NHL Rumors: Bruins Talking Trade Leading Up To Draft

For the first time in over a decade, the Boston Bruins own a top-10 pick in the NHL Draft, but they might not keep it.

According to multiple reports, including Jimmy Murphy of RG.org, general manager Don Sweeney is exploring trade options involving the No. 7 overall selection in the 2025 draft. The goal? Either move into the top five to target an elite prospect or use the pick as part of a package to add immediate roster help.

With five first-round picks over the next three years, Boston is well-positioned to get creative.

Bruins Face Choice: Rebuild the Prospect Pool or Win Now

Director of Amateur Scouting Ryan Nadeau acknowledged the team is “ready for anything,” emphasizing the need for balance between future growth and current competitiveness. Boston’s prospect system currently ranks near the bottom of the NHL, but the front office also wants to return to playoff contention as soon as next season.

Sweeney hinted that unless the Bruins can move into the top five, where there’s a consensus drop-off in elite talent, they’re more likely to flip the pick for NHL-ready players. That approach would allow them to keep building through their multiple second-rounders and future firsts.

Pending soon-to-be met conditions of the Marchand trade, Boston projects to have 7th overall pick in 2025, two first-round picks in 2026 and two first-round picks in 2027. They’ll have five (!) first-round picks and four second-round picks over the next three drafts. #NHLBruins
— Bruins Network (@BruinsNetwork) May 20, 2025

Mock Trade Suggests Bruins Could Add Another First-Rounder

A recent mock from The Athletic floated a trade that would send Pavel Zacha and Marat Khusnutdinov to Vancouver in exchange for Nils Höglander and the No. 15 pick.

It’s speculative, but intriguing: Boston would add a second top-15 pick to retool their pipeline while unloading salary. Höglander, though inconsistent, has flashed top-six potential. Still, giving up Zacha, a versatile forward with chemistry alongside David Pastrnak, may not make sense unless Boston fully commits to a longer-term rebuild.

For now, the Bruins appear to be threading the needle between building for the future and staying competitive right now.

On June 26th, 2015, the Boston Bruins had 3 straight first-round picks where they picked Zboril, DeBrusk, and Senyshyn over:

— Mat Barzal
— Brock Boeser
— Kyle Connor
— Travis Konecny
— Thomas Chabot
— Sebastian Aho

Boston could have built a dynasty that night. pic.twitter.com/hMuiru3HQj
— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) July 5, 2023