The Boston Bruins need a No. 1 center. They haven’t had one since Patrice Bergeron retired after the 2022-23 season.
These players are difficult to acquire. They rarely hit free agency and they cost a lot on the trade market. Drafting and developing an elite center is the best path to getting one. But the Bruins had a decade to draft and develop a top-six center who could take over for Bergeron and David Krejci and they couldn’t do it.
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The Bruins spent a lot of money in free agency last July to sign Elias Lindholm to play a top-six center role. Lindholm, who came to Boston on a seven-year, $54.25 million contract, hasn’t lived up to expectations so far with 20 points in 43 games. He’s not a true No. 1 center.
So, how could the Bruins find this kind of high-end forward they so desperately need?
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Vancouver Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller could potentially be available, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.