With the March 3 NHL Trade Deadline fast approaching, the Boston Bruins got the depth they were looking to add to their forward and defensive corps. The Bruins acquired 31-year-old veteran defenseman Dmitry Orlov and 31-year-old 6-foot-3, 208-pound winger Garnet Hathaway in a three-way trade with the Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
The Bruins sent forward Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round draft pick, a 2025 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick to the Capitals for Hathaway and Orlov. The Capitals will retain 25-percent of Orlov’s salary and the Wild will pick up the tab for the other 25 percent after the Bruins sent them their 2023 fifth rd pick for that and prospect Andrei Svetlakov.
The 5-foot-11, 214-pound Orlov had reportedly been in talks with the Washington Capitals on a contract extension but those talks hit a snag this week and Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan let it be known on the NHL trade market, that he, Hathaway, and all of his unrestricted free agents-to-be were available. Sweeney, who one source ironically told Boston Hockey Now on Thursday has always been a fan of Orlov and Hathaway’s ‘physical games’, pounced and killed two birds with one stone, adding Stanley Cup Playoff experience and grit to both his forward and defensive groups. The Bruins general manager was also able to leave his current roster basically unscathed in the deal as Craig Smith had become a regular healthy scratch this season and was even waived back in December.
Note: The Bruins GM was scheduled to address the media from Seattle via Zoom at 7:15 PM ET, ahead of his team’s tilt with the Kraken at 10 PM ET Thursday night.
Orlov, 31, had three goals and 16 assists with a plus-two rating in 43 games for the Capitals this season. In 686 career NHL games all with the Capitals, Orlov has 60 goals and 196 assists. The Novokuznetsk, Russia native was originally selected by the Capitals in the second round (55th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Hathaway, 31, had nine goals and seven assists for 16 points with 52 penalty minutes and a plus-six rating in 59 games for the Capitals this season. In 432 career NHL games, all with the Caps, Hathaway has 54 goals and 62 assists with 473 penalty minutes. The Kennebunkport, Maine native played for Brown University from 2010-14 before being signed by the Capitals as an undrafted free agent.
Smith, 33, had four goals and six assists in 42 games for the Boston Bruins this season. The 6-foot, 204-pound forward has 195 goals and 213 assists playing for the Nashville Predators and then the Bruins. The Madison, Wisconsin native was originally selected by Nashville in the fourth round (98th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
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