NHL-best Bruins add Orlov, Hathaway from Caps

Hours after they introduced that each gamers can be held out for commerce causes, the Washington Capitals despatched Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins on Thursday.

In return, the Capitals acquired Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round decide, a 2024 third-round decide and a 2025 second-round choice.

The Minnesota Wild additionally introduced they acquired a 2023 fifth-round decide and can retain 50% of Orlov’s wage. The signing rights to Andrei Svetlakov went to Boston.

A pair of pending unrestricted free brokers, Orlov and Hathaway present extra depth for the Bruins, who entered Thursday with the most effective report within the NHL at 43-8-5 whereas additionally having a plus-92 purpose differential.

“I feel it provides a ton of depth to our group. That is what you want within the playoffs, and I feel that is the way you win,” Bruins left wing Brad Marchand stated. “You’ve got 4 strains, six D and two goalies that you simply roll by means of. There’s at all times accidents that occur at playoff time and also you want guys which are in a position to are available in and fill that void and play at that top stage. Now we have that proper now. We have had all of it 12 months, and that is why we have been profitable. However we nonetheless have an extended methods to go, so much that we are able to construct on and get higher at. We will not soar forward to playoffs but, however they may assist us for certain come playoff time.”

In Orlov, the Bruins now have one other top-four defenseman who’s averaging a career-high 22:43 in ice time this season. He additionally has three targets and 19 factors in 43 video games. Hathaway gives the Bruins with a 6-foot-3 bottom-six ahead who has 9 targets and 16 factors in 59 video games.

Their arrival additionally means the Bruins have added two gamers who can log minutes to what’s already the NHL’s prime penalty kill with successful fee of 86.5%.

“I feel it is nice. Depth is nice once you get Orlov coming in. He kills penalties,” Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton stated. “We clearly have our 4 nice killers, now we’ve got 5 – 6. [Matt Grzelcyk] would not get a lot time, however he is been nice, too. It is nearly depth, truthfully. Accidents are going to occur down the road. They could occur tomorrow. So, we’re constructing for a playoff run.”

With Smith going to the Capitals, it brings an finish to a relationship that began when he signed a three-year take care of the Bruins in October 2020. A perennial 30-point scorer, Smith scored greater than 13 targets in every of his first two seasons whereas additionally reaching the 30-point mark. But this season noticed Smith, who’s a pending UFA, muster solely 4 targets and 10 factors over 42 video games.

“It is actually robust once you see a teammate get traded,” Marchand stated. “Smitty is such an unbelievable man and an unbelievable teammate. It is at all times laborious. He is superb pals with a whole lot of guys on the staff. It is robust to see, however that is sadly the character of the enterprise.

“The fellows they’re bringing in are nice gamers. They will assist us so much. It provides a ton of depth to our group, and each are very laborious guys to play towards — playoff gamers. So, it is robust to see Smitty go. We want him nothing however the most effective. So completely satisfied for him and his household that we received to spend the time with them and get to know them, however very excited to get these two new guys in.”

Taking over Smith is simply a part of the equation for the Capitals. Buying and selling away Hathaway and Orlov whereas getting a large bounty in return may point out the staff — which suffered a sixth straight loss to the Geese on Thursday night time and is 2 factors out of the ultimate Jap Convention wild-card spot — believes it may be higher to deal with the long run as an alternative.

The deal means the Capitals have two first-round picks within the 2023 draft and a complete of six picks total. They are going to have seven draft picks for the 2024 draft and one other eight for 2025.