Predators Claim Jordan Oesterle From Bruins
The Predators have claimed winger Jakub Vrána off waivers from the Capitals and defenseman Jordan Oesterle off waivers from the Bruins, per Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic.
Meanwhile, Oesterle joins the seventh organization of his career from the waiver claim. The product of Western Michigan University had recently signed a two-year, $1.55MM agreement with Boston last summer. Similarly to Vrána, Oesterle had been a lightly called upon depth option on the Bruins’ blue line.
He’s likely to find a similar role in Nashville. Oesterle doesn’t appear better on paper than any of the Predators’ other options unless the team has not finished dealing from their defensive core. The 11-year veteran has registered one goal and six points in 22 games for the Bruins this season, averaging 17:36 of ice time. The pair of Nashville’s waiver claims were briefly teammates throughout their time with the Red Wings from 2021 to 2023.
Bruins Sign Tyler Pitlick To Two-Way Deal
The Bruins announced they’ve signed forward Tyler Pitlick to a two-way deal for the remainder of the season, carrying the league-minimum cap hit of $775K. He was previously on an AHL contract with their affiliate in Providence. He’ll presumably end up on waivers today to be assigned to the AHL on deadline day to make him eligible for the Calder Cup Playoffs but will be a recall option for Boston down the stretch.
Pitlick, 33, was initially expected to head overseas last summer but ended up settling for a tryout with Providence in late September. His stock on the open market was the lowest it had been in quite some time after he cleared waivers the prior year with the Rangers and finished the season with just 3-4–7 in 22 games for AHL Hartford. As such, he was not extended NHL offers as an unrestricted free agent, and he stuck around in the minors.
The 10-year NHL veteran has looked rejuvenated with the P-Bruins, though. Boston was even considering a two-way deal for him at the beginning of the campaign, but ended up waiting until the trade deadline to get it done. The versatile 6’2″ forward is tied for fourth on the minor-league club in scoring with 16-17–33 in 43 games, leading Providence forwards with a +17 rating.
After trading away Trent Frederic earlier this week and a few more subtractions expected before tomorrow’s trade deadline, there will be increased opportunity for Bruins depth pieces down the stretch who’ve spent most of the year in Providence. Pitlick will be one of them as he looks to land an extension or a two-way deal elsewhere over the summer. If he’s waived today, he won’t count against the Bruins’ active roster or salary cap for today’s calculations.
Pitlick, who plays both center and wing (but mostly the latter), has 56-53–109 in 420 career NHL games with the Oilers, Stars, Flyers, Blues, Coyotes, Rangers, Flames, and Canadiens. The journeyman was selected by Edmonton with the first pick of the second round in the 2010 draft.
Waivers: 3/5/25
Four players hit the waiver wire on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
F Christian Fischer (Red Wings) – Fischer, 27, has slipped down Detroit’s depth chart as the season’s progressed. He’s been a healthy scratch in four of their last eight games. His 11:09 ATOI is his lowest in five years, as are his 0.16 points per game (1-6–7 in 45 GP). On an expiring deal worth $1.125MM, he’ll cost $100K against the cap for Detroit if he clears and is sent to the minors. It’s unclear if it’s purely a performance-based demotion or if they’re waiving him to open up roster flexibility ahead of the deadline – likely a bit of both.
D Jordan Oesterle (Bruins) – Oesterle’s waiver placement comes after the 32-year-old scored his first goal since December 2022 in yesterday’s loss to the Predators. He’d been a healthy scratch in 10 straight games before re-entering the lineup for Ian Mitchell. The veteran depth piece has served as a bottom-pairing/depth option for a good chunk of the season with Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy missing significant time on the Boston blue line. He’s been rostered since late November, so today’s waiver placement is likely an effort to get him assigned to AHL Providence on deadline day to make him eligible for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
F Jesse Puljujärvi (Panthers) – Puljujärvi signed a tryout with Florida’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte last month after having his deal with the Penguins mutually terminated. Today’s waiver placement indicates he’s landed an NHL deal with the Panthers for the rest of the season. If he clears waivers and returns to Charlotte, he’ll now be a recall option down the stretch. It’s a two-way, league-minimum deal for the 2016 No. 4 overall pick, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. He has three assists in seven games with Charlotte after posting 3-6–9 in 26 showings with Pittsburgh earlier this season.
