Bruins Consider Reacquiring Former Winger in Potential Trade
The Boston Bruins are focused on turning things around in the 2025-26 season and re-entering playoff contention with their strong veteran core. To do so, GM Don Sweeney will likely look to add pieces that can help propel the team back to the top of the Atlantic Division.
One such piece could be former winger Frank Vatrano, now with the Anaheim Ducks. Vatrano originally joined the Bruins as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and spent three seasons with the team. A decade later, he could be a valuable addition to Boston’s lineup.
Here’s a possible trade scenario:
Bruins Receive:
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Frank Vatrano, F
Ducks Receive:
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Casey Mittelstadt, F
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2026 second-round pick, F
Vatrano’s time with the Bruins didn’t quite pan out as expected. His best season in Boston came in 2016-17, when he scored 10 goals in 44 games. However, that wasn’t enough to keep him with the team, and he left to sign with the Florida Panthers.
In Florida, Vatrano enjoyed a breakout 24-goal season in 2018-19, followed by several solid campaigns where he consistently neared 20 goals. He signed with the Anaheim Ducks in 2022 and immediately made an impact with 22 goals in his first season, followed by a career-high 37 goals in 2023-24, before his production dipped last year.
Now, Vatrano is a proven goal-scorer, something the Bruins could desperately use for secondary scoring. Moving Mittelstadt would also help clear a potentially complicated contract off the books. The second-round pick would help offset the cap hit for Anaheim in taking on Mittelstadt’s deal.
Where Vatrano Fits in the Bruins’ Lineup
Daily Faceoff currently projects Boston’s second line as Casey Mittelstadt at center, with Pavel Zacha on the left and Viktor Arvidsson on the right. However, by moving Zacha to center, Vatrano could be a perfect fit on the left wing, with Arvidsson on the right.
While Zacha’s ability to play center may be in question for a second-line role, he could thrive with two skilled wingers like Vatrano and Arvidsson.
Vatrano would immediately boost Boston’s offense, providing another proven goal-scorer alongside David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. His addition could take some pressure off the top line and improve secondary scoring, which the Bruins need for a deep playoff run.
Trading a Center for a Winger Makes Sense
Trading Mittelstadt, a center, for Vatrano, a winger, could make sense for Boston right now. The team needs scoring, and Vatrano brings just that. Mittelstadt, on the other hand, has yet to prove he can live up to the potential that scouts once saw in him.
Unless Mittelstadt can step up as the second-line center the Bruins need, moving him for a player who can contribute immediately makes more sense.
For Anaheim, Mittelstadt could provide depth at center, addressing a need for the Ducks. In addition, the trade would help the Bruins clear roughly $1 million in cap space, a small amount for Anaheim, who currently has the most cap space in the NHL. This could be a win-win scenario for both teams.
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