The rivalry from the 2011 Stanley Cup Final is long gone, and the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks now connect in other ways, mainly by the players they roster. The Bruins own some valuable former Canucks in Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, while the Canucks roster includes Jake DeBrusk and Derek Forbort.
The Bruins and Canucks also swapped players last season when Boston grabbed Michael Dipietro and Jonathan Myrenberg for Jack Studnicka. There are also rumors that the teams have been in talks about a potential trade for Pavel Zacha, which seems less likely now with Vancouver struggling.
Will Bruins look to an old friend for defense help?
The Bruins' defense corps has been struggling to stay healthy this season, with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Jordan Harris all spending time on injured reserve. The blueliners could use some help with McAvoy and Harris out for an undetermined amount of time, and the most logical name on the Canucks' roster would be Forbort.
The Bruins shouldn't reacquire Forbort, but he is a defenseman the organization knows, and he was also a former player of Marco Sturm, when he was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings. Forbort is currently out with a lower-body injury, but it's worth wondering whether the Bruins might look to bring him in for the interim and then flip him closer to the deadline when McAvoy is back.
Conor Garland's name has always been around
If Connor Garland's name starts popping up in trade rumors, it wouldn't be the first time that people started linking him to the Bruins. The native of Scituate, Massachusetts, seems like a perfect fit for the Bruins and would immediately become a fan favorite given his hometown roots and style of play.
Garland recently signed an extension that runs through the 2031-32 season at a $6 million annual cap hit. It'd be good value for a 50-point winger if the cap continues to rise, but the Bruins have to be realistic with their expectations first. If they want to stay in contention this season, Garland will help them, but if they're truly heading for a longer rebuild, they'd be best to stay away.
The same goes for all the Canucks' veterans and trade pieces around the league. The conference is too tight and the roster has too many uncertainties to go all-in on a playoff run. Maybe the Bruins could add a piece that helps them now and in the future, but Sweeney shouldn't be going anywhere near a rental this season.