The Boston Bruins have been one of the most prominent surprise teams in the NHL this season. After a long run as a Stanley Cup contender, the Bruins were a last-place team in the Atlantic Division a year ago, and it seemed like they were destined for several seasons of rebuilding before they could return to prominence.
That's not what has happened. The Bruins hired Marco Sturm as their head coach and he has emphasized getting back to the team's identity. Throughout the last 60 years, the Bruins have been a hard-hitting and physical team that is more than willing to engage the opposition in physical battles along the boards and will fight on a regular basis.
Combine that truculence with the skill of David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy and the goaltending of Jeremy Swayman, and the Bruins had the makeup of a team that was prepared to bounce back and play competitively this season.
As the Olympic break approaches, the Bruins are inside the Eastern Conference playoff structure. They have had a brilliant month of January, having recorded a 10-2-1 record. Their latest victory was a 3-2 overtime triumph over the Nashville Predators that saw the Bruins win the game at the 15-second mark of the extra period when McAvoy sent a backhand pass across the crease and Pastrnak deflected the puck into the net.
Thomas could slot in as a center on any of the lines
The Bruins have three more games prior to the 3-week Olympic break and they need to make at least one key deal to strengthen the team for the stretch run that will occur when the team returns to action February 26 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
They have needs up front — particularly at the center position — and the blue line. Adding a center in Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues looks like the best move.
The Bruins have been looking to fill the roles of the No. 1 or 2 centers ever since the retirement of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci after the 2022-23 season.
Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha have been filling those roles for Boston and both have had a positive impact this season even though neither one is a dominant player. Lindholm was looked at as the strongest replacement for Bergeron when he was signed prior to the 2024-25 season as a free agent following his time with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.
Lindholm suffered an upper body injury against the Predators that may or may not cause him to miss time. He has contributed 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points in 44 games, and that's a significant improvement over last year's performance. Lindholm has manned the pivot on the first power play unit and he has scored 6 man-advantage goals.
Blues will be in a ‘sell' mode
Still, there is a level of inconsistency to his game. The addition of Thomas could turn out to be an excellent move. The Blues are having a difficult season and they are in last place in the Central Division of the Western Conference. They have a 19-25-9 record and would have to jump over 7 teams if they were going to make the playoffs.
That's not going to happen, so the Blues will almost certainly be willing to sell off assets. Thomas leads the Blues with 33 points (11 goals and 22 assists) this season. He has scored as many as 86 points in the 2023-24 season and he is an excellent two-way player. He has a minus-3 rating this season, but he was plus-20 last year when the Blues rallied and made the playoffs.
Thomas could be a solid fit for the Bruins, and if he had the opportunity to play between Pastrnak and high-scoring Morgan Geekie, it would almost certainly raise his level of play and benefit Sturm's lineup.
Bruins also have a need on the blue line
Much of the discussion regarding the team's potential moves involve an upgrade of the defensemen. When the Bruins were a last-place team in 2024-25, the Bruins made a habit of blowing 3rd period leads and turning victories into losses.
This was the exact opposite of their most prominent seasons when their ability to “protect the house” and hold onto leads was one of the team's greatest attributes.
They certainly have improved in that area this season as both McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm have been relatively healthy. Additionally, big man Nikita Zadorov has provided a significant physical aspect to the blue line. He is a powerful hitter who is more than willing to bounce opponents against the boards and in the corners and drop the gloves when that move is needed.
However, adding another defenseman like Justin Faulk of the Blues would make this unit even stronger for the stretch run.
Having already established the fact that the Blues will be in a sell mode as a result of their losing way, the Bruins might also want to consider adding Faulk. He is a talented and tough-minded defenseman who is not afraid to contribute on the offensive end. He has scored 11 goals and 14 assists, and he would be a big addition to the power play.
The Bruins need to add a center and a defenseman, and it would not be a surprise to see them go after Thomas, Faulk or both.
