Boston's Cam Neely Could Be Next On The Hot Seat

This is an important season for Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic. The 2016 first-round pick is in the final year of his contract and can become an unrestricted free agent this upcoming summer. Thus, the St. Louis, Missouri native is naturally aiming to have a strong campaign.

At this juncture of the season, Frederic has five goals, six assists, 95 hits, and a minus-10 rating in 30 games. While he has had a slow start to the campaign, he is currently heating up, posting two goals and four points over his last five games.

With Frederic being a pending UFA, the Bruins have a significant decision to make. The 26-year-old has been an essential part of their top nine for multiple seasons, so the Original Six club could very well try to sign him to an extension. But will one actually come to fruition? Time will tell on that front.

However, if the Bruins do not view Frederic as a long-term part of their plans, it is also fair to wonder if he could be used in a trade to bring in talent elsewhere. Given his immense tenacity and secondary scoring ability, he does have a good amount of trade value. In addition, losing him for nothing next summer, like they did with Jake DeBrusk this past off-season, would certainly sting.

Yet, trading Frederic would also come with some clear risk. Even if his production is down this season, he is still impactful because of his toughness. He is precisely the kind of player that post-season teams love to have, and if the Bruins find themselves in a playoff spot near the deadline, moving Frederic may not be the best idea.

It will be very fascinating to see what the Bruins decide to do with Frederic from here.

Bruins Facing Big Decision With Tough Guy