Trading Andrew Peeke doesn't put the Boston Bruins in a better position to compete in the playoffs. Losing a right-shot defender of his value has the potential to backfire with the team's on-ice performance for this season. However, with the recent New York Rangers-New York Islanders swap for Carson Soucy, it'd be hard for Don Sweeney not at least imagine what a return would be for his defender on an expiring contract.
The Bruins might feel like Peeke is part of their future. If that's the case, it's better to hang on to him and try to work out a long-term extension. While Peeke isn't a top-pair defender, he is a reliable third-pair guy who you can send out in defensive situations and get some good value out of. The problem is that if they think Peeke is going to bolt in free agency, it'd make sense to trade him before the deadline.
The Rangers just acquired a third-round pick from the Islanders for Soucy's services. The interesting thing is that the Islanders aren't even close to a guaranteed playoff spot, so acquiring a defenseman as a rental comes with some risks. If the Bruins could find a team with some better playoff footing, they might be able to squeeze even more out of them.
Peeke is a younger version of Soucy with substantially more value. If the Rangers were able to pry a third-round pick out of a possible non-playoff team, the Bruins should be able to get a second-round pick for Peeke. If teams get even more desperate as the trade deadline gets closer, the cost of acquiring the defender may even rise.
It's hard to justify trading Peeke in the middle of contending, but the emergence of Jonathan Aspirot as a threat on his offside does give the Bruins some flexibility. They also have Jordan Harris soon coming back into the fold, which could offer some insurance if Henri Jokiharju continues to struggle. It isn't ideal to go with a lineup of five left-shot defenseman and Charlie McAvoy as the only right-shot guy, but it could be an option if they feel the return for Peeke is worth it.
It's going to be a fine line that the Bruins will have to walk between going for the playoffs and punting some of their success to the future. If a deal for Peeke increases the Bruins' chances of being legitimate contenders in five years, they have to do what's best for the franchise.