The Boston Bruins are one of the more surprising teams in the NHL this season. They have been one of the streakiest teams in the league this season and they are currently on their hottest run of the season, having won 6 games in a row after a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks in Chicago on Saturday night and 8 wins in their last 9 games.
They previously had another 6-game winning streak, but they have also had two six-game losing streaks. It’s difficult to know exactly what kind of team head coach Marco Sturm has on his hands, but the larger view is that the team has a chance to maintain the playoff position that it has right now.
The Bruins are 28-19-2, and that is good enough to be in the first Wild Card position. They are one point ahead of the much-improved Buffalo Sabres and two points behind the Montreal Canadiens in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins were in serious discussions to acquire defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames, but general manager Don Sweeney did not make the move. Andersson was traded Sunday to the Vegas Golden Knights, as that team sent a package that the Bruins were apparently not willing to match or exceed.
The Golden Knights sent defenseman Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected), a conditional 2028 second-round pick, and prospect defenseman Abram Wiebe. Vegas is perpetually trying to win the Stanley Cup, while the Bruins are trying to put together a respectable team that is ascending.
Bruins have to upgrade the roster, but can’t mortgage future
When the Bruins were setting NHL record for points and victories in 2023, they were willing to make trades that included future draft choices. They have been largely criticized for not having a well-stocked cupboard for young talent. Sweeney was not going to put the Bruins in that jackpot again by trading future picks for the Calgary defenseman.
However, the Bruins do have to make at least one serious trade this season. They were in on the Andersson discussion, so it’s clear there is an interest in getting defensive help. However, they also need to add a key player up front. Most of the discussion lately has been about help at right wing, but adding a legitimate center would be a major acquisition that could dramatically help the team.
The player the Bruins should trade for is Nick Schmaltz of the Utah Mammoth. Schmaltz is a 29-year-old center who has decent size at 6-0 and 185 pounds and will go to the front of the net in order to increase his team’s chances of scoring key goals.
The 10-year veteran has potted 18 goals and 26 assists in 49 games, and he has scored 20 goals or more in his last four seasons.
The Bruins currently have Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, Fraser Minten and Sean Kuraly manning their four center slots. They are currently performing well enough to put the team on its current run, but that does not mean that they are good enough to ensure a playoff position.
Elias Lindholm has been largely mediocre for Bruins
Zacha has been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the season, but the belief is that he needs to remain with the team. Elias Lindholm is currently the team’s first-line center between superstar David Pastrnak and Marat Khusnutdinov, and there has been something missing from his overall game since the Bruins signed him prior to the start of the 2024-25 season.
Lindholm has underwhelming totals of 8 goals and 24 assists this season, and Schmaltz would be an upgrade. Not only when it comes to his point totals, but there is some snarl to his game and there appears to be very little of that characteristic when Lindholm is on the ice.
The Bruins would likely have to offer more than Lindholm if they were to complete a deal for Schmaltz. Sweeney may want to look at offering a prospect playing for the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League. Trading one of the draft picks the Bruins started to stockpile at last year’s trade deadline would be a mistake.
Bruins could add to blue line
The Bruins may also be looking at a defenseman to supplement their top 3 of Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. Andersson would have fit in Boston’s top 4, so it’s clear they are looking for a player who can be a true difference maker.
The candidates that need to be on Sweeney’s radar include St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk and Canucks D Tyler Myers. The Blues and Canucks appear to be willing to trade key players, but both Faulk and Myers have additional years on their contracts and could be costly.
The Bruins also have Jonathan Aspirot, Mason Lohrei and Henri Jokiharju as their other 3 defensemen. Aspirot has been a find as a hard-hitting, strong skating defenseman who can carry the puck out of trouble. Lohrei has excellent offensive instincts but is a defensive liability and may not be strong enough to win key battles in the corners or in front of the net. Jokiharju is a mediocre player who has just taken a leave of absence for personal reasons.
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