The Boston Bruins enter the 2026 offseason with a bunch of needs. Can general manager Don Sweeney address all of them? It's not going to be easy, so he'll likely have to prioritize them. What's needed? A right-shot defenseman, a top-line center, and a goal-scoring wing.
This year's free agent class is shaping up to be a rather disappointing one, as some players are coming off the board and more will likely follow. If Sweeney is going to address a big need his team has, it'll likely have to be through a trade. Adam Gretz of Bleacher Report listed one trade or signing each NHL team must make this offseason. For the Bruins, he believes they need to strike for a right-shooting defenseman.
Boston Bruins urged to trade for Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud
Gretz thinks the Black and Gold should swing for a defenseman, namely Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames. He was acquired back in January from the Vegas Golden Knights for defenseman Rasmus Andersson. That's right, the same Rasmus Andersson that the Bruins were reportedly close to acquiring before things fell apart.
"Rather than make a bad investment in a weak free agent class, trading for Calgary's Zach Whitecloud would be a good alternative. He is a solid enough player who could provide quality depth on the right side, while also only counting just $2.75 million against the salary cap for two more years,'' wrote Gretz.
A $2.75 million AVV for two seasons is something that is right up Sweeney's alley. Let's not sugarcoat it. He would love to have the contract for a player who would fill a huge need. The 29-year-old Whitecloud played in 31 games for the Flames following the trade and registered 10 assists and logged a career-high 22:40 in time on ice. He registered 34 shots on the net in Calgary and 67 combined with Vegas.
Gretz also mentioned a center as a Bruins need, but he thinks that they could address that internally.
"The Bruins have a couple of big needs going into the offseason, including the continued need for a true No. 1 center. But there is at least some young prospect hope on the horizon in that regard, Fraser Minten emerging as a rookie, and James Hagens knocking on the door,'' Gretz added.
That is a tall ask for both Minten and Hagens right now at their age, but acquiring a blueliner like Whitecloud could solidify the backend and fill a need on a cheap deal. The return would be interesting, but Whitecloud should be a clear target for Sweeney and the front office.
Add us as a preferred source on Google