by Bob Morello
Bruins make changes
What a whirlwind week this has been for the Boston Bruins’ players and their fans. General Manager Don Sweeney has taken a few swings, and has cleared the bases. Whether it turns out to be a ‘home run,’ or an out, is a question that will not easily be answered for a while yet. In hopes of bringing everyone up to full speed, the outline of the moves are listed below:
The major move by the Bruins was made minutes before the trade deadline, and it was the trade that sent Bruins captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers, in exchange for a conditional second round 2027 draft pick. The condition was explained as it would be either a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick only if the Panthers win a pair of rounds in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs…plus Marchand has to appear in at least half of Florida’s playoff games, along with the Bruins retaining half of his salary. In a press release issued by the Bruins, they outlined the impact Marchand has made in Boston. Marchand has appeared in 61 games with Boston this season, recording 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points. The 5-foot-9, 180-winger has skated in 1,090 career NHL games, all with the Bruins, totaling 422 goals and 554 assists for 976 points. Currently in his 16th NHL season, Marchand ranks first among active NHL players in plus-minus (plus-284), fifth in game-winning goals, ninth in goals, tied for 19th in assists and 12th in points. He also ranks third for most overtime goals and is tied for eighth in shorthanded goals in NHL history. Marchand has also played in 157 career playoff games, ranking seventh among active NHL skaters in playoff games played, fourth in playoff goals (56), sixth in assists (82) and is tied for fifth in playoff points (138). The Halifax, Nova Scotia native was originally selected by Boston in the third round (71st overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Next up, Charlie Coyle: The Bruins have acquired forwards Casey Mittelstadt and William Zellers and a 2025 second-round draft pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Charlie Coyle and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. Boston will receive whichever second-round draft pick Colorado currently owns that results in a lower placement in the draft order. Coyle, 33, has appeared in 64 games with Boston this season, recording 15 goals and seven assists for 22 points. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward has skated in 931 career NHL games with Boston and Minnesota, tallying 187 goals and 285 assists for 472 points. The East Weymouth, Massachusetts native was originally selected by San Jose in the first round (28th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Mittelstadt, 26, has appeared in 63 games with Colorado this season, recording 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native was originally selected by Buffalo in the first round (8th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Zellers, 18, has appeared in 40 games with the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) this season, totaling 37 goals and 21 assists for 58 points. He is committed to play at the University of North Dakota for the 2025-26 season. The Maple Grove, Minnesota native was originally selected by Colorado in the third round (76th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Boston acquired forward Fraser Minten, a 2026 first-round draft pick (top five protected), and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick (from Philadelphia) and from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo. Boston will retain 15 percent of Carlo’s salary. Carlo, 28, has appeared in 63 games with Boston this season, recording one goal and eight assists for nine points. The 6-foot-5, 221-pound defenseman has skated in 617 career NHL games, all with the Bruins, totaling 29 goals and 80 assists for 109 points. The Colorado Springs, Colorado native was originally selected by Boston in the second round (37th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Minten, 20, has appeared in 15 games with Toronto this season, recording two goals and two assists for four points. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound forward has skated in 19 career NHL games. The Vancouver, British Columbia native was originally selected by Toronto in the second round (38th overall) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft
Don Sweeney also announced that the team has acquired defenseman Henri Jokiharju from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick (originally from Edmonton). Jokiharju, 25, has appeared in 42 games with Buffalo this season, recording three goals and three assists for six points. The 6-foot, 200-pound defenseman has skated in 389 career NHL games with Buffalo and Chicago, totaling 19 goals and 74 assists for 93 points. The Oulu, Finland native was originally selected by Chicago in the first round (29th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
The Bruins acquired defenseman Daniil Misyul from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Marc McLaughlin. McLaughlin, 25, has appeared in 12 games with Boston this season, recording two goals. The 6-foot, 202-pound forward has also skated in 34 games with the Providence Bruins this season, tallying five goals and nine assists for 14 points. McLaughlin has played in 169 career AHL games, all with Providence, totaling 26 goals and 32 assists for 58 points. The North Billerica, Massachusetts native was originally signed by Boston as a free agent in 2022. Misyul, 24, has appeared in one game with New Jersey this season. The 6-foot-3, 176-pound defenseman has also skated in 47 games with the Utica Comets (AHL) this season, tallying eight assists. The Minsk, Belarus native was originally selected by New Jersey in the third round (70th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
The regular season schedule resumes tonight (Tuesday 7pm) for the Bruins who will face Atlantic Division rivals for their next four games. The locals will host the Florida Panthers (sans injured Brad Marchand) tonight; travel to Ottawa (Thursday 7pm) to face Linus Ullmark and the Senators; then back on TD Garden ice to host both the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, 7pm, and the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, 7pm.