There are two Boston Bruins players that the Edmonton Oilers could be interested in this summer.
The Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers will play in Massachusetts on Tuesday night.
In only a few weeks, the two teams will play each other again. In February, the Bruins surprised Edmonton with a thrilling 6-5 overtime victory.
The Boston Bruins, who have a 36-13-14 record and are in contention for the top slot in the Atlantic Division, lost Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci during the previous off-season. Despite roster changes every year, this is a club that finds success anyway.
The Bruins’ 1A/1B goaltender tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman is one of their greatest strengths. The latter finished with a 40-6-1 record, a.938 save percentage, and a 1.89 goals-against average in 49 games to win the Vezina Trophy in 2022-2023. He has a 16-7-6 record this season with a.910 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average in 30 appearances.
With a 2.49 goals-against average and a.921 save percentage, Swayman, a 25-year-old goalie, has been the best of the two and could win the Vezina Trophy this year.
Jeff Marek noted that moving Ullmark might help cover other openings and that Bruins netminding prospect Brandon Bussi will need to clear waivers for the upcoming season in the most recent episode of Rink Fries on Sportsnet.
After signing with the Providence Bruins, Bussi recorded a.924 save percentage in the AHL the previous season. This season, he has a.909 save percentage. Bussi attended Western Michigan University.
The play of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has led Oilers general manager Ken Holland to declare that he will not be shopping for a goalie at the deadline this season.
But it might be worth the wait to sign the current Vezina Trophy winner, who has one more year left on his deal and a $5 million cap hit.
Of course, it will be much simpler to carry out a deal of this kind in the summer, when the Oilers will have the chance to purchase the remaining two years of Jack Campbell’s $25 million, five-year contract in June.
The Oilers might be interested in the top-six forwards that the Bruins have. The player’s father, who used to be an oiler, now does color commentary for the team’s Sportsnet broadcasts. In case you haven’t figured it out, I’m referring to Jake DeBrusk.
The left-winger, 27, has a $4 million cap hit and is a future unrestricted free agent.
Does he wind up back west as a playoff rental for a contender out there—we’ve all heard the Oilers rumors—or does he become a playoff rental for the Bruins? The NHL source reportedly asked Boston Hockey Now, according to Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now. If he signs an extension, it sure doesn’t look like he’s doing so before the season ends.
Is it possible for the Bruins to consider trading DeBrusk for a defenseman such as Brett Kulak, given their current financial situation? Naturally, the Oilers would need to make additions to offset that move, but Kulak still has two seasons left and a $2.75 million cap charge. Furthermore, Kulak has demonstrated in the past that he is capable of playing on a cup contender’s second line.
The Oilers can easily remedy the situation by trading Kulak for DeBrusk, which will enable them to bring up Philip Broberg to take Kulak’s place.
There are undoubtedly benefits for both the Bruins and the Oilers if they attempt to make a deal at this season’s trade deadline, even though they would then need to trade for depth in the defense.
Later in that same Boston Hockey Now story, Murphy cited NHL analyst Pierre McGuire as saying DeBrusk is likely to sign with one of the two Alberta-based teams out west if the Bruins decide not to re-sign him.
NHL expert Pierre McGuire stated on a recent episode of Eye Test Podcast, Here’s what I do know: If the Bruins don’t sign him—and I don’t know if they will or won’t, I’m sure they appreciate him—I promise an Alberta team will offer him a large contract.
I can assure you that he will receive the best treatment possible in the province of Alberta, whether it be in Edmonton or Calgary.
That is, assuming Boston chooses not to sign him. This is not a deceptive ploy; it is a fact. It’s true that that kind of player is needed.
Similar to Ullmark, the salary cap issue for the organization may prevent it from making sense at this time. However, DeBrusk ought to be a factor Edmonton is considering come summertime. He was always destined to be an oiler.
