The Boston Bruins were very busy at the trade deadline this year.  Unlike the past years, this year they were selling instead of buying.  With the way the season has gone so far, this was the right move.  Let’s break down the trades and see how the Black and Gold made out. 

Trent Frederick and Max Jones to Edmonton for a 2025 2nd, 2026 4th, and D man Max Wanner—The first trade they made was days before the deadline when they sent much sort after Frederick to Edmonton.  I had high hopes for Frederick after last season when he broke out for 18 goals and seemed to be finally finding his offensive game.  Sadly, he did not progress as hoped and actually took a step back with only 8 goals so far this season.  When he came into the season without an extension and with the way he played before the deadline, you could tell his days in Boston were numbered.  To get back a player, and 2 picks for him, including a 2^nd is a great return.  Wanner is a 22-year-old defenseman without much offense in his game.  I don’t know if he will ever make it out of Providence but we shall see.  As you may have noticed, I don’t care in the least about Max Jones.   

Marc McLaughlin to Devils for D man Manii Misyul—I like this trade simply for the fact that McLaughlin may get a chance with NJ.  It was very clear that he was never going to get a chance in Boston so hopefully the Devils will give him an opportunity at some point.  Misyul is another minor league defenseman who concentrates on that side of the ice.  The 25-year-old is a former 3^rd round pick who probably has a slim chance of ever making it to Boston but as I said, the ship had sailed with McLaughlin so they might as well try someone else. 

Boston’s 2026 4th to Buffalo for D-man Henri Jokiharju—Jokihaju is actually an NHL player.  Again, not much in the way of offense (he scored exactly 3 goals in each of the last 4 seasons and has, you guessed it, 3 goals this season).  He didn’t get a lot of ice time in Buffalo.  I don’t know if that is a good sign, as in he will be more productive with more time, or a bad thing as in really, you couldn’t get more ice time playing for Buffalo?  I guess we will find out over the last 17 or so games of the season.  Odds are a 4^th round pick is never going to play in the NHL so getting a NHL quality player for the pick is a win even if he never makes anyone forget Ray Bourque.    

Brandon Carlo to the Leafs for their 2026 1st round (top 5), 2025 4th round, and Fraser Minten—I think this was the biggest trade the Bruins made.  The reason is that Carlo had term left.  It’s one thing to dump pending free agents you had no plan on resigning, it’s another to actually trade a guy off your roster.  When you add in what they got in return, it’s a big trade.  Carlo was a solid player for the Bruins but never stood out.  To be able to get a first rounder ( I can’t imagine Toronto will fall into the top 5 next season), a 4^th and a prospect for him is huge.  Not to mention the salary cap space they gain by removing Carlo from the roster. Minten is a guy I am very interested in.  The 20-year-old has 6 goals and 7 assists in only 26 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies so far this season.  Not great numbers but not bad.  He played 15 games for the Maple Leafs and had 2 goals and 2 assists.  The Leafs obviously have a ton of talent up front so Minten hasn’t gotten much of an opportunity.  Maybe once he does get his chance, and there is really no reason why he shouldn’t in Boston, he will come into his own and be a solid player for the Bruins.  Also, the Maple Leafs fans were very upset that the team traded Minten.  That might be a good sign.

Justin Brazeau to Minny for Marat Khusnutdinov, Jakub Lauko, and Boston’s 2026 6^th—First things first, that is not a type-o, the 6^th round pick the Bruins received was their pick to begin with.  Lauko was also originally a Bruin as well.  He will be a nice addition as a high energy 4^th line guy with lots of speed.  Marat is a 22-year-old center who has not found his offensive game in the NHL.  He is an RFA at seasons end so he has the rest of the season to show the Bruins he can be productive playing for them.  As far as Brazeau goes, I liked him when he first came up, he is huge for a forward and should have been a great net front presence.  He wasn’t having an awful season for the Bs this year but in the long run, he wasn’t someone you could not afford to trade. 

Charlie Coyle and Boston’s 2026 5th to Colorado for Colorado’s 2025 2nd, Casey Mittelstadt, and William Zellers—This is by far and away my favorite trade.    First off, I really was not a fan of Charlie Coyle.   I just did not like his lack of finish at all and it annoyed me that he got so many scoring chances and could not deliver.  Second, second round picks are always nice.  Third, Mittelstadt has some potential.  He’s probably not going to be more than what he already is (scored 18 goals last season) but he is a former 8^th pick so he did have more potential.  Maybe the Bruins can get it out of him.  Even if they can’t, he’s no worst than Coyle.  The fourth reason is actually the second biggest reason I like this trade, William Zellers.  No one knows if a prospect is going to pan out.  I just mentioned Mittelstadt as a failed first rounder.  With that said, Zellers looks like he has a chance.  He is only 18 years old and playing in the USHL.  That’s not exactly a top league but he is, by far and away, the best player in the league.  Zellers has 38 goals and 22 assists in 42 games.  His teammate, and seemingly line mate, has 28 goals.  After that there are 5 guys in the league tied with 25 goals in 3^rd place.  He has 13 more goals than anyone who doesn’t skate with him.  He is kind of small, 5’10” 165lbs, so maybe he will struggle playing against bigger guys as he moves up, but the potential is there.  He will be playing for North Dakota next season and I will definitely be keeping an eye on him. 

Brad Marchand to Florida for a 2027 second round conditional pick— The pick becomes a first if Florida wins 2 rounds and Marchy plays 50% of the games. This was obviously the trade everyone was talking about.  While it does suck to have Marchand playing for another team, I am very OK with this trade.  Marchy is at the point in his career where he should be taking short term contracts as Bergeron did.  I have no problem with the Bruins not wanting to give him a deal with term for any significant money.  The Nose Faced Killer has been declining for a couple of years now and injuries are catching up with him.  The Bruins, whom I am sure were scared by the Swayman negotiations, did the right thing taking a hard stance.  I don’t care that they traded him to Florida, if you are not on my team I don’t care what team you are on.  If they did it to be kind to him, I am OK with that as well.  Teams doing good by their players can only help but enhance their rep in the league and help in signing free agents.  The return isn’t as big as you would have hoped but his injury dragged the price down. 

It would have ben nice for Marchand to spend his entire career in Boston but Sweeney and Cam have to do what is best for the team.  Bourque, Esposito, and Orr were all traded at the end.  Marchand is certainly no better than any of them.   Plus, I am not sure the Little Ball of Hate doesn’t return to Bean Town in the off season.  Unless he has a big playoff run and is in the Conn Smythe trophy talk, he is not going to get a big, multi-year offer from anyone.  Unless he is truly pissed at the Bruins for trading him, or the Bruins just don’t want him anymore, I think there is a good chance he comes back.  Which would be great just for how much it will piss off Mike Felger. 

All in all, I thought the Bruins did a really good job at the deadline.  It was a sellers’ market and they took advantage.  Even trading guys who had term left on their contracts.  They got some valuable draft capitol back and a couple of guys with potential.  I am also very glad they did not trade Morgan Geekie.  He is someone I liked since last season and has since proven to be valuable playing on Pasternak’s line.  Now they just need to sing him to an extension.

It’s going to be interesting to see where the Bruins go from here.  Draft picks are great but even if you ignore the fact the Sweeney is the worst drafter of all time, this isn’t the NFL or NBA, it will be years before any draft picks are going to help the Bruins win games.  They need to improve the team this offseason if they want to return to the playoffs.  Packaging a lot of the pieces they acquired at the deadline for established guys might be the best way to go about it.  We shall see what Sweeney and company can accomplish once the off season begins.