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Assessing the Bruins’ top trade chips ahead of the deadline
If the Bruins want to add at the trade deadline, they'll need to shed cap space from their NHL roster.
With less than two weeks to go until the March 8 trade deadline, Don Sweeney and the Bruins have their hands full.
Even though Boston sits atop the Atlantic Division with a 34-12-14 record, the case can be made that the Bruins need several upgrades across their depth chart — especially with the team just 3-3-5 since the All-Star break.
But, it takes two to tango at this juncture of the NHL calendar. And given Boston’s dearth of cap space and trade chips, the Bruins aren’t necessarily equipped to be aggressive buyers at the deadline.
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Still, there are a few potential assets that the Bruins could part ways within the next week if Sweeney and Co. want to augment this roster.
Let’s take a look at some of Boston’s top trade assets:
2025 first-round pick
If the Bruins want to swing for the fences for an impact player like Noah Hanifin or a steady contributor with term (Minnesota’s Jacob Middleton, for example), Boston’s next available first-round pick will be an expected trade casualty.
Of course, the Bruins have had few qualms with relinquishing first-round picks over the years. But sooner or later, the bill is going to come due with Boston continuing to drain its barren prospect pool.
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The Bruins have only picked in the first round of the NHL draft two times (2019, 2021) in the last seven seasons. Boston will not land on the clock in the 2024 NHL Draft until the fourth round.
Mason Lohrei
The Bruins don’t have the most stacked prospect pipeline, but they do have a few blue-chip youngsters that could be coveted by several other teams. Lohrei, 23, is already an intriguing youngster thanks to his profile as a dynamic, playmaking defenseman. But few blueliners with that profile are also 6-foot-5 and could develop into a minutes-eating, top-four stalwart.
Lohrei could be a lineup regular as soon as next season in Boston, and could warrant a look as the team’s new power-play quarterback in due time. Some might view Lohrei as an untouchable prospect, but he could be expendable if Boston sets its sights on another defenseman like Hanifin via trade or free agency.
Matt Poitras
Much like Lohrei, Poitras is another young player that the Bruins ideally keep around for the long haul as part of the next wave of talent. And while Lohrei might boast a higher ceiling, Poitras might be even more valued given Boston’s need for a potential top-six center in the years ahead.
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Even though his rookie season was cut short due to shoulder surgery, Poitras’ poise with the puck stood out through his first 33 games in the NHL ranks. Plenty of teams would love to add a 19-year-old pivot like Poitras to their roster.
Fabian Lysell/Georgii Merkulov
Georgii Merkulov was the top-six talent that earned the call-up from Providence earlier this season, but Lysell might still hold the higher ceiling thanks to his speed and high-end skill. The 2021 first-round pick has had a productive second season in the AHL (43 points in 49 games), but questions over his two-way play and compete level have halted his ascension up to the Bruins so far this year.
Still, a team intrigued with Lysell’s skating and O-zone talent could value him, especially if he benefits from a change in scenery. Merkulov (49 points in 48 games) could also be targeted by teams looking for more scoring punch.
Jake DeBrusk
The Bruins ideally want to ink Jake DeBrusk to a new contract, especially before he hits free agency in July. But such a scenario might be a bit more complicated at this stage of the season — given both Boston’s lack of viable trade assets on the NHL roster and DeBrusk’s up-and-down production.
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If the Bruins think DeBrusk wants to go to market or they can’t bridge the gap on salary/term, the argument can be made that Boston should field offers for the 27-year-old forward and net a solid return — rather than risk letting him walk for nothing.
Of course, had DeBrusk managed to repeat the production he generated last season (27 goals in 64 games), perhaps he’d already have a long-term deal in place. DeBrusk still has a high floor thanks to his two-way play and ability to contribute on the PK, with the forward still a regular contributor in Jim Montgomery’s lineup (16:54 ice time per game).
But whether it be DeBrusk’s hot-and-cold production (13 goals, 27 points in 58 games) or concerns over handing him a long-term deal worth $5.5 – 6.5 million per season, the Bruins might also have some second thoughts about extending DeBrusk — especially if a deadline trade nets them either a first-round pick or another lineup regular in return.
Linus Ullmark
We delved into this in detail earlier this week, but an Ullmark deal may not be as outlandish as one might think. Even though the best path forward for the 2023-24 Bruins likely involves Montgomery sticking to a tried-and-true goalie rotation in the playoffs, Boston could opt to rip off the band-aid and deal Ullmark if they envision an offseason scenario where they have to choose between him or Jeremy Swayman — who is due a nice pay raise.
Ullmark does have a 16-team no-trade list. But if a deal can be struck, Boston could net a first-round pick or an impact contributor on the NHL roster if it opts to move on from the reigning Vezina Trophy winner.
It would be a gutsy gamble for Sweeney if the Bruins opt to uproot one of the foundations of their recent success with the Swayman-Ullmark tandem. But it’s a partnership that might be operating on borrowed time anyway — given Swayman’s next big contract.
Matt Grzelcyk/Derek Forbort
Given the state of Boston’s banged-up blueline, the Bruins may not seem like a team that wants to subtract from their D corps. But if Boston needs to create some fiscal flexibility in order to pull off more transactions, a pending UFA like Grzelcyk or Forbort could stand as a cap casualty.
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Had this been a year or two ago, Grzelcyk could have potentially secured a strong return — given his sterling underlying numbers and his puck-moving prowess. But his play has taken a hit this season, while his expiring contract could also hurt his value for a team looking to add more transition play to their defense.
Add in the fact that Grzelcyk is currently accounting for a $3.687 million cap hit, and the Bruins may be hard-pressed to find a team willing to take on that contract in this cap-crunched market — at least not without adding a sweetener to the deal.
Forbort’s $3 million cap hit might be slightly easier to stomach, but his value also isn’t exactly all that high right now. The veteran — and pending UFA — has struggled with nagging lower-body injuries all season long, while his sturdy D-zone play has looked pretty malleable since returning from LTIR.
Dumping either of Grzelcyk or Forbort’s contracts before March 8 might require Sweeney to offload even more draft capital/prospects in order to get a team to bite.
James van Riemsdyk
Van Riemsdyk has been one of the best value adds across the NHL this season. Signed to a one-year, $1 million deal in July, van Riemsdyk currently ranks fourth in the league in cost per point ($27,027) this season.
A big body at the netfront who has been a poised playmaker at 5v5 play (13 primary assists), van Riemsdyk is on pace for his first 50-point season since the 2017-18 campaign.
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The 34-year-old winger could be an appealing trade chip if Boston is looking to recoup draft capital, but his low price tag and impressive value likely means he’s staying put unless the Bruins shift their strategy and become soft sellers.
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