The Boston Bruins could likely enter a rebuild after being one of the worst teams in the NHL last season.
However, Boston still should look to add impact young players to bolster its lineup. We has a trade idea that sees the Bruins acquiring Seamus Casey from the New Jersey Devils in an intriguing move.
Bruins acquire:
- Seamus Casey
Devils acquire:
- Matt Poitras
- 2026 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Boston would acquire a young NHL defenseman for a young NHL forward and a mid-round pick, as defensemen are more important.
The Bruins would add Casey, who was a second-round pick in 2022. The 21-year-old can be an immediate starter on the Bruins’ blue line. Casey is blocked by the Devils’ blue line and could be on the trade block. With the Bruins, he’d likely be on the second-pairing and could learn from Charlie McAvoy. He recorded 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 14 NHL games last season.
In return, the Bruins would give up a third-round pick and Poitras, who has fallen out of favor in Boston. Poitras was a second-round pick in 2022 but is in the final year of his entry-level deal. He is a center/right winger who can play on the Devils’ middle six and add some secondary scoring. Poitras recorded 1 goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 33 games.
Casey’s Future With Devils in The Air
Casey is a good defensive prospect and projects to be a good NHL defenseman.
However, the right side of the Devils’ blue line features Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, and Johnathan Kovacevic, with Simon Nemece being next up. So, Casey doesn’t have a clear path to playing time, and Devils insider James Nichols of NewJerseyHockeyNow believes he could be used as trade bait.
“Nemec and Casey’s status for this season isn’t in question. It’s the right-handed defensemen’s long-term futures that are now blurry as a result of a congested blueline,” Nichols wrote. “Kovacevic’s five-year extension solidifies the long-term outlook of New Jersey’s defense core on the right side. Brett Pesce has another five years on his deal after this season, and Dougie Hamilton has three. With two prospects as near-ready to the NHL as Nemec and Casey are, it’s difficult to imagine a situation where they have no path to regular NHL minutes.”
Casey spent most of last season in the AHL but is likely good enough to be a full-time NHL player.
Poitras Not Guaranteed Roster Spot With Bruins
Poitras made the Bruins in 2023-24 and looked to be an impact player.
However, last season he struggled and was demoted to the AHL. Now, ahead of the season, Bruins’ insider Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic isn’t sure Poitras will make Boston’s roster.
“It remains to be seen whether the 2022 second-rounder will make the team out of camp. He had a productive eight-game AHL playoff run with Providence that should do him good,” Shinzawa wrote.
If Poitras doesn’t make the Bruins out of camp, his name could come up in trade rumors. And, with New Jersey needing some help with forwards, and Boston needing a defenseman, they could be logical trading partners.
