With the middle of the month of June passed last weekend, that means one thing, the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is around the corner as is free agency on July 1. The Draft is scheduled for June 28 and 29 in Las Vegas and currently, the Boston Bruins don’t own a pick until the fourth round, but that could change with one trade.
If you’re a betting person, you’re likely to get good odds on whether or not Boston GM Don Sweeney looks to pull off a trade of some kind. A lot of chatter is centered around goalie Linus Ullmark, but with a 16-team, soon-to-be 15-team, no-trade clause, it’s easier said than done. If Sweeney can move his goaltender, what could a return look like? Does it include a first-round draft pick or an impact player? At his end-of-the-season press conference, Sweeney said that he was going to be aggressive in adding to his roster this offseason for the 2024-25 season. If he’s looking to add a player in return, he’s been linked to several players by The Fourth Period.
The Fourth Period links Boston Bruins to five potential trade targets this offseason
The Fourth Period released their latest Top 25 Summer Trad Watch List and the Bruins were linked to five players, four in the top seven. Some of the names are familiar ones that the Black and Gold have been linked to early this offseason, forward Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes and defenseman Jakob Chychrun of the Ottawa Senators. Both of their current teams have been looking for goaltending and Ullmark would be a no-brainer for both teams.
Boston was also linked to Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets and Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras. Sweeney does have a trade history with the Ducks with the deal for Hampus Lindholm being the most recent trade at the deadline in 2022. One other player they were mentioned to be interested in was San Jose Sharks Mario Ferraro.
Just what Sweeney does, especially over the next couple of weeks leading into free agency and the draft is going to be interesting, but if one thing is for sure, all five players mentioned above could fill a need the Black and Gold have for next season and beyond.
