This possible 3-team trade is a steal for the Bruins
The Bruins might still end up with a top-six center even though he's already been traded
With the trade deadline all but here, we've seen a flurry of moves around the league, though nothing yet has come for the Boston Bruins. Still, there's plenty of discussion about what they should do, what they shouldn't do, and what makes the most sense for this team right now.
Recently, Chris Johnston of TSN mentioned that if the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Canucks make a play for Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins, discussions were had that could flip Elias Lindholm to the Bruins as part of a three-team trade.
Kevin Weekes poured some gasoline on that fire Wednesday night, saying that he heard of a potential three-team trade between the squads that would feature Guentzel going to Vancouver, Lindholm going to Boston, and Jake DeBrusk ending up with the Penguins.
A wild three-team trade could end with Elias Lindholm in a Bruins uniform
There's a lot to unpack here. First off, getting Elias Lindholm would be a massive upgrade for the Bruins, both in terms of scoring and their depth down the middle. While Charlie Coyle has had an admirable season, getting another top-six center would be a boon for the Bruins in the stretch run.
What makes this trade crazier is that Lindholm was acquired by the Canucks a little over a month ago. They landed him from the Calgary Flames at the end of January, sending Andrei Kuzmenko, two draft picks, and two prospects to the Flames to get Lindholm, who is a pending free agent.
Looking at Lindholm the player, he's a great addition for the Bruins. Combined between the Flames and Canucks this season, he has 13 goals and 25 assists in 64 games with the ice time of a first-liner. He's a capable defender and plays well without the puck, which would also be valuable for the Bruins.
Obviously, a trade like this would involve more than just DeBrusk leaving Boston. Looking purely at cap friendly, the Bruins would probably have to send another player out to make the deal work. Lindholm is due the remainder of a $4.85 million this season, while DeBrusk is on the hook for the rest of his $4 million salary.
If Don Sweeney can convince the Canucks to retain some salary, the trade could work with only DeBrusk departing the roster. Another sweetener would have to be added in that case on top of whatever draft picks or prospects the Bruins would trade in the deal anyway, because DeBrusk wouldn't be the only piece of this trade.
If a trade like this ends up becoming reality, the end result of having Elias Lindhom in a Bruins uniform would be a major pickup for the team. He's a good two-way center who can generate points in bunches at his best and would certainly help the team's depth down the middle with Matt Poitras out for the season. If the Bruins have a chance to make it happen, they absolutely should.