3 trade destinations for Bruins RFA Matthew Poitras

Are the Boston Bruins willing to risk Matthew Poitras going the way of Fabian Lysell and eventually losing him for nothing as he wastes away at the AHL level? There is still plenty of time for Poitras to get his shot with the Bruins. However, with a lack of opportunity to crack the lineup and with a contract still unsigned just a month before training camp, it might be time for the organization to start exploring other opportunities for their young center.

The Bruins reportedly already went down the trade road with Poitras last season when they were making a push for the playoffs before the trade deadline, as he might've been included in the Rasmus Andersson deal that fell through. We know they are willing to strike a trade if they feel the opportunity is right, and that could make for an interesting negotiation process in the final month of the offseason.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks, by way of the Philadelphia Flyers, are in a tough spot after matching the massive contract extension to Leo Carlsson. They are now struggling to sign Cutter Gauthier to an extension because of a lack of future salary cap space, and a couple of cheaper contracts to fill out the lineup will have to be their way of managing the issue.

They traded for and signed Cruz Lucius earlier this week, but trading for Poitras to sign him to a prove-it deal at the NHL level could be the next step in rounding out their roster. Poitras is, by all accounts, ready for a full-time big league run, and this could be the way he gets it if the Bruins aren't willing to fit him in.

Carolina Hurricanes

Alexander Nikishin is a surprising trade candidate coming out of the defending Stanley Cup Champions' camp. The Russian was once one of their top prospects, but like Poitras, is in need of an extension, and he and the Hurricanes are struggling to reach an agreement. It would be far from a one-for-one deal for the Bruins, but adding Poitras in a package to get the left-shot defender is intriguing.

All the mock trades are centered around a package of Poitras and Mason Lohrei going the other way, and this one, unlike the Andersson rumor which could've gone south quickly if he played like he did in Vegas, makes a ton of sense for the Bruins.

San Jose Sharks

One area where the young San Jose Sharks core could upgrade is at center, as Alexander Wennberg and Zach Ostapchuk project to be their third and fourth-line pivots to start the year. San Jose also doesn't have a ton of centers left to come in their loaded pipeline, which makes the possibility of Poitras being their third-line center of the future behind Macklin Celebrini and Michael Misa very intriguing.

Could the Bruins get an Igor Chernyshov or a Quentin Musty out of the Sharks as Mike Grier's team tries to enter their competitive window? It may be a bit of a stretch, but it depends on how interested the general manager would be in upgrading their depth at center.

Poitras has already shown he can perform at the NHL level and posted 41 points in 40 AHL games in his age-21 season, while Musty had 45 points in 61 games in his. The Bruins get their potential high-end skill, while the Sharks get their reliable center with a bit more experience.

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