Bruins Eyeing Major Offseason Moves After Disappointing Year
After a rough season that saw them miss the playoffs and finish near the bottom of the standings, the Boston Bruins are planning to be aggressive this offseason to bounce back as contenders.
Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, one fan came up with a potential trade involving the Bruins acquiring forward Chris Kreider from the New York Rangers.
Proposed Trade:
To Bruins:
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Chris Kreider
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2025 sixth-round pick
To Rangers:
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Casey Mittelstadt
This mock trade suggests the Bruins would land Kreider, a veteran winger the Rangers are reportedly willing to move, in exchange for Mittelstadt — a capable NHL forward who might benefit from a fresh start.
Kreider, who would slot into Boston’s top six, could help bolster the team’s offense and provide much-needed experience after the Bruins traded away several veterans. Though Kreider struggled last season with just 22 goals and 8 assists in 68 games, he still has two years left on his seven-year, $45.5 million contract. Boston would also receive a sixth-round pick as part of the deal, potentially to offset the financial impact of taking on Kreider’s salary.
On the other side, Mittelstadt didn’t quite find his footing in Boston after being acquired at the deadline and now finds himself back in trade rumors. The 26-year-old center, who has two years left on a three-year, $17.25 million deal, could fill a third-line role in New York. He tallied 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points in 81 games last season.
Sweeney Committed to Staying Competitive
Despite the tough season, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has made it clear he’s not interested in a full rebuild. Instead, he wants to strengthen the current roster with both veteran and young talent to push for a playoff spot.
“We’re in a position to build around our core, including some younger players,” Sweeney said. “We’ll be aggressive in adding the right pieces.”
One of Sweeney’s priorities is improving the team’s secondary scoring — something a player like Kreider could help with.
“There are areas we need to address through free agency or internal development,” Sweeney added. “Finding players who can step up and contribute offensively at key times is essential.”
Boston heads into the offseason with over $26 million in available cap space, giving them flexibility to make significant moves.
Rangers Exploring Big Changes
Like Boston, the Rangers are also coming off a season that fell short of expectations and are expected to shake up their roster. According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, veterans like Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin could be on the trade block.
Pagnotta reported that Rangers GM Chris Drury is actively looking to rework the roster and is open to dealing Kreider, who has a 15-team no-trade list. Kreider, who turns 34 at the end of April, has two years remaining on his current contract and is set to earn $5 million in salary each year. Although the Rangers explored trades for Kreider during the season, injuries reportedly hindered those efforts.
Kreider is a two-time NHL All-Star and remains a notable name on the market heading into a pivotal offseason for both the Bruins and Rangers.