Boston Bruins trade deadline fire sale will produce a Stanley Cup Champion

When Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney became a seller at the trade deadline, he shipped out some key players who have been either franchise icons or a key part of the last five or so seasons. All of the players traded went to teams that made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and now that the NHL is down to two teams, one former Bruin who was dealt this March is going to hoist the Cup.

The Florida Panthers took down the Carolina Hurricanes in five games to win the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night and Thursday night, and the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Dallas Stars, also in five games, to win the Western Conference and set up a Florida/Edmonton Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. 

Two former Boston Bruins are playing in the Stanley Cup Final

One of the first trades Sweeney made back in March was sending Trent Frederic as part of a three-team deal to the Edmonton Oilers. The deal also included the New Jersey Devils, and Frederic has played 16 postseason games for the Oilers, scoring a goal and picking up three assists. He is never going to light up a scoresheet, but he has done what Edmonton has hoped, solidifying the bottom of the lineup with a hard-nosed and physical style.

As for Edmonton’s opponent, they might have made the best move at the trade deadline in getting Brad Marchand from the Bruins for what has turned into a first-round pick. If there has been a more impactful trade deadline acquisition, good luck finding it. In 17 games, Marchand has four goals and 10 assists and has come up with big games for the Panthers. 

When the dust settles over the next couple of weeks, either Marchand or Frederic is going to win the Stanley Cup after being shipped out at the trade deadline. Not what Bruins fans envisioned back in October when the 2024- 25 season began.