The Boston Bruins had a terrible season and are looking to be aggressive this offseason in hopes of making the playoffs.
The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Bruins acquire Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers.
Bruins acquire:
- Chris Kreider
- 2025 sixth-round pick
Rangers acquire:
- Casey Mittelstadt
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Boston would acquire Kreider, who New York is looking to move on from, for a solid NHL player who could use another change of scenery.
The Bruins would acquire Kreider, who would be a top-six forward for Boston and add some much-needed offense. Kreider would also add some veteran leadership to the Bruins, which is needed after several key veterans were traded. The winger has two years left on his seven-year, $45.5 million deal. Kreider did struggle last season as he recorded 22 goals and 8 assists for 30 points in 68 games. Boston would also get a sixth-round pick to take on Kreider’s contract.
In return, Boston would trade Mittelstadt, who didn’t fit in with the Bruins. Boston acquired the centerman at the trade deadline, but his name is back up in trade rumors. The centerman could be a third-line center with the Rangers and has two years left on his three-year, $17.25 million deal. Mittelstadt recorded 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points in 81 games.
Bruins GM Plans to be Aggressive in Offseason
Boston had a disappointing season, which led the Bruins to be sellers at the deadline and finish with one of the worst records in the league.
However, heading into the offseason, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney doesn’t want the team to enter a rebuild. Instead, he plans to be aggressive and make Boston a playoff contender again.
“We are in a situation where we can look to add to our core group of guys, and that includes also some of the younger guys, as (Bruins president Cam Neely) mentioned,” Sweeney said. “But we are going to be aggressive, to be able to complement what we currently have in some areas.”
Sweeney, meanwhile, also says Boston needs to add some secondary scoring, which Kreider can add.
“There are some things that we need to address — and I need to address — from the standpoint of free agency and/or internal growth,” Sweeney said. “We have to complement. I have to be able to find some players that can come in and provide secondary scoring for us at key opportune times.”
Boston enters the offseason with just over $26 million in cap space.
Rangers Shopping Kreider
The Rangers, like the Bruins, had a disappointing season and are expected to make some major changes this offseason.
New York will look to trade the likes of Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin, according to reports. NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the Rangers will look to shop Kreider.
“But beyond a potential change off the ice, Drury is expected to explore additional changes to his roster and is expected to revisit trade discussions with clubs involving veteran forward Chris Kreider, who owns a 15-team no-trade list,” Kreider wrote.
“Kreider, who turns 34 on Apr. 30, has two more years remaining on his seven-year, $45.5 million contract after this season. He is due $5 million in total salary in each of the next two seasons,” Pagnotta added. “The Rangers were engaged in trade talks with teams about Kreider this season, but injuries played a small factor in why he wasn’t moved.”
Kreider is a two-time NHL All-Star.
