Given that the New York Islanders just inked Derick Brassard to a lowly $1.2 million for the season, the Boston Bruins might well have been able to somehow find the dollars to bring him in on a one-year deal. All that without damaging their ability to re-sign restricted free agents, Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy.
Here we’re talking a player that consistently grabbed 40 points on two consecutive seasons with the Ottawa Senators in very recent memory. Whilst you wouldn’t expect Brassard to reach his 60 goal heights he once hit with the New York Rangers, he’s only 31 and the short-term nature of the contract suggests it would’ve been worth any risk.