Let’s get this out of the way at the top: a report surfaced last week suggesting the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars were frontrunners to acquire defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks. However, I can say with complete certainty that, prior to the Olympic break, the only discussion that occurred was a general exchange of names who might be available at the trade deadline. There were no conversations with the Bruins regarding specific players.
This article from The Athletic lists the Boston Bruins as one of ten potential destinations for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck.
In many ways, the fit is logical: he isn’t a rental, carries three more seasons at a $5.625 million AAV, brings reliable two‑way play, and can contribute on the penalty kill. The drawbacks are just as clear—he doesn’t match the age profile Boston has openly suggested they would target, and he isn’t the right‑shot defenseman the Bruins have been prioritizing.
I’m not suggesting it’s off the table—it very well could happen—but the pursuit of Rasmus Andersson made one thing clear: Don Sweeney has a precise read on this roster’s needs, and the broader media landscape hasn’t fully caught up. Coverage continues to link the Bruins to a wide range of forwards, yet mentions of defensemen—particularly right‑shot options—remain few and far between.
Barring any roster movement between now and the March 6 trade deadline, the Bruins project to have the flexibility to add a contract carrying just over $5.1 million in AAV. From a cap standpoint, that makes this type of move at least feasible.
One name that has surfaced among some media and fans: Dougie Hamilton.
When the Bruins called Hamilton’s name at the 2011 draft, my immediate reaction was that “he’ll never sign a second contract in Boston.” With a 10‑team no‑trade list now in place, it’s a safe bet the Bruins are on it.
Dave Pagnotta on The Sheet: It looks like Blake Coleman is very likely to be moved ahead of the deadline.
More from Pagnotta: Rasmus Andersson is out; Blake Coleman is very likely to be moved, Nazem Kadri, there’s a good chance. If I’m Mackenzie Weegar, I’m looking at this group now going, hmm, why I am here for another five years?
Even more from Pagnotta on Weegar: They haven’t approached him about his no-trade. There are already some reports of Ottawa and whatnot, but there are other teams.
Darren Dreger on Sekeres & Price: You’ve got Alex Tuch, and it doesn’t sound like there’s a whole lot of negotiating and extension activity around him, now that can change with a phone call. Doesn’t seem like there’s any way they’re gonna trade that piece.
Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts adds: As far as I can tell, while there’ve been some conversations, they’re still not close.
I’m with Dreger on this one. It’s hard to envision any scenario in which Buffalo moves Tuch. After 15 years of frustration, the Sabres are finally on the cusp of a playoff berth, and trading him now would amount to management waving the white flag yet again.
Friedman in Donnie & Dhali re Evander Kane: I think they’d do a mid-round pick and retention.
Chris Johnston from The Athletic chimes in: The Canucks are willing to retain salary on Evander Kane, and they’d likely take back a third-round pick as compensation.
I’ve seen a small but vocal segment of Bruins fans float the idea of bringing him in at that price—especially if Vancouver retains salary. I just don’t see the fit inside this locker room.
Jeff Marek on The Sheet: Probably could use a change of environment, and I’m pretty sure that St. Louis would only be too happy to afford that to him (Jordan Kyrou).
Frank Seravalli on Oilers Now: I think the price for a lot of the Blues players has turned people off, so Doug Armstrong is gonna have to soften on that or else they’re gonna be hanging on to their guys.
Eric Engels on Sportsnet regarding Patrik Laine: If the 27-year-old Finn sees any post-Olympics action, we expect it to be for someone other than the Canadiens.
This and That
The Canadian Hockey League, celebrating its 50th anniversary, released a list of their top-50 players of the last 50 years (since 1975-76) and the list includes several former Boston Bruins including Patrice Bergeron, Cam Neely, Ray Bourque and others.
Alongside the unveiling, the CHL has launched a fan vote running from February 10 through March 10, inviting fans to submit their Top 10 from the Top 50 list at contests.chl.ca/CHL50vote. Fan voting will help inform how the CHL ultimately ranks the players 1–50, with the final ranking to be revealed later this spring.
Make sure to vote!
Bruins fans have long been energized by the possibility of entering the 2026 NHL Draft with two first‑round selections, sparking plenty of debate about potential targets. One name that has yet to surface in those conversations, however, is Saginaw Spirit forward Nikita Klepov. The dynamic rookie has been one of the OHL’s breakout stars, sitting second in league scoring with 31 goals and 43 assists through 52 games—just two points off the top spot. I think he will go higher than some of the rankings.
Where Klepov is drawing significant attention is among those who cover the OHL on a regular basis. For more than a decade, I’ve participated in a consensus ranking of OHL prospects with a group of highly respected evaluators, and Klepov is firmly in that mix. You can find that list here.
When the Bruins selected Dans Locmelis in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, I was immediately on board with the pick—and anyone who has followed this space knows I’ve been high on him ever since. His first season at UMass‑Amherst in 2023‑24 didn’t generate much buzz, but momentum slowly built the following year, and his late‑season stint in Providence brought even more attention. Now, with Locmelis representing Latvia at the Olympics, the bandwagon is nearly full. Enjoy the ride. He’s not destined to be an NHL superstar, but he has all the tools to develop into a dependable middle‑six winger—despite being a natural center.
I touched on this yesterday, but it bears repeating: when mini‑camp opens on February 17, the Bruins will be without any goaltenders, with Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo representing their countries at the Olympics. Boston can either run camp without a netminder or recall Michael DiPietro to fill the crease.
From Brock Otten, editor of McKeen’s Hockey:
Dom - Hockey 