The Bruins are reportedly trading Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno's rights to the Chicago Blackhawks, as first reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Boston will receive the rights to restricted free-agent defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula, per Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
Hall is under contract for two more seasons with a cap hit of $6 million per year. He has a 16-team no-trade list, and the Blackhawks are apparently not one of the teams on his list, according to TSN's Chris Johnston. Foligno is set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1 (Saturday).
Update: Boston made it official. Hall and Foligno for Mitchell and Regula.
The B's also acquired defenseman Reilly Walsh from New Jersey for pending restricted free agent center Shane Bowers.
This will be updated with any new information that might come out.
BSJ Analysis...
- Something had to give with the Bruins, considering the cap situation. Moving Hall bumps Boston up to just shy of $11 million in cap space – $10,937,500 to be exact.
- There were reports within the last week that the Bruins were furiously working the phones to get something done. This might be only the first shoe to drop as we await the presumed Mike Reilly buyout (or trade) and likely another cap-clearing move.
- The Bruins have reportedly prioritized re-signing Tyler Bertuzzi, in addition to RFAs Trent Frederic and Jeremy Swayman, of course. It was unlikely Boston would have been able to make both Bertuzzi and Hall work under the cap. It likely came down to one or the other. Now the Bruins have space to aggressively pursue Bertuzzi before he hits UFA status on Saturday in addition to having room to get other business done.
- Not sure what Chicago would want with Foligno's rights, other than added veteran leadership for a young team. Would have liked to see Foligno latch on in a depth role with a contender for a chance to win, but so it goes. Darren Dreger reports Chicago wants to retain him.
- Mitchell, a right-shot, was a second-round pick in 2017. At this point, the 24-year-old has been nothing more than a depth or bottom-pairing defenseman with just 82 games of experience under his belt over the last three seasons. He had eight points in 35 games with Chicago last season, largely serving as an extra defenseman. Mitchell played under Jim Montgomery as a freshman at Denver in 2017-18, where he led all blue-liners in scoring (30 points in 41 games). He is due a $874,125 qualifying offer.
- Regula, also a right-shot, was a third-rounder in 2018 with Detroit. The 22-year-old only played in 22 career NHL games but has had some solid seasons in the AHL, by the numbers. Had 21 points in 51 contests with the Rockford Ice Hogs in 2022-23. He is also due a $874,125 qualifying offer.
- This move makes perfect sense for Chicago. If they re-sign Foligno, it's a veteran who can help guide a franchise very much in transition. Hall also brings veteran experience, speed, playmaking and strong 5-on-5 metrics. He's an excellent candidate to play alongside Connor Bedard. The Hawks absolutely needed someone to play with their franchise savior, and Hall has the experience of being a No. 1 overall pick with the weight of a city on his shoulders.
- The Bowers-for-Walsh deal appears to be nothing more than a minor-league move. Walsh is another right-shot defenseman who is an RFA, due a $874,125 qualifying offer. A Framingham native, so that's neat. A third-round pick in 2017, he's played just one NHL game but has been productive in the AHL, eclipsing 40 points each of the last two seasons. More organizational depth (or trade pieces) with Regula and Mitchell.
- Bowers came and left under the radar as part of the Keith Kinkaid trade before the deadline. Worth a flyer as a first-round pick as a center, but has never seemed to click as hoped in the pros. BU product is onto his fourth organization. Walsh is a better player to take a chance on.