Bruins Trade Pitch Gets $17.25 Million Center Upgrade in Early Draft Swap

The Boston Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and only the fifth in the last 23. In fact, the six-time Stanley Cup-winning franchise has been one of the most reliable postseason mainstays in the NHL for decades. Not since 1967 has Boston spent more than two consecutive years without playoff hockey.

That’s why, despite finishing dead last in their division for the first time since 2007 — when they played in the five-team Northeast Division where this year they brought up the rear of the eight-team Atlantic — the Bruins are sticking to their organizational motto of “win or nothing.”

At the team’s year-end press-availability, Boston’s Russian defenseman Nikita Zadorov — the NHL leader in penalty minutes (145) for the just-concluded regular season — was blunt about the urgency to rebuild as quickly as possible.

‘Win or Nothing’ For Struggling Boston

“What, are they going to be wasting [David Pastrnak’s] years? I mean, I don’t have many years left,” Zadorov said, as quoted by Boston Globe reporter Conor Ryan. “Both Lindys [Hampus and Elias Lindholm] C-Mac [Charlie McAvoy]. So obviously, it’s win or nothing in here.”

Lindholm, signed as a free agent last summer from the Vancouver Canucks to be a top-line center, also offered a brutally frank assessment. But this one was directed at himself.

“I haven’t been good enough,” Lindholm said. It was an accurate self-evaluation. Though he played in all 82 games, averaging 18:05 of ice time, the 30-year-old former Carolina Hurricanes’ first round drafty pick scored just 17 goals and earned 47 points.

The Bruins obviously have a need to add at the top six center slot, and one trade pitch — brought up by Fansided Bruins writer Shamus Sullivan — would meet that need by bringing in Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

At just 24 years old, the Bedford, New York, native is coming off two injury-hampered seasons. But when healthy, the Ducks’ 2019 first-round pick, No. 9 overall, who played college hockey at Boston University has been a proven 60-plus point scorer. In 2022-2023 Zegras tallied 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 points. The year before that, when Zegras made the NHL All-Rookie first team, he registered 61 points on 23 goals and 38 assists.

Trade Would Land ‘Dynamic’ Ducks Center

“Zegras is a dynamic young center who could thrive in a new environment,” wrote Sullivan last week. “Acquiring him would likely require a significant package, including the No. 7 pick as well as prospects that the Bruins are short on.”

Or the Bruins could package the No. 7 draft pick along with midseason acquisition Casey Mittelstadt, acquired in March from the Colorado Avalanche for Charlie Coyle, and possibly a second-round pick to entice Anaheim to part with Zegras.

The center would come in on an expiring contract, the final season of a three-year, $17.25 million deal with the Ducks that carries a cap hit of $5.75 million. But Zegras will be a restricted free agent after next season, giving the Bruins the opportunity to sign him to a new contract, or trade him for more rebuilding assets.

With their “win or nothing” approach, however, they would be hoping that Zegras works out and could remain in Boston as the Original Six club looks to climb back into playoff contention as close to immediately as possible.