NHL Trade Talk: Senators, Kraken In On DeBrusk; Canucks, Rangers Too?

Are the Seattle Kraken and Ottawa Senators two of the leading suitors for Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk on the NHL trade market? What about the New York Rangers, who continue their search for a middle-six forward?

DeBrusk is once again a hot name on the NHL trade market after resubmitting a request to be traded away from the Bruins and given a fresh start. Boston Hockey Now has confirmed through multiple trusted NHL sources that the Kraken and the Senators have expressed more than lukewarm interest in the disgruntled Boston Bruins winger.

One of the sources also noted that the Rangers had expressed interest in DeBrusk as well, but that Rangers GM Chris Drury would rather deal away picks and prospects than a body on his current roster. That’s going to be a stumbling block for any team on the NHL trade market that’s interested in DeBrusk.

“The Rangers and Bruins aren’t a good fit right now because they’re both going for it,” an NHL Executive source told BHN on Tuesday. “The Rangers would love a body to insert in their middle-six but so would the Bruins and it would need to be an old-school hockey trade from what I’ve been told. Player for player and even money going each way if possible.

I can tell you for sure the Kraken and Sens are in and I’m hearing as far as the Kraken go, Vince Dunn and Mason Appleton could be had for DeBrusk.”

Dunn, a 25-year-old, six-foot, 203-pound, left-shot defenseman was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the NHL Expansion draft this past offseason. Ironically, BHN had confirmed more than once that the Bruins and Dunn’s former team, the St. Louis Blues have had NHL trade discussions on Dunn. Dunn has a goal and eight assists in 20 games.

According to more than one source, the Kraken is shopping 25-year-old, six-foot-two, 193-pound forward Mason Appleton who according to some close to Appleton, needs a change of scenery. Appleton has two goals and an assist in 11 games this season.

It should be noted that Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis and head pro scout Dave Hunter were at TD Garden Sunday and watched the Bruins, without DeBrusk, who was a healthy scratch, beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2. The Ottawa Senators had veteran pro and NCAA scout Steve Stirling watching from above. The New York Rangers did not have anyone in the TD Garden press box Sunday but the word was ‘a high-up scout’ for the Rangers would be there Tuesday when the Bruins hosted the Detroit Red Wings.

We reported here this past offseason that DeBrusk was unhappy and the Bruins were trying to find him a new home on the NHL trade market but nothing ever came to fruition. One of the teams that were talking to the Bruins about DeBrusk was the Canucks. Another source wondered aloud to BHN Tuesday if maybe the Canucks have or will revisit those talks as they prepare to blow things up in Vancouver.

“They were just here and I’m sure Jim Benning and Don Sweeney chatted about Jake,” the source said.

Sweeney would obviously love to pull off some poetic irony and acquire a player like Canucks winger Brock Boeser whom, amongst many other current star players, he passed on at the 2015 NHL Entry draft to take defenseman Jakub Zboril (13th overall) DeBrusk (14th overall), and Zach Senyshyn (15th overall) in that now-infamous draft for the Boston Bruins. Boeser has four goals and five assists in 20 games. He’s a three-time 20-goal scorer that would require the Bruins to send a lot more than DeBrusk, who’s cracked the 20-goal plateau just once.

This is obviously a developing situation and BHN will stay on top of it for you.