New Jersey Devils: Potential Trade Partners Without First Round Picks
By Mike Luci
Boston Bruins
Having led the league with 100 points before the season’s suspension, the Boston Bruins traded their 2020 first-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for winger Ondrej Kase. Boston was a popular Stanley Cup favorite going into the playoffs, but like most top contenders, face a complicated salary cap situation. Although Boston is shedding over $14 million in salary (UFAs and RFAs) this offseason, the Bruins have RFAs Anders Bjork, Jake DeBrusk, and Matt Grzelyck to re-sign and will surely make a new contract for free agent defenseman Torey Krug a top priority.
The aforementioned players will all command hefty pay raises that use the majority—if not all—of Boston’s offseason cap space. Throw in the potentially reduced salary cap and Charlie Coyle’s contract kicking in, Boston may find themselves over the adjusted threshold. If Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney is forced to shed salary, Jake DeBrusk probably could be had for a return involving one of New Jersey’s 1st-round picks.
Extra pieces would need to be thrown in, but especially if Boston winds up keeping Krug, they might be forced to part with one of their young defensemen if they’re in a cap crunch. Brandon Carlo is a possibility, along with (although admittedly a lot less likely) Charlie McAvoy.