Bruins place two players on waivers
Touching down back in Boston on Sunday after a winless road trip came with a pair of roster moves for the Bruins, with forwards Patrick Brown and Vinni Lettieri placed on waivers.
Brown, who was recalled to the NHL just before the trade deadline, hits the waiver wire after appearing in 11 games in the month of March, with one assist and 38 hits for Boston over that 11-game sample.
The 32-year-old Brown, who serves as the captain of the P-Bruins when not on the NHL roster, recorded a season-high six hits in 10:42 of time on ice in Saturday’s loss to the Red Wings.
Overall, Brown has appeared in 13 games for the Big B’s this season.
Lettieri, meanwhile, will hit the waiver wire having gone seven straight games without a point, and after posting just one assist in 11 games for Boston in the month of March. Often playing on a line with Cole Koepke and Casey Mittelstadt (an All-Minnesota line for the Bruins), Lettieri was a non-factor during the Black and Gold’s five-game road trip, with just one multi-shot effort and a minus-6 rating.
In action for 19 games with Boston this season, Lettieri has recorded two goals and an assist, along with 50 hits, while averaging a career-high 13:01 per night for the Bruins.
It’s worth noting that since the trade deadline has already passed, neither Brown nor Lettieri would be eligible to play for a team in the playoffs should they be claimed by another club off waivers ahead of Monday’s 2 p.m. clearance window. So, the decision to make these calls now could be as simple as the Black and Gold looking to get these P-Bruins mainstays back in action for Providence ahead of the postseason or an attempt to get someone (anyone!) to take the contract slot off their hands with a claim. The latter would be of value to the Bruins in the event that they are signing a college free agent.
As for the ‘why’ behind these decisions, that will have to wait until Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena, as the Black and Gold’s decision to waive Brown and Lettieri leaves the Bruins with just nine healthy forwards ahead of Monday’s on-ice session.
The Bruins, who have lost eight straight (0-7-1) and put the club in the midst of their worst eight-game segment since Mar. 1997, will play host to the East-best Capitals on Tuesday night.
