Bruins trade Justin Brazeau to the Wild, fan-favorite forward returns in deal
The Bruins are beginning to chip away at their roster by dealing away forward Justin Brazeau to the Wild, the team announced on Thursday night.
Boston acquired Jakub Lauko, Marat Khusnutdinov, and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick (originally from Boston).
The deal came just an hour after the Bruins’ 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
Lauko heads back to Beantown after being traded to Minnesota last season. The 24-year-old had three goals and three assists in 38 games this year. In 121 career NHL games with Minnesota and Boston, the former third-round pick has nine goals and 14 assists.
Khusnutdinov, 22, is a center who had two goals and seven points in 57 games with the Wild. The 5-foot-11 and 176-pounder was drafted in the second round of the 2020 draft.
At the time of the draft, Khusnutdinov’s scouting report listed the forwards as an “explosive two-way center, flashy, skilled, and an offensive threat on every shift. A leader and team player, he wins battles and plays with a lot of confidence.”
Brazeau had 10 goals and 20 points in 57 games for the Black and Gold. The 6-foot-6 forward was productive at the start of the season but saw his production take a dive in the second half of the year.
This is the second deal this week; Boston moved Trent Frederic to the Oilers on Tuesday.
The NHL trade deadline is set for Friday at 3 p.m. ET.
Trent Frederic dealt to Oilers in three-team deal
On Tuesday afternoon, the Bruins began reshaping their roster. They dealt Trent Frederic and Max Jones to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Max Wanner, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The New Jersey Devils received Shane LaChance from Edmonton for facilitating the deal, retaining 50 percent of Frederic's s…