The Boston Bruins are a team that are hoping to experience a stronger season than the one that took place last year. A playoff return will be a tall task in a loaded Atlantic division that has a case to be the strongest in the NHL.
An area the Bruins lineup can use a major upgrade is up front on offense. Boston needs more pieces to surround their star player David Pastrnak. Remarkably, there was a 49 point gap between Pastrnak and the 2nd highest scorer on the Bruins last season, Morgan Geekie.
Nestor Quixtan of Heavy Sports has a mock trade that attempts to fill this need. In this deal, the Bruins acquire a former Boston forward who has asserted himself as a consistent top 6 threat in recent seasons.
Boston acquires: Frank Vatrano
Anaheim acquires: Casey Mittelstadt, 2026 2nd rounder
Why would Boston make this trade?
Vatrano is only a season removed from a 37 goal 60 point season with the Ducks in the 23-24 season. His game saw a slight regression this past season, but he still produced 45 points on an Anaheim team depleted for offense. Vatrano could be moved to the wing and give the Bruins a solid second line with him, Zacha and Arvidsson. With Geekie-Lindholm-Pasta up top, suddenly that’s not a bad looking top 6 for Boston.
For Anaheim they part with Vatrano, but get back Mittelstadt and draft capital in return. Mittelstadt has been featured in trade rumors all offseason with the mindset that the Bruins may not view him as a long term fit. Mittelstadt has shown flashes of promise, but failed to find a long term home thus far in his career. On a young up and coming Ducks team, that could be the fresh start he needs.
Overall, the trade appears to make sense for both sides. The Bruins increase their chance of implementing a quick retool to make hay while they have Pastrnak in the prime of his career. For the Ducks, they get younger and receive a player who could flourish in a new environment as they look to make the playoffs this season.
