The Boston Bruins' trade deadline was underwhelming for their NHL roster. Don Sweeney didn't sell any pieces that could contribute to a possible playoff run, nor did he use any future assets to improve the team in the short term. With some of the prices going around on deadline day, Sweeney's strategy might not have been the worst idea. However, one trade he did make was a minor-league deal, which brought Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo to the team in exchange for Jackson Edward and Brett Harrison.
It hurts to see Edward and Harrison go to another team after some of the hype that surrounded them, but it was becoming clear that they were falling down the depth chart for the Bruins. Gendron and Rizzo offer the team a chance to get better in a clear area of need: offensive talent. Rizzo was one of the top offensive college players over the past few seasons, and Gendron also has some untapped scoring potential out of the QMJHL.
Who is Alexis Gendron?
Gendron scored 30 goals in his NHL draft year with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. However, NHL scouts weren't overly impressed given the league where he did it, and he ended up being just a seventh-round pick. The following season was where Gendron broke out, scoring 55 goals during the regular season, split between the Armada and the Gatineau Olympiques. He then scored 14 goals in 13 playoff games for the Olympiques.
The 2023-24 season was split between the AHL and QMJHL, but Gendron did return to junior in enough time to score 11 goals in 15 playoff games and help lead the Drummondville Voltigeurs to the league championship. His game matured in that season, and he spent the full year in the AHL in 2024-25 and scored 20 goals at the pro level for the first time.
Gendron's scoring pace dipped this year with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recording just 10 goals in 47 games. It was part of the reason why the Philadelphia Flyers organization probably thought he needed a fresh start. The Quebec native is still only 22-years-old, and while he might never develop a scoring touch at the NHL level, he could become a very valuable player for Providence.