F Jakub Vrána (Capitals) – Vrána won’t necessarily be reassigned to AHL Hershey if he clears, at least not immediately. They’ll have a 30-day window to send him to the minors waiver-free to aid in salary cap flexibility around deadline moves, AP’s Stephen Whyno reports. Regardless, it’s been a tough year for the 29-year-old. He landed a PTO with Washington in camp and converted that into an NHL contract for his second stint with the Caps, who drafted him 13th overall in 2014. He’s been reasonably productive when dressed, posting 7-4–11 in 26 games despite seeing just 9:50 of ice time per game, but hasn’t found a regular role in Washington’s league-best offense. He’s suited up just three times since New Year’s, sitting almost exclusively as a healthy scratch. He’s on a one-way deal for 2024-25 worth the minimum $775K.
Bruins Recall Patrick Brown, Vinni Lettieri, Riley Tufte
The Bruins announced they’ve recalled forwards Patrick Brown, Vinni Lettieri, and Riley Tufte from AHL Providence – the second of whom comes up under emergency conditions. Defenseman Ian Mitchell is also back with the team after a paper transaction meant he wasn’t rostered for yesterday’s loss to the Predators. The club reassigned forwards Georgii Merkulov and Jeffrey Viel to Providence in corresponding moves to keep their active roster at the 23-player maximum.
Only two needed to be sent down because Boston opened an additional roster spot yesterday by trading Trent Frederic to the Oilers. While he comes up under emergency conditions, likely related to captain Brad Marchand‘s upper-body injury, Lettieri still counts against the roster limit. The Bruins only have to worry about their granular maneuvering until Friday’s deadline, after which the cap on roster sizes disappears.
Brown, 32, returns to the roster for the first time since January. The veteran of parts of nine NHL seasons has spent most of the year in Providence, only suiting up twice for Boston over a pair of recalls. He averaged 11:02 of ice time across those contests and posted a minus-one rating while going 2-for-5 on faceoffs and taking three shots on goal. The Michigan native will return to the lineup tomorrow against the Hurricanes as the Bs’ fourth-line center between John Beecher and Mark Kastelic, per Scott McLaughlin of WEEI. He’s served as the P-Bruins’ captain this season and is tied for second on the team in scoring with 16-28–44 through 52 games.
Ahead of Brown in AHL scoring is Lettieri, leading the club with 20-28–48 in 46 appearances. The 30-year-old made eight appearances for Boston in January, scoring twice while averaging 12:05 per game and recording 19 hits. The versatile 5’10” forward has been a decently productive depth piece when called upon for NHL minutes, posting 14-15–29 in 137 career games. He’ll get a shot in the top nine against Carolina on a line with Cole Koepke and youngster Matthew Poitras.
Tufte comes back up after being sent down in favor of Merkulov and Viel last week. The 6’6″ winger has also been reasonably productive for the P-Bruins this year, racking up 18-13–31 in 42 appearances. The 26-year-old former Stars first-rounder has averaged just 8:05 per game in five showings for Boston, though, posting no points and a minus-three rating with six hits. He’ll somewhat surprisingly get a shot in a second-line role with Charlie Coyle and Elias Lindholm, Marchand’s usual spot in the lineup.
Merkulov had been the one receiving Marchand’s minutes over the last few games, but no points and three shots on goal weren’t enough to keep him on the roster. The 5’11” natural center heads back to Providence, where he remains one of the club’s most effective per-game producers with 44 points in 47 outings.
The 6’2″ Viel had suited up in each of Boston’s last three games, averaging 7:29 per contest with a minus-one rating and eight hits. The depth power forward has 8-18–26 in 51 AHL games with a team-high 130 PIMs.
Bruins Open To Moving Charlie Coyle, Pavel Zacha
For the first time in recent memory, the Bruins have made the call to sell at the trade deadline in earnest. After trading pending UFA forward Trent Frederic to the Oilers earlier today and following previous reports that defenseman Brandon Carlo and forward Morgan Geekie are available for the right price, they’re now open to hearing offers for centers Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Their availability adds some depth to a relatively thin center market ahead of Friday’s deadline, although neither are rental pickups. Coyle is signed through 2026-27 at a $5.25MM cap hit and carries a full no-movement clause for the duration of his deal, per PuckPedia, so the Bruins’ options for moving him will be extremely limited. Meanwhile, Zacha is under contract through 2027-28 with a $4.75MM cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade list until July 1.
