While making easy work of the Detroit Red Wings during their 5-1 victory Thursday, the Boston Bruins made a trade, dealing forward Jack Studnicka to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for goaltender Michael DiPietro and the rights to defenseman Jonathan Myrenberg.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney met with reporters following the win, addressing the mid-game transaction.
“Everything is timing, right?” Sweeney said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “You know (David Krejci) gets hurt during the game. So you maybe start to second guess making a move earlier in the day and finalizing during the game. … We’ve made the commitment from a roster standpoint in what direction we’re going to go. And it really was an opportunity for Jack, also. A reset and go to a team that was looking for a younger center that could probably grow with their group. … I think he goes in, gets a really good opportunity right away that he probably wouldn’t have gotten here.”
During his four-year run with the Bruins, after being selected 53rd overall in the second round in the 2017 NHL Draft, Studnicka made 38 appearances with Boston. The 23-year-old totaled one goal, five assists and seven points in a Bruins uniform.
Prior to the start of the 2022-23 campaign, Studnicka signed a two-year contract extension with the Bruins.
“He’s a great kid,” Sweeney said. “He works awful hard, really cares. Probably he’s hard on himself. … And I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a super kid and we’re grateful for all the time we got to spend with him here as a Boston Bruin.”
Myrenberg was selected in the fifth-round draft of the NHL Draft in 2021 by the Canucks. The 19-year-old prospect is yet to sign an entry-level contract, currently playing with Mora IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan League in Sweden this season.
“He’s young,” Sweeney said. “He’s taken a growth spurt. He’s at 6’3″ now, so he’s got some length in numbers. … At the junior level, really good. Guest experience at the SHL, playing very regularly. … I think there’s a development upside here and a positional need organizationally that we felt was a good opportunity for us.”
The Bruins, now 7-1 with the best record in the NHL, will face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Puck drop from Nationwide Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and you catch the action, along with an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.
