Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is open to making a trade involving his first-round pick at this year’s draft. (Steve Mitchell/USA Today Sports)
The Bruins are open for business.
With a pipeline simply loaded with prospects, many of whom are already here with the B’s or ready to make the jump into the NHL picture next season, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has let it be known that he’s willing to trade the club’s first-round pick (No. 18 overall) if the right deal presents itself.
This is nothing new for Sweeney, of course, who has made it a habit to try and swing big deals on draft day. He did it in 2015 when he moved Milan Lucic to the Kings and then moved Dougie Hamilton to the Flames. Sweeney also tried like hell on draft night in 2016 to make a deal for a defenseman, but would (rightfully) not budge when the Blues allegedly demanded both of the B’s first-round picks along with David Pastrnak from the Bruins in a deal for puck-moving d-man Kevin Shattenkirk.
It’s believed that the Bruins are looking for another left-shot defenseman to bolster their overall defensive depth and help ease the burden on the 40-year-old Zdeno Chara, who remains the club’s best left-side option, and as a complementary piece either behind or ahead of Torey Krug on their left side, who established a career-high in points last season, with 51.
The Bruins could also stand to add some more scoring punch to the left side of their forward corps, and potentially move out of a bad contract or two, depending on what happens with the NHL expansion draft, which comes just days before the draft.
The Bruins will have six picks in the 2017 Draft, which takes place on June 23 and 24, in Chicago.