By: Chris Nosek

The NHL trade deadline is quickly approaching, and Don Sweeney is positioned to make a major move if he wants. The Bruins were already in the conversation for Rasmus Andersson and barely missed out. After rebuilding the prospect pool and adding draft capital last season, should Sweeney look to make a major addition? Below are some significant additions that Sweeney could consider.

MacKenzie Weegar (Calgary Flames)

Weegar was originally sent to Calgary as part of Florida’s acquisition of Matthew Tkachuk. Shortly after arriving in Calgary, Weegar signed an 8-year contract with a $6.25 million cap hit per season. Weegar was also granted a full no-trade clause through July 2027. He is a solid right-shot defenseman, just like Rasmus Andersson was.

Many fans don’t want to deal any of the 1st round draft picks Boston holds over the next two seasons. It sounds like Sweeney was willing to part with one in the Andersson trade. Mason Lohrei and possibly Matthew Poitras were rumored to be involved in that deal as well. Weegar would warrant at least a similar return, if not a little more.

As mentioned, Weegar has complete control over the situation. At some point, he may change his mind about wanting to remain in Calgary. For now, that hasn’t happened. Craig Conroy also needs to ensure the Flames continue to hit the salary cap floor. Weegar’s contract helps ensure that’s not an issue. This might be worth revisiting when the no-trade clause becomes a 10-team no-trade in 2027. By then, however, hopefully, Boston will have already solved this need.

Dante Fabbro (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Fabbro played his NCAA hockey at Boston University and was teammates with Charlie McAvoy for the 2016-17 season. His career high in points is only 26, but he is a solid puck mover and can disrupt passing lanes. He is a solid skater and can reliably play 20 minutes per night.

After Nashville waived him, the Blue Jackets claimed Fabbro and re-signed him to a four-year contract entering this season. This contract has no trade protection and carries an annual cap hit of $4.125 million. Fabbro saw a dip in playing time under Dean Evason. He’s been back up around 20 minutes per night since the switch to Rick Bowness on the bench. The team has also gone on a 5-1-0 run. It’s unlikely Don Waddell is ready to move off the right-shot defender just yet. However, a significant return might prompt him to do so.

There are eight pending unrestricted free agents, plus five more who will be restricted. Currently, they’re projected to have $46 million in salary cap space for next season. They’ll need to spend about $20 million just to reach the cap floor. They’d likely want draft picks or prospects who are a few seasons away from the NHL to continue their pipeline. Acquiring Fabbro would likely start with one of the 1st round picks, or possibly Will Zellers. This is certainly a player Sweeney should try to acquire. However, like with Rasmus Andersson, he needs to hold firm on a reasonable price.

Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars)

The Stars are certainly going to reach a point where they need to decide whether to sign Robertson. This decision will come to a head over the summer. Robertson is only 26, a perennial 30-goal scorer, and has the potential to reach 40 each year. He will be a restricted free agent after this season and will command a qualifying offer of $9.3 million. This will be a problem for Jim Nill because they only have $16.44 million in cap space to work with, and eight players need new contracts – including Robertson.

Robertson would be a solid boost to the Bruins’ offense. He has no trade protection in his contract, and they could offer him a multi-year contract. He’s going to be a critical part of Dallas’ playoff run, so Nill won’t move him until the summer. Boston has players like Matthew Poitras and Fabian Lysell who are almost ready for the NHL. While neither is as good as Robertson, they both will cost a lot less to keep a round. Dallas and Boston have done deals in the past, so it’s possible there is another one to be made. However, this is certainly not a deal that will happen during the season.

Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues)

The alternate captain for the Blues would make a great addition to any organization. He is only 32 and an excellent shutdown defender. He is signed through 2030, with a very manageable cap hit of $6.5 million per year. His contract carries a full no-trade clause until 2028. The clause converts to a 15-team no-trade list in 2028.

If Boston were to trade for Parayko by himself, it would likely take two young players and a draft pick. Players such as Marat Khusnutdinov, Matthew Poitras, or Mason Lohrei could start the negotiations. However, the Bruins would need Parayko to leverage the no-trade clause as part of it. Parayko by himself will not propel the Boston Bruins into a Stanley Cup contender. If Boston were to acquire him, they would need to be prepared to deal more draft capital and prospects. They would still need several players to truly be contenders in a “win now” mode.

There are several reasons not to expect this deal to pan out, at least without anyone else from St. Louis involved. The price for Parayko just wouldn’t be worth it for Boston. However, if Boston paid more, they could possibly get more. Armstrong has made it known he’s willing to listen on everyone. This means Boston should be asking about other players on the team. Players like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Jake Neighbours could also be had. Any of them would also be great additions to the Boston Bruins.

Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues)

Robert Thomas is a true, top-line center in the NHL. He’s capable of being a point-per-game player and plays a very solid two-way game. He is only 26 years old and is signed through 2031. His contract carries a full no-trade clause for its duration, along with a cap hit of $8.125 million. He would pair well with Morgan Geekie or David Pastrnak in Boston and instantly boost to a new level.

Doug Armstrong would presumably start negotiations with James Hagens and one of Boston’s 1st-round draft picks. Boston would need to consider this. Robert Thomas is currently what they hope James Hagens will reach over the next several seasons. This would be an astronomical deal for Boston, but it could help jump-start a rebuild in St. Louis. Given the magnitude of a deal like this it wouldn’t likely occur in season.

Boston might be willing to pay such a high price for Thomas. Would it make sense to try to add someone else to the deal? Could Boston get both Thomas and Parayko? It would likely take a willingness to part with Hagens plus two 1st-round picks. Should they be willing to do this? Both players would need to approve the trade, and Boston would need to make sure the salary cap works. It would also jump the Bruins back into contention in one move – so, would it be worth it?