NHL Trade Rumors: Bruins 'Firmly in the Mix' On 2 Canucks Players

The Boston Bruins are looking to make a move. GM Don Sweeney says he's looking to "give the team a bump" at this deadline, to reward them for an unexpectedly successful season that sees them clinging to the second Wild Card spot in the East. And word is, they're zeroing in on the Vancouver Canucks to get something done.

According to insider James Murphy, the Bruins are "actively scouting" the Canucks, with two players in particular in their crosshairs.

Boston has been tracking both Conor Garland and Brock Boeser closely in recent weeks as the March 6 trade deadline approaches, signaling renewed interest after prior attempts to acquire each player.

It sounds like, from all accounts, Garland is the much more obtainable of the two.

“It’s no secret that [Don] Sweeney has been interested in Garland for a while, and he’s still trying to see if something works there," a source told Murphy.

Sweeney has apparently "circled back" on the eight-year veteran, who has proven to be a pretty consistent secondary scorer in the middle-six. Garland is struggling this season, though, along with the rest of the Canucks roster, but he's averaged 18 goals a year over the previous six seasons. He's a pending UFA.

“I’m told it’s much more likely Garland gets dealt rather than Boeser, and the Bruins are right there,” another NHL source told Murphy.

Bruins interested in Garland & Boeser, but the latter is unlikely to move

As for Boeser, Sweeney has had him on his radar dating back to the 2015 NHL draft and has been interested at previous trade deadlines and as a free agency target as well. But the six-time 20-goal scorer (and recent 40-goal man) has been dedicated to staying with the Canucks, and signed a seven-year, $50.7 million ($7.2M AAV) deal with them just before free agency last summer. He has a full no-move clause. Seeing him go now would be very unexpected.

In the same story, Murphy puts the kibosh on earlier reports about Jake DeBrusk being a target, and that the Bruins are "not major players" for their former forward.