2024 NHL trade deadline: Ranking the Bruins’ three biggest needs.
The NHL trade deadline isn’t until March 8, but it wouldn’t hurt to start making moves now to give acquired players more time to develop chemistry with their new teammates.
Of course, reaching an agreement requires the cooperation of two (or perhaps three) parties. And, based on the present rankings, not many clubs are actually out of playoff contention, so there isn’t much motivation — at least not yet — for these franchises to throw up the towel and sell at the trade deadline.
At the All-Star break, the Boston Bruins lead the Eastern Conference with a 31-9-9 record (71 points). They are currently tied with the Vancouver Canucks for the league’s best record. Given their current position in the standings, we can expect the Bruins to try to add one or two players before the trade deadline.
Don Sweeney, the Bruins’ general manager, has added to his roster at each of his last eight trade deadlines. Six of his eight trade deadlines have resulted in the acquisition of numerous players, including Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway, and Tyler Bertuzzi last season. These additions were expensive, including two first-round picks.
Sweeney doesn’t have as many quality assets to dangle this time around. The B’s don’t have a first-round pick in 2024 and don’t have second-rounders in 2024 and 2025. Boston’s prospect pool isn’t loaded with elite talent, either. And let’s not forget the B’s have less than $1 million in salary cap space, per CapFriendly.
But that shouldn’t stop Sweeney from at least trying to make a move or two.
Here are the top three trade deadline needs for the Bruins before the trade deadline, ranked in reverse order.
3) Keep first-round picks
This isn’t a roster need, but it’s still something the Bruins should do.
The Bruins owe their 2024 first-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings to complete the Tyler Bertuzzi trade from last year, assuming it falls outside the top 10 (which is a lock). So unless the Bruins trade into the first round in June, they’ll go without a first-round pick in five of the last seven drafts from 2018 through 2024. The last time the Bruins picked in Round 1 was 2021, when they took Fabian Lysell at No. 21 overall.
The Bruins eventually need to restock their prospect pool with players selected in the first round. It’s hard to keep hitting on middle-round picks.
If the Bruins are going to use a first-round pick to acquire a player who is in his prime and will be here long-term, like they did with Hampus Lindholm before the 2022 trade deadline, then that’s fine. That player likely will be better than who you’ll draft late in the first round. But another year of trading a first-rounder for a player(s) who likely will be a rental — the Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Bertuzzi deals last season, for example — isn’t a smart idea.
If you look at the players on TSN’s Trade Bait list, not many of them are worth giving up a first-round pick to acquire.
2) Middle-six forward
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported Jan. 11 that the Bruins were scouting middle-six forwards with “a scoring punch.” Given the Bruins’ recent scoring surge — No. 1 in total goals and 5-on-5 goals since Dec. 27 — Sweeney doesn’t need to add a first-line forward. But additional scoring depth would certainly be nice.
Sweeney might follow the example of Marcus Johansson’s acquisition in 2019. Johansson was a versatile player who could play anywhere in the lineup, even on the power play. He scored 11 points and averaged 14:01 of ice time in 22 postseason games that spring.
He was acquired from the New Jersey Devils for a second- and fourth-round selection, with the Devils retaining some of his contract. In 2019, Boston acquired Charlie Coyle, a middle-six forward. It’s one of Sweeney’s better moves as General Manager.
The Bruins acquired two middle-six forwards in 2011 — Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly — and they both played important roles on a Stanley Cup winner a few months later. The B’s parted with a second-round pick, defenseman Mark Stuart and forward Blake Wheeler to add Peverley and Kelly (in separate deals).
Garnet Hathaway was a decent acquisition last season as a physical bottom-six forward. But this year’s squad needs a little more offensive skill than a Hathaway-type.
A smart, versatile, two-way forward who can provide some offense would be a huge help for the Bruins.
1) A physical, veteran defenseman
One quote from Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery’s postgame press conference following last Saturday’s win over the Flyers stuck out.
“We still need to get better at boxing out at our net and covering the slot, because I think our goaltenders are still having to make too many good saves,” Montgomery told reporters.
Montgomery is correct. Despite ranking 21st in the league for high-danger shot attempts, the Bruins have allowed the second-fewest high-danger goals. The Bruins’ goaltenders, Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, consistently save their teammates from making mistakes, but surrendering too many quality scoring opportunities. The Bruins’ goaltenders have a league-leading high-danger save percentage of.860.
What kind of player could help correct this issue?
A defenseman who plays physical, clears traffic in front of the net, kills penalties and is capable of playing tough defensive minutes against quality opponents. Every contending team needs more of these defensemen, and so do the Bruins.
Derek Forbort brings a lot of those qualities to the ice, but he has missed 25 of 49 games with a groin injury this season. He missed 28 games last season. He is an important player (especially on the penalty kill), but relying on him to be healthy enough for a lengthy playoff run seems foolish. Mason Lohrei has shown exciting potential on the blue line at the NHL level, but is he ready for heavy minutes in the playoffs? No.
Although Matt Grzelcyk is not a tough penalty-killing defenseman, he excels at playmaking and driving puck possession. In addition, he has missed 14 games this season due to injuries.
If either Forbort or Grzelcyk isn’t at full strength in the playoffs, the blue line might become a problem. Depth in this area is critical to playoff success, therefore Sweeney should add at least one senior defenseman capable of playing big minutes in a playoff series.
Acquiring a defenseman can help keep Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm fresh for the playoffs by limiting their ice time in the second half of the regular season. McAvoy is playing 2:15 per game more than he did last season, and Lindholm’s ice time of 23:50 a game is his most since 2018-19. The Bruins must ensure that their two finest defensemen have enough gas left for the playoffs.
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