The NHL trade deadline of Feb. 26 is fast approaching and the Boston Bruins have a lot of decisions to make.
The Bruins are riding high with a 32-11-8 record and 72 points. Even though they started the season poorly, the Bruins are within three points of the Atlantic Division leading Tampa Bay Lightning and claiming the division crown is an actual possibility.
Boston is a team that has a legit chance at making a run at the Stanley Cup. However, they need to be very careful about what they give up at the trade deadline.
Teams that look poised to win it all will typically make a splash to acquire a big name rental, however, there isn’t a lot that the Bruins can afford to give up right now. Making a splash for someone like Ryan McDonough would hurt in the long run.
We’ve already stated that the Bruins can make a playoff push, but this is still very much a team of the future.
This team is built on a hardcore youth movement and thus their championship window is just beginning to open up. Rebuilding teams are going to want youth in exchange for their high-quality players and youth isn’t something the Bruins should give up right now.
The emergence of Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk, Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, Jake DeBrusk, and others are how they got where they are now.
That being said, the Bruins shouldn’t be completely closed for business. There are some trades they could make that wouldn’t be “splashes” but could still help the team.
Boston’s defense has been a huge upgrade this season, however, they could still use one more guy to lock down that sixth position. Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, and Paul Postma have been rotating in that last spot due to injuries, and while all of them are feasible options, they aren’t ideal.
Two names the Bruins should look at are Nick Holden and Ian Cole. Holden has been playing some solid minutes for the Rangers, he’s +5 on the ice and could be a solid depth player.
Ian Cole was hurt early in the season, but despite coming back and playing well, the Pittsburgh Penguins have for some reason opted to leave him as a healthy scratch in favor of Matt Hunwick. Pittsburgh seems to be content with who they have on defense, so dealing Cole to the Bruins could make sense for both sides.
