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Boston Bruins trade deadline preview

By Jack Long |
STATELINE, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 21: President Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeny of the Boston Bruins pose together during the 'NHL Outdoors At Lake Tahoe' at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort on February 21, 2021 in Stateline, Nevada. The Bruins defeated the Flyers 7-3. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
STATELINE, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 21: President Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeny of the Boston Bruins pose together during the 'NHL Outdoors At Lake Tahoe' at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort on February 21, 2021 in Stateline, Nevada. The Bruins defeated the Flyers 7-3. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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We are only a weekend away from the Monday, April 12th NHL Trade Deadline. A few deals have been made up to this point, including the New York Islanders nabbing a Boston Bruins trade target. It has been eerily quiet though for a league and organizations that aren’t usually ones to wait until deadline day to make a move.

The Boston Bruins have been playing good hockey as of late and have beat some quality franchises in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals despite a plethora of injuries and games missed due to the coronavirus. Bruins GM Don Sweeney should see the opportunity this roster has to make a run when all of the Bruins key pieces return.

Let’s dive into the Boston Bruins needs, who’s available, and what Bruins could be potential trade chips.

Boston Bruins needs.

Secondary scoring winger

Ah, the long-lost quest for that stud winger to line up on David Krejci’s wing. Don Sweeney has tried and failed to find a consistent winger for that second line role who can contribute to the Boston Bruins’ lackluster secondary scoring. The Bruins are one of the better defensive teams in the league, only behind the Islanders in goals allowed per game in the Eastern Division. Offensively though, if the big boys aren’t rolling, they still lose too many of these contests.

Left defenceman

Unfortunately losing two of your longtime defensive stalwarts in Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug and replacing them with inexperienced young defensemen doesn’t always work. With a lot of the Boston Bruins’ notable injuries occurring on the back end, this has become even more apparent.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 10: Jeremy Lauzon #55 jumps into Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins during warm-up prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 10: Jeremy Lauzon #55 jumps into Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins during warm-up prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Boston Bruins trade chips.

First tier – Jake DeBrusk, Jack Studnicka, Urho Vaakanainen, 2021 1st round pick

Jake DeBrusk has certainly stepped up his game since a healthy scratch sent him a direct message. Unfortunately having to battle with some COVID-19 protocols as well, DeBrusk hasn’t been able to show sustainable performance. After the scratch, DeBrusk shot up trade bait boards but he has since fallen down. A proven playoff performer, Jake the Snake is a guy the Boston Bruins would love to keep – if the price is right though he could be the asset that is needed for Don Sweeney to pull the trigger on a big-ticket deal.

Second Tier – Trent Frederic, Jakub Zboril

Trent Frederic has really made a name for himself in his first full year with the Boston Bruins. Quickly becoming a fan favourite, Frederic is a spark plug wherever he is placed in the Bruins lineup. He is a physical young player who likes to use his body and loves getting under the opponents’ skin (see Tom Wilson). Frederic has that scoring touch too and has shown flashes of skill while being able to get in the dirty areas as well. It would be tough to see a guy like Frederic shipped off, but it may be the price to pay for a player that can be a bigger impact guy for a 2021 playoff run.

Third Tier – Anders Bjork, Zach Senyshyn, Jeremy Lauzon

Anders Bjork is in the need of a change of scenery. Bjork has shown flashes of brilliance during his young career, but just cannot seem to find a consistent fit in the Boston Bruins lineup. Bjork isn’t a guy that will bring back a massive haul, though he could be part of a package that brings in that big name.

BUFFALO, NY – JANUARY 26: Taylor Hall #4 of the Buffalo Sabres before the game against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center on January 26 , 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – JANUARY 26: Taylor Hall #4 of the Buffalo Sabres before the game against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center on January 26 , 2021 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images) /

Boston Bruins trade targets.

Secondary scoring wingers – Taylor Hall, Mike Hoffman, Nick Foligno

Taylor Hall has been a Boston Bruins target since this past offseason. After missing out on Hall in free agency, Don Sweeney should be kicking the tires on the past Hart Trophy winner. Hall’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, but remember he plays for the Buffalo Sabres. One has to assume he will be able to thrive in a winning environment.

Left defenceman – Mattias Ekholm, Vince Dunn

Mattias Ekholm has been a name linked to the Boston Bruins since the Nashville Predator’s early struggles had them poised to be sellers at the deadline. Ekholm would easily be one of the top names available if the Predators are still willing to listen to offers on the stud defenceman.

What should the Boston Bruins do at the NHL Trade Deadline?

In an ideal world, GM Don Sweeney will go all-in and truly pay the price for two impact guys to fill in their current holes in the offence and defence. If you know Sweeney though, he isn’t likely to mortgage the future.

If management is only willing to make one move, they should turn their focus to the secondary scoring wingers. As stated earlier, the Boston Bruins are actually one of the top defensive teams in the league – they just can’t outscore their opponents. Reinforcements are on their way for the Bruins’ defence. This isn’t the case upfront.

The core is aging and pending UFA status for some big names should show the window is closing for this organization. This team has the capabilities of making a Stanley Cup run and Don Sweeney and the Boston Bruins front office should bite the bullet and go all-in come April 12th.

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