Boston Bruins
“We’d like to give them a bump because they’ve earned that.”
Don Sweeney is leaving all options on the table ahead of Friday’s trade deadline. Photo by Matthew J Lee/Globe staff
March 2, 2026 | 4:11 PM
8 minutes to read
Less than a week away from Friday’s NHL trade deadline, Bruins GM Don Sweeney addressed the media at Warrior Ice Arena — setting the stage for what could be a busy couple of days for the Original Six franchise.
Here are five takeaways from Sweeney’s meeting with the media:
A desire to add … within reason
A year removed from last year’s roster teardown, Sweeney acknowledged that the Bruins don’t have much of an appetite — or outright need — to tear its depth chart down to the studs for the second year in a row.
The Bruins are in a favorable spot, currently sitting in the second Wild-Card spot in the Eastern Conference and buoyed by a haul of draft picks and prospects secured from last season’s implosion.
Given Boston’s overachieving results so far this season, Sweeney acknowledged that he’d like to find an avenue to give this club some reinforcements for the stretch run.
But even with Boston having far more trade chips at its disposal, Sweeney added that the Bruins aren’t going to completely scuttle their long-term plans for retooling this roster with young, affordable, high-end talent — not if the return is for short-term assets.
“In all likelihood, be a little different than last year,” Sweeney said of Boston’s approach at this year’s deadline. “Not necessarily as aggressive and active, but we would like to continue to improve our hockey club, if possible. Our coaches, players, staff. … we’d like to give them a bump, because they’ve earned that.
“But it’s an eye towards this year, but moving forward as well. So that’s what our intentions are as we go to the deadline, and that may or may not come to fruition, but we’re going to explore them and see what presents. Doesn’t mean we’re going to sacrifice some of the things that we went through last year to try and address organizational depth, both at the prospect level, draft-capital level and at the NHL level. And I think that we’ve done a decent job there, but it’s only a one-year snapshot, and we have to keep an eye towards what our intentions were back then.”
The Bruins could use another shot in the arm before the stretch run — be it more scoring punch or a steadier option on the blue line. Boston has made strides this winter, but it’s also scored 18 goals above expected (per Natural Stat Trick) — opening the door for some ill-timed regression in March or April.
Boston’s PK is still an area that needs to be shored up (76.7 percent, 27th in NHL), while 13 of the club’s final 23 games will be on the road.
The Bruins might be averse to only win-now deals, but they’re willing to explore several options in order to help get this team back into the postseason — accelerating a retool that was seemingly looking like a multi-year endeavor at one point.
“I don’t think we’ve ever deviated from the fact that we want to be a playoff team. Last year we set out, acknowledged our shortcomings, changed our course and aggressively pursued the ability to get back in the hunt,” Sweeney said. “This year we tried to do it … It was a goal [to make the playoffs] prior to starting last year.
“We fell woefully short. We changed course. We drew up a plan that said we need to attack and we need to pull off a start to getting us back to where we need to be. We’re not there yet. We have work to do. We put ourselves in a decent spot. We’ve got a long way to go. It’s going to be a hell of a competitive race, but our intentions are to be in the playoffs.”
Avoiding rentals
Even if the Bruins acknowledge that they could use a “bump” somewhere on the depth chart, Sweeney noted that the Bruins aren’t likely to parlay picks or prospects into players on the rental market — given that Boston’s not necessarily in the midst of a “win-now” contention window.
“Pure rental market is probably not at the top of the list. … I wouldn’t necessarily term it as a pure rental side of things,” Sweeney explained. “If a player deems it as he’s going to go to market regardless? Then that might close the door. But I’m going to ask that question in all the circumstances that exist.
“Because I think we’re still trying to stay the course and stay committed to what, as an organization, we decided to do. It’s just that our players and staff have done a good job. So they’ve put us in a position.”
The Bruins also have a few pending free agents on their current roster, including defenseman Andrew Peeke and winger Viktor Arvidsson.
Sweeney said that the Bruins don’t want to relinquish depth ahead of a sprint to the finish line this season.
“We play 11 games in 19 days coming up, so we’re in a position that we’ve got a couple unhappy guys that have been out of the lineup on the back end,” Sweeney said. “But chances are you’re going to need depth between now and the end of the year. Most teams are playing 15, 16, 17 games in the month of March. The schedule is condensed. You’re going to need the depth.
“So I’m not just in a hurry to usher people out the door that have helped us get to the point that we are right here. If something presents and maybe there’s a lateral situation that improves our depth, then I have to do my job and explore it. But that’s not necessarily what our intentions are. But it only takes one phone call to change that mindset of mine.”
