The Bruins have lost six straight and have been trending towards the bottom of the division; the direction of their season, and approach to the trade deadline, are coming into sharper focus.

The standings are tight in the Atlantic Division. With a 20-18-2 record, the Bruins have 42 points, which ranks them 6th in the Atlantic. Ottawa (18-15-5, 41) and Toronto (17-15-6, 40) trail Boston, but have two games in hand over the B’s. The first-place Red Wings have 49 points – seven more than Boston. If you are ranking it by points percentage, the Boston Bruins (.525) are in last place.

At the end of last year, Don Sweeney said that the Boston Bruins were not looking to rebuild. Instead, they were looking to retool their roster. Everyone in their position wanted to, and the Washington Capitals’ blueprint was lined up for inspiration.

At last year’s Trade Deadline, the Boston Bruins sold a lot of core players in their lineup: Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, and Trent Frederic were all core pieces, and Justin Brazeau was also moved at the trade deadline.

The Bruins stocked up on draft picks and reloaded their prospect pool. In a year, the Bruins went from having no prospects at the World Juniors to having two, and another one on standby. They also have four first-round picks in the next two seasons.

There are two directions that this season can go for the Boston Bruins, and with all of the streaks (good and bad), it is hard to point out just which way they will go yet. The Bruins can go on a hot streak and be right back in a playoff spot, but not many of the playoff projection models agree with that notion. (The Athletic gives Boston a 6% chance, MoneyPuck gives them a 21.4% shot).

With how close the standings are, a few more wins could launch the Bruins back into the playoff picture. 

However, if the Bruins do tail off and stick around near the bottom of the standings, the right call will be to sell off pieces. As unfortunate as it may sound, that is the business.

Viktor Arvidsson and Andrew Peeke are on expiring contracts, making them the first two candidates to be moved out at the Trade Deadline in March, if not before.

The Bruins acquired Viktor Arvidsson just before the free agency window opened on July 1; the cost was a 2027 fifth-round pick. Arvidsson is carrying a salary cap hit of $4 million. He possesses a no-movement clause, meaning he would have to approve any transaction involving him. He did this summer; he had to waive it to become a Boston Bruin.

In 28 games played this season, Arvidsson has 7-8–15; he has missed 12 games due to injuries. The Oilers moved on from Arvidsson due to salary cap issues. He posted a stat line of 15-12–27, and a playoff stat line of 2-5–7. If Arvidsson can continue to produce, the return for the Bruins has the potential to be higher than the price they paid for the Swedish winger.

Viktor Arvidsson has factored into 78.57% of the Bruins’ goals while he was on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick; the rating is known as individual point percentage (IPP). In Arvidsson’s case, IPP refers to his points divided by the goals that the Bruins scored while he was on the ice. The 78.57% number he is executing at is a career high in that category. He has been a mainstay on the second line, which Marco Sturm has praised for its ability to match up against opposing top lines.

Andrew Peeke, who has scored four times in the last 11 games, is another expiring contract that the Bruins have. He is a valuable asset, as right-handed defensemen are hard to come by.

The Bruins acquired Peeke in March 2024. He arrived during his first of a three-year contract signed by then-Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. His contract does not contain any movement clauses.

Peeke leads the Bruins with 80 blocked shots this season, and his 53 hits are second amongst Bruins defensemen. His IPP is at a 40%, which is close to a career high of 43.5%. For a shutdown defenseman, Peeke has shown flares of offensive talent. It is his ability to slot anywhere into the lineup that teams would come calling for. He also kills penalties (2:58 SH TOI/GP) and has been slotted on all three defensive pairs this season.

Two names that have circulated trade rumors since the summer are Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. Both of those players would come with term, as their contracts expire at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Zacha has been a staple on the Bruins’ power play this season, which ranks eighth in the league. Half of Zacha’s 26 points this season have come on the man-advantage. Since New Jersey traded him, he has had his three best seasons in the NHL. His play this year is on pace to add to that list. Coaches have frequently deployed him on the penalty kill, and he can play anywhere in the top six. He averages 3:11 of power play ice time per game, and his shorthanded average is 1:23 per game.

Mittelstadt is signed through next season and has a cap hit of $5.75 million. He has eight goals through 30 games this season; he posted 15 last season and 18 the season prior. Mittelstadt’s offensive ceiling and ability to handle top-six minutes, at either wing or center, make him an intriguing option for potential suitors. Mittelstadt averages 1:44 of power play ice time per game as well and has served as a solid bumper option throughout his time in Boston.

Unlike expiring contracts, trading for Zacha or Mittelstadt is not a rental option, which could limit team’s interest. However, it could yield a solid return for the Bruins. The added term could appeal to teams looking to build for this year and next. Among the two of them, Zacha’s lower cap hit ($4.75 million), coupled with his special teams impact, could yield the Bruins a strong return.

Despite some fan speculation, moving Joonas Korpisalo remains a difficult task for the Bruins to move on from. The Finnish goaltender, who was included in the Linus Ullmark trade, carries a cap hit of $3 million until the conclusion of the 2027-28 season (Ottawa retained $1 million).

Korpisalo has a ten-team no-trade clause in his contract, which limits the list of potential destinations. For the most part, teams already have a cheaper backup goalie. Boston would likely have to consider the possibility of retaining salary or adding a pick to make a deal work. Korpisalo has three years remaining; he is neither a rental nor a short-term solution.

As March approaches, the margin for error continues to shrink. If they tail off, Boston could continue the retool that they started last season by adding more prospects and picks to their artillery. If they rattle off wins, that might be off the table. Short-term additions could benefit the roster if the team is making a playoff push. The coming weeks, continuing with the current road trip, will determine what direction the Bruins will go.

All contract information comes from PuckPedia.