At the time Eriksson was regarded as a first line 70 point winger with great two-way ability.
Seguin was a 60 point player with a lot of question marks, who was forced to play wing.
At the time the trade made sense for the Bruins and still do if they win a cup.
Only if you were incapable of rational thought.
Since Seguin was placed in the top 6 after his rookie year, he was the Bruins top offensive player (while getting the ****** end of the stick in regards to ice time and PP time). This on a team that was a top competitor for the cup. He was among team leaders in plus/minus and helped create what most considered Boston's top line during that time.
The
only time questions mark arose were in last years playoffs and what most people neglect to mention is that Seguin was hardly the weakest link on that line. He simply couldn't carry the load by himself. Both Bergeron and Marchand suffered late season concussions that neither fully recovered from until well into the playoffs last year, if at all. Throughout the first round Seguin was the guy getting his chances on that line but nothing seemed to want to come together. Meanwhile, the guy Boston just gave up a 2nd/cond 1st for was stinking it up on the 3rd line. Julien made the call and switched the two. Revisionist history will tell you it was due to Seguins performance, actual history will tell you it was Juliens attempt to balance out the three lines.
People also forget Seguin then came to Julien and asked him what he needed to do to contribute if he was having a hard time scoring, and they also gloss over the fact that Julien praised his game throughout the first and second round. Could be because that doesn't fit the agenda of dragging his name through the mud. Doesn't really change the fact that that third line with Kelly, Seguin, and Paille was easily Boston's best and most productive in the finals.
Now they have Ericsson, a guy who struggled last year and is struggling again now. He's not an elite player offensively, and he isn't at Bergeron's level defensively. He's a sound winger sure, but he isn't putting up 70 points in Boston's system where wingers get 15 - 17 minutes a night. No chance. And don't get me wrong, the pieces Dallas sent Boston are fine, good NHL pieces. But the idea that they gave up a likely franchise #1 center is a kick in the groin.
Winning a cup makes everything a win, many Bruins fans now justify the Thornton trade with the 2011 cup win. Those of us with half a clue though know it doesn't mean the Bruins made a good deal with San Jose. Same idea here, if Boston manages to win it all it will be because they have a solid team. Won't change the fact that they gave up a huge piece of future for some rather average parts.
None of this is new either. Look how Kessel was railroaded in Boston, it's no wonder he did what he had to to get out. Literally all the same things were said. Too soft, only scored against weak teams (believe KPD had a few articles on just this subject), bad attitude, too perimeter'ish, couldn't score when it mattered. The Bruins fanbase is an odd one. In many cases there is almost a resentment for players who have natural skill and don't have to work their tail off or fight their way to get into the NHL. Guys like Kessel, Seguin, and Thornton are shipped out of town because they failed to live up to expectations even though all three were the best on the team in most offensive categories.