Neither has had a season to write home about, especially Coyle. Fresh off his 33rd birthday, the hometown kid has churned out just 14-7–21 through 62 games after recording a career-high 25 goals and 60 points last season. It’s not for a lack of usage – he’s averaging 17:39 per game, the second-highest mark of his career behind last year. He’s shooting at a strong 15.6% but not generating nearly as many chances. His 1.45 shots on goal per game mark the second-lowest rate of his 13-year run in the NHL, ahead of only his rookie season with the Wild 12 years ago. He’s also tracking to post a career-worst -13 rating.
That doesn’t paint a rosy picture in terms of the likelihood of a trade. He only has a three-team no-trade list if he waives his no-movement clause, but whether or not he’d even waive his NMC to depart his home city is uncertain, even as Boston enters sell-off mode. His $5.25MM cap hit is also immovable given his performance this season without retention, and it’s unlikely Boston would be willing to do so for a contract that runs past this season as they look to reload for 2025-26.
The 27-year-old Zacha is thus a far more intriguing candidate. His offensive totals have dropped too, but not as much. He’s still third on the team in scoring with 12-25–37 in 62 games, all while averaging 19:23 per game and serving as the Bs’ de facto No. 1 center for the second year in a row. He’s averaged 0.69 points per game in a Bruins uniform since they acquired him from the Devils in 2022 and wouldn’t command any retention to move. Limited trade protection also increases his market, and at his cap hit, he’s a better value proposition – especially with two years left on his deal – than most other centers out there.
The 6’3″ Zacha is also a full-time pivot with good faceoff numbers, more than what can be said about names like Ryan Donato or Scott Laughton. After spending most of his career below 50%, he’s won 54.2% of his draws since the beginning of 2023-24.
Moving either would represent a more aggressive retooling than most would have expected out of the Bruins. Still, their names floating into rumors at least signal an openness to moving out some of their lower-ceiling offensive talents in hopes of landing a top-six impact piece (or multiple) this summer.
Oilers Acquire Trent Frederic
The Oilers are acquiring forward Trent Frederic from the Bruins in a trade that will also involve the Devils as a third team, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Winger Max Jones is also headed from Boston to Edmonton in the deal, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports. The Devils announced they’ve acquired the rights to left-wing prospect Shane Lachance from the Oilers and will retain half of Frederic’s salary in the trade after the Bruins’ initial 50% retention, bringing his cap hit for Edmonton down to $575K from $2.3MM. New Jersey also dealt the signing rights to right-winger Petr Hauser to the Oilers to complete their involvement. Edmonton announced the full trade, which reads as follows:
Oilers receive: Frederic, Jones, signing rights to Hauser
Devils receive: Signing rights to Lachance
Bruins receive: D Maximus Wanner, the Blues’ 2025 second-round pick, and the Oilers’ 2026 fourth-round pick.
Frederic is currently week-to-week with a lower-body injury, and Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports there’s a possibility he won’t be cleared to play until the playoffs. In that case, the Oilers could place Frederic at his reduced cap hit on long-term injured reserve to open up additional spending flexibility for further moves ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Boston selected Frederic 29th overall in the 2016 draft, ahead of higher-ceiling forwards Alex DeBrincat and Jordan Kyrou who both went in the second round. After a brief but successful two-year collegiate stint at Wisconsin, the versatile depth piece took a couple of years to simmer in the minors, only emerging as a roster regular for the Bruins in the 2020-21 campaign.
Frederic spent a pair of seasons as a fourth-line fixture without much offensive pop, but the physical 6’3″ forward popped big time in Boston’s historic 65-win season in 2022-23. Skating primarily on the wing, he recorded 17-14–31 in 79 games despite averaging under 12 minutes per night, also finishing second among Bruins forwards with 105 hits.
