Overview
- With the 3 p.m. ET Friday cutoff nearing, Boston holds the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 wild card spot.
- Don Sweeney said this deadline will be “a little different” than last year and not as aggressive, though he hopes to give the roster a “bump.”
- He underscored pursuing upgrades only if the player is under contractual control or extendable, acknowledging steep asking prices at this time of year.
- Morgan Geekie said the team has earned the option to stand pat or add after outperforming expectations, and he has 33 goals to rank tied for sixth in the NHL.
- Reporting points to needs at right-shot defense and a top-six forward—preferably a center—with about $4.5 million in cap space, and multiple names have been linked in rumors (e.g., Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, Rasmus Ristolainen, MacKenzie Weegar, Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk) while moving internal contributors could undercut a playoff push.