The Boston Bruins continued their retooling by trading forward Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild on the eve of the NHL trade deadline.
The Wild sent centers Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko, as well as a 2026 sixth-round draft pick (originally from Boston), to the Bruins in the trade.
Brazeau, 27, has 10 goals and 10 assists in 54 games this season for the Bruins. Known for his size (6-foot-6, 227 pounds) and play around the net, he averaged 12:58 in ice time per game this season. Brazeau is an unrestricted free agent after this season who makes $775,000 against the salary cap.
The trade reunites Lauko, 24, with Boston, where be played two seasons before being traded to Minnesota in June 2024. Lauko was drafted 77th overall by Boston in the 2018 NHL Draft. He had 3 goals and 3 assists in 38 games with the Wild this season, battling hip and groin injuries.
Khusnutdinov is in his second NHL season and had 2 goals and 5 assists in 47 games for the Wild, skating 11:14 per game. He had recently been reassigned to the AHL for cap-related reasons after the Wild acquired winger Gustav Nyquist from Nashville.
Lauko and Khusnutdinov are restricted free agents after the season.
The Bruins are expected to be sellers before Friday's NHL trade deadline, having already traded Trent Frederic and Max Jones to the Edmonton Oilers this week. All eyes are on captain Brad Marchand, who has been in negotiations on a new contract with Boston ahead of free agency this summer while the Bruins have been listening to trade offers for the star winger.