In addition to spending more time down the middle, Frederic amped up his production last season. The Missouri native recorded a career-high 18-22–40 scoring line in 82 games, adding 204 hits while seeing a slight bump in his special teams deployment. But despite skating a career-high 13:55 per game in 2024-25, he hasn’t been able to keep up his scoring. Snakebit like the majority of his Boston teammates, Frederic has just 8-7–15 in 57 games with a career-worst -14 rating. His shooting percentage has regressed to 10.5% after hovering north of the 14% mark the prior two years.
While the drop in point totals is concerning, he’s established his floor as a high-end fourth-line piece with middle-six upside and will likely see an uptick in production depending on how he’s deployed amid a far more talented offensive group in Edmonton. His struggles this season, his expiring contract, and Boston’s slide down the standings made it almost a guarantee he’d be moved at the deadline. The 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time this summer after finishing out the year with the Oilers.
Frederic has posted similar offensive numbers to the Oilers’ current pair of third-line wingers in Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark, so it’s unclear if he’ll unseat either for a top-nine role. While faceoffs aren’t his strong suit (a career average of 44.4%), his experience playing down the middle also addresses an immediate need for an Edmonton squad without a legitimate fourth-line center. He could slot in there once he’s ready to return, relieving natural wingers like Kasperi Kapanen who have had to step into the role lately.
They also pick up Jones, who amounts to a failed offseason pickup for Boston. He managed only seven appearances for the Bs after signing a two-year, $2MM deal last offseason, going without a point and averaging 10:01 per game. Selected a few spots ahead of Frederic by the Ducks in the 2016 draft, Jones will remain on his minor-league assignment after clearing waivers in November but now reports to the Oilers’ affiliate in Bakersfield. His $1MM cap hit is completely buriable in the minors and thus carries no cap impact for Edmonton. Before the move, he posted 13-8–21 with a plus-one rating in 38 games for the P-Bruins.
Rounding out Edmonton’s haul in the deal is Hauser, who New Jersey selected in the fifth round in 2022. The 21-year-old is amid a tumultuous campaign in his native Czechia, playing for three different squads across the top-level and second-tier professional leagues. He has 1-10–11 in 63 Czech Extraliga games dating back to his top-level debut in the 2022-23 season. While he has great size at 6’4″ and 207 lbs, he wasn’t considered a meaningful prospect in the Devils organization by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic in his January ranking. He’s a low-ceiling, low-floor option whose signing rights will expire in June 2026.
The Oilers give up a decently intriguing prospect in Lachance for the Devils’ additional salary retention. The son of ex-NHLer and Devils head scout Scott Lachance was the No. 6 prospect in an already-thin Edmonton system, per Wheeler. The 6’5″ winger has suited up for Boston University the past two seasons after Edmonton selected him in the sixth round in 2021, posting 23-29–52 in 72 games while also serving as captain this season. New Jersey will hold his signing rights until the Aug. 15 following his final collegiate season.
In what’s been a strong rental market, Boston landing what’s slated to be a mid-tier second-round pick is some decent work by general manager Don Sweeney. Edmonton previously acquired the second-rounder from St. Louis as compensation for signing defenseman Philip Broberg to an offer sheet last August. The Bruins didn’t have a second-rounder in this year’s draft before the trade – they traded theirs to the Capitals in the 2023 Dmitry Orlov three-team deal.
Wanner was also one of the Oilers’ more notable prospects, checking in at No. 10 in Wheeler’s rankings. The 6’3″ righty isn’t a legitimate needle-mover for a Bruins pool that lacks high-end talent, though. Now 21, he was a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft and projects as a likely No. 7/8 option on an NHL depth chart at his peak. He’s been limited to just two points in 22 games with Bakersfield this year after posting 7-10–17 in 68 games with a +13 rating in his first pro season last year. He’ll now report to Providence.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Bruins’ Brad Marchand Out Week-To-Week
Bruins head coach Joe Sacco announced that left-winger Brad Marchand is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury (via Joe Haggerty of the Boston Sports Journal). The captain missed Sunday’s loss to the Wild after exiting the prior day’s game against the Penguins in the first period following a massive hit from defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. He has not been placed on injured reserve but could be ahead of Thursday’s road game against the Hurricanes to allow Boston to carry an extra forward.
