The Boston Bruins are in a weird spot heading into the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. A team firmly in the mix for the postseason in the Eastern Conference, the Bruins are as capable of going on a run in the playoffs as any team in the league. Despite this, the team isn’t positioned to go all-in at this deadline. For this reason, the decisions on whether they should make big swings to add players to the roster are up in the air, but the discussion surrounding some of their own internal trade options is also heating up.
Heading into the Trade Deadline, the Bruins will undoubtedly be receiving calls on a few of their key players set to become unrestricted free agents this offseason. These players include forward Viktor Arvidsson and defender Andrew Peeke.
Viktor Arvidsson and the Cost of Competing
Arvidsson is having a very solid season for the Bruins, his first with the team following an offseason trade that sent him from the Edmonton Oilers to Boston. With 16 goals and 30 points in 46 games, he’s already surpassed his totals in every statistical category from his 67 games last season. He’s well on pace to record 20 goals this season, which would mark the first time he’s done so since the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Kings.
Understandably, the decision to move on from Arvidsson and recoup additional value for a soon-to-be 33-year-old with an expiring contract would make sense for a Bruins team balancing long-term aspirations with short-term playoff hopes just one season into their retool. When the Bruins traded for Arvidsson, the cost of business was a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft. Every general manager in the NHL would make that type of deal when the return is a player with 20-plus goal output, especially when considering his value is now worth much more than that just a few months later.
At the same time, the Bruins are in a position where keeping a player like Arvidsson might cost them an additional asset in the long-run, but as an internal deadline addition, he would provide depth scoring that teams covet this time of year. The real question to consider is, if the Bruins are at risk of missing the playoffs without Arvidsson on the team, are they really in a position to turn down prime assets that can help them in the long-term?
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The answer lies in the return. If the Bruins are being offered a first-round draft pick for Arvidsson, it’s a no-brainer to make the move and plug in one of the young on-the-bubble players from the Providence Bruins to fill his spot. Or if the Bruins are also looking to buy at this Trade Deadline, that spot could be available for a big fish with term or a smaller piece who wouldn’t break the bank.
The decision surrounding Andrew Peeke is a little less nuanced for the Bruins.
Peeke’s Value as a Depth Defender
When the team is fully healthy, Peeke probably doesn’t factor into the lineup regularly. When healthy, the final spot on the Bruins’ blue line likely comes down to Peeke, Henri Jokiharu and Jordan Harris. Harris hasn’t played since October due to a broken ankle. The Bruins have to decide whether the value of a potential return for Peeke is worth more than having him as an option down the stretch.
“I’m just taking it day by day like anyone in this position. I’m not the first guy to go through something like this,” Peeke said earlier in February. “I like being here and I’m focused on trying to pull some wins together for this team.”
If the Bruins don’t receive a trade offer that blows them away for Peeke, they’ll be better off keeping him in case of injury or in case the team needs to insert some additional size into their lineup. With that said, offers around the Trade Deadline are often inflated. If the Bruins are offered a deal they simply can’t say no to, it would be a no-brainer to move on from Peeke given his contract status and position in the lineup.
Though this time of year is exciting for fans, it’s difficult for players and teams alike. When the dust settles from the Trade Deadline, the Bruins’ immediate future should be a lot clearer than it is at the time of this writing.
