There are questions facing a lot of NHL teams with training camps still a month away from opening. One of those teams is the Boston Bruins, who still need a top-six center and a top-four defenseman, mainly a right-shot.
However, general manager Don Sweeney isn't in a position to be extremely picky when it comes to addressing the need on defense. On July 1, he was reportedly close to acquiring Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers, but the deal reportedly fell through when a Boston player reportedly wouldn't waive their trade power.
We will have to see if that name, if true, is ever leaked out, but in the big picture, the need for another top-four defenseman wasn't filled. There are way too many defensemen currently on the roster, despite Charlie McAvoy being suspended for the first six games of the 2026-27 season. If Sweeney wants to make a splash with a trade, then the Winnipeg Jets just might be an under-the-radar trade partner.
Bruins have under the radar trade target in Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey
This might seem like a dream, and you know what, it just might be; however, despite Winnipeg not looking to move him, that might change if they end up moving goalie Connor Hellebuyck. There is nothing to tell us that Hellebuyck will be moved with, however, there has been a lot of smoke around him and trade rumors, and where there's smoke, there generally is fire. Right?
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Anyway, Morrissey is someone who fits just what the Black and Gold need. A veteran top-four defenseman who is under contract. The 31-year-old is a left-shot, not exactly fitting what Boston needs, but he averages just over 24 minutes a game, and in 77 games last season, he had 14 goals and 41 assists, with a plus/minus of a plus-6 on a Jets team that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Winnipeg's first-round 2013 Draft pick, 13th overall, is entering the seventh year of an eight-year deal that carries an AAV of $6.25 million. Slotting him with the other top Boston players in their prime, his two-way game is exactly what second-year head coach Marco Sturm could use in front of Jeremy Swayman.
So what would it take to get a deal done? First of all, money would have to go out to bring money in. Mason Lohrei could be the starting point, as Boston has been rumored to be listening on him. After that, things could get interesting in terms of prospects or even a roster player. Could Sweeney entice the Jets to take Casey Mittlestadt off his hands at some point? Maybe since he's in a walk year.
If Winnipeg ends up trading Hellebuyck, then that would signal they are open for business in terms of potentially listening to other players. If that happens, Morrissey would be a very good addition to a defensive core that really can't be beggars in terms of adding players to win now, which is what Sweeney needs to do.
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