The aging star has been remarkably durable over the past few seasons, only missing a handful of games since offseason hip surgery ate into the beginning of his 2022-23 campaign. He’d also been on a hot streak entering the game against Pittsburgh, totaling 4-6–10 in his last 10 games. The injury designation comes just three days ahead of the trade deadline, but while Marchand is on an expiring contract, he doesn’t want to be moved and isn’t among the expanding group of players Boston is listening to trade offers for, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Of course, his injury also limited Boston’s minimal likelihood of gaining ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They’ve gone 1-2-2 coming out of the 4 Nations break, and while they only sit two points back of the Red Wings for the second wild card spot, there’s three teams between them and Detroit. They’ve also played more games than the teams they’re chasing. As such, their playoff odds have dropped to 9.4%, per MoneyPuck.
Overall, this season has evidenced the 36-year-old’s slow but noticeable decline. With 21-26–47 in 61 games, he’s on pace for his lowest offensive output since the 2014-15 season. The team’s overall struggles to generate scoring chances this year also mean Marchand is on track to post a minus rating for the first time since his initial 20-game trial in Boston in 2009-10. Still, he’s been the best forward Boston has to offer outside of star David Pastrňák, still significantly outpacing their other top-six names like Charlie Coyle, Elias Lindholm, and Pavel Zacha.
With Marchand and Trent Frederic both on the shelf at the moment and the latter expected to be moved before Friday’s deadline, recent call-up Georgii Merkulov will get the opportunity to fill their top-six hole. The 24-year-old has just one assist in nine career NHL games but is tied for second on AHL Providence in scoring with 44 points in 47 games.
Bruins Recall Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, Ian Mitchell
The Bruins swapped out multiple depth players on their roster today, announcing they’ve recalled forwards Georgii Merkulov, Jeffrey Viel, and defenseman Ian Mitchell from AHL Providence. The three players headed down to the minors in corresponding moves are wingers Riley Tufte, Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Michael Callahan. Wahlstrom cleared waivers earlier this afternoon.
It’s by no means major turnover on the Boston roster given the minimal roles the three demotees were playing, but it does signal a wish for different skillsets down the stretch. That’s particularly evident in the call-ups of Merkulov and Mitchell, who offer head coach Joe Sacco more offensive upside than any of the players being sent down.
While a 2-1 loss to the Islanders last night represented a huge blow to their playoff chances, the Bruins still have a chance. Returning to the postseason picture will require more puck-moving support from their blue line in the absence of their top two defenders in Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm. They don’t have much there in the interim aside from sophomore Mason Lohrei, and while Mitchell isn’t an impact piece by any stretch, he’s a more dynamic skillset than what the stay-at-home Callahan offered in his first NHL look.
Acquired from the Blackhawks in the 2023 Taylor Hall trade, Mitchell spent a chunk of last season on the Bruins’ roster as a healthy extra but hasn’t touched NHL ice in 2024-25. It’s his first recall since clearing waivers at the beginning of the season. The 6’0″ righty leads P-Bruins defensemen in scoring with 4-23–27 through 46 games, pairing that with a strong +11 rating. He managed two assists and a plus-six rating in 13 showings with Boston last year, averaging 15:18 per game.
Even just that stat line will be an upgrade over what Callahan’s brought to the table thus far. The 25-year-old got his first taste of NHL hockey over the past two months, posting a minus-two rating and averaging 13:08 per game over 11 appearances. The Bruins were outchanced 73-52 in his even-strength minutes. The 2018 fifth-round pick by the Coyotes will now return to Providence, where he has six points and a plus-two rating in 36 showings.
Meanwhile, Merkulov still checks in as one of the few offensively tantalizing players in the Bruins system. He doesn’t have much room left to grow at age 24, but the 5’11” center continues to hover around a point per game in the minors and is tied for the team lead in scoring with 13-31–44 through 47 games. He’s in his third year in the Bruins organization after signing as a free agent out of Ohio State in 2022, but he’s only recorded one assist in seven NHL games in previous trials. He should get a look higher up in the lineup with Trent Frederic sidelined for the time being, though.
