The Bruins stayed busy during NHL trade deadline week.
Boston on Thursday traded Justin Brazeau to the Minnesota Wild for forwards Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick that originally belonged to the Bruins. The trade reunited the B’s with Lauko, but Khusnutdinov could be an intriguing option for the future.
Minnesota drafted Khusnutdinov in the second round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old spent time in the KHL and the Russian junior hockey league and played two seasons for the Wild, where he scored three goals and tallied eight assists for 11 points in 73 games. While the forward wasn’t able to find a groove in the NHL, he had the potential to find his path eventually.
“He plays the full 200 feet of the ice, with one of the best motors in this class,” Elite Prospects stated in its 2020 draft guide. “He’ll relentlessly backcheck as play transitions towards the defensive zone, and his ability to track developing plays while he’s skating at full speed really impressed us over the year. Khusnutdinov is also proficient at carrying the puck into the offensive zone.”
The Wild sent Khusnutdinov to AHL Iowa for salary cap reasons after acquiring Gustav Nyquist. They hoped his offensive game could grow as he’s flashed his speed and offensive skills but never had the opportunity to gain consistency.
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Khusnutdinov was a proficient faceoff winner and as he continued to get acclimated to the NHL game, the Bruins looked forward to seeing him grow and compete for a regular spot on the roster.
Featured image via Brian Bradshaw Sevald/Imagn Images
