Bruins' Chiarelli On Toucher & Rich: 'Goals Will Come' For Seguin
BOSTON (CBS) - It might be startling to look at Tyler Seguin's stats and see he just has three goals and nine assists 16 games into this strike-shortened season.
But Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli isn't fretting over the 21-year-old forward's lack of stats so far. Chiarelli, who grades each of his players after every game, says Seguin is doing other things to earn him high marks as of late.
"The last four games he has been (earning high grades)," Chiarelli told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Wednesday morning. "Defensively he's getting better. Goal scorers go through periods where they don't score goals, and it's important for them to be good in other areas. He's proving to do that. He's had some terrific back checks and is making plays too."
"I'm not worried about Tyler, the goals will come with his skill," Chiarelli said of Seguin, who picked up two assists in Boston's 4-1 win over the Islanders on Tuesday night.
The NHL Trade Deadline isn't until April 3, but a few deals went down on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Kings sent Simon Gagne back to the Philadelphia Flyers, and old friend Michael Ryder was sent from Dallas to Montreal.
Chiarelli wouldn't say much on potential moves the Bruins are looking into, but did say he'll do his best to improve the team.
"Every year it's the same thing. The last few years we've had quite a good team, and you have to weigh the decision if you impact the chemistry by bringing in new players, and the respective roles they would fit in," said Chiarelli. "No team is perfect, and we're certainly not. There are areas we can improve and we're going through the process."
"We've had a couple (meetings) with our pro scouts and we have an interest list. We'll refine that list with the players that are available; sometimes there isn't a lot of players available and sometimes there are," he said. "This year is a little funky because of the shortened season. You've seen some deals already but I don't know if that will trigger anything. I don't think it will, I think it will be sporadic."
"We have a good team and we're going to try to improve it," said Chiarelli.
Also, how has Tuukka Rask changed this season? And what are Chiarelli's thoughts on upcoming Boston free agent Andrew Ference? Listen to the Bruins GM on Toucher & Rich:
