Bruins’ trade plans fall through, force new strategy in Boston

It’s been pretty clear this season that the Boston Bruins are likely to be buyers at the trade deadline, but it looks like their initial game plan fell through when the Vancouver Canucks accepted the New York Islanders’ trade for Bo Horvat. He was traded to Long Island on Monday, for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and a protected 2023 first-round draft pick, a price that makes fans wonder if the Bruins would have been able to pay to get their hands on Horvat.

Bruins president Cam Neely has revealed to Fluto Shinzawa of the Athletic that acquiring a player with term - or one who could at least re-sign in Boston as a free agent - has become an important part of their deadline plans.

“We have tried to get out of the rental mode,” Neely said. “You give up a lot of assets. Historically, rentals … one team wins a year. When you give up a lot of assets for a player that’s on an expiring contract, you have to decide, ‘OK, are we willing to do that?’ ”

That could have been the case with Horvat, which gets fans wondering if the Bruins were the ones that didn’t get a chance to pitch their offer to Canucks before they locked in on the Islanders.

Because they cannot focus on Horvat anymore, who was linked several times to the Bruins in past week, Boston is believed to be focused on others pending unrestricted free agents ahead of the trade deadline. Shinzawa points to Max Domi, Ivan Barbashev, Jack Roslovic and Ryan O’Reilly among his potential fits in Boston.

At last year’s trade deadline, the Bruins were able to pull off a significant trade to bolster their back end, acquiring Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks and then signing the defenseman to an eight-year deal one day later.

The same could happen this time around to boost the lines up front and get a long-term addition in BeanTown.

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