On Saturday night (Dec. 3), NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Vancouver Canucks have given Brock Boeser‘s representatives permission to talk to other teams about a potential trade. This was after they initially planned to scratch him for their contest against the Arizona Coyotes, but things changed on that front due to Dakota Joshua suffering a last-minute injury. Yet, with this development, it is clear that Boeser’s time in Vancouver could be coming to an end. With the Boston Bruins firing on all cylinders and looking to bring home the Stanley Cup, they should consider making a push for the star sniper.
Before the Bruins can consider the prospect of acquiring Boeser, they will likely need to move out some salary first. However, it certainly would be a move worth at least considering, as the 25-year-old winger has the potential to make a major difference in Boston. Let’s take a look at what it might cost the Bruins to acquire him.
Trent Frederic
The Bruins will likely need to part ways with a top-nine forward to successfully bring Boeser to Boston. Trent Frederic stands out as a big trade candidate in this scenario because of it. The 2016 first-round pick is easily playing the best hockey of his career right now, so it’s very likely that the Canucks would love to acquire the agitating forward. In 20 games on the year, he has five goals, nine points, and a plus-12 rating. Overall, his all-around game has been improving rather noticeably in 2022-23, so I’d argue that his trade value is increasing.
Frederic could be an excellent addition to the Canucks’ third-line left wing spot. He would provide Vancouver with more grit, and that’s an area where they could use some improvement. Furthermore, his improved defensive play would allow him to be in the running to receive penalty-kill time. One could also argue that he could work nicely on the Canucks’ second power-play unit because of his solid net-front presence ability.
Ultimately, trading Frederic while he’s playing at his best may be a bit risky, but there’s no question that Boeser would be a significant upgrade over him in Boston’s top nine. Frederic, on the other hand, could thrive playing more minutes with the Canucks, so it could be a win-win move for both clubs.
Mike Reilly
At the time of this writing, Mike Reilly remains one of the Bruins’ cap casualties. Although he is plenty good enough to play at the NHL level, his $3 million cap hit and Boston’s strong depth on the left side are forcing him to play with the Providence Bruins. In response to his demotion, the 29-year-old reportedly wants a trade out of Boston, and it’s hard to blame him. Perhaps the Bruins could add him to a deal for Boeser and give him the fresh start he is hoping for.
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With Reilly already clearing waivers twice this season, it’s likely that the Bruins would need to add an extra draft pick for the Canucks to take on his contract. This could be an avenue that they are open to exploring, as they should be aiming to improve their prospect pool given their struggles. With that, the left side of their defensive group is rather unimpressive, so Reilly would have the potential to help bolster it. Keep in mind, the Chicago native recorded 27 assists in 55 games during the 2020-21 campaign, so he is capable of producing strong offense from the point. If he could replicate this pace of production again, he would be in the running to receive major power-play minutes in Vancouver.
Overall, the Canucks are in a position to take a chance on Reilly. He is a clear bounce-back candidate, and a change of scenery could allow him to do just that. If it means landing, say, an extra second-round pick, I’d be surprised if the Canucks wouldn’t be open to adding him.
Mason Lohrei
Acquiring Boeser will force the Bruins to give up one of their top prospects. Keep in mind, he is a star forward who has a reasonable cap hit for multiple years and possesses point-per-game potential. With the Canucks desperately aiming to improve their defensive group, I could see them demanding Mason Lohrei in a hypothetical Boeser trade. After all, there’s plenty of reason to believe that the 21-year-old has the potential to blossom into a top-four NHL defenseman.
Lohrei is currently playing for Ohio State University and is deemed one of the top defensemen at the collegiate level. After recording a 29-point campaign in 31 games as a freshman last year, the Wisconsin native currently has a solid 13 assists in 18 games this season. With numbers like these, it is clear that the 2020 second-round pick has the potential to be an effective offensive defenseman at the NHL level. However, the 6-foot-4 blueliner also offers much more than that, as he plays a very physical game and is becoming more defensively responsible in the process. These characteristics make him exactly the kind of prospect that the Canucks should be pursuing.
If the Canucks were to acquire Lohrei before the trade deadline passes, he would not be permitted to join them immediately, as he must finish his collegiate season with Ohio State University. However, if he elects to end his collegiate career once the campaign is over, he would have the opportunity to play for the Canucks near the end of the NHL regular season. If that were to come to fruition, he would already have an excellent shot of playing bottom-pairing minutes. Yet, in the long term, he has all the potential in the world to play in their top four.
Along with these assets, the Bruins would likely need to part ways with their 2023 first-round pick. With Reilly added to the deal, Boston’s 2025 second-round pick would also be sent to Vancouver. Overall, although it would be a hefty price to pay, it would be worth it if it means adding a star like Boeser to the Bruins’ already-excellent roster. We will have to wait and see if these two teams make their second trade of the 2022-23 season from here.
