The trade deadline has come and gone without the frenzy so many expected, leaving the Bruins largely untouched as the dust settles. But with the calendar flipping past March 6, the 23‑man roster limit disappears — as long as teams remain cap‑compliant — opening the door for Boston to give some of its younger players a look.
There’s just one problem: the Bruins are fighting for their playoff lives. The margin for experimentation is razor thin, and every lineup decision now carries real consequences.
My thoughts on the Bruins trade deadline are here.
There’s been plenty of noise on social media about why the Bruins traded for Lukas Reichel instead of claiming him for free on waivers earlier in the season. The explanation is straightforward: if Boston had claimed him off waivers, they would have been required to keep him on the NHL roster or expose him again. It would’ve been a repeat of the Vladislav Kolyachonok situation. The Bruins see some upside in the player, and a sixth‑round pick is a small price to pay for a controlled look. There’s really nothing here worth getting worked up over.
It’s officially nail‑biting time. While most of the focus has been on the Columbus Blue Jackets potentially chasing down the Bruins for the final wild‑card spot, the picture is actually far more layered. Columbus sits well within striking distance of both the Islanders and Penguins in the Metro Division and has its sights set on second or third place in the division. In reality, Boston only needs to finish ahead of one of Columbus, New York, or Pittsburgh — because one of those three is going to get pushed into the wild‑card fight.
Not to mention the charging Ottawa Senators.
James Hagens was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for February. Hagens dominated the month, finishing as Hockey East’s leader in goals (8), power‑play goals (4) and multi‑point games (4)., while also sitting tied for third in assists (7). The sophomore put up points in all nine games, highlighted by a hat trick in a 5–2 win over No. 10 UConn.
The Providence Bruins announced that forward Dans Locmelis underwent successful Latarjet surgery to repair his shoulder, with an expected recovery timeline of roughly six months. The team confirmed the injury was aggravated on February 14 during Latvia’s Olympic matchup against Germany.
No one’s eager to revisit the 2015 draft, right? But here’s a fun wrinkle: Everett Baldwin just set the Saint John Sea Dogs’ rookie defenseman goal record (14) in the QMJHL — a mark previously held by none other than Jakub Zboril.
You’re going to hate this one: Brandon Bussi just became the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 25 career wins, hitting the mark in only 29 games. That breaks the long‑standing record held by former Bruins goaltender Ross Brooks, who needed 32.
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving was pressed during his media availability about why the first‑round pick sent to Boston in the Brandon Carlo deal wasn’t top‑10 protected. His answer was blunt: “Because that is what we had to do to get the deal done last year.” When asked how hard he pushed for top‑10 protection, Treliving kept it brief — “We pushed.”
In the end, it’s pretty clear Treliving pushed for top‑10 protection, but Don Sweeney wouldn’t budge. The compromise landed at top‑5 protected.
There still seems to be some confusion around how the protection works, so here’s the clean version: the pick is protected post‑lottery. That means if Toronto jumps into the top five after the lottery, they keep the pick and Boston’s selection slides to 2027 or 2028. The reverse is also true — if the Leafs fall out of the top five after the lottery, the pick transfers to the Bruins.
So why would the pick slide to 2027 or 2028 if it lands in the top five this season? It ties back to Toronto’s earlier trade with Philadelphia in the Scott Laughton deal, which included a top‑10 protected pick. If the Leafs’ 2027 first‑rounder ends up outside the top 10, that selection goes to the Flyers — pushing Boston’s compensation to 2028.
However, if the 2027 pick lands inside the top 10, Toronto would have the option to send that selection to either Philadelphia or Boston, with the remaining team receiving the Leafs’ 2028 first‑rounder. It’s hard to imagine the Leafs choosing to hand a top‑10 pick to a divisional rival in Boston unless they believe 2027–28 could be an even tougher season.
This and That
Back to the trade deadline: Sweeney was busy. He acknowledged having plenty of conversations, and even confirmed that teams inquired about James Hagens, Dean Letourneau, and Morgan Geekie. On Wednesday, I noted on X (formerly Twitter) that the one team Boston wasn’t being linked to — but should have been — was the New Jersey Devils. On Thursday, I added those conversations were still very much alive.
Pierre LeBrun then posted on X the New Jersey Devils were willing to trade Simon Nemec and were taking calls. Others began linking the Bruins to Johnathan Kovacevic. NESN analyst Billy Jaffe said that he expects a trade will happen in the offseason (not necessarily with the Devils).
Sometimes seeds get planted at the deadline and only sprout months later — most of the time, nothing comes of them. And while Sweeney insisted that having four upcoming first‑round picks isn’t “burning a hole in his pocket,” it’s hard to believe all of them will remain untouched. Moving this year’s pick is tricky without knowing where it will land, but once the draft order is set, the picture changes. A 2027 first‑rounder could easily become the chip he’s willing to move.
Check out my friend Court’s podcast as he had X sensation Low Quality Bruins Fan on the show and they go a little deeper into it along with other tidbits.
Dom - Hockey 