By: Chris Nosek
After restocking the cabinets at last season’s trade deadline, the Bruins have a revamped prospect pool. This season, even Don Sweeney said the team would take a different, “more cautious” approach. There were several significant names that the Bruins were linked to, per usual. It’s clear Sweeney had his eye on players with term or who would extend in Boston. There were several players who fans wanted to see get moved. Keeping them is also factored into the overall grade.
Players Retained
Andrew Peeke & Henri Jokiharju
Peeke, Jokiharju, and Timothy Liljegren of San Jose are all right around the same value on the trade market. Liljegren went for a 4th-round draft pick in 2026. This is roughly the value Sweeney would have gotten for either one of his defenders. Both have been playing a bit better since the Olympic break. Both will provide depth on the blue line as the team plays 18 games over the next 32 days. Keeping both of them will provide more value than dealing them away and deflating the locker room.
Joonas Korpisalo
The Bruins were never going to move off Korpisalo. The level of play that Michael DiPietro brings at the NHL level is still a major wild card. DiPietro had a very weak training camp. So now, he needs to prove himself when he gets the opportunity. If Korpisalo plays well enough, they may field calls on him in the offseason. For now, he’s their number two.
Matthew Poitras
Poitras was sought after by many other NHL clubs. Trading him for a draft pick weakens the organization’s depth down the middle. Including him in a package would have been sensible if it netted a significant player. Otherwise, he’s one of the first men called up from Providence if there is an injury up front.
Viktor Arvidsson
Arvidsson has been a strong addition to the lineup. He’s been someone that Marco Sturm has spoken very highly of and has a lot of trust in. An extension has always been the likely outcome. He’s shooting the puck at the pace he’s seen success, and he’s been a great leader in the locker room. Trading him would have been a major hit to the locker room. They also don’t have anyone in the system who replaces what Arvidsson does in the lineup. Keeping Arvidsson was the right move – even if he walks as a free agent.
Players Traded
Brett Harrison
Harrison has a ton of talent. His shot was NHL-ready pretty much the day he was drafted. However, getting him to be physical has been difficult. He tends to shy away from board battles and contact. The Bruins have tried to help him work through this since he was drafted back in 2021. Maybe a change of scenery will be beneficial, and he can find a way to break into the NHL.
Jackson Edward
Taken in the 7th round back in 2022, Jackson Edward was always going to be a defensive project. Known for his physicality, he continues to struggle to consistently find a spot on the Providence roster. His game needs some serious work if he’s going to continue to approach the NHL. In the Boston organization, he was just too far down the depth chart.
Players Acquired
Lukas Reichel
Reichel is a strong skater who excels at both the forecheck and backcheck. He can handle the puck well while going at his top speed. He recently scored 3 points over 5 games for Team Germany at the Olympics. He will start in Providence and be given a chance to work his way up. As a former 17th overall draft pick, there is significant upside. As a pending RFA, he could be a short-term replacement for Dans Locmelis. His game will dictate the organization’s next move this offseason.
Massimo Rizzo
This is a small risk on an undrafted free agent from the NCAA. Rizzo has shown significant offensive upside, particularly in distributing the puck. He sees the play well and has a high hockey IQ, however his skating has held him back a bit. He’s known to have an extremely high work ethic and attention to detail. This is the type of player the Bruins have had success coaching up in the past.
Alexis Gendron
Like Brett Harrison, Gendron has a high-level shot. He uses a quick-release and keeps it accurate. He could become a very effective player on the power play. His skating and defensive play definitely need work. Another low-risk acquisition for a player they can try to coach up.
Several other teams were making major roster changes. Yet Sweeney remained patient and pulled off two deals to bolster the organization’s depth. While making a major acquisition was very tempting, it would have significantly depleted the prospect pool. Other teams will continue to have interest in James Hagens, Dean Letourneau, and Will Zellers. The Bruins also have two picks in the first round of the upcoming draft. When the season is over and the draft pick spots are known, they may even hold more value. In this instance, Sweeney’s grade comes mostly from the moves he didn’t make versus the ones he did. However, if one of the three players brought in performs better than expected, this deadline becomes a more significant win.
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