Almost everyone who follows the Boston Bruins, from fans to media members to
bloggers and back, seems to think the club has to dump a body before the start
of the NHL season. All the talk is that the Bruins simply have too many NHL
defenders on their roster and that something has to give. There are eight
defenders currently under contract with the club who have NHL backgrounds and
who can reasonably be penciled into almost any lineup across the league.

This isn';t a negative, in fact, it';s an overwhelming positive. Some may call
me crazy, but I';d say it';s arguably Boston';s biggest advantage over the rest
 of the Atlantic Division and will be the reason they are playoff-bound for the
 third straight April. For my money, Boston has the best and deepest blueline
in the Atlantic, even ahead of the popular choice down in Tampa Bay.

On top of all that, depth is good. The Bruins can take a lesson from the 2011
Vancouver Canucks, last year';s Edmonton Oilers and many other teams who have
lacked depth about why having a surplus is an overwhelmingly positive thing,
not an issue that has to be dealt with.Nothing Goes According to Plan

Remember, even the best drawn up plans don';t always come to fruition. This
holds especially true in professional sports, where there are so many variables
 that it can easily make your head spin. The first and the most obvious
variable is injury concerns. You can never, and I mean never, bank on a fully
healthy season from your team regardless of sport. That';s a losing battle and
will almost always come back to bite you. Bottom line is that injuries are a
big part of sports, especially hockey.

Who is to say Boston';s blueline stays healthy for the 2018-19 season? At
41-years-old, Zdeno Chara is no spring chicken and players at that age are
seemingly always more likely to get hurt. It';s an issue no one wants to talk
about, but remember Charlie McAvoy missed time last year with a minor heart
issue. The issue holds a high probability to reoccur and it';s something
everyone needs to be cognizant of.Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins, Dec. 2, 2017
(Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Let';s also not forget that Adam McQuaid has never played a full season in the
NHL, and has only played more than 70 games in one of the last four seasons,
coming in 2016-17. Kevan Miller, meanwhile, hasn';t hit the 70-game mark since
2015-16.

Injuries happen and almost every player on the Bruins depth chart has dealt
with them in one way or another during the last few seasons. Having NHL-proven
coverage for those players is a massive plus and it shouldn';t be thrown away
because adding to a depth chart at this point in the offseason is hard.Oilers
and Canucks Serve as Examples

Last season, the Edmonton Oilers entered the year as a Stanley Cup favorite but
 they failed to hit 80 points.

Why?

A huge reason was their defense. They lost Andrej Sekera for the first portion
of the year with a torn ACL while Oscar Klefbom dealt with shoulder problems
all year. On top of this. Adam Larsson missed a large chunk of the year due to
his father';s passing. Things happened and Edmonton';s defense collapsed. Along
 with it went their hopes and dreams of a Stanley Cup.Andrej Sekera, Edmonton
Oilers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

What about the 2011 Vancouver Canucks, the team Boston beat to claim their
first championship since 1972?

They had ample injuries on defense in the playoffs and ended up playing their
eighth and ninth defenders at different points during that run. One could argue
 the 2006 Buffalo Sabres didn';t make the Stanley Cup because of all the
injuries they suffered on the back end. Neither team had the depth this Boston
group has right now.

Not only that, with as well as Matt Grzelcyk played last year, it';s important
to remember that young players do not develop in straight lines. There will be
growing pains and there will be valleys to match the peaks. Charlie McAvoy
could also suffer from that. Remember how high everyone was on Brandon Carlo at
 this time last year? Development pains happen to even the best young players.
A sophomore slump, however unlikely, is never out of the question.What About
Bruins Trade Options?

The Oilers have also lost Sekera for a large chunk of this upcoming season, and
 many people have connected the Oil and Bruins together because of that need
and Boston';s surplus. Sure, there is a fit there from Edmonton';s perspective,
 but couldn';t Boston hold out if they really want to make a deal involving one
 of their defenders?

While I think Boston would be smart to hang onto all these blueliners heading
into camp, one could argue that a trade does make sense. Of course, that kind
of deal has to make the Bruins a better team. Dealing a player for the sake of
it will only get you hurt and will likely involve you losing said deal.Artemi
Panarin, Columbus Blue Jackets, Feb. 22, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Considering the strong possibility that Artemi Panarin won';t re-sign in
Columbus after this season, is it really crazy to think that the Jackets could
pull the trigger on a deal involving the star between now and opening night?

I don';t think so.

Do you think Columbus would be interested in someone like Torey Krug to augment
 their young blueline led by Seth Jones and Zach Werenski? I certainly
do.Related: Should the Bruins Inquire About Artemi Panarin?

What about instances when a team under pressure or who has high expectations
falters out of the gate?

Considering the lack of management and coaching changes last spring, it';s
highly probable that a number of people will be starting the season on the hot
seat. Imagine if Edmonton struggles early and the defense is a hole again? You
might actually be able to snag Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for Krug, like so many in
Boston are dreaming of now.Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was one of many Oilers'; first
overall picks. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

With this surplus of defenders, Don Sweeney has leverage; leverage that he is
almost alone in having. Outside of Nashville, Tampa Bay and maybe San Jose, I
can';t think of another team with such a stable of defenders on hand. It';s a
great problem, if you can even call it that, to have.What Should the Bruins Do?

If I';m Sweeney, I';m keeping my powder dry, at least until training camp gets
into full swing. It';s impossible to know what is going to happen, impossible
to know if injuries will become a factor and if players will struggle to live
up to their expected level of ability. You';re always better off hoping for the
 best, but expecting the worst. Right now, the Bruins are prepared for the
worst on defense with eight legit options on deck. That';s smart if you ask me.

We';ll see what Sweeney and company actually do, but I think patience until a
can';t lose trade presents itself or the extra bodies are needed is the right
play.

Everyone around Boston seems to think this layer of depth is bad news for the
Bruins. I happen to think it';s the best thing going about this roster right
now.

The post Bruins Defensive Logjam Is a Positive appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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