New-look Bruins beat Lightning 4-0, day after making a flurry of rebuilding moves at trade deadline

By Canadian Press on March 8, 2025.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Boston Bruins got off to a good start in their new era.

Cole Koepke had a career-high two goals to lead Boston in a 4-0 win over Tampa Bay on Saturday, one day after being active sellers at the NHL trade deadline.

Koepke scored twice against his former team, Mark Kastelic and Nikita Zadorov also had goals.

All three players are in their first season with the new-look Bruins.

Boston’s boldest move was dealing captain Brad Marchand, the last remaining player from its 2011 Stanley Cup championship team, to the Florida Panthers.

“It was a tough day,” said Bruins forward David Pastrnak, one of the last familiar faces still wearing the black and gold for the Boston Bruins.

The rebuilding franchise will receive a second-round draft pick from Florida and the compensation could become a first-rounder if the Panthers win two rounds in the playoffs and the 36-year-old wing plays in half their playoff games games.

Boston also sent forward Justin Brazeau to Minnesota, forward Charlie Coyle to Colorado and forward Marc McLaughlin to New Jersey along with defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto. Forward Trent Frederic was traded to Edmonton earlier in the week, sparking the start of the fire sale.

“We didn’t burn it down,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney insisted.

The Bruins are in a pack of teams with a potential chance to earn a wild card in the playoffs, but they will have to move on without a lot of familiar faces.

“That’s the worst part of our business,” Pastrnak said on ABC during an intermission interview.

Boston’s management clearly decided it was time to move on.

The Bruins earned 100-plus points in each of the last six non-pandemic seasons, including two years ago when they won an NHL-record 65 games, but their only extended playoff run was a trip to the 2019 Stanley Cup final.

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The Associated Press