The Boston Bruins Need To Go Get The Ice Man

Vitor Munhoz. Getty Images.

The Boston Bruins biggest need for this offseason is adding young, skilled talent. Something the organization has struggled to compile over the past 4-5 years. Luckily for the black and gold, the best player in college hockey last season is available via trade right now. 2025 Hobey Baker winner and 2022 Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick Isaac Howard is unlikely to sign with the organization and the team is looking to move him. 

Howard, who has spent the previous three seasons in the NCAA (two with Michigan State and one with Minnesota Duluth) would be an instant upgrade to the Bruins thin prospect pool. We are talking about the Ice Man here too. Not just any old prospect. This kid has ICE in his veins. 

And when he’s not scoring game winners, he’s iced out labeling himself the best looking guy in the draft. What can't this guy do??

Howard has stated he’d be heading back to Michigan State next season, but i’m sure the promise of top-6 minutes and playing on a Power Play with David Pastrnak could swing him to leave school and give the NHL a go. 

The downfall of the Bruins is happening because the team hasn’t been able to get contributions from virtually any players on entry level contracts. You need it. Its crucial. You need to be able to draft and develop. Granted the Panthers this season proved you can build a team through trades, you still need assets to be able to sell off for those trades. But you need young home grown talent to play on entry level deals. Isaac Howard can jump in immediately give the Bruins just that. It also gives the fans some immediate young talent to put asses in seats. 

So what would it cost to get Isaac Howard to Boston? That is the biggest question. I have my eyes on the Bruins 2nd round pick (61st overall, formally the Carolina Hurricanes pick) that was acquired in the trade that sent Charlie Coyle to Colorado. Now some people may be thinking I'm crazy. Howard won the Hobey Baker, he was the best player in college hockey. It should cost AT LEAST a first. Well to those people, I'd say lets take a trip down memory lane. In June of 2016, the Nashville Predators traded the rights to Jimmy Vesey to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a third-round pick. Vesey was fresh off of winning the 2016 Hobey Baker award and had the entire hockey world talking about him. The only difference was Vesey had already played out his senior year and was going to be allowed to pick his team in August. Howard would need to go play at MSU next season for that to be the case. So, I think the 61st overall pick is a fair deal for both sides (contingent on Howard signing).

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On the flip side, you can also look at Rutger McGroarty. Who told the Winnipeg Jets he didn't want to sign with them and that he would be returning to Michigan for another year. The Jets then flipped McGroarty for Brandon Yager, who were each taken with the 14th selection in back to back drafts. The Bruins obviously aren't going to part ways with the 7th overall pick in this draft for Howard. But could they part with Toronto's next season in a loaded draft class? Or maybe the Florida Panthers 2027 1st rounder they acquired in the Marchand trade? Florida aint going anywhere anytime soon, so we can assume thats an extremely late round pick.

Regardless, the kid is an absolute stud and Don Sweeney should do everything in his power to acquire this kid.

Watch the Chiclets University Episode with Howard here

Watch Game Notes with Isaac Howard here