The Bruins are exploring potential trades as offseason rumors heat up, with elite players possibly available. To strengthen their championship window, Boston may need to make significant sacrifices.
Key points
Bruins exploring potential trades for elite players
Offseason rumors heating up despite ongoing playoffs
BOSTON ā Thereās a lot of playoff hockey still to go in the NHL, but already the offseason rumors are in high gear.
There are several still-in-their-prime elite players who could maybe, possibly, not-entirely-out-of-the-question be on the market this summer.
All of these are long shots...
The core of the Bruins' roster is in its championship window. If Boston wants to make a run at the Stanley Cup during the David Pastrnak/Charlie McAvoy era, they need to add some pieces.
Itās a quiet free agent class and it could be 2028 before a 2026 draft pick makes it to the NHL and longer before they make an impact.
It would be surprising if anyone landed the superstars listed below. But it would be just as surprising if Sweeney didnāt at least look into their availability. Nobody thought Luka Doncic was going to end up on the Lakers either. It canāt hurt to make a call.
Letās get a few caveats out of the way. These guys arenāt getting traded unless they want to be and theyāre not getting sent somewhere they donāt want to go. So they have to want out and Boston has to appeal to them.
His personality is bigger than his numbers (22 goals, 37 assists in 60 games last year). Still, the Bruins have been trying to find a power forward with offensive skill and a mean streak for years. Itās why they acquired Matt Beleskey, Rick Nash, David Backes and why they drafted Trent Frederic. If Tkachuk is available, theyād likely be interested.
Auston Matthews
Age: 28
Cap Hit: $13.25 million through 2027-28 with a no-movement clause
The Maple Leafs star would be the clear No. 1 center the Bruins have been lacking. After averaging 51.4 goals from 2019-20 to 2023-24, his numbers have been depressed by injuries over the past two years, but he still averaged 30 goals over that stretch.
Cap Hit: $11.5 million AAV through 2031-32 with a no-trade clause
The 30-year-old probably isnāt getting moved unless the new Toronto leadership decides to fully rebuild.
āUnless it was a full rebuild and we were going to get rid of everybody, then itās a different story. Then you take that conversation then,ā Nylander told The Athletic. āBut just to do a retool or whatever, I donāt even know, but I mean, I still want to be here, yeah.ā
If Matthews decides he wants out, Nylander may follow. Heās averaged 37.8 goals and 85.6 points over the past five seasons. He and David Pastrnak are longtime pals.
āI am concerned because weāre not trending in the right direction,ā Draisaitl said Saturday. āWeāve taken big steps backwards and have to get a grip of this and head back in the right direction.ā
He has a no-movement clause in his $14 million AAV contract that runs through 2032-33. His willingness to waive it might be tied to Connor McDavid.
Itās worth noting that Draisaitl, who is German, has a good relationship with Marco Sturm, who coached him on the national team. Heās also close friends with David Pastrnak. None of that means he wants to be moved, but there are reasons Boston might appeal if he gets to that point.
Connor McDavid
Age: 29
Cap Hit: $12.5 million through 2027-28 with a no-movement clause
Donāt get excited. This is the longshottiest of long shots. The Oilers arenāt dealing him unless they absolutely have to and if heās available, there will be teams with more to offer than the Bruins do. But he agreed with Draisaitlās assessment.
āYeah, I feel the same way,ā McDavid said. āI feel the same as I did a couple of days ago and agree with Leon that the organization as a whole has taken a step back. It starts with me, it starts with Leon, we all can be better, we need to be better.ā
If he gets traded, heāll dictate where and thereās no reason to think heās dying to move to Boston. But if he gets moved, it will impact the rest of the market significantly, so itās worth keeping an eye on.
What can Bruins offer in trade
For the Bruins to be in consideration for any kind of deal, theyāll likely have to unload a large portion of the young players and picks they acquired last year.
The Athletic ranked the Bruins prospect pool 19th, but they have some potentially valuable draft picks.
The Bruins have a unique collection of young players and assets they can deal.
James Hagens
To get any one of the superstars in question, theyāll almost certainly have to trade their top prospect. His value is at an interesting point. With five games of NHL experience, heās all projection.
Fraser Minten
If the Bruins get deep into negotiations, teams are going to ask for Minten. Heās cheap, under team control and has terrific two-way upside.
Toronto first-round pick
The actual value of this asset will be clearer after the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday. If a team behind the Leafs wins one of the three draws and knocks Toronto out of the top five, the Maple Leafs first-round pick would go to the Bruins. Thereās a 58.2% chance of that happening.
Otherwise it gets pushed back to a future season. The Bruinsā chances of pulling off a trade will improve significantly if they have the No. 6 overall pick to offer.
āTop 5 protected, slides to 2027. The 2027 pick goes to Philadelphia (as part of Scott Laughton trade) if it is outside the top 10, which converts this pick to Boston to a 2028 unprotected 1st Round Pick. If this Pick slides to 2027 and is in the top 10, TOR can either transfer it to BOS to satisfy this trade and then give PHI the 2028 unprotected, or transfer it to PHI and give BOS the 2028 unprotected 1st Round Pick.ā
The Bruins have Floridaās 2027 first-round pick, although itās top 10 protected. If itās a top 10 pick in 2027, the Bruins would have Floridaās 2028 pick unprotected.
The 23rd pick
The Bruinsā first-round pick at No. 23 overall is certainly an asset that would appeal to teams in a trade.
Dean Letourneau
The Bruinsā 2024 first-rounder likely has different value in the minds of different teams. He made a huge step forward in 2025-26 after looking overmatched as a freshman at BC. Is there another big step left in him?
Will Zellers/Cooper Simpson
The Bruins have two forwards with high offensive upside that wonāt be in the NHL for a while.
Zellers dominated in the USHL in 2024-25 (44 goals, 27 assists in 52 games) and was an All-Rookie selection in the NCHC for North Dakota in 2025-26. He also had eight points in five games at the World Juniors.
Simpson had a breakout campaign in his first full season in the USHL in 2025-26 with 74 points in 61 games. Heāll be Zellersā teammate next year at UND.
Will those scoring numbers continue as they reach higher levels? Thatās what scouts would be asking themselves.
Neither of these players would be a centerpiece of any deal for a star. But teams could look at either one as a secondary piece with some potential upside.
