The Bruins traded a 2027 third-round pick and defenseman Jakub Zboril to get Peeke.
The Bruins acquired an intriguing alternative on their blue line before Friday’s deadline.
On Friday, Boston traded for defenseman Andrew Peeke from the Blue Jackets, in exchange for defenseman Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round selection.
Peeke, 25, is a defense-first, right-shot defenceman who has battled to find playing time in Columbus this season, appearing in only 23 games and averaging 15:37 of ice time per game.
He was a key member of the Jackets’ defensive corps over the previous two seasons, appearing in 162 games and averaging 21:22 of ice time.
Peeke did block 197 shots last season, but he was also a minus-41 on an admittedly bleak Columbus roster.
According to Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub, among the 325 NHL players who have played at least 3,000 minutes over the last three seasons, Peeke ranks sixth in blocks per 60 (6.03) and 35th in hits per 60 (6.43).
Peeke is still signed through the 2025-26 season, but his cap hit of $2.75 million isn’t exactly team-friendly, and he may have faced a buyout this summer if Columbus hadn’t traded him.
A change of scenery may be required for Peeke, although it remains to be seen how Boston accounts for his contract – especially
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reporting that Columbus is not retaining any salary in the deal.
The Bruins could manufacture some cap space if they were to place Derek Forbort on long-term injured reserve — with the stay-at-home D still hampered with a nagging injury.
If Boston believes that Peeke has more to give in a new system, the team could view him as part of a reworked third pairing next season alongside Parker Wotherspoon — who inked a one-year, $800,000 extension with Boston on Friday morning.
Considering that Boston also relinquished a future third-round pick in this deal, the Bruins are betting on stronger returns for Peeke now that he’s been plucked out of Columbus. Granted, Boston also could have targeted him as a value add this offseason if the Jackets opted to buy out his deal.
Zboril was picked 13th overall by Boston in the notorious 2015 NHL Draft and played 76 games with the team over four seasons.
His greatest season with the Bruins came in 2020-21, when he played 42 games and averaged 17:03 of ice time in a third-pairing role. However, the Czech skater sustained a ruptured ACL in December 2021 and has battled to regain his form since then.
Zboril spent the full 2023-24 season with the Providence Bruins, appearing in 31 games and recording a minus-5 rating.
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