Boston Bruins
The Bruins may use a few of their draft picks and prospects to amass gamers with time period or high-upside skaters.
Time is ticking for Don Sweeney and the Bruins on the subject of including — or subtracting — from this Bruins roster earlier than Friday’s NHL commerce deadline.
Boston has the property in place to try to add an affect participant or two with Sweeney stressing that the Bruins aren’t expected to peruse the rental market as they attempt to construct a sustainable contender in Boston.
After taking a look at Boston’s trade chips getting into Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline, listed below are just a few gamers the Bruins may goal as they attempt to punch their ticket again into the postseason.
C Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
Stats: 12 objectives, 23 assists in 43 video games
Contract: Signed by 2030-31 season, $8.125 million AAV
The large fish on this commerce market, Robert Thomas checks off loads of packing containers for Boston. An ascending roster seeking to open a brand new rivalry window would obtain a carry from Thomas — a 26-year-old, first-line middle signed to an inexpensive cap hit for six seasons.
A easy playmaker, Thomas has already surpassed the 80-point threshold twice in his younger profession and may very well be a drive if stapled to a line with David Pastrnak for the foreseeable future. Thomas may very well be a franchise fixture in Boston, however the fee to amass him can be very steep.
St. Louis is taking a look at a protracted rebuild, however they don’t want to commerce him by Friday, given his present contract. Boston has the means to make a compelling provide. However, it could require a number of first-round picks and blue-chip prospects to get the deal throughout the end line.
Right here’s a longer look at the pros and cons of a Thomas blockbuster deal for Boston.
F Conor Garland, Vancouver Canucks
Stats: 7 objectives, 19 assists in 49 video games
Contract: Signed by 2031-32 season, $6 million AAV
If Boston is on the lookout for some further scoring punch in its middle-six grouping, Conor Garland may very well be a match. The 29-year-old ahead can be a fan favourite in Boston, past the truth that he’s from Scituate.
Regardless of his smaller body (5-foot-10, 165 kilos), Garland is a relentless forechecker and spark plug who tilts the ice in his workforce’s favor when he’s out on the ice.
Garland is an effective participant, however it appears unwise for a Bruins workforce nonetheless a 12 months or two away from being a authentic contender to prioritize a winger who is perhaps extra of a third-line drive than a second-line expertise. He’s a participant you add to place a robust workforce excessive — a position that Boston isn’t in at this stage of their retool.
D Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Stats: 1 aim, 5 assists in 23 video games
Contract: Signed by 2026-27 season; $5.1 million AAV
Upgrading the correct facet of Boston’s D corps is perhaps essentially the most urgent want for Sweeney and his employees this season.
A glass-eater like Rasmus Ristolainen would slot in nicely on a Bruins workforce whose id is rooted in tenderizing opposing puck carriers. As soon as a reckless participant vulnerable to expensive D-zone miscues and poor self-discipline, Ristolainen’s sport has quieted down as of late — with the 31-year-old skater creating right into a bodily and durable presence on the blue line.
D Justin Faulk, St. Louis Blues
Stats: 11 objectives, 21 assists in 60 video games
Contract: Signed by 2026-27 season; $6.5 million AAV
If Boston is on the lookout for an instantaneous improve to its D corps for this season, Justin Faulk stands as a key addition. The veteran, right-shot defenseman eats plenty of minutes (22:30 common time on ice per sport), can chip in on particular groups, and generates quantity of offense with 11 tallies on the season.
Faulk would shore up a important space of Boston’s depth chart forward of a possible playoff run. However, at 33 years outdated, he’s not precisely a long-term addition to a Bruins workforce that ought to nonetheless be centered on increase its roster for the following few seasons, slightly than giving up a hefty package deal for a win-now asset.
D Simon Nemec, New Jersey Devils
Stats: 9 objectives, 12 assists in 47 video games
Contract: Signed by 2025-26 season; soon-to-be restricted free agent
The New Jersey Devils are reportedly taking calls on Simon Nemec, the 22-year-old blueliner who was chosen second total within the 2022 NHL Draft. Quite than goal an older right-shot D like Ristolainen or Faulk, Boston may financial institution on future potential by dealing for a gifted puck mover with a excessive ceiling in Nemec.
In fact, the fee will probably be steep to pry Nemec out of New Jersey. He hasn’t been a transformative presence on the Devils’ protection, however the upside and talent are evident with a participant who’s averaging 19:42 of ice time per sport this season.
He has some warts in his sport that have to be corrected. However, Nemec may observe an identical profession trajectory as Philip Broberg, a former top-10 decide from Edmonton who thrived in an elevated position with a brand new workforce (St. Louis).
D Zach Whitecloud, Calgary Flames
Stats: 2 objectives, 9 assists in 59 video games
Contract: Signed by 2027-28 season; $2.75 million AAV
If Boston is on the lookout for a long-term improve for a participant like Andrew Peeke, Zach Whitecloud has some enchantment as a no-frills, bodily blueliner. He’d mesh nicely with the kind of workforce Sturm and his employees try to construct, however placing him greater than the third pair is perhaps asking an excessive amount of of him.
The Bruins already haven’t any scarcity of third-pairing choices between Peeke, Henri Jokiharju, and even Mason Lohrei — who’s skating on his weak facet with Hampus Lindholm over the previous couple of video games.
F Owen Tippett, Philadelphia Flyers
Stats: 19 objectives, 17 assists in 60 video games
Contract: Signed by 2031-32 season; $6.2 million AAV
If Boston is adamant about including a top-six fixture to their lineup, Owen Tippett is perhaps a greater choice over Garland — given each his age (27) and better upside. Tippett is a speedy ahead with good measurement (6-foot-1, 210 kilos) and a nostril for the online (soon-to-be 4 20-goal seasons in Philly).
As Boston awaits the addition of prime prospects like James Hagens and Dean Letourneau within the coming years, having a authentic top-six winger in his prime like Tippett secured can be a prudent transfer for the Bruins. However, that confirmed manufacturing and agreeable long-term contract imply it’ll take at the very least a primary and some extra property to pry him from Philly.
Join the In the present day publication
Get every part you want to know to begin your day, delivered proper to your inbox each morning.
