The NHL trade chatter is beginning to feel like a snowball getting kicked down Wachusett Mountain. Every day, more and more names and teams get sucked into the news cycle, seemingly creating one of the largest potential trade frenzies we've seen in some time. The Bruins are known to be big-game hunters, but what they ultimately may end up with remains more than a mystery. Boston's top needs remain a top-line center, along with a right-shot defenseman. As time goes on, it becomes clearer and clearer the Bruins sure seem to be targeting July 1 for their defensemen hunt, with Darren Raddysh and Rasmus Andersson atop the potential targets for the Bruins. But, the trade market continues to yield names. Nico Hischier, Mathew Barzal, Dylan Larkin, Elias Pettersson, and more are all available, to varying degrees. The window to acquire a top-line center is here. The Bruins have to find a way to land one of the many options. Barzal, to this writer, continues to make the most sense. He would be cheapest to acquire, and has a cheap long-term contract. Moreover, his elite playmaking could turn David Pastrnak right back into a 60-goalscorer. Barzal's sparkling defensive metrics are another massive positive. The New York Islanders' affinity for James Hagens is well-documented, and a package around Hagens makes a lot of sense for the Islanders to pursue, if they opt to retool to fit Matthew Schaefer's timeline significantly more. Hischier also makes a ton of sense, but the New Jersey Devils reportedly have extremely limited interest in dealing their center, which would force the Bruins to wildly overpay. Larkin controls his own destiny, while Elias Pettersson remains a big question mark. Whether or not the St. Louis Blues will trade Robert Thomas remains a big mystery, but as it stands, it seems Jordan Kyrou is their priority to deal away.
