It may be hard to believe, but the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline is less than two months away. Teams have until 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8th, to make their final trades before the deadline passes, and things are expected to be busy. The Boston Bruins should be watched, as they are currently the top team in the Eastern Conference. As a result, they will look to improve their roster before the deadline passes.
Due to the Bruins’ lack of draft picks, we could see them part ways with some surprising players if they want to make upgrades to their group. As a result of this, let’s discuss three potential dark horse trade candidates for the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline now.
Matt Grzelcyk
One player who may be worth keeping an eye on at the trade deadline is Matt Grzelcyk. The Massachusetts native is in the final season of his contract, and he garnered trade interest at the start of the campaign. With the Bruins having a tight amount of cap space, they could be open to parting ways with his $3,687,500 cap hit in the right kind of deal.
While Grzelcyk has been a solid defensive partner for star Charlie McAvoy, the Bruins could trade the former if it means adding a legitimate top-six center like Elias Lindholm. The same can be said for a legitimate top-pairing defenseman for someone like, say, longtime Bruins trade target Jakob Chychrun.
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The 2023-24 season has also been a bit underwhelming for Grzelcyk. Offensively, he has not made much of an impact, posting just two goals and four assists in his first 30 games. Due to this, his relatively high cap hit, and his expiring contract, the Bruins could view him as expendable if it means bringing in an upgrade before the playoffs.
Fabian Lysell
If the Bruins want to make a significant addition before the deadline passes, they will be forced to move on from a top prospect. Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei are likely both untouchables for the Bruins, as the youngsters have high ceilings and are proving to be NHL-ready. Due to this, if the Bruins make a big splash before the deadline passes, Fabian Lysell may end up being the notable prospect moved.
Lysell, 21, was selected by the Bruins with the 21st overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. After posting a 37-point campaign in 54 games with the Providence Bruins as a rookie last season, he has 11 goals and 30 points in 35 games with the team this season. He also has posted 13 of his points over his previous 10 games, so he is trending in the right direction with his development. Yet, with the Bruins in win-now mode, the idea of moving him for a high-impact player before the deadline is likely not out of the question.
While the Bruins should not actively shop Lysell, it is fair to wonder about his availability over these next several weeks. In fact, he may be the prospect needed to bring in a player like Lindholm.
Jake DeBrusk
One final player who is worth paying attention to leading up to the deadline is Jake DeBrusk. The 2015 first-round pick is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and things have been incredibly quiet on the contract extension as the season has gone on. If Bruins general manager (GM) Don Sweeney does not view him as a long-term part of this group, they could consider adding him to a trade package to bring in a star.
DeBrusk, 27, carries a $4 million cap hit, so the Bruins would gain decent financial flexibility if they added him to a big move. However, at the same time, trading him would certainly come with some risk, as he is a legitimate top-six forward when he is playing at his best.
In 43 games this season, DeBrusk has 10 goals, 22 points, and a plus-12 rating. Although his stats are down this season, 11 of his points have come over his last 12 games. If he keeps this up, the Bruins will very likely keep him. However, if he cools off again like he did at the beginning of the season (11 points in his first 31 games), Sweeney might be open to adding him to a big deal or a one-for-one hockey trade.
We will now need to wait and see if the Bruins decide to move on from any of these three dark horse trade candidates before the deadline passes. While none of them are actively being shopped, if the Bruins want to make a big move, it would not be surprising to see at least one of them added to a potential deal.