Bruins still eyeing trades with NHL Draft behind them and a shallow free-agent market ahead

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BOSTON — Will Moore is 18 years old. The Boston Bruins’ second-round selection will be a Boston College freshman this fall after scoring 27 goals and 32 assists for the U.S. National Team Development Program’s Under-18 team in 2024-25. The reedy 6-foot-2 left-shot center weighed 180 pounds at the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine.

Translation: It’s going to take time for Moore to turn pro.

“He’s got a lot of physical maturing to still do,” general manager Don Sweeney said. “The college environment will allow him to do that.”

You can take that declaration and multiply it by several more degrees for the Bruins’ subsequent selections: defenseman Liam Pettersson (second round), forward Cooper Simpson (third), defenseman Vashek Planar (fourth), forward Cole Chandler (fifth) and forward Kirill Yemelyanov (sixth).

So as much as the Bruins took a helpful step toward introducing desperately needed skill and offensive promise to their pipeline, the draft does nothing to give new coach Marco Sturm any of the help he requires for 2025-26.

That comes next.

Sweeney’s mandate to improve for the future as well as for the present now focuses on the latter ahead of Tuesday’s opening of free agency. Signing players is not the only mechanism he’s considering.

“We’ve explored trading in and around the draft and bringing players in,” Sweeney said. “We have a couple of those things we looked at. Maybe they come to bear over the next day or so as well. And we’ll foray into free agency if we haven’t filled those holes via trade.”

The Bruins have five forwards under contract for 2025-26. Filling in around David Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt and Mark Kastelic will be Sweeney’s priority. 

He is also hunting for a right-shot defenseman to slot in between Charlie McAvoy and Andrew Peeke. He is still speaking with Henri Jokiharju. The former Buffalo Sabres defenseman could test the market.

Up front, Morgan Geekie, Marat Khusnutdinov, Johnny Beecher, Jakub Lauko and Oliver Wahlstrom are pending restricted free agents. All the RFAs-to-be must be issued qualifying offers by Monday to be retained. Sweeney did not disclose if any of the forwards will not be qualified.

As for trades, it’s possible the Bruins inquired on Jordan Spence. The Los Angeles Kings traded the 24-year-old right-shot defenseman on Saturday to the Ottawa Senators for a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. Spence played 57 games for Sturm with the Ontario Reign, L.A.’s AHL affiliate.

The trade market is now more limited without the 2025 picks in play. The Bruins have two 2026 first-rounders. But Sweeney has said he would more likely use them to acquire players during the 2025-26 season.

Sweeney, then, would have to consider sending out roster players or prospects. He does not have many to spare in either category. Zacha’s market is high because of his all-around game and his $4.75 million average annual value. He is under contract through 2027. But the Bruins need Zacha to play in all situations.

Mittelstadt has a higher offensive ceiling than Zacha. Mittelstadt, 26, is two years younger. But he did not gain a strong foothold after arriving in the Charlie Coyle trade. He is signed for two more years at $5.75 million annually. 

It’s possible Mittelstadt would express more offense with an upgrade in linemates. Cole Koepke and Vinni Lettieri were his most common wings. Landing help in free agency may be the easier route to giving Mittelstadt more help than via trade. Jonathan Drouin, who he played with at times in Colorado, is set to become unrestricted.

The UFA options for everyone, not just for the Bruins, project to be limited. Sam Bennett, Trent Frederic, Matt Duchene and Ryan Donato, all of whom could have reached UFA status, have re-upped with their most recent clubs. Mitch Marner, the top prize, may not even make it to market if the Toronto Maple Leafs execute a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. Given the market’s limitations, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser and Aaron Ekblad, who would fit the Bruins’ needs, could ask for contracts that go beyond the team’s reach.

The thin UFA pool, then, may be Sweeney’s backup plan. Whether he has enough trade assets remains to be seen.

(Photo of Don Sweeney: John Tlumacki / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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