Looking for ‘difference-makers‘
If the Bruins are looking to add talent but are avoiding pending UFAs and other rentals, it could mean that Boston is willing to pay a steep price for players in their prime whose value is also bolstered by the security of a long-term contract.
The Bruins tipped their hand to this approach earlier this winter when they swung and missed on defenseman Rasmus Andersson, a 29-year-old, top-four defenseman who would have helped Boston in 2025-26 and beyond. But that move reportedly fell apart after Andersson, a free agent this summer, reportedly couldn’t come to terms on a long-term extension with Boston.
A top-line center like Robert Thomas (signed through 2031) or top-six winger like Owen Tippett (signed through 2032) would fit that bill, even with the steep price Boston would have to meet to pry them from St. Louis and Philadelphia, respectively.
Right-shot defenseman MacKenzie Weegar turned 32 years old in January. But if the Bruins believe he can stabilize the right side of Boston’s D corps behind Charlie McAvoy, he could be an option given that he commands a $6.25 million cap hit through the 2030-31 campaign.
The Bruins might have to part with several valuable assets to acquire one of these skaters. But it would fall in line with Boston’s approach of adding an impact player with term to a roster already anchored by stars in their prime, like David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.
“Now, this time of the year, the asks are going to be exorbitant, and that’s the balancing act,” Sweeney said. “It just is. But if we have a player that we’ve identified to be a difference maker, and he’s under control or with the opportunity to to extend them, then we’re going to explore that. It’s my job to figure out what that acquisition cost will be, and whether or not we’re willing to do that.”
The Bruins have the haul of picks (four first-rounders the next two years) and prospects to shed some of them for an impact player — and still retain a few coveted draft picks/young players for the future.
But if the prices are too steep for players like Thomas or Tippett, Sweeney added that he has no qualms with staying the course.
“I think we’re in a really good spot moving forward,” Sweeney said. “We have flexibility. We have younger players that likely will come online, and we have some draft capital that we can explore. And sometimes that presents — a deal that doesn’t happen at the deadline may happen at the draft or shortly thereafter, and I think that there are some teams that have positioned themselves to possibly do that. Hopefully we’re one of them.”
No regrets
The Bruins’ drastic drop-off last season was due in part to a dearth of young, homegrown talent supplementing core players like Brad Marchand, Pastrnak, and others.
For years, the Bruins coughed up valuable draft picks in order to try and put teams led by Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and others in the best possible position to try and win in a Stanley Cup.
The Bruins did not have a first-round pick in 2018, 2020, 2022, or 2023, with Boston eventually reacquiring its own 2024 first-round pick from Ottawa as part of the Linus Ullmark trade two years ago.
Despite draining Boston’s prospect pool, Sweeney has few regrets over sacrificing future assets in order to try and win with a contending roster.
“You’re not wrong in the fact that we spent — likely too much — collateral assets, to try and win. I’m not going to apologize for trying to win,” Sweeney said. “I’m going to apologize that we haven’t won. But being in a position to try and go for it, that’s what this organization wants to be back in.
“And we’ll use [current draft picks], hopefully, as effectively as we possibly can to do that. I’m not anxiously, aggressively doing it. But if it presents, I have to ask the questions of who’s available and whether or not those assets will allow us to acquire the player. That has to be paramount and part of the job.”
Help on the way?
Even if the Bruins don’t add significant pieces before Friday’s deadline, Boston could have reinforcements in place with their burgeoning pipeline of talent.
While Sweeney did not confirm if any prospects intend on turning pro later this month, BC sophomore and Boston’s top prospect James Hagens could make the jump to the NHL ranks once the Eagles’ season wraps up.
As tantalizing as it might be to envision a scenario where a skilled forward like Hagens makes a top-six impact with Boston this spring, Sweeney stressed that any young player will go through some growing pains in the NHL ranks.
“Those players need to be where their feet are currently, and their college seasons are not done. A lot of them have aspirations to win their regular seasons, to win their playoffs and get to the NCAAs. We don’t have that conversation ahead of time,” Sweeney said of talks with Boston’s prospects. “We will certainly individually have it with each and every one of them and make our recommendations as we see it, the vast majority of them should be continuing along their college path and developing naturally.
“[There] will be some guys turning pro after their college seasons,” he added. “Whether they’ll impact our team? That remains to be seen. There aren’t a lot of guys that come in at playoff time and impact their team or in a playoff race, but we’re open to it. We’re not going to close any doors. We’re going to have the conversations at the appropriate time and make the most informed decision we can.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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