The Boston Bruins made a huge upgrade to their blue line Saturday by acquiring star defenseman Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks, and they made another defensive upgrade Monday about an hour before the 3 p.m. ET NHL trade deadline.
The Bruins added depth defenseman Josh Brown and a conditional 2022 seventh-round draft pick from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for AHL forward Zach Senyshyn and a 2022 fifth-round pick.
Why the Hampus Lindholm trade bolsters Bruins' Stanley Cup chances
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Brown is a right-shot defenseman who adds plenty of size and toughness to Boston's defensive corps at 6-foot-5 and 217 pounds. He's a candidate to play on the third pairing in the spot typically occupied by Connor Clifton and Derek Forbort.
The 28-year-old veteran is on an expiring contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Senyshyn was one of Boston's three consecutive first-round picks (15th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft. He was taken far earlier in that draft than most experts expected. He never carved out a regular role with the Bruins and played in just 14 NHL games.
The Bruins could still make more moves before the trade deadline. They need to add scoring depth, preferably at center.