The Boston Bruins began selling off players on Tuesday with GM Don Sweney sending Trent Frederic and Max Jones to the Edmonton Oilers for a second and fourth round draft picks. Later that night, the Bruins went out and lost, 6-3, to the Nashville Predators, who completed a season sweep in 2024-25.
Boston is fading and fading fast in the Eastern Conference playoff race and now needs to jump several teams to earn a wild-card spot. Not a position you want to be in with 19 regular season games remaining. The NHL trade deadline is Friday at 3 p.m. ET, and expect more players to be traded from the Black and Gold. Here are three players that will be traded by Friday and two who won’t.
3 Bruins who will be traded
Justin Brazeau
A bottom-six forward who brings toughness and playoff-style that teams are looking for, Justin Brazeau was the second most name floated about in trades the last couple of months. Brad Marchand has joined that group along with Morgan Geekie as all three are on expiring contracts.
Brazeau is someone who won’t get a huge haul in return, but moving him opens up a roster spot for some young players to get some time over the final month of the season. He’s not fast, but he gets to the dirty areas and can wear down other teams on the forecheck. It’s only a matter of time before he’s moved before the deadline.
Georgii Merkulov
With injuries mounting to the forwards and inconsistent play, that allowed the Bruins to bring up some players from the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Providence Bruins. One of those players is Georgii Merkulov who has been stuck behind veteran forwards in the NHL.
He has been very good with Providence and is a prospect that would generate some interest with his ability to score. He is someone who would be included in a deal with another player that would acquire someone with term for the future in Boston. You can’t help but think his call up was a showcase for other teams.
Brandon Carlo
Earlier this week, I did an article that the Bruins should trade Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle, but wouldn’t to run it back next season. The more rumors that pop up about Carlo, the more it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sweeney sell as high as he can right now.
He’s not going to score much, but his ability to kill penalties, play against teams' top lines and bother them with his long reach is something that teams would value. Of all the players with term that Sweeney could move, Carlo would likely fetch the biggest return. There just seems to be too much smoke around him not to be moved.
2 Bruins who will not be traded
Pavel Zacha
It sounds like almost everyone could be a play for the right price, but Pavel Zacha is someone who won’t be traded. Why? Well, for one reason, he has fit in real nice with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie in what has turned into the best line for Boston. Pastrnak had a recent 17-game point streak and Geekie scored his 20th goal of the season against the Predators.
Zacha is not the problem for the Bruins and can be a center next season for Pastrnak to play with and keep him happy. Boston has certainly got a better version of Zacha than the New Jersey Devils. He is a top-six player for this team next year, preferably on the second line with some additions this off-season.
Morgan Geekie
Geekie is having a career-year for the Black and Gold and he has broken out the last two years in Boston. He has formed a nice connection with Pastrnak and Zacha and without Geekie, the Bruins would be a lot further down in the standings. He is a free agent and will be cashing in this summer, but would he be in Boston’s price range?
You get Pavel Zacha vibes with Geekie as someone who struggled at his previous stop, but took off in Boston and carved out a nice role with the Black and Gold. It would be nice to see him return, but if Sweeney is blown away with an offer, I get it, but moving him for the sake of moving him is not the way to go here. Not the right deal? Then keep him.