The Bruins traded away a local fan-favorite player, but they got a solid return before Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Boston reportedly acquired forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Will Zellers and a conditional 2025 second-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Charlie Coyle and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
The reported deal ended Coyle’s six-year run in Boston, and the Weymouth, Mass., native will get a chance to help out the Avalanche in their playoff run. For the Bruins, they got a 2017 first-round pick and an intriguing prospect.
Mittelstadt is a playmaking middle-six center who had a solid 2022-23 season with the Buffalo Sabres. The 2017 first-round pick scored 15 goals and recorded 44 assists and 59 points before Colorado acquired him. The Minnesota native looked like a great fit with the Avalanche, especially in last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Mittelstadt tied Mikko Rantanen with nine playoff points in his first postseason run.
However, Mittelstadt wasn’t able to replicate that success this season. The veteran scored 11 goals and tallied 23 assists for 34 points in 63 games this season. A change of scenery could help spark a bounce-back campaign for Mittelstadt, who has two years left on his contract, and at 26 years old, the B’s got younger at center.
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Zellers is arguably the most fascinating part of the Bruins’ return. The 18-year-old leads the USHL in scoring with 37 goals in 40 games. He also recorded 21 assists for the Green Bay Gamblers and is committed to the University of Dakota for the 2025-26 season.
“Moving through pass receptions, Zellers heavily relies on the space that he opens to create advantages,” Elite Prospects stated in its 2024 draft guide. “He incorporates weight shifts and stutter steps and can handle the puck in large and small-ice scenarios. Attacking defenders across their backs, the 5-foot-11 forward targets defensive triangles, popping pucks through defenders’ legs, and even adjusts his rush patterns to get to the inside of the ice.”
Zellers isn’t the biggest at 180 pounds, but the 2024 third-round pick offers more dynamic scoring in the Bruins’ prospect pool. He’ll be an interesting player to watch when he enters the NCAA ranks.
The second-round pick the Black and Gold acquired also shouldn’t be scoffed at. It gave the B’s more draft capital, and general manager Don Sweeney has a good track record with second-round picks: Matt Poitras, Mason Lohrei and Brandon Carlo.
While it was tough to see Coyle leave Boston, the assets the Bruins got back should keep fans optimistic for the future.
Featured image via Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images
