Bruins-Leafs suddenly looks like a playoff preview
If the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs started today, it would be the Boston Bruins against the Toronto Maple Leafs. As is tradition.
That would mark the fourth time since 2013 that the Bruins and Leafs squared off in the first round, and the third time in the career of superstar center Auston Matthews. He’s on pace for 73 goals, which would be the most in a single season since Teemu Selänne and Alexander Mogilny both scored 76 in the 1992-93 season. Matthews has a chance to exorcise some demons this season, demons adorned with a spoked ‘B’.
MORE: 10 teams to watch at the NHL trade deadline
The Bruins, meanwhile, are getting the surging Maple Leafs (9-1 in their last 10 games) at a most inopportune time. They’re 3-2-5 in their last 10, and severely banged up at the moment. Defenseman Hampus Lindholm (undisclosed) will be out Monday night and is expected to miss some time, while Pavel Zacha’s status (lower-body) is uncertain, gutting the core of an already-thin top end of the roster.
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With that in mind, the Bruins may have to hope this isn’t a preview of what’s to come in the playoffs. Unless they get a big-time performance in goal, or they simply bring their ‘A’ game. The likelihood is that Monday night’s game at Scotiabank Arena may not be a fair gauge of what to expect from the B’s in the postseason, but it’ll certainly be a good look at their most likely playoff opponent.
Read below for more on the Bruins as the NHL trade deadline approaches.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt’s content.
Looking at Bruins general manager Don Sweeney's trade deadline history
2016
Bruins winger Lee Stempniak before the game against the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Garden on March 3, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Lee Stempniak from Devils in exchange for 2016 fourth-round pick and 2017 second-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 34-23-6 (third in Atlantic Division, seven points above ninth place).
Sweeney’s first crack at addressing the Black and Gold’s constant need for help on the wings, Stempniak was brought to the Bruins in the midst of a Jersey run that included 16 goals and 41 points in 63 games. In Boston, Stempniak put up three goals and 10 points over 19 games, but the Bruins went 8-8-3 to finish the year and finished a tiebreaker short of the postseason.
The Devils used that 2016 fourth-round pick on goaltender Evan Cormier, who has bounced between the AHL and ECHL since 2018, while defenseman Mario Ferraro was taken by the Sharks with that second-round pick in 2017 after the Devils traded it to San Jose ahead of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Bruins defenseman John-Michael Liles during the second period at TD Garden on March 24, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire defenseman John-Michael Liles from Hurricanes in exchange for forward Anthony Camara, 2016 third-round pick, and 2017 fifth-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 34-23-6 (third in Atlantic Division, seven points above ninth place).
A depth defenseman kind of pickup, Liles put up six assists in 17 games with the Bruins to round out the 2016 stretch run, and re-upped with the B’s on a one-year deal for the 2016-17 season.
The Hurricanes used that third-round pick on goaltender Jack LaFontaine, while the fifth-round pick was traded to Vegas for future considerations, where the Knights selected forward Jack Dugan.
2017
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 8: Drew Stafford #19 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden on March 8, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Drew Stafford from Jets in exchange for conditional sixth-round pick in 2018.
Bruins record when acquired: 33-24-6 (second in Atlantic Division, four points above ninth place).
Another attempt at addressing the team’s middle-six scoring woes, Stafford was a worthwhile addition for the Bruins, with four goals and eight points in 18 games with the Bruins. That sixth-round pick turned to a fifth-round pick sent to Winnipeg (and later landed in Nashville where the Preds took defenseman and KHL lifer Vladislav Yeryomenko) when the Bruins clinched a playoff spot. Stafford would score two goals in six playoff games with the Bruins, and spent the final two years of his NHL career with the Devils.
2018
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 16: Nick Holden #44 of the Bruins skates with the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round at the Air Canada Centre on April 16, 2018. (Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire defenseman Nick Holden from Rangers in exchange for defenseman Rob O’Gara and 2018 third-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 36-13-8 (second place in Atlantic Division, one point out of first place).
The first move of what has been Sweeney’s busiest deadline of his general managing career, the Bruins brought Nick Holden to town as a third-pairing stabilizer. A 6-foot-4 left-shot defenseman, Holden tallied one goal and five points in 18 games with the B’s, and appeared in two postseason games with the team. Holden then bounced between Vegas and Ottawa, and retired last fall before joining the Golden Knights in a player development role.
The Rangers, meanwhile, used that third-round pick on defenseman Joey Keane. Keane would play two games in the NHL, and has spent the last two years in the KHL.
Frank Vatrano during the third period of a game at Honda Center on February 22, 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins trade winger Frank Vatrano to Panthers for 2018 third-round pick
Bruins record when traded: 37-13-8 (second place in Atlantic Division, one point out of first place).
