If Bruins decide to sell at trade deadline, who could get moved?

BOSTON — The Bruins have admitted they could be be sellers at the trade deadline if making the playoffs looks unlikely.

With less than month until the March 7 deadline, Boston faces, at best, face a steep climb to get to the postseason. It wouldn’t be surprising if general managers around the NHL spend the two-week break for the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off talking about trade possibilities.

If the Bruins decide to sell, which seems at lease possible and probably likely, they’ll have some decisions to make. So might some of the players. Five players have full no-movement clauses and five others with partial no-trade clauses.

Here’s which players have what restrictions and how might interest contenders if the Bruins look to sell.

Full No-Movement Clause

The Bruins have players who would have to approve any trade and none are likely to move.

David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Elias Lindholm, Hampus Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov

The Bruins aren’t trading Pastrnak. Whatever building plan they create will be around Pastrnak, who is the only true goal scorer in the organization right now. McAvoy hasn’t played up to his $9.5 million salary, but he’s a key part of the Bruins’ future plans.

Hampus Lindholm might have been a trade candidate if he was willing and healthy. At 31 with a reasonable $6.5 million salary, he’d likely have appealed to a contender. But have missed almost three months, teams are unlikely to give up enough to tempt the the Bruins now.

Neither Elias Lindholm nor Nikita Zadorov, who both signed this summer, have lived up to the expectations, although Zadorov has been better lately. Still the Bruins would likely have to retain salary to move them if they were willing to go, making it more likely that they’ll stay put.

Modified no-trade clause

Last year showed that the Bruins will make a trade without knowing for sure if the player will accept it. Linus Ullmark was traded somewhere (presumed to be the Kings) that was on his no-trade list and he blocked it. It’s worth noting too that these Bruins made their lists before they knew they were going to be struggling and not guaranteed to make the playoffs. In some cases, their willingness to move might have changed.

When Linus Ullmark exercised his ability to block a trade away from the Bruins last year, he did so, knowing the Bruins were likely headed to the playoffs.

Here’s who has trade restrictions and how many teams are on them according to Puckapedia:

Brad Marchand — 8-team no trade clause — Will be a free agent after the season.

Pavel Zacha — 10-team no trade — He has two years of $4.75 million after this season.

Brandon Carlo — 10-team no trade — The 28-year-old has two more years at $4.1million.

Charlie Coyle — 8-team no trade — Coyle has one more year at $5.25

Joonas Korpisalo — 10-team no trade — With Ottawa retaining some of his salary, he has three more years at $3 million.

This is an interesting list. They could trade anyone on it for the right price.

Marchand will be 37 next year and could fetch a nice return from a contender, but that would mean trading the captain and restarting the dressing room culture. It won’t be an easy choice.

Since David Krejci retired, Pastrnak has been at his best on Zacha’s wing. Trading Zacha and his reasonable salary leave the Bruins even more desperate at center.

Carlo hasn’t been talked about as a target a lot, but he’s got a reasonable contract. He’s good in his own end and can kill penalties.

Coyle feels like the mostly likely to block a trade given that he’s playing at home and has built huge community ties. But he’d be a good third=line forward for a contender. He’s a good penalty killer and a good culture guy. Trading him would allow the Bruins to open some cap space and get younger.

At $3 million, Korpisalo isn’t expensive. He’d a solid insurance policy if a team needs a backup goalie. With Michael DiPierto flourishing in Providence, the Bruins probably wouldn’t need a lot to move him.

No restrictions

Jeremy Swayman, Trent Frederic, Morgan Geekie, Justin Brazeau, Mark Kastelic, Matt Poitras, Oliver Wahlstrom, John Beecher, Cole Koepke, Anthony Peeke, Mason Lohrei, Parker Wotherspoon, Jordan Oesterle, and Michael Callahan

Swayman’s no-trade protection actually doesn’t start until 2026-27, but it would be a Doncic-level of stunning if the Bruins traded him now.

Poitras and Lohrei aren’t going anywhere. A franchise with almost no prospects isn’t giving away their kind of promise.

Mark Kastelic, who has been a clear fit, is probably staying too.

The big three here are Trent Frederic, Morgan Geekie and Justin Brazeau.

Frederic has struggled badly this year. But the free agent would still be a good third-line center, who can be a physical presence in the playoffs. He’s probably the most likely player on the roster to be moved if the Bruins sell. He could be dealt even if they’re half sellers and half buyers.

Geekie, who is a restricted free agent, could either be part of a building process or a trade candidate. He’s raised his stock in recent weeks. The Bruins will get calls on him.

Justin Brazeau has cooled off offensively in recent weeks playing a lot of fourth line shifts, but he’s a big body with scoring ability, who is about to be a free agent. The Bruins would be smart to see if there’s a contract extension to be agreed to during the 4 Nations break if they want him to be part of the team’s future.

With a minimum salary, Brazeau could appeal to a cash-strapped contender enough to get the Bruins a solid draft pick if they don’t think they can re-sign him.

Beecher has a little value as a penalty killer and has a history of being good on faceoffs, but is unlikely to bring much back. Peeke has been much better as a Bruin than he was in Columbus, but at $2.75 million with another year on his contract, he might be worth more to keep.

Callahan has been solid as a stay-at-home guy and could find a role in Boston if Carlo gets moved.

Wahlstrom, Koepke, Wotherspoon and Oesterle won’t likely draw any significant offers.

• BETTING: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.

This post was originally published on this site