Leading up to the NHL trade deadline last month, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney sent an early message that it could be quiet for his team. His subtle message turned out to be correct.
Two minor deals were made, and one is paying off with Lukas Reichel suddenly being a key piece of Marco Sturm's lineup. The deal that acquired Reichel from the Vancouver Canucks for a draft pick. When Bruins fans heard a deal was made with the Canucks, they thought they might be getting a bigger name. That wasn't the case.
One name that Sweeney has been linked to for a couple of years around the trade deadline and offseason is forward Brock Boeser. Vancouver hasn't moved him, but this summer could be the time he is dealt? If so, could the Bruins be in the mix?
Bruins linked to Canucks forward Brock Boeser as potetnial trade candidate this summer
Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report listed 10 offseason trade candidates for this upcoming offseason. Boeser was on the list, and of course, Boston was mentioned. According to Jim Parsons of The Hockey News, the Black and Gold, along with the New York Islanders, were teams that were interested in him. He also mentioned that he could be open to waiving his no-trade clause to move on if something came up that he liked.
Now, until the 29-year-old is traded, and who knows, maybe even long after he is traded, the Bruins are always going to be linked to him. You just get the feeling that will be the case. However, if Boston can hold onto a playoff spot and get into the eight-team Eastern Conference field in a couple of weeks, it'll be earlier than a lot of people thought. That could trigger a move to expedite the retool.
If there is one thing that Sweeney has been saving and building up, it is the right package to make a move to acquire a player like Boeser. He held onto his draft picks at the deadline this year, as well as some of his prospects he could use as trade chips. This could be a very interesting offseason for the Bruins, and a player like Boeser is someone they could target to add offensive firepower for next season and beyond.