The Boston Bruins’ season has entered its second half. The Bruins, who currently occupy the top spot in the NHL, are gearing up for another playoff run. Last year, they fell just short of winning the Stanley Cup. This year, they want to make no mistake.
Can the Bruins improve their lineup? Obviously, it would be very difficult, as the Bruins have limited cap space. Nevertheless, there is a sense that the Bruins will eventually pull the trigger to execute a trade. Here are the four rumored options the Bruins presently scout.
As per Elliotte Friedman of SportsNet, the Bruins have kicked tires and talked about a trade of Tyler Toffoli with the Los Angeles Kings.
“I’ll tell you this, I do think Boston if they wanted to, could do a deal for Toffoli almost at any time. I think they know they’ve got that in their hip pocket,” wrote Friedman.
Toffoli, the natural right-winger, has 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points in 46 contests this campaign. His cap hit of $4.6 million would be problematic, but his deal expires this June. Friedman wondered if the Bruins would rather wait for Chris Kreider.
Kreider, a Massachusetts native, has 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 44 games this year. He has the same cap hit as Toffoli. The 28-year-old forward is a rental, as well. However, he is a left-winger.
The Athletic’s Fluto Sinzawa connected the Bruins with a pursuit of Kyle Palmieri, the 28-year-old right-winger from the New Jersey Devils. Palmieri has an even better output than Toffoli and Kreider with 31 points in 44 games this season. The report proposed a trade including Anders Bjork and a prospect, such as Axel Andersson for Palmieri. Palmieri has a similar $4.65 million cap hit on a deal that expires in June 2021.
Ultimately, another report from Boston Hockey Now suggested the Bruins were talking trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Bruins are interested in Brandon Saad, who has 19 points in 36 games this season. However, he is a left-winger. His cap hit of $6 million per campaign until the next season would be questionable, but the Blackhawks could be interested in consuming John Moore‘s $2.75 million cap hit in such a deal.
