NHL Teams Talking To Bruins Switch Focus From Marchand To Carlo, Geekie

Plenty of NHL teams are calling the Boston Bruins ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

As Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline rapidly approaches, it’s starting to appear that the Boston Bruins won’t be holding anything resembling a firesale. The general feeling on Wednesday afternoon was that, for now, it seems that, unless he receives a ‘knock your socks off’ trade offer, Bruins GM Don Sweeney will only be moving out players — not named Brad Marchand — who are set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

“Unless he gets a knock-your-socks-off trade offer for, say, Brandon Carlo or Morgan Geekie, it’s likely going just to be guys headed for UFA,” an NHL executive source with knowledge of the situation told RG. “And, as of now, that does not include Brad Marchand. There were some good offers out there, but from what I’ve gathered, that upper-body injury and, even more so, Marchand’s strong desire to remain a Bruin pulled them off the table. This could all change in a hurry, but that’s where the Bruins seem to be at right now.”

With the Bruins captain seemingly off the NHL trade market, the focus is on trying to salvage something for their pending unrestricted free agents. That group consists of forwards Cole Koepke, Justin Brazeau, Patrick Brown, Riley Tufte, Vinny Lettieri, Marc McLaughlin (Group 6), defensemen Parker Wotherspoon and Michael Callahan (Group 6). According to numerous sources, the expected return for those potential unrestricted free agents would be late-round draft picks and/or ‘mid-grade’ prospects at best.

As for the aforementioned Carlo and Geekie, they are the Bruins players drawing the most interest on the NHL trade market. Carlo, 28, has two years left on a six-year, $24.6 million ($4.1M AAV) contract, and Geekie, 26, is in the final season of a two-year, $4 million ($2M AAV) contract. Geekie is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Thus far, various reports have not indicated any progress on a new contract for the versatile forward, who has flourished since being put on the team’s top line with superstar winger David Pastrnak and center Pavel Zacha. Heading into Thursday’s game against the Hurricanes in Raleigh, Geekie had 20 goals and 13 assists in 58 games.

“I really think that Don [Sweeney] wants to keep both of those guys, but he also realizes he needs to replenish the system with picks and prospects, or maybe younger roster players,” an NHL agent told RG on Wednesday.

“For that reason, he’s listening on them and will keep listening until the deadline — unless, of course, with Geekie, he signs him before then — but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t mind having guys like that still in the fold as he retools and incorporates younger players into the lineup. Plus, who do the Bruins have right now that’s replacing a top-4, right-shot D-man like Carlo, who’s huge on the PK?”

One other Bruins player who has found himself mired in some NHL trade rumors and feeling the wrath of Bruins fans lately is veteran center Charlie Coyle. Thanks to some of Sweeney’s roster moves last offseason and injuries, Coyle has found himself up and down the top three lines all season and never really in his usual 3C slot. That inconsistency in the lineup has resulted in a down year for the 33-year-old center who is in the fifth season of a six-year, $31.5 million ($5.2M AAV) contract. With just 15 goals and seven assists in 63 games, does Coyle really have value on the NHL trade market right now?