The Boston Bruins have had a difficult 2024-25 season. They are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and are on the outside looking in of the wild card race despite being tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning in points and two points out of a wild card spot.
The Bruins have looked lost at times and not like themselves. With the trade deadline looming large, will Boston trade its captain or another key piece?
Boston Bruins want to be competitive again
With the recent trade of Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Bruins may be forced to trade captain Brad Marchand. For a team that could use a rebuild, Boston has gone through some tough changes over the years. From the retirement of Patrice Bergeron to the breaking up of possibly the league's best goaltending duo by trading Linus Ullmark, the roster needs a change and it could start with a massive trade.
Marchand is not what he used to be and is a bit older. However, he is one of the premier players with offensive production and two-way play. He would be the perfect piece to add if a team is a playoff contender and wants to be a Stanley Cup contender.
A move to the Western Conference team is likely and one that has cap space and a spot for a great player with a ring, plus enough assets to send to Boston. The Columbus Blue Jackets have a projected $18.75 million for the 2025-26 season, followed by the Calgary Flames at $17.5 million and the Anaheim Ducks at $17.17 million. Marchand would want to play for a contender so this may complicate things.
Trent Frederic?
With a projected cap space of $25.058 million for the 2025-26 season, the Bruins and forward Trent Frederic may want to see other possibilities too. Primarily a middle-six player, he does play his position with flair and grit.
A good, solid player with some offensive touch, he may be a player other teams want heading into the playoffs. Frederic may not garner the return a Marchand might, but he could fetch a return of players or draft picks that could benefit the Bruins later on. He does own a team-friendly average annual value (AAV) of $2.3 million.
Other forwards that could be on the move include Cole Koepke ($775,000 AAV), and Justin Brazeau ($775,000 AAV). A defenseman who could garner interest could be Parker Wotherspoon ($800,000 AAV) and Michael Callahan ($775,000 AAV).
Every player mentioned above will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after this season, which is why they could be moved. Boston would rather move them and grab assets and draft picks instead of losing them for nothing.
Boston needs help at every position and they will not solve the issue by bringing everyone back and not improving the team. This team needs a shakeup.