The Bruins would be wise to make a push for Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud this off-season.
One of the Boston Bruins' top needs heading into the 2026 NHL off-season is to improve the right side of their blueline. The right side of their defense was one of the weakest parts of their roster this season, and it has the potential to get worse if Andrew Peeke ends up signing with another team in free agency this summer.
One way that the Bruins could look to improve their defense this off-season is through the trade market. When looking at trade candidates around the league, Calgary Flames defenseman Zach Whitecloud stands out as an interesting potential option for the Bruins to consider.
With the Flames being in a rebuild, Whitecloud is among the players on their roster who have been the subject of trade rumors. In fact, this has been the case since the Flames acquired him in the deal that sent Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. With this, the Bruins would be wise to kick tires on Whitecloud this off-season.
If the Bruins acquired Whitecloud, he would provide them with another option to consider for their second pairing and penalty kill. However, even if he ended up playing on the Bruins' third pairing, he would still have the potential to provide Boston's blueline with a much-needed boost if acquired.
Whitecloud's contract also adds to his appeal, as he has an affordable $2.75 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. With this, he would be a multi-year addition for the Bruins, which would not be a bad thing at all for the Bruins.
In 78 games this season split between the Golden Knights and Flames, Whitecloud recorded two goals, 17 points, 124 hits, and 140 blocks.