The Boston Bruins have added at least two more players to their wishlist. Boston is likely to make an addition or two ahead of the trade deadline on March 6. The club is currently barely hanging on to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings. As a result, GM Don Sweeney wants to improve the squad heading towards the home stretch.
Boston’s top priority at the moment, like many other NHL teams, is to bring in a right-shot defenseman. St. Louis Blues star Justin Faulk has been linked with the Bruins for a few weeks now. Although nothing has materialized as of yet, RG’s James Murphy is reporting that the veteran blueliner remains a priority for Sweeney. Nevertheless, several other teams are currently battling it out for Faulk.
The Blues defenseman, however, is not the only blueliner being discussed by Bruins management. Braden Schneider and Rasmus Ristolainen could become options as well. The market for quality right-shot defenseman does not stop there, though. Murphy has claimed that Boston has also talked to the New Jersey Devils about Simon Nemec and Johnathan Kovacevic.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun revealed on March 4 that New Jersey is willing to listen to offers for Nemec. The former second overall selection in the 2022 NHL draft will certainly garner plenty of attention, although he has not yet hit his ceiling. Both Devils teammates slot in on the right side of defense.
Boston Bruins Likely Prefer Simon Nemec Over Johnathan Kovacevic
GettySimon Nemec recently competed at the Olympics with Team Slovakia.
Potentially grabbing Nemec would be a solid addition to the Bruins’ blue line. There is currently a fairly noticeable drop-off in quality on Boston’s right side of defense behind star Charlie McAvoy. At the moment, Mason Lohrei and Henri Jokiharju are typically deployed in this role. Lohrei, however, is expected to be used as trade bait in the coming hours.
Andrew Peeke is a right-handed blueliner in Boston as well. Ian McLaren of the Locked on Bruins Podcast has claimed that the veteran should also be offloaded before the deadline, too. It remains to be seen what kind of return Peeke could bring to Boston, but it is clear that the club has too many unexceptional players in that position.
Kovacevic would be an interesting target for the Bruins. The 6’5″ physical enforcer just signed a five-year, $20 million extension ($4 million AAV) with New Jersey in March 2025. On top of this, the veteran has missed a majority of the 2025-26 season due to previous offseason knee surgery.
Bruins Have Funds, Draft Picks to Make a Move
Both Devils players would align with Sweeney’s roster plans. The exec would prefer to acquire players in a similar age bracket as David Pastrnak (29), Jeremy Swayman (27), and McAvoy (28). Nemec just turned 22, and Kovacevic is now 28. Schneider would also fit in this category, but Faulk and Ristolainen are both over the age of 30.
Sweeney has put the Bruins in a good place to take a big swing in the trade market. Boston has a plethora of top draft picks, including four first-round selections in the next two years. The club can also afford to spend some money in the coming days. According to PuckPedia.com, the Bruins have nearly $5 million in current cap space.
Bruins Eyeing Devils Duo as Trade Deadline Nears