Bruins' Top Players to Target and Avoid at 2025 NHL Trade Deadline
The Boston Bruins, like many teams in the NHL's Eastern Conference, are approaching the March 7 trade deadline from two angles.
The Bruins enter Friday with 62 points, just four out of the final wild-card spot in the East.
However, one bad week could ruin the team's season because seven teams currently have between 60 and 66 points in the East.
To complicate matters, the Bruins are without Charlie McAvoy, which in theory, would lead to them adding a defenseman at the deadline.
McAvoy's absence combined with a tough upcoming schedule could hurt the Bruins, though, and make them feel more on the outside of the playoff race by mid-March.
The Bruins front office has to balance whether or not the team can make that final surge into the postseason, and if so, they need to be smart to land some of the most attractive trade targets.
Target: Rickard Rakell
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The Bruins need to upgrade their offensive depth if they are going to make a push at one of the wild-card spots.
The assumption is that Rickard Rakell will be one of the most available players on the trade market because of Pittsburgh's struggles.
Pittsburgh enters the weekend with 57 points, nine adrift of the final wild-card spot in the East.
Rakell is one point away from his second 50-point season in two years. He could provide top-six depth alongside either David Pastrnak or Brad Marchand.
He would give the Bruins an extra scoring option on either of the top lines. He has 25 goals to go along with 24 assists this season.
Boston would probably have to trade one of its young players in return for Rakell since the Penguins are headed toward a youth movement and could deal multiple veterans at the deadline.
However, a deal for Rakell does come with a risk since he is under contract until 2028, so the team must be comfortable with a long-term commitment.
Target: Bowen Byram
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Bowen Byram makes sense from an age and contract standpoint for the Bruins.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft is only 23 and could provide help on the back line for the Bruins while McAvoy is out.
Byram is a low-risk, high-reward trade option. He only has 29 points for the Sabres this season, but he is a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Boston would only have to trade one or two draft picks back to Buffalo in exchange for a rental defenseman.
Byram, who was traded last year from Colorado to Buffalo, could stick around for the 2025-26 season and beyond if the Bruins are impressed with his play.
At worst, though, it would be a cheap rental for the Bruins to help defensive depth during a playoff push.
Avoid: Seth Jones
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Seth Jones is simply too expensive for the Bruins.
The Chicago defenseman could be one of the top players dealt before March 7, but he shouldn't be on Boston's radar.
Jones is set to make $9.5 million per season up until 2030, per Spotrac.
A long-term commitment of that type is not the right move for the Bruins, especially if they want to have more salary cap space to sign free agents in the offseason.
Jones' overall quality would certainly improve the Boston defense, but Chicago would have to eat some part of the contract to make it worth it for the Bruins in their current position.
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Avoid: Brock Boeser
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Acquiring Brock Boeser makes sense from a contractual standpoint for the Bruins, but the production isn't there as it has been in years past.
The 28-year-old only has 36 points in 52 games, which is a drop off from the near point-per-game pace he played at least season.
Boeser recorded a career-high 73 points in 81 games last season, and while you would think the numbers would be better in a contract year, they haven't been.
Maybe a change of scenery would do Boeser a world of good ahead of his free agency, but the current version of him doesn't seem like a strong fit on a team trying to chase down a playoff spot.
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