Could the Bruins look to make a big trade this summer?
The Boston Bruins had a quiet 2026 NHL trade deadline. Their most notable move was acquiring former first-round pick Lukas Reichel from the Vancouver Canucks for a sixth-round pick. They also made a minor-league trade with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Overall, the Bruins did not make any major splashes, but it also makes sense when noting that they are not top contenders but also still in the playoff race.
Yet, with the Bruins having a need for another star forward, could they look to make a big splash during the summer?
In a recent article for The Athletic, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun took a look at a few off-season trade candidates for this summer. Among the players discussed was St. Louis Blues star center Robert Thomas, and LeBrun questioned if the Bruins could be among the teams that end up targeting him this summer.
"The Buffalo Sabres and Utah Mammoth may circle back, but the playoffs also have a way of bringing other teams into the fold. Do the Detroit Red Wings feel they need to take a run at Thomas depending on how the playoffs go? The Montreal Canadiens? Boston Bruins? Los Angeles Kings? There are lots of possibilities there, and I think Thomas most likely gets moved this summer," LeBrun wrote.
Thomas was viewed as a possible target for the Bruins leading up to the deadline, as he would have certainly given them a true answer for their first-line center spot. Furthermore, with Thomas being just 26 years old and locked up until the end of the 2030-31 season, he would be an excellent fit for a retooling Bruins club.
The idea of Thomas becoming a Bruin this summer is a fun thought, but it would also cost the Bruins a lot to have any chance of landing him.