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One player the Boston Bruins could unexpectedly trade in the 2024 offseason

The Boston Bruins could make a big trade this offseason, but that big trade could involve a player few fans would expect.

By Todd Matthews |
May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (18) and defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) react with defenseman Brandon Carlo (25) after Carlos goal during the first period in game four of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (18) and defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) react with defenseman Brandon Carlo (25) after Carlos goal during the first period in game four of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

If there is one valuable player the Boston Bruins will likely trade in the 2024 offseason, it’s Linus Ullmark. Still one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and just one season removed from winning the Vezina Trophy, some fans may still find it surprising that the Bruins could trade Ullmark. 

But Jeremy Swayman more than won the right to be the 1A goaltender in 2023-24, and he could also evolve into a true No. 1 goaltender (a goalie who starts the vast majority of games) within the next season or two, if not in 2024-25. Plus, Ullmark would garner an outstanding return for a Bruins team that’s still trying to figure out how to punch a ticket into the Conference Finals. 

Yet Ullmark may not be the only well-known Bruins player on the move in the summer of 2024. If Bruins general manager Don Sweeney wants to make a serious splash, chances are he will make an unexpected trade to try and snag a significant return. 

Boston Bruins could make an unexpected trade to bring in a forward

The Bruins are in good hands defensively, and not just in the crease with Jeremy Swayman and whoever the ultimate 1B or backup goaltender will be. Boston also has a strong defensive rotation, and sending a player like Brandon Carlo to a playoff contender in the Western Conference would mean bringing in a forward to further bolster the Bruins scoring. 

Even without a player like Carlo, I’m still convinced the Bruins wouldn’t lose a step defensively, not with the likes of Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy back there. But if you think about it, there are teams out west who could use a little more help defensively, like the Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights (even with Noah Hanifin), and even the Vancouver Canucks. 

Trading a player like Carlo would be unexpected and no, it probably won’t happen. But if we’re talking about making a player swap to bring in one more forward to take the Bruins scoring back into the top 10, especially with the assets they already have, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to trade him.

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