“A Team That Everyone Is Watching Closely”: NHL Sources Speak On Bruins’ Trade Plans, Potential Trade Chips

The Boston Bruins considering potential moves for key players like Brad Marchand and Brandon Carlo (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

As Boston Bruins President Cam Neely hinted on Jan. 15, the Bruins are indeed exploring two different paths ahead of the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline.

“That’s a team that everyone is watching closely right now,” an NHL team executive told RG recently. “I know they’ve looked like both buyers and sellers lately, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they wind up doing both.”

That aligns with Neely’s comments at the Boston Bruins Gala on Jan. 15, which honored Jeremy Jacobs for owning the team for 50 years.

“We'll see where we're at,” Neely said as his team was off to a 2-4-1 start in January.

Since then, the Boston Bruins are 5-4-1. They will try and bounce back from blowing 2-1 third period lead in a 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday when they host the Vegas Golden Knights today in their final game before the Four Nations break. During the second intermission of that game on TNT, Don Sweeney reiterated Neely’s comments from last month and hinted that this won’t be like most Bruins’ trade deadlines since the years leading into their 2011 Stanley Cup win.

“Well, it’s been a little unique for us this year, getting out of the gate not as fast as we would like, and we’re in the middle of things,” Sweeney said on the TNT broadcast this past Wednesday. “It’s a tough exercise to sort of play both sides of the street, but I think that’s almost every year what a general manager is required to do and test what’s out there, what’s available, and how you can improve, hopefully, how you can improve the whole hockey club. We have some areas we would like to, but we must keep an eye out.”

Sweeney then acknowledged that the Bruins are, at the very least, about to be hybrid sellers heading into the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline.

“Everybody goes through injuries. You’ve got to battle through it,” Sweeney said. “You’ve got to find a way. While I’m out there trying to improve our club, you know, if we have more injuries, or we don’t do the job between now and the deadline, we may have to take a different path.”

As they enter their final game before the Four Nations break against the Vegas Golden Knights today, the rest of the NHL already seems to realize that.

“They’ve been playing better since Neely said that,” another NHL executive source opined to RG recently. “But, they know it’s time, and I think there’s a lot more in play than a lot of people think or think could be at this time. With the cap going up, that opens up so many things to explore in the trade market and free agency. This is the perfect time to really see what your players are worth.”

When asked if that meant Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand is in play on the NHL trade market?

“Yes, but that’s not where I think they’re at yet.”

Marchand is in the final year of an eight-year, $49 million ($6.1M AAV) contract and has an eight-team no-trade clause.

One name that’s also gaining interest is veteran Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo.

“Who wouldn’t want a top four, 6-foot-5, 200-plus-pound (216 lbs), right-shot, stay-at-home-defenseman?” the same source asked rhetorically. “I don’t think they’re shopping, but teams are calling on him.”

If the Bruins decided to move him before the NHL Trade Deadline, this source believes they would want a roster player and either a 2025 second-round pick or a ‘top’ prospect. Carlo is in the fourth season of a six-year, $24.6 ($4.1M AAV) contract. He has an eight-team no-trade clause.

Other Bruins roster players who appear to be drawing serious interest as the NHL pauses for the Four Nations are Trent Frederic (potential 2025 UFA) and Morgan Geekie (potential 2025 RFA).