Though they are currently leading the NHL, there is still room for improvement with the Boston Bruins. Today’s rumor roundup includes more from Lyle Richardson.
Don Sweeney, general manager of the Boston Bruins, is well known for making big decisions before of the NHL trade deadline. Taylor Hall in 2021, Hampus Lindholm in 2022, Dmitry Orlov, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Garnet Hathaway were the acquisitions he made last year.
It’s no secret that the Bruins need another defenseman in addition to a legitimate top-six center or tough winger, as Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy noted last week. Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames and Noah Hanifin, a defenseman, have been suggested as possible trade targets for Sweeney.
The Bruins do not, however, have first- or second-round selections in the NHL drafts of 2024 and 2025. Not only do they not have a third-round pick in this year’s draft, but they also need to replenish a depleted prospect pool.
Murphy thinks the Bruins wouldn’t be able to afford to acquire Lindholm or Hanifin before the trade deadline. Murphy believed Sweeney would be better suited waiting until this summer to chase those two Flames via free agency, when he’ll have more salary-cap space to deal with, as the team has exceeded expectations this season.
Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic concurs that the Bruins would have to pay too much to pursue someone like Lindholm in the trade market. Jake DeBrusk thinks they need to sign a scoring winger because he is having trouble finding the back of the net.