NHL Source: Bruins Tried But Couldn’t Move Into First Round

According to numerous NHL sources, the Boston Bruins did make a late push to see if they could somehow sneak into the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday night, but ultimately, the asking price was just out of their range.

“They’ve been trying,” one NHL executive source told Boston Hockey Now mid-way through the first round. “I heard [Linus] Ullmark and [Jeremy] Swayman were talked about, but they’re not trading Swayman, and they don’t have much else to offer.”

While he obviously wouldn’t mention any players he may have been dangling or would dangle, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney did tell the media on Tuesday that the Bruins were trying to pull off what seemed like a miracle and get into the first round.

“A difficult task on the doorstep, but we’ve had some conversations,” Sweeney said. “I don’t necessarily know; it’s going to take a lot of traction between now and then, and you just never know. We’ve had, certainly, some opportunities, but obviously, we made a move yesterday that sort of put us in pause motion for a little bit in terms of a regroup and how we’re going to fill the rest of the roster out as a result of really losing two quality individuals.”

So as of the end of the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft late Wednesday night, the Boston Bruins were still scheduled not to make a pick until the third round at 92nd overall.

The Boston Bruins traded their 2023 first-round draft pick to the Washington Capitals on February 23 in the trade that netted them defenseman Dmitry Orlov and winger Garnet Hathaway. The Bruins also traded a 2025 second-round draft pick, a 2024 third-round draft pick, and forward Craig Smith in a three-team trade with the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild.

That 2023 first-round pick will be the 28th overall pick and now belongs to the Toronto Maple Leafs via a Feb. 28 deal between the Capitals and the Maple Leafs. The Leafs sent defenseman Rasmus Sandin to the Capitals in exchange for the Bruins’ original first-round pick and defenseman Erik Gustafsson.

The Boston Bruins used their 2023 second-round pick in the trade, bringing them defenseman Hampus Lindholm at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. The Bruins acquired Lindholm and defenseman Kodie Curran from the Ducks in exchange for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, defenseman John Moore, their 2022 first-round draft pick, their second-round draft pick this year, and a 2024 second-round draft pick. The Ducks retained 50% of Lindholm’s remaining salary for the 2021-22 season. The Boston Bruins then promptly signed Lindholm to an eight-year, $52 million contract with a $6.5 million cap hit.

After the Boston Bruins pick 92nd overall, they will pick in the fourth round (124th overall), in the 6th round (188th overall), and twice in the seventh round (214th and 220th overall).

The Bruins’ first pick in the seventh round was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round pick.