Viel is a more direct replacement for the physicality they’re losing with Tufte’s reassignment. The 28-year-old winger got into his first NHL game since the 2022-23 campaign with the B’s earlier this season, recording a fight and 8:29 of ice time against the Blue Jackets on Nov. 18. The former Sharks and Jets farmhand stands at 6’2″ and 205 lbs and has 26 points, 130 PIMs, and a +15 rating in 51 games with Providence.
Tufte, 26, was recalled early last week and played in two of Boston’s first three games coming out of the 4 Nations break. He’s now made five NHL appearances on the year without a point and has a minus-three rating, one block, and six hits while averaging 8:05 per game.
Bruins Reassign Oliver Wahlstrom
Feb. 28: Wahlstrom cleared waivers, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’s on his way to Providence as expected, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald confirms.
Feb. 27: The Bruins placed winger Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers today, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports.
Wahlstrom has only been a member of the Boston organization for two and a half months. Claimed off waivers from the Islanders in mid-December, the 24-year-old hasn’t panned out. He’s been a frequent healthy scratch and has only played in four of the Bruins’ last 10 games.
When dressed, the 2018 11th overall pick has remained a non-factor. He managed just a goal and assist in 16 appearances for Boston, averaging 10:30 per game and shooting at just 4.2%. A premier goal-scorer in his youth, potting 48 in 62 games with the U.S. National U18 Team in his draft year, he’s now on track to finish at a clip worse than six percent in back-to-back seasons.
All told, Wahlstrom has just four points in 34 games this season split between the Bruins and Islanders. His possession metrics were ghastly in New York but have notably improved since the move. He’s not broken even in shot attempts at even strength, still only controlling 47.8%, but that’s better than how the Bruins have fared without him on the ice whenever he’s been in the lineup. Still, there’s little evidence for him as an effective everyday NHLer, especially since a leg injury truncated a promising 2022-23 campaign at the halfway mark. He’s never fully rebounded, only scoring 12 points in 75 appearances since returning after he was on pace for 37 points over 82 games before the injury.
It’s notable that Wahlstrom is being removed from the roster even in the wake of an injury to top-nine forward Trent Frederic, who’s now out week-to-week and will likely be out the door by the trade deadline anyway. The likelihood of a claim is minimal after a failed change of scenery, so he figures to head to AHL Providence for his first minor-league action in five years.
The Bruins will have an open roster spot tomorrow after Wahlstrom clears or is claimed and could open a second one by moving Frederic to IR. It’s unclear what they plan on doing with the flexibility, although a corresponding recall from Providence should be expected before a two-game road trip that begins this weekend.
Bruins’ Trent Frederic Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury
Bruins forward Trent Frederic is out week-to-week after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. While it may keep him out through the March 7 trade deadline, the absence “won’t change any plans” regarding a deal for the pending UFA, per Johnston.
Frederic left the 5-4 overtime loss early in the second period. He fell awkwardly after attempting a check on Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe in the corner as a power play expired and, while he skated off under his own power, went to the dressing room shortly thereafter and did not return.
The 27-year-old is still on many trade boards despite a disappointing campaign. He’s been a productive middle-six piece for Boston over the past few years, recording 35-36–71 in 161 games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 regular seasons. His point totals have been slashed in 2024-25, though. He’s clocked just 8-7–15 through 57 appearances and has posted a career-worst -14 rating, even while playing a career-high 13:50 per game.
The 2016 first-rounder remains an attractive pickup thanks to his 6’3″, 221-lb frame and his ability to play all three forward positions – a significant factor in an otherwise thin rental center market behind Brock Nelson. He’s not particularly good on draws, though. His 43.9% faceoff win rate this year is only a few percentage points south of his 44.4% career average. The bang-and-crash forward ranks fifth on Boston with 44 PIMs and is second on the club with 155 hits.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period lists the Canucks, Capitals, and Wild as teams reportedly linked to Frederic, but nearly any team in search of a third-line pickup will likely call Boston about him. His $2.3MM cap hit shouldn’t require much, if any, salary retention to move.
For now, top winger prospect Fabian Lysell remains in the minors for Boston following Frederic’s injury. AHL mainstay Riley Tufte skated in a top-nine role at today’s morning skate instead, per Scott McLaughlin of WEEI. That’s a tough ask of the 26-year-old, who has three points in 22 career NHL appearances.