The Boston Bruins have brought in several new players since being major sellers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. Among them is forward Marat Khusnutdinov, as the Bruins acquired him from the Minnesota Wild as part of the Justin Brazeau trade.
Following being traded to the Bruins, Khusnutdinov showed immediate signs of improvement. In 18 games with the Original Six club, he posted three goals, five points, and 18 hits. This was after he had two goals and seven points in 57 games with the Wild before the move in 2024-25.
When noting that Khusnutdinov is only 22 years old, there is clear reason to believe that he still can hit a new level as he continues to gain more experience. Keep in mind, this past campaign was only his second NHL season, so he is very much still adjusting to the NHL level. In addition, he only played 16 games with the Wild during his first season in 2023-24, posting one goal and three assists.
Khusnutdinov also demonstrated during his time in the KHL that he has offensive upside. During the 2022-23 season with SKA St. Petersburg, he recorded 11 goals, 41 points, and a plus-15 rating in 63 games. With this, it would not be particularly surprising if Khusnutdinov gets his offense up with the Bruins, especially if he ends up landing a role in their top nine.
Overall, there is a lot to like about Khusnutdinov's solid all-around game. The potential for him to emerge as a key forward for the Bruins is there, and it will be fascinating to see how much of an impact he can make for them in 2025-26 from here. He could very well be a nice surprise for a Bruins team that desperately needs more skilled young players.
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