NHL Trade Deadline: Are Bruins Out On Elias Lindholm?

As of 9 p.m. ET on Thursday night, it appeared that the Boston Bruins’ second attempt to acquire Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm had fallen through.

As of Friday morning, the NHL betting odds on the 29-year-old center becoming a Bruin seemed slim but things could change.

For the second night in a row, the NHL trade market and NHL social media came alive. Numerous NHL insiders like TSN and Athletic NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the Pittsburgh Penguins were on the verge of trading potential 2024 unrestricted free agent winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Hearing that the Hurricanes and Penguins are very close to a Guentzel trade. But still some details to work through. Bunting is part of the package. Both teams are playing tonight which also may complicate timing to some degree. But all signs point to Guentzel going to Carolina. https://t.co/RipdQAk4Js

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 7, 2024

Again, just to be clear, the Guentzel trade is not quite done yet. Both teams playing tonight, some final details to be ironed out, sounds like a post game trade call with the league. But all signs pointing to Guentzel heading to Carolina.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 7, 2024

On Wednesday evening, Kevin Weekes had tweeted a potential three-way trade that would’ve seen the Bruins acquire Vancouver Canucks center Elias Lindholm, Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk wind up with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel be dealt to the Canucks. Later in the night, though, Josh Yohe of The Athletic tweeted that the Penguins’ asking price for Guentzel had put any trade with the Canucks and Bruins on hold.

On TSN Insider Trading on Thursday night, TSN NHL Insider Chris Johnston said it was highly unlikely that Lindholm, who the Bruins had already tried to acquire before he was traded to the Canucks on Jan. 31, would be traded again before Friday’s deadline.

“There is some fallout in Vancouver, right? Where Elias Lindholm had found himself in some trade talks because if – and, it was an if – Vancouver had gotten Guentzel, they were probably sending Lindholm in a deal to Boston,” Johnston pointed out. “Well, that’s no longer happening. I think it’s safe to say Lindholm will remain in Vancouver through the deadline unless there’s another curveball coming our way.”

With DeBrusk in the lineup against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night, he will unlikely be dealt, as the Bruins would’ve sat him if they had something in the works.

So what does this mean for Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney in his pursuit of another center? Well, there don’t seem to be any legit top 6 centers available anymore, but NHL sources did confirm to Boston Hockey Now on Thursday that Sweeney had circled back on Washington Capitals bottom-6 center Nic Dowd.

“The Bruins have interest, and it makes a ton of sense,” an NHL source told Boston Hockey Now on Thursday.

According to Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman on Thursday afternoon, the Bruins were still engaged in multiple NHL trade discussions.

“I think Boston has a lot of stuff going on,” Friedman said. “I think they’re trying to move some money; I think they got their hands in many different things. It’s one of those things where you hear a lot of noise, and you just don’t know what’s real. There was the rumor of that three-way deal? I don’t believe that’s the case; Guentzel, DeBrusk and Lindholm. …I don’t think that’s going to happen, but there’s just been a lot of noise from there and I think the Bruins are looking to move money and create room at the same time to allow them to do some other things. So, I think they got a lot going on but it’s just tough to pin down exactly what it is.”

Another player BHN keeps hearing linked to the Bruins is Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy. As reported here this past Sunday, the Kings have scouted and are interested in acquiring Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark. Could a trade involving both players come to fruition?

Finally, an interesting player was connected to the Bruins by a trusted source on Thursday, and that’s 28-year-old Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson. After scoring a career-high 28 goals last season, the potential 2024 UFA has been hampered by injuries and has just five goals and eight assists in 36 games. However, he scored on Wednesday night in his first game since Feb. 15.

Lots can happen between now and the NHL Trade Deadline still so the NHL Betting lines on a Lindholm or Bruins trade could change.