A space-making move for the Bruins, Sweeney recouped the third-round pick he lost in the Holden deal by sending Massachusetts native Frank Vatrano to the Panthers. Now with Anaheim (his third team since the Bruins traded him), Vatrano has become one of the game’s more consistent goal scorers, with 127 goals in 418 games since the start of the 2018-19 season, which ranks as the 61st-most in hockey over that span.
In case you’re curious, the Bruins later used that third-round pick to draft Jakub Lauko.
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 23: Rick Nash #61 of the Boston Bruins stretches during warm-up prior to playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Six of the first round in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Rick Nash from Rangers in exchange for forward Ryan Spooner, winger Matt Beleskey, defenseman Ryan Lindgren, 2018 first-round pick, and 2019 seventh-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 37-14-8 (third place in Atlantic Division, five points out of first place).
Sweeney’s first try at a big home run swing, the Bruins sent out five pieces in exchange for Nash, and No. 61 finished with three goals and six points in 11 regular-season appearances, and added three goals and five points in 12 playoff games. A concussion suffered on a high hit from the Lightning’s Cedric Paquette interrupted and derailed Nash’s Boston run, and ultimately forced Nash to retire at the end of the season.
The trade will always be one of the biggest ‘what if’ scenarios involving this era of Bruins hockey, as both Nash and the B’s were interested in a potential long-term partnership.
TAMPA, FL – APRIL 3: Brian Gionta #12 of the Boston Bruins brings the puck up against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period of the game at the Amalie Arena on April 3, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins sign forward Brian Gionta to one-year, league-minimum contract.
Bruins record when acquired: 37-14-8 (third place in Atlantic Division, five points out of first place).
A veteran free-agent addition, the Bruins signed Gionta after the New York native had captained Team USA at the 2018 Olympic games. The 5-foot-7 Gionta would total two goals and seven points in 20 games with the Bruins to close out the 2017-18 season, and made one playoff appearance for the club. Gionta, who played over 1,000 games in his NHL career, would retire later that year.
BOSTON, MA – MAY 2: Tommy Wingels #57 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the second period of Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden on May 2, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Tommy Wingels from Blackhawks in exchange for conditional fifth-round pick in 2019.
Bruins record when acquired: 37-15-8 (third place in Atlantic Division, five points out of first place).
A depth move at the deadline, Wingels scored two goals and five points in 18 games with the B’s, and appeared in four postseason games. The conditional fifth-round pick the B’s sent to Chicago in that deal ultimately became a fourth when the Bruins advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Wingels had a direct hand in that, too, as he absorbed the hit that got the Leafs’ Nazem Kadri suspended for three games in the middle of the first round.
2019
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI – JUNE 01: Charlie Coyle #13 of the Bruins celebrates his goal with Danton Heinen #43 against the St. Louis Blues in Game Three of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Enterprise Center. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire center Charlie Coyle from Wild in exchange for winger Ryan Donato and 2019 fifth-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 35-17-8 (second place in Atlantic Division, 18 points out of first place).
Certainly the most impactful trade of the Sweeney era in terms of its direct impact on a long playoff run and a long-term future with the organization, the Bruins made out like bandits when they acquired Coyle from the Wild in exchange for Ryan Donato and a late-round pick. Slotted behind Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci on the B’s center depth chart, Coyle excelled as a puck-possession pivot, and racked up nine goals and 16 points in 24 playoff games for the Bruins on the way to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. His nine goals were tied for the most on the team, while his 16 points were the fifth-most among all B’s.
Coyle would later re-sign with the club, and is currently the club’s No. 1 center.
Donato, meanwhile, is now with the Blackhawks, after bouncing from Minnesota to San Jose to Seattle before joining Chicago.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 06: Marcus Johansson #90 of the Bruins reacts against the St. Louis Blues during the third period in Game Five of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 06, 2019. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Marcus Johansson from the Devils in exchange for 2019 second-round pick and 2020 fourth-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 36-17-9 (second place in Atlantic Division, 17 points out of first place).
Originally acquired to skate to the right of David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk on Boston’s second line, Johansson’s best fit ultimately came on the B’s third line with Charlie Coyle and Danton Heinen. The Swedish wing put up one goal and three points in 10 regular season games with the Bruins, and added four goals and 11 points in 22 playoff games.
The Bruins were unable to retain Johansson after the 2019 playoffs, and Johansson has since bounced around a bit, with runs with Buffalo, Minnesota, Seattle, Washington (again), and then Minnesota again.
2020
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – FEBRUARY 27: Ondrej Kase #28 of the Boston Bruins looks on during his first game with the Bruins at TD Garden on February 27, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Ondrej Kase from Ducks in exchange for forward David Backes, defenseman Axel Andersson, and a 2020 first-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 38-11-12 (first place in Atlantic Division, three points above second place).
