Bruins Give Up Third Round Pick for Rinaldo

The strangeness that is the Boston Bruins off season continues. After trading away some of their core at the NHL draft, the Bruins traded a third round pick today to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Zac Rinaldo.

The Bruins had a busy draft weekend, with three first round picks and two seconds. Apparently they decided trading a third rounder for a player like Rinaldo makes sense.

What is especially puzzling for the Bruins is they let their own tough guy, Shawn Thornton, sign with the Florida Panthers after the 2013-2014 season. They have stated they want to become a faster, less heavy team, after their playoff exit against the Montreal Canadiens a year ago. Rinaldo on the roster does not do that.

At 25 years old, Rinaldo is hardly a prospect any longer or a work in progress. In 58 games with the Flyers this past season, he had one goal and five assists along with a whopping 102 penalty minutes.

Rinaldo was drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL entry draft. He was the 178th overall selection, and he has been a menace for the team and their opponents. A pesky player, he sees more time in the penalty box than on the ice.

Over his career in Philadelphia, Rinaldo has eight goals, 16 assists, and 572 penalty minutes. If he makes the Bruins roster, it would presumably be as a fourth liner.

Meanwhile in Philadelphia, turning the former sixth rounder into a third round selection next season is a terrific get. Plus, they get out of his roster spot which could be used by a younger, more skilled player.

Possibly this trade was a reaction to losing Milan Lucic after trading him to the Los Angeles Kings and the Bruins want to get more physicality back with the forwards. Either way, a third round, basically the same return the Vancouver Canucks got for Eddie Lack, is rather baffling.