5 Days Until The Bruins' Future Is Decided

With the NHL Entry Draft looming in the fear future on Friday, the Boston Bruins are one of many teams who will get a huge piece of foreshadowing regarding their coming fate. With four picks in the first two rounds of the draft -- including the #2 overall selection -- Boston will have the necessary pieces to really put a transformation on this roster by next October.

Now, being Boston fans, we are used to seeing these situations end with traded picks and stockpiling young, potentially solid players -- a la the New England Patriots. However, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has already gone on the record saying that he will draft one of the two top prospects -- Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin -- with that #2 position. If you've read any of our previous articles on the situation, you know which player I would rather have. But after thinking long and hard about the alternative, I won't be so upset bringing Tyler Seguin to the Garden, either.

The days go by and it becomes more and more evident that Taylor Hall will be staying above the border. Edmonton does need a center like Seguin, yes. However, they truly need everything, and they will take the best player available. Most believe that is Hall. Seguin, though, is a very close second. He was Player of the Year in the OHL, beating out Hall. They tied for the scoring title, but Seguin notched more goals. And the general consensus, despite this previous fact, is that Seguin is a more well-rounded player who can pass, score, and play physical. If Joe Thornton rings a bell to Bruins fans, we can only hope this one turns out better in the long run.

So then you encounter the big problem with Tyler Seguin: he's a center. The Bruins are loaded down the middle, with guys like Savard, Bergeron, Krejci, and even Vladimir Sobotka. All centers. So where does Seguin fit in? None of those top 3 guys I named are fourth-liners, and neither is Seguin. The answer? Seguin must transition. You've got to turn this guy into a winger. He's still young, he's never played the NHL style, and he's still extremely talented. The hope is that he will be able to make the transition.

But what if he can't? What if playing the wing really throws him off? I think the next best option would be to move Bergeron to a wing position. As crazy as it sounds, think about it -- Bergeron is our most versatile player, without a doubt. Losing his faceoff prowess would be tough, and I still believe moving Seguin to wing is your best option, but if all else fails -- this is definitely a worthy fail-safe.

No matter who ends up dawning a black and gold jersey on Friday, Bruins fans can be assured that they're getting a hell of a player. With three more picks before the second round ends, you can expect more good talent or even a proven NHLer to come Boston's way via the trade market. There are a world of possibilities right now, and for the nervous Bruin fan, my message is this. Even though you may not trust Chiarelli, he seems to be -- fortunately -- in a situation that he cannot possibly go wrong.