The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been interesting to say the least. After the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Montreal Canadiens, 6-1, on Friday night in Raleigh, to win the Eastern Conference, it sets up a Cup Final matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights.
While Carolina and Vegas will be battling it out to hoist the Cup over the next couple of weeks, just about every other team is in the process of planning ahead for the 2026-27 season. June is going to be a busy month in terms of roster building and planning for free agency on July 1. They will also look to lock up and pending free agents.
When it comes to potential trades, there are a couple of former Bruins players, one forward and one defenseman, who landed on Nick Kyperos' Trade Board at SportsNet. It wasn't surprising who they were.
Former Bruins' Jake DeBrusk and Dougie Hamilton land on early trade board for 2026 offseason
It remains to be seen if there are going to be any big moves made through trades this offseason. In terms of the Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney, it might be the only way they improve their roster for next season in an attempt to make another run for a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, Kyperos listed two former Boston players on his trade board for this summer, forward Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
As for Hamilton, he has been on many trade boards for years. There was a chance that he could have been moved at the trade deadline, but once again, the New Jersey Devils held onto him. It makes you wonder how much longer he will hold onto him. He is entering year six of a seven-year contract with an AAV of $9 million. New Devils GM Sunny Mehta has some decisions to make, and he might have to retain some money to move on from the 6-foot-6 right-shot.
As for DeBrusk, it isn't surprising to see his name on the board. The 29-year-old left wing is entering year three of a seven-year deal that carries an AAV of $5.5 million. He'll be 34 when that contract expires. In two years with the Vancouver Canucks, he has not lived up to his deal in many fans' eyes. The Canucks appear headed for a full-blown rebuild, and DeBrusk would be just one of the big pieces moved this summer by new leadership.
Changes are coming for teams this summer, and maybe some former Bruins players. The craziness of the NHL offseason is about to get underway over the next five weeks.
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