Bruins Players Share Emotional Reaction To Trent Frederic Trade

Those playing for the Boston Bruins knew it was a possibility, given their situation and with the NHL trade deadline fast approaching on Friday.

But it didn’t make the Bruins trading away Trent Frederic on Tuesday any easier to digest, though.

The Bruins sent Frederic to the Edmonton Oilers in a three-team deal that also involved the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins got back in return a 2025 second-round pick, which previously belonged to the St. Louis Blues, the Oilers’ 2026 fourth-round pick and defenseman Max Wanner.

And it’s clear from the reaction of several Bruins players that Frederic, who was drafted in the first round by Boston in 2016 and played parts of seven seasons with the franchise at the NHL level, was a well-liked and respected member of the team.

“I sent him a text and I’m sure he was getting hounded and still in shock and things like that. It stinks, that stuff happens. Part of the business, unfortunately,” Charlie Coyle told reporters following Boston’s 6-3 loss to the Nashville Predators at TD Garden. “But hard to see a guy like that leave. He’s been such a good friend, teammate, player. I could go on and on about Trent, but I wouldn’t do it justice at this moment.”

Frederic developed into a key cog in Boston’s lineup and tallied a career-high 40 points off 18 goals and 22 assists during the 2023-24 campaign. He hasn’t had nearly the same production this season, scoring eight goals with seven assists in 57 games.

The Bruins were going to have to make a decision on Frederic regardless, since he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

“Obviously sad,” David Pastrnak told reporters. “Freddy’s an amazing human being and a heckuva player. Tough kid. Obviously going to be missed by the group. Like I said, amazing kid and unfortunate that the business we are at. There’s the situation the team’s in and he’s in personal negotiations. So tough. We have to move on. Unfortunate, it’s this side of this business.”

The Bruins didn’t respond well on the ice after the Frederic trade. Boston, which is fighting for its playoff life, got doubled up by a Nashville squad that has the third-fewest points in the league.

Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco believed the trade had no impact on the locker room, and Coyle agreed with him. But Morgan Geekie felt differently.

“He’s a great person and it’s always tough when that happens. But you see it’s a business kind of thing,” Geekie told reporters. “I think a lot of people forget we’re human to and it’s tough to see one of your good friends go. So, it definitely affected us I would say a little bit, but we’re all professionals and we got a job to do and we didn’t do it tonight.”