Bruins Trade Bruising Forward to Wild

Heading to Minnesota is the 6'5" Brazeau. He is a bottom-six winger who plays with a sandpaper edge. This is his second NHL season, but he's already earned a reputation for being hard to play against.

He's also added an offensive touch to his game this season. In 57 games with the Bruins, he's set new offensive highs with 10 goals and 10 assists. Joining the Wild, he should be an ideal fit on either the third or fourth line.

In return, the Bruins received two young players who should get an expanded opportunity in Boston. Lauko is quite familiar with the organization. The 24-year-old winger was a Bruins draft pick in 2015 and made his NHL debut with the club. He was traded to Minnesota last off-season and now finds his way back for a second stint in Boston. In 121 NHL games, he has nine goals, 14 assists, and 23 points.

Joining Lauko is former Wild second-round pick Marat Khusnutdinov. The Moscow, Russia native entered the Minnesota organization with high offensive upside, but has yet to translate that to NHL production. In 73 NHL games spread over parts of two seasons, he's accumulated just three goals and eight assists for 11 points. This move represents a fresh start for the 22-year-old center. He will get the chance to prove he can be an everyday player in this league. If he succeeds, the Bruins will have another middle-six option next season.