The Bruins tried to make their best out of a garbage situation when they attached a first-round pick to rid themselves of the David Backes contract. Rather than just dumping him with the pick and moving on in the name of cap space after Backes’ role entered an uncomfortable territory for the Bruins and led to the veteran landing on waivers, the Bruins ditched Backes but took a chance on the oft-injured Ondrej Kase in the process.
But after Kase had a stop-and-start jump into life with the Bruins in a COVID-interrupted 2020 campaign, the Czech wing’s concussion woes returned and limited Kase to just three games during the 2021 season.
He would later play for the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes, but was unable to stay healthy for those clubs either, and has since returned to Czechia, where he’s put up 23 goals and 54 points in 47 games for Litvinov HC.
This trade honestly could’ve been a lot worse for the Bruins, too, all things considered. Andersson never quite panned out in the Ducks organization and has since returned to Europe, while the Ducks used that first-round pick on winger Jacob Perreault. The 21-year-old Perreault has made just one NHL appearance since turning pro in 2020-21, and has totaled just 32 goals and 91 points in 160 career AHL games for San Diego.
TORONTO, ONTARIO – AUGUST 29: Nick Ritchie #21 of the Boston Bruins fights Barclay Goodrow #19 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 29, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Nick Ritchie from Ducks in exchange for forward Danton Heinen.
Bruins record when acquired: 39-12-12 (first place in Atlantic Division, five points above second place).
A ‘change of scenery’ trade for both Ritchie and Heinen, the Bruins thought that adding the big-bodied Ritchie would help the team score some of the more dirty, high-danger area postseason goals that the team struggled to produce when going up against bigger defenses. And though Ritchie’s 2020 fit with the Bruins proved to be a troubling one, Ritchie bounced back in 2021 with a career-high 15 goals and five power-play goals and 7th Player Award honors.
But the Bruins ultimately decided not to bring Ritchie back for another round after a disappointing 2021 playoff run, and Ritchie landed with the Maple Leafs on a two-year, $5 million deal. That deal turned out to be a disaster for all involved, really, as Ritchie would fail to fit on the Leafs’ top line and score just two goals in 33 games with Toronto before the team waived him, and ultimately sent him to Arizona in a cap-clearing move.
Ritchie would later play for the Flames following a trade out of Arizona, and most recently played in 10 games for Karpat (Finland), where he recorded one goal and 70 minutes in penalties before the sides parted ways.
Heinen, meanwhile, is back for his second tour of duty with the Bruins after making a two-year pit stop in Pittsburgh between Anaheim and Boston.
2021
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 16: Mike Reilly #6 of the Bruins looks on during the first period of the Bruins home opener against the Dallas Stars at TD Garden on October 16, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire defenseman Mike Reilly from Senators in exchange for 2022 third-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 21-12-6 (fourth in East Division, four point above fifth place).
When the Bruins’ decision to go with a youth movement and walk away from Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug failed to pan out the way the Bruins envisioned, Sweeney made a call to Ottawa and swung a deadline deal for Mike Reilly. An underrated puck-moving threat, Reilly put up eight assists in 15 games with the Bruins to close out the regular season, and added another four helpers in 11 postseason games.
The Bruins ultimately kept Reilly around on a three-year, $9 million extension, but the second half of that deal failed to bring the Bruins (or Reilly) what they wanted out of the deal, and Reilly was bought out last summer after spending the majority of the 2022-23 campaign in the AHL.
Reilly, who signed with the Panthers but was later claimed off waivers by the Islanders, has put up four goals and 15 points in 39 games this season.
The Sens, by the way, used that third-round pick acquired from the Bruins to select defenseman Tomas Hamara, who is currently playing for OHL Brantford.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 13: Taylor Hall #71 of the Boston Bruins waits for the face off against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 13, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Taylor Hall and forward Curtis Lazar from Sabres in exchange for winger Anders Bjork and 2021 second-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 21-12-6 (fourth in East Division, four point above fifth place).
Aided greatly by the fact that Taylor Hall had a full no-movement clause and made it clear that he wanted to go to Boston, the Hall-to-Boston gamble certainly paid off for the Bruins when you look at its impact and cost. Finally solving the team’s never-ending quest to acquire that high-ceiling second-line wing, Hall was productive and immediately bought in on what the Bruins were selling him, and was a consummate professional throughout his tenure with the club prior to a cap-clearing trade that sent him to Chicago last summer.
As for what the Bruins gave up in that deal, Bjork is currently playing with AHL Rockford (and on a minors-only contract), while the Sabres used that second-round draft pick on Russian winger Aleksandr Kisakov, who has scored 11 goals and 18 points in 76 AHL games since the start of last season.
