Bruins trade targets: Players signed beyond this season worth pursuing originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins aren’t a top-tier Stanley Cup contender this season, even though they have a good chance to return to the playoffs after failing to qualify in 2025.
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Therefore, it wouldn’t make sense for general manager Don Sweeney to go all-in at the March 6 NHL trade deadline like he did in 2023.
Trading away first-round picks or top prospects for rentals would be a horrible move.
However, if the Bruins could acquire an impact player signed long term who fits the age timeline of their franchise players (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman, etc.), then it would make sense to part with premium assets like a first-rounder and good prospects.
As a result of their 2025 trade deadline selling, the Bruins have more quality trade assets than they’ve had in a long time. That list includes two first-round picks in both 2026 and 2027, plus a prospect pool that has significantly improved over the last two years. Boston also has some young players in the AHL, such as Matthew Poitras and Fabian Lysell, who could interest other teams.
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Which players signed beyond this season should the Bruins consider pursuing ahead of the trade deadline? Let’s take a look at some intriguing names.
Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
Contract: Signed through 2030-31, $8.125 million salary cap hit
2025-26 stats: 12 goals, 23 assists in 43 games
The Blues are the team to watch at the trade deadline. They sit at the bottom of the Central Division and have a bunch of veteran players who could be dealt.
Thomas is a legit top-six center and could serve as the Bruins’ first-line center if they acquired him. He is an elite playmaker who has tallied 60-plus assists and 80-plus points in each of the two previous seasons. He also averaged 21.25 goals scored over the last four seasons.
Thomas is just 26 years old and would be a great fit alongside the Bruins’ other core players such as Pastrnak. He is signed for five years beyond the current season at a $8.125 million cap hit, which is not steep at all considering the salary cap is expected to rise quite a bit in the near future.
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The cost to acquire Thomas would be significant because top-six centers in their prime are among the most coveted players in the sport. Players of his caliber at center almost never reach free agency anymore. You have to draft and develop them or trade for them.
Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reported last week that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong “has made it clear what the asking price is for Thomas: three first-half-of-the-first-round assets. For example, that could mean an established young player, a drafted prospect and a draft pick who were all selected or could be taken in the first 15 or so picks.”
Given his age, offensive production and team-friendly contract, Thomas would be the type of player worth giving up premium assets to acquire.
Owen Tippett, Philadelphia Flyers
Position: Left/right wing
Contract: Signed through 2031-32, $6.2 million salary cap hit
2025-26 Stats: 19 goals, 17 assists in 59 games
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Tippett is a player who could fill a top-six wing role for Boston, which is something they very much need, especially if Viktor Arvidsson doesn’t re-sign in the summer.
The speedy 27-year-old forward will soon hit the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight year. He also has dished out 20-plus assists in each of three previous seasons and should get there this year as well.
Tippett is signed for six more seasons at a very team-friendly $6.2 million cap hit. The Flyers are six points out of a playoff spot and face a tough uphill climb to get back in the race, but would they even want to move a player like Tippett to a rival such as the Bruins? It’s worth checking in on, at the very least.
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
Contract: Signed through 2029-30, $6.5 million salary cap hit
2025-26 Stats: One goal, 13 assists in 58 games
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The Blues could look to move a couple veteran defensemen as rumors have swirled around Parayko and Justin Faulk. Parayko is a more valuable player than Faulk because he’s better defensively.
Parayko has great size at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds. He’s tied for the league lead in blocked shots with 141 and plays 2:37 per game on the penalty kill. His impressive PK ability would help a Bruins team whose penalty kill ranks 27th out of 32 teams with a 76.7 percent success rate.
The only real issue with Parayko is that he has four more years left on his contract and will be 33 years old in May. The cap hit is pretty manageable at $6.5 million, but it’s fair to wonder if the Bruins would want to take on a player with so much term left on his deal at age 33. He also has a full no-trade clause, per PuckPedia.
That said, Parayko is a quality top-four defenseman who got meaningful ice time for Canada at the Olympics and would address one of the Bruins’ biggest needs: depth on the right side of the blue line.
Colton Parayko is a defensive defenseman with tons of playoff experience.
Shane Wright, Seattle Kraken
Contract: Signed through 2026-27, $886,666 salary cap hit
2025-26 Stats: 11 goals, 12 assists in 59 games
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Wright was once viewed as the top player in his draft class but slipped to the No. 4 pick in 2022. He has not yet fulfilled his enormous potential and still has one more year left on his entry-level contract with a salary cap hit under $1 million.
Wright took a huge step forward last season and set career highs with 19 goals and 25 assists. He’s on pace to take a step back offensively this year, but he does have genuine offensive talent.
Wright, at 22 years old, could thrive in a different situation. The Kraken have mostly given him a bottom-six role and under 14 minutes of ice time per game. A player with his skill set needs more of an opportunity to thrive.
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If the price isn’t too steep, it would be worth pursuing him. If Wright reaches his ceiling, he could be a top-six forward.
MacKenzie Weegar, Calgary Flames
Contract: Signed through 2030-31, $6.25 million salary cap hit
2025-26 Stats: Three goals, 18 assists in 59 games
The Bruins really need a right-shot defenseman, and Weegar fits that description. Weegar is playing 23:08 per game for the Flames and is on the ice for all situations, including the power play and penalty kill. He ranks second on the Flames with 128 hits and his 141 blocked shots are tied for the league lead. He can provide offense, too, evidenced by his 99 points over the two previous seasons combined.
The main concern about acquiring Weegar is he’s 32 years old with five more years left on his contract. The cap hit is pretty manageable but the term is a lot. That said, he would give the Bruins a physical, two-way presence on the right side of the blue line.
Weegar would add some much-needed depth to the right side of the Bruins blue line.