Bruins’ Gritty Forward Getting Trade Interest From “Several Teams”

ESPN analyst and NHL insider Kevin Weekes reported on X.com Tuesday: “In speaking to sources, several teams are interested in pending UFA (after this season) @NHLBruins Frederic. With his size, speed, toughness, character, and skill – he’s drawing attention in the marketplace.” An experienced player, he’s played in 293 NHL games, all with the Bruins, accumulating 48 goals, 49 assists, and 97 points.

In speaking to sources, several teams are interested in pending UFA (after this season) @NHLBruins Frederic. With his size, speed, toughness, character and skill – he’s drawing attention in the marketplace.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/zzM7yqLyW2

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) November 5, 2024

As a pending UFA, Frederic’s performance is under scrutiny. The Boston Bruins have been better of late, but their rocky start has likely opened up trade discussions, and despite being a promising player selected 29th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, Frederic’s current statistics—three points and a -8 rating over 13 games—are not indicative of a breakout contract year. At 26, he has established himself as a middle-six forward but has yet to fully realize the potential expected of a first-round pick.

Frederic Has More In Him and Offers Something Teams Like

After a career-best season last year, where he scored 18 goals and added 22 assists, Frederic’s slow start might be something teams overlook because of his ability to play a physical game. He’s got a past history of offensive production and if he can find that again in another city, the combination of his “edge” and skill might be attractive. He’s second on the team with 41 hits, so even though he’s not scoring, he is trying to be impactful.

The issue for the Bruins is that Frederic is a buy-low candidate given the Bruins’ early struggles. The team, if it’s considering a trade, might want to wait until they have the leverage with a better record.

Until then, Weekes’ report suggests Frederic’s name will be increasingly mentioned in trade discussions.

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