Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild trade rumors are heating up

Last week Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney made it clear that the team would be interested in trading their first round draft pick. Now, it seems like the Minnesota Wild may be a partner.

The Boston Bruins would like to address their blueline situation ahead of the 2017 NHL season, and they may be willing to make a deal to land a top-four defenseman.

In late April GM Don Sweeney addressed the areas where he’d like the team to improve, noting Boston would like to add help at the “middle of the [forward] lineup, transition-minded defensemen and the backup goaltender position.”

Just last week he then came out and made it known that the Boston Bruins would be willing to part ways with their first round draft pick if the right deal is presented to them. Boston has the 18th overall selection.

"“We have had a number of selections the last couple of years and we feel that they’ll all materialize into very good players for the Boston Bruins and I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t explore what could improve our hockey club now in the shorter term. I owe it to our players and the organization to continue to do that. Whether or not it happens, I don’t know. Some people have looked at me sideways at times when holding three first-rounders (in 2015) and not being able to do something at that point in time. The right deal didn’t take place. I can’t say that it’s going to at this time as well, but it’s certainly an area I’ve looked at that if we can improve, then we would move it.”"

Boston has a number of young players that will be coming up to contribute in 2017, including forward Anders Bjork and defenseman Charlie McAvoy. While Boston is escited about these prospects, adding another player with NHL experience, but still at a young age, would be ideal.

Writing on the wall for Spooner

Rumors have been swirling for a long time surroundinng questions that the Bruins may trade Ryan Spooner. They team is likely to move the third-line forward to make room for Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, who was signed last spring in hopes of NHL playing time this season. Boston may have themselves a trade partner now in the Minnesota Wild.

The NHL Draft is about two weeks away, so the time to make a pre-draft move is coming up quick. A name for you to keep an eye on is Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin. Boston and Minnesota were involved in trade talks leading up to this past season’s trade deadline, though a deal was never made.

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Brodin is a left-shot defenseman that Boston could pair with Charlie McAvoy. At just 23, Brodin still has four years remaining on his contract, at $4.166 million. Brodin has been a top-four defenseman for the Wild for a few years now, and last season he tallied a career-high 25 points. Those 25 points though came with a career-low in ice time, so he could likely put up even better numbers.

Minnesota is without a first round pick after a previous deadline deal, and it’s believed that they want back in the round. Boston could pair their pick and Ryan Spooner in a trade for Jonas Brodin.

This deal could help both sides, as the Wild get back into the top of the draft and land a player who may just need a change of scenerey, and the Bruins land a young, talented defenseman to paor with what they hope to be their rising star.

Next: A look back at Backes' first year in Boston

Would you like to see this deal go down? Let us know and make sure you check back here for the latest!

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