We are six days away from the NHL trade deadline, and rumors are beginning to heat up after the NHL has resumed play following the Olympic break. The Boston Bruins picked up a big 4-2 win on Thursday night at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets and head to Philadelphia to play the Flyers on Saturday afternoon.
What happens over the three games Boston has left leading into the deadline will likely determine what general manager Don Sweeney decides to do. There have been several rumors surrounding the Black and Gold. They tried last month to get Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames, but came up short in their bid to acquire him. It appears that Boston would like to add a defenseman and a forward.
Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period listed three members of the St. Louis Blues as potential targets for Sweeney. Justin Faulk and Robert Thomas are names that have been floated about with the Bruins. Di Marco added Brayden Schenn's name as a potential target of Sweeney's. There are some areas that Sweeney could look to go down over the next six days.
Hampus Lindholm mentoring Mason Lohrei
In the Bruins' win over the Blue Jackets, head coach Marco Sturm again paired young defenseman Mason Lohrei with veteran Hampus Lindholm. The move forces Lohrei to play on his offside, something that nearly every blueliner needs to deal with at some point in their career.
When I came into the league myself, I was in a similar position to him. I got to play with a veteran guy. I think that helps him. I think I can help him defensively, too. As a pair so far, it’s been fun playing with him,” Lindholm said. “I think we’ve been doing some good stuff out there. We’re both big, tall guys that can skate. I always tell him, if we can just keep playing on the inside and be hard to play against, I don’t think there are many forwards that want to go up against us.”
With the deadline six days away, it makes you wonder if Lohrei will be around after it passes. Boston has reportedly made prospect Matthew Poitras available in a potential trade, but with Sweeney, never say never with any type of deal.
Michael DiPietro returned to Providence
Michael DiPietro backed up Joonas Korpisalo against Columbus, and when Korpisalo was hit in the head by Blue Jackets' forward Miles Wood in the second period, the NHL's concussion spotter had Boston's goalie removed for a short time. That meant DiPietro had to come in, and he needed to make two saves before Korpisalo returned. What did DiPietro think about playing for a short time?
"I'm just glad it was quick and he was back out there,'' said DiPietro. "He played a fantastic game. I'm just happy I didn't screw it up for the boys."
On Friday, he was returned to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL) to play this weekend, with Jeremy Swayman returning to the lineup against the Flyers on Saturday.