Retool or chase playoffs? Bruins face tough trade deadline dilemma originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
For most of Don Sweeney’s nearly 10 years as Boston Bruins general manager, the team has had a clear objective ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
Buy.
The Bruins’ problem for much of the last eight seasons hasn’t been whether they could qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The issue was whether they had enough depth for a long playoff run, and if not, which of the top players on the trade market should they pursue. More often than not, Sweeney has been aggressive in adding to his roster, even going all-in a few times.
This season presents a different dilemma for Sweeney and ownership. The Bruins have been an average team for most of the 2024-25 campaign. They entered Thursday just outside one of the wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn gives the B’s a 29 percent chance of reaching the postseason, based on his model.
Leapfrogging the Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers or Toronto Maple Leafs for one of the three playoff berths in the Atlantic Division will be tough. Nine teams, including the Bruins, are realistically in the mix for a wild card berth at this time. Even if the Bruins got to the playoffs, there are credible concerns over whether this team could compete at a high level and win a round.
Bruins president Cam Neely even admitted earlier this month that the team could be buyers or sellers before the March 7 trade deadline.
“I think right now we’ve got to look at two paths,” Neely told reporters last week. “One that we’re buying. One that we may be retooling a little bit. We still feel like we’ve got a playoff team here. We certainly don’t want to jeopardize getting out of the playoffs because we made some moves that may be good for the future but not good for the present.”
So, what path should the Bruins take ahead of the trade deadline?
In hockey, unlike many other sports, just getting into the playoffs gives you a decent chance at making a run. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are super unpredictable, and several lower-seeded teams have won multiple rounds in recent years. The Bruins know that all too well after being upset in the first round of the 2023 playoffs by a Panthers team that barely got into the dance. Florida ended up advancing to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights.
It wouldn’t be shocking if the Bruins got into the playoffs and won a round,…