2022
Mar 24, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) gets ready for a face off during the first period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)
Transaction: Bruins acquire defenseman Hampus Lindholm and defenseman Kodie Curran from Ducks in exchange for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, defenseman John Moore, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick, and 2024 second-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 38-19-5 (fourth in Atlantic Division, two points out of third place in Atlantic, one point above second wild card).
The biggest move of Sweeney’s general manager tenure, the Bruins acquired (and immediately extended) Hampus Lindholm from the Ducks for what was an absolute haul. For the price of three top-64 picks to the inclusion of a 2017 first-round pick (Vaakanainen), the Bruins answered their issues at the top of their left-side defense for the foreseeable future. Lindholm has since emerged as a key piece of the club.
Mar 31, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Josh Brown (44) and New Jersey Devils defenseman Mason Geertsen (55) fight during the first period at the TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)
Transaction: Bruins acquire defenseman Josh Brown and conditional 2022 seventh-round pick from Senators in exchange for winger Zach Senyshyn and 2022 fifth-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 39-19-5 (tied for third in Atlantic Division).
Another depth move for the B’s, Brown would appear in six games for the Bruins to close out the 2022 stretch run, with one fight and a plus-2 rating to his name. Brown also made a playoff appearance for the Bruins, while the seventh-round pick sent to the Bruins remained a seventh-round pick (used to select Jackson Edward) as Senyshyn did not make at least five NHL appearances for Ottawa to end the year.
In case you’re curious (and I know you after hearing his name), Senyshyn is no longer playing pro hockey in North America, and is instead over in Germany’s top pro league, where he’s recorded 12 goals and 29 points in 48 games for the Schwenningen Wild Wings this season.
VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 22: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck during NHL action against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on February 22, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Rich Lam/Getty Images)
Transaction: Bruins sign winger Jake DeBrusk to two-year, $8 million extension.
Bruins record at time: 39-19-5 (tied for third in Atlantic Division).
Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk has made it clear that he’d like to sign a contract extension with the Bruins. In fact, based on his latest comments on the matter, he’d like to get it done as soon as possible so he can stop worrying about an uncertain future. This isn’t all that unfamiliar from where DeBrusk was back in 2022, when instead of granting his trade request, DeBrusk and the Bruins came to terms on an extension.
2023
Apr 17, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins defenseman Dmitry Orlov (81) takes a shot against the Panthers during the third period of game one of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)
Transaction: Bruins acquire defenseman Dmitry Orlov and winger Garnet Hathaway from Capitals in exchange for winger Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round draft pick, a 2025 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 44-8-5 (First place in Atlantic, 15 points ahead of second place)
With the Bruins in the midst of what was a record-breaking regular season, Sweeney was looking to put his club over the top, and found a top-tier bang-for-his-buck move with the pickup of both Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway in a trade with Washington. It was an embarrassment of riches kind of move for the Bruins, and both were tremendous fits for the club. What you had to respect about the move was that it was Sweeney realizing that 2023 was ‘it’ for his club and that he needed to do whatever it would take to put his team in the best position to win a Stanley Cup. Orlov, a hired gun the entire time as the Bruins by all means knew it would impossible to give him the kind of contract he wanted, was fantastic in Boston, with 17 points in 23 games with the Bruins before a postseason run that included eight assists in seven games.
Tyler Bertuzzi watches a face-off against the Edmonton Oilers at TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports)
Transaction: Bruins acquire winger Tyler Bertuzzi from the Red Wings in exchange for a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2024 and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
Bruins record when acquired: 48-8-5 (First place in Atlantic Division, 17 points ahead of second place).
Another move with the intentions of putting the Bruins over the tippy top of the league, the loss of Taylor Hall to what the Bruins feared was a potential season-ending injury was met with the addition of Tyler Bertuzzi.
Barring something catastrophic — and I’m talking something borderline impossible, like the Bruins losing every game for the rest of the season — that top-10 protected first-round pick sent to Detroit (and since sent to Ottawa) will convey at this year’s draft.
Jan 2, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) walks onto the ice for warm-ups before a game against the Penguins in the 2023 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. (Paul Rutherford/USA TODAY Sports)
Transaction: Bruins sign winger David Pastrnak to eight-year, $90 million extension.
Bruins record at time: 48-8-5 (First place in Atlantic Division, 17 points ahead of second place).
Once the Bruins had their post-deadline additions officially added, they put the pen to paper when it came to a franchise-record extension for David Pastrnak. It’s a deal that’s somehow looking like a steal for the Bruins, really, as Pastrnak has been a Hart-level producer for the club, and has been the focal part of the Black and Gold’s offensive attack this season. (It’s scary to think where they would be without him this year.)
