Bruins Get Orlov, Hathaway, Prospect In Three-Team Trade

With the March 3 NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching, the Boston Bruins got the depth they wanted to add to their forward and defensive corps. The Bruins acquired 31-year-old veteran defenseman Dmitry Orlov and 31-year-old 6-foot-3, 208-pound winger Garnet Hathaway in a three-way trade with the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

The Bruins sent forward Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round draft pick, a 2025 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick to the Capitals for Hathaway and Orlov. Orlov will come at a discounted price as well. He’s in the final season of a six-year, $30.6 million contract with a $5.1M AAV. However, per PuckPedia, the Capitals will retain 25-percent ($2.5M) of Orlov’s remaining cap hit, and the Wild will pick up the tab for $1.2M after the Bruins sent them their 2023 fifth rd pick for that and prospect Andrei Svetlakov. That means the Bruins are on the hook for just $1.2M for the remainder of the season.

Hathaway is in the final season of a four-year, $6 million contract that carries a $1.5M cap hit.

Trade:
To #NHLBruins: Orlov ($5.1M @ $1.275M with 75% retained-UFA), Hathaway ($1.5M-UFA)
To #ALLCAPS: '23 1st, '24 3rd, '25 2nd, Smith ($3.1M-UFA), Svetlakov (unsigned)
To #MINWild: '23 5th @ $1.275M retained

BOS saves $325K Cap Hit

Trade in 3 parts ⤵️https://t.co/AUtFgwA0jr

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) February 23, 2023

The 5-foot-11, 214-pound Orlov had reportedly been in talks with the Washington Capitals on a contract extension. Still, those talks hit a snag this week, and Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan let it be known on the NHL trade market that he, Hathaway, and all of his unrestricted free agents-to-be were available. Sweeney, who one source ironically told Boston Hockey Now on Thursday has always been a fan of Orlov and Hathaway’s ‘physical games,’ pounced and killed two birds with one stone, adding Stanley Cup Playoff experience and grit to both his forward and defensive groups. The Bruins general manager left his normal roster unscathed in the deal, as Craig Smith had become a regular healthy scratch this season and was even waived back in December. Sweeney also kept highly coveted prospects Fabian Lysell and Mason Lohrei.

Note: The Bruins GM was scheduled to address the media from Seattle via Zoom at 7:15 p.m. ET, ahead of his team’s tilt with the Kraken at 10 p.m. ET Thursday night.

Orlov, 31, had three goals and 16 assists with a plus-two rating in 43 games for the Capitals this season. In 686 career NHL games, all with the Capitals, Orlov has 60 goals and 196 assists. The Novokuznetsk, Russia native was initially selected by the Capitals in the second round (55th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Hathaway, 31, had nine goals and seven assists for 16 points with 52 penalty minutes and a plus-six rating in 59 games for the Capitals this season. In 432 career NHL games, all with the Caps, Hathaway has 54 goals and 62 assists with 473 penalty minutes. The Kennebunkport, Maine native played for Brown University from 2010-14 before being signed by the Capitals as an undrafted free agent.

Svetlakov is a 26-year-old center playing for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. The Wild drafted him in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Smith, 33, had four goals and six assists in 42 games for the Boston Bruins this season. The 6-foot, 204-pound forward has 195 goals and 213 assists for the Nashville Predators and then the Bruins. Nashville originally selected the Madison, Wisconsin native in the fourth round (98th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.