Heading into training camp next week, the Boston Bruins have way too many players at a couple of positions for limited spots. Those two areas are on defense and in the bottom-six forward grouping. There are too many players for too few spots, and really, not all players have options to head to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL).
As far as the defensemen go, could general manager Don Sweeney look to eliminate some of the crowded jam by trading away players? If so, there are a couple of names that could be moved, and Jimmy Murphy of RG, listed one blueliner, could be moved before Opening Night on Sept. 19 against the New York Rangers.
Bruins could trade former Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju
It has been said before and needs to be said again: the Bruins extending defenseman Henri Jokiharju after he was acquired at the trade deadline in March of 2025 made little sense. He was acquired after Brandon Carlo was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but despite showing some promise with Nikita Zadorov to close out a lost season, giving him three more years at an AAV of $3 million was a head-scratcher. Murphy wrote that one source told him the Black and Gold might be willing to move Jokiharju.
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"One of the sources above also told RG that the Bruins are willing to move veteran 27-year-old defenseman Henri Jokiharju, who is set to begin a two-year, $6 million contract," wrote Murphy. "Obviously, though, the younger Lohrei, who is entering the final year of a two-year, $6.4 million contract ($3.2 million AAV), is more attractive."
Mason Lohrei is a more attractive player who would be more beneficial to teams than Jokiharju; however, moving the former Buffalo blueliner is not going to be easy. The $3 million a year to Jokiharju was a bad deal, and that was compounded last year when he played in just half the games in 2025-26. Imagine signing a defenseman for three years at $3 million a year and having him scratched for half the games? Not a great management decision.
Something that might be causing Sweeney to take his time making a move is that Charlie McAvoy is suspended for the first six games of the season for his slash on Buffalo forward Zach Benson at the end of Game 6 of their first-round series last spring. However, youngster Frederic Brunet is someone who has been knocking on the door of a roster spot, and if there is time for him to break through, it is this season, but too many veteran defensemen might block him. Making a trade or two, and Jokiharju would be a prime candidate, would make sense.
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