Eastern Conference powerhouse a 'leading contender' for Luke Schenn

No matter the scale, the Boston Bruins intend to add to a formidable group of defensemen. The Fourth Period reported that Boston has “explored the price tag” on Vancouver Canucks defenseman Luke Schenn. Additionally, the Nation Network’s Nick Alberga called them a “leading contender” to acquire Schenn if the Canucks decide to trade him, along with the Calgary Flames.

While Schenn may not have the big-name aura of Jakob Chychrun or even Vladislav Gavrikov, he would be a more pragmatic acquisition for Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. The Bruins are at the tail end of their contention window, and acquiring Schenn would come with a lower acquisition cost. It allows them to fortify an already-strong defense while maintaining some core pieces for the team’s future, such as Fabian Lysell.

Schenn’s contract also makes it a more palatable trade for Boston. The team currently has $3.25M in trade-deadline cap space, per CapFriendly, but that’s with Jake DeBrusk and his $4M cap hit on long-term injured reserve. He’s expected to return before the deadline, so the Bruins’ cap flexibility is closer to $0. Schenn is a pending unrestricted free agent with an $850K cap hit, which Boston could swallow easily with some minor roster transactions, especially if Vancouver retains some salary for the short duration of the contract.

On the ice, though, Schenn doesn’t move the needle much for Boston. His +8 rating is second among Canucks defensemen, behind only Quinn Hughes. More advanced metrics aren’t as kind to Schenn’s individual defensive impact this season at even strength. Schenn likely slots as an extra skater for Boston unless he can wrangle a lineup spot away from Connor Clifton, who’s played more minutes this season with a better impact defensively.

Acquiring depth is never a bad thing, though. Bringing Schenn into the fold also brings his 800-plus games of NHL experience, and he provides a more experienced option to step into the playoff lineup should injuries occur. The team still has Anton Stralman available under contract, but he’s played just 11 games this season, split between the NHL and AHL.