In this latest installment of Boston Bruins News & Rumors, the Bruins have made a minor trade with the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, recent acquisitions Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway have joined the Bruins and will be making their team debuts on Saturday (Feb. 25) against the Vancouver Canucks. Furthermore, veteran winger Nick Foligno also expressed excitement while speaking to reporters about Boston acquiring Orlov and Hathaway.
Bruins & Colorado Avalanche Strike a Deal
The Bruins have made a minor trade with the Colorado Avalanche. Veteran netminder Keith Kinkaid is heading to Colorado, while the Bruins have added Shane Bowers. Although this trade may be surprising to some fans, Brandon Bussi and Kyle Keyser have had strong seasons with the Providence Bruins. Therefore, the Bruins had a surplus of American Hockey League (AHL) goalies, so they used Kinkaid to land a new prospect.
Bowers will now give Providence another center to work with for the final portion of the season. Selected by the Ottawa Senators 28th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, the 23-year-old has had trouble cementing himself as an NHL-caliber player. In 37 AHL games this season, he has four goals, 14 points, and a plus-2 rating. Perhaps a change of scenery will allow him to take that next step in his development.
Orlov & Hathaway Making Their Bruin Debuts
Earlier this week, the Bruins made a big trade – acquiring Orlov and Hathaway from the Capitals. They have since joined the Bruins in Vancouver, and are set to make their Bruin debuts because of it. Orlov will be playing on the right side of the third pairing, while Hathaway will be at fourth-line right wing.
Fans should be excited to see them in action, as they are both expected to be major additions to their group. The two newcomers also have had their numbers confirmed by the Bruins. With No. 9 retired for Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk, Orlov will be sporting No. 81. Hathaway, on the other hand, will remain No. 21.
Foligno “Blown Away” By Orlov & Hathaway Acquisitions
While speaking with reporters, Foligno said that he is “blown away” that the Bruins were able to get Orlov and Hathaway from the Capitals. Needless to say, after a comment like this, it is fair to say that “Uncle Nick” is happy to have these two in Boston.
🎥 Nick Foligno on adding Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway: “I’m blown away that we could get players of this magnitude on this team with what we already have…I think it shows we are trying to do something special here.” pic.twitter.com/hCLBxxi5BR
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 25, 2023
It is hard not to agree with Foligno’s opinion, too. Orlov is a legitimate top-four defenseman who is very reliable defensively, chips in offensively, and plays a heavy game. With that, he also has a Stanley Cup on his resume. As for Hathaway, the Bruins are getting an extremely tenacious bottom-six forward who provides immense physicality. His impressive 198 hits in 59 games show this effectively.
Other Potential Trade Targets for Boston
After acquiring Orlov and Hathaway, the Bruins are unlikely to complete another blockbuster. However, at the same time, it would not hurt them to add to their depth before the deadline passes.
With Craig Smith traded, the Bruins should add another forward. They have been linked to Ivan Barbashev, and he would be perfect for the third-line right wing role. To acquire him, the Bruins would need the Blues to retain salary, and Boston would also need to send money the other way. With Boston not trading a defenseman in the Orlov deal, perhaps moving one of Mike Reilly or Jakub Zboril could be in the cards.
Cheaper trade targets who could make sense include Nashville Predators winger Tanner Jeannot, Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Bjugstad, and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Luke Schenn. All three of these players carry a cap hit less than $1 million, so they would be easy to fit in financially if they send Zboril along with other assets the other way.