Trent Frederic #11 of the Boston Bruins (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic could hit the NHL free agent market next July, but it’s unlikely he will be playing for another team until at least then.
NHL insider Kevin Weekes reported on Tuesday that the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Frederic has become a hot commodity on the NHL trade market.
Weekes is absolutely correct that Frederic, whom the Bruins drafted 29th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, is drawing interest in the NHL trade market. However, according to a Bruins team source and an NHL executive source, the Bruins are not interested in moving the 26-year-old forward, who is set to hit the unrestricted free-agent market next July.
“He’s not being shopped,” an NHL source told RG.
An NHL executive source, who, per his team’s policy, would not say whether or not his team was interested in Frederic, reiterated that he had not heard Frederic’s name on the NHL trade circuit to this point.
“Look, would I be surprised that, like ‘Weeksie’ said, teams are interested in Frederic? Not at all. But as far as I know, the Bruins have not been shopping him at all. Are they listening? Probably, yeah. That’s Donny’s [Sweeney] job as a GM, but that doesn’t mean they’re looking to move him.”
After a breakout season with 17 goals and 14 assists in 79 games in the 2022-23 season, Frederic improved to 18 goals and 22 assists in 82 games last season. However, like the Bruins, Frederic is off to a slow start this season, with just one goal and two assists in 15 games.
That has led to NHL trade rumors about him and other Bruins, as the team has stumbled to a 7-7-1 start this season.
According to the source, if Frederic becomes available or hits the UFA market, the St. Louis Blues would be one team to watch.
“Frederic is a St. Louis kid, and the Blues want to start bringing local kids back,” the source said. “They’re not getting the Tkachuks, but Frederic would be a good start.”
An email to Frederic’s agent, Allain Roy, for this report was not returned.
James Murphy
With 24 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, ESPN Boston, NESN, NHL.com, etc.) covering the Bruins, the NHL, NCAA and junior hockey, and more, Jimmy Murphy’s hockey black book is filled with Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts and a wide array of hockey media personalities that have lived in and around this great game. For 22 of his 24 years as a hockey and sports reporter, Murphy covered the Bruins on a daily basis, including their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their runs to the 2013 and 2019 Finals. Murphy is currently a co-host, along with Pierre McGuire, on The Eye Test Podcast.
