The Boston Bruins played their final game ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline on Thursday night, and it was undoubtedly a poor performance. The Bruins fell to the Nashville Predators by a 6-3 final score, which included them ending the second period down 5-1. With the Predators being on the wrong side of the playoff line, seeing the Bruins play this poorly against them is very concerning. This is especially so when noting that this was the last game the Bruins had before the trade deadline. The Bruins did not look like a playoff-caliber team against the Predators and are now facing a decision on what to do at the trade deadline. One route they could go is to try to address some clear roster needs they have, like bringing in a top-six winger and a top-four right-shot defenseman. Yet, with how poorly the Bruins played against Nashville, it is fair to wonder if they could end up being more open to being sellers. The Bruins are now also one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, who just added Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks. It will be interesting to see what the Bruins decide to do at the deadline from here.
