There is no secret that the Boston Bruins want to add a quality defenseman. General manager Don Sweeney has been on the hunt for a top blueliner for months now. In fact, the team’s top exec nearly landed Rasmus Andersson in January. While a deal was close, the veteran eventually joined the Vegas Golden Knights. So far, Sweeney and Co. have not yet been able to pivot to another star.
This, however, could change soon. Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz has put together a trade pitch that would see Boston acquire Erik Karlsson from the Pittsburgh Penguins. As the reporter points out, the Bruins have a solid star trio in David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman. Nevertheless, the club needs some extra help on the blue line.
“That is a team that could do some damage and make some noise,” Gretz says of the current Boston Bruins roster. “Karlsson may not be the three-time Norris Trophy winner he was at his peak, but he showed last year he can still play at an extremely high level with the right players around him and in the right situation. Maybe this could be that type of situation and strengthen the Bruins’ chances.”
Karlsson is now 36 but still seems to have plenty left in the tank. The future Hall of Famer recorded 66 points in 75 regular-season games last season. He currently has 17 points in as many games in the current campaign. As of now, the Boston Bruins only have one defenseman with more than six points this year (McAvoy). Adding Karlsson would certainly give Sweeney some much-needed firepower.
Boston Bruins Would Need to Get Creative to Afford Erik Karlsson
Despite a solid start to the 2026-27 season, the Penguins have sputtered as of late. After collecting just three wins in their last 10 games, Pittsburgh is now seventh in the Metropolitan Division standings. If this trend continues, general manager Kyle Dubas is expected to offload some veteran players. The Athletic’s Chris Johnston even recently named Karlsson an “intriguing in-season trade candidate.”
The veteran could become available due to his expiring contract. Karlsson previously signed a massive eight-year, $92 million deal ($11.5 million AAV), but will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. While it is a significant salary, the Boston Bruins do have some cap space to work with.
According to PuckPedia.com, Sweeney has about $5.4 million of available funds. Due to a previous agreement with the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh is on the hook for $10 million of Karlsson’s $11.5 million AAV. Because of this, the Boston Bruins will need to create around $5 million in cap space or hope the Penguins eat some of the star’s salary.
Boston has Been Eyeing a Right-Shot Defenseman
Gretz’s trade pitch has the Boston Bruins sending Matthew Poitras and a first-round draft pick to the Penguins for the defenseman. The young forward previously signed a one-year, $850K deal to remain in Boston. He will, however, become a restricted free agent when the current campaign ends. So far this season, Poitras has seven points in 12 games playing as a middle-six forward.
While Karlsson is a little older than Sweeney’s preference, his skill and position would fit in with what Boston wants. The Bruins have specifically chased right-handed blueliners in recent months. Assuming the money is right, swapping Poitras and a late first-round pick for the star veteran could be a smart move by Boston.
Bruins Trade Pitch Lands $92 Million Veteran Defenseman