As the calendar turns to August, there are still big needs the Boston Bruins have for the 2026-27 season. One of the needs is one that has not been addressed by general manager Don Sweeney: a top-six center. Boston thought that they got that center with Elias Lindholm in free agency, but it hasn't turned out that way for several reasons.
Boston addressed one need by acquiring right wing JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth for two first-round draft picks in late June, but failed in its bid to acquire blueliner Darnell Nurse from the Edmonton Oilers, reportedly because of a Boston player not waiving his no-trade clause. However, one center that Sweeney should consider trading for is Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken. With that said, here is a trade that could get a deal done for the former fourth overall pick in the 2022 Entry Draft.
Shane Wright is the type of player the Bruins need to take a chance on
If the Bruins enter training camp with their current centers, are they any better than last season? Pavel Zacha, Fraser Minten, and Lindholm are considered the top three pivots, but is that good enough in the Eastern Conference, which saw most teams get better this offseason? The moves in Boston have been underwhelming so far. Here is a proposed trade from the Bruins' point of view for Wright.
Boston has an abundance of defensemen, and some need to be moved. One player who Boston has reportedly tried to move in past deals is Mason Lohrei, and it feels like it's only a matter of time before he's officially moved. This could be the time that Sweeney strikes to move him to address a need that his team has.
Wright is a clear change-of-scenery candidate if there ever was one. He is coming off a season that saw him score 12 goals and dish out 15 assists, just one year after putting up 19 goals and 25 assists in 2024-25. In 169 career games, he has 36 goals and 42 assists.
Sure, the numbers are not going to jump off the screen at you, but the talent is there and begging to have a breakout. Why not in Boston? Acquiring Wright gives second-year head coach Marco Sturm a young center who would slot in seamlessly on Boston's roster.
Boston would look to swing bigger for a center, but it feels like that if Sweeney was going to do that, he would have by now, whether it was with the Vancouver Canucks or someone else. Given the need the Bruins have and the low cost, Wright is the player they should target before training camp.
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