A nightmare for the Bruins come 2024 NHL trade deadline
The Boston Bruins have had a difficult time this February, dropping several games in overtime despite having leads in the third quarter. Consequently, they have dropped to second place in the Atlantic Division behind the Florida Panthers, despite having led the Eastern Conference in points for the duration of the season.
Even if they haven’t had the best month, the Bruins are still seen as a strong candidate to win the Stanley Cup in the NHL. When the regular season was about to end last year, they were leading favorites to win their first Stanley Cup since the 2011 campaign, according to most analysts.
Rather, they lost to the Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs, which was painful. The team has turned that squad into their main adversaries, and the team has carried that playoff defeat with them all season.
Since experienced centers David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron departed in the offseason, most analysts predicted a decline from the squad this season. Given that Krejci and Bergeron were their two best centers, that seemed like a reasonable conclusion.
All the same, the Bruins have played good hockey all season. If they can add a center or winger who can increase their ability to put the puck in the net at the trade deadline, they could be able to strengthen the squad. A big-bodied defenseman who can help the team establish a more physical presence in the postseason is something else they could need.
Few resources available for the Bruins to trade
In previous seasons, the Bruins have been extremely busy around the trade deadline. Even though they were breaking regular season records for wins and points, they still made a number of changes to fortify the club in preparation for their postseason run last year.
They brought in forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Garnet Hathaway as well as defenseman Dimitry Orlov. The Bruins seemed to have a postseason-dominating roster after those trades. Although all three of them made insightful additions beyond the trade deadline, the team undoubtedly lost in the initial round of the playoffs.
The Bruins won’t have a first-round pick until 2025 as a result of recent trade deadline maneuvers. Additionally, they won’t have a second-round pick until 2026.
In addition, Mason Lohrei, a young player for the Bruins, has contributed significantly this season as a rookie blue liner. This season, his offensive prowess has left an impression. Along with familiar names like Johnny Beecher and Fabian Lysell, the Bruins have a number of young rookies playing for their top minor-league team in Providence, including Parker Wotherspoon and Justin Brazeau.
The Bruins need to hang onto the majority of these assets rather than trading them in the hopes of acquiring a player who can help them win the Stanley Cup.
