linus Ullmark). That is no guarantee. In addition, he is a pending free agent, and unless you throw a longer-term contract in front of him, trading for Scheifele does not make sense.
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