NHL Trade Buzz: Krejci not an option for Bruins

David Krejci is no longer an option for the Bruins, general manager Don Sweeney said.

The forward, who opted to leave the Bruins after last season to play in his native Czech Republic, will remain there instead of returning to the NHL. The Bruins had left the door open for Krejci, who played 962 games with them over 15 seasons, scoring 730 points (215 goals, 515 assists). 

"He's decided to stay with his family in Czech Republic," Sweeney said Sunday. 

Sweeney also said he's looking at potential landing spots for forward Jake DeBrusk, who asked for a trade in November. DeBrusk has scored 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 57 games this season, and was elevated to playing on the top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, though Bergeron is currently injured. 

"I'll continue to explore," Sweeney said. "I don't think Jake's changed his opinion. But that doesn't mean it happens. I've said that from day one. If I can make it fit for the Boston Bruins and helping our team -- Jake's helping our team -- so I certainly would only do it [if it's] going to help our team."

The Bruins (38-19-5) are one point ahead of the Washington Capitals for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They acquired defenseman Hampus Lindholm in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday for defensemen John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Lindholm agreed to an eight-year, $52 million contract ($6.5 million average annual value) Sunday. 

"We're going to still continue to look and see if we can improve our team," Sweeney said. "We're comfortable with where our team is at and how they're playing, injuries aside, but I want to continue to explore over the next [day]." -- Amalie Benjamin

Tyler Bertuzzi said he does not have any interest in leaving the Red Wings despite reports that he asked to be traded.

"I love it here," Bertuzzi said Saturday. "Not once have I said I want to leave. This is where I want to be. ... Whatever is out there is false. I want to be a Red Wing."

Bertuzzi is second on Detroit with 24 goals and 49 points in 51 games.

Defenseman Nick Leddy was scratched for a second straight game Saturday when the Red Wings lost 4-2 to the Seattle Kraken.

Leddy, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, also was a healthy scratch Thursday when the Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 1-0.

"You know, I thought we did a really good job in Vancouver, given the fact that the players learned in the morning that we were sitting Leddy out, that's not an easy thing as a player," coach Jeff Blashill said. "I talked to our leadership group, just making sure that we were focused and guys felt confident. You kind of run that balance and making sure that we're confronting any of the issues that we may face but not over and over traumatizing."

Leddy has scored 16 points (one goal, 15 assists) in 55 games this season and is third on the Red Wings averaging 21:33 in ice time per game. -- Andy Eide

Justin Braun was a healthy scratch when the Flyers hosted the New York Islanders on Sunday. 

The defenseman was held out as part of asset management ahead of the trade deadline Monday. Nick Seeler replaced Braun on a defense pair with Keith Yandle.

"There's been a lot of teams calling on Justin," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "We'll see what that means over the next day, whether we move him or not. But he plays really hard. He's a guy that blocks shots, takes hits. So I just thought it would be prudent to at least resolve this over the next 24 hours and just hold him out for today." 

Braun has scored 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 61 games this season. 

Forward Claude Giroux was similarly held out of a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Friday before being traded to the Florida Panthers on Saturday. In that trade, the Flyers received forward Owen Tippett, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft or 2025 NHL Draft, and a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. 

The Panthers also received forward prospects Connor Bunnaman and German Rubtsov, and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft. -- Wes Crosby 

The Golden Knights are optimistic about Robin Lehner returning to the lineup soon. The goalie has missed six games with an upper-body injury.

"Heading in a positive direction," coach Peter DeBoer said Friday. "I think he's excited to get back. I don't have a time frame yet, but I don't think it's far off. ... I expect him back."

Depending on how long Lehner remains out, the Golden Knights may look to acquire a goalie before the deadline. The 30-year-old has not played since March 8, a 2-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers. Two days later, the Golden Knights announced he was being sent back to Las Vegas with a lower-body injury. He had started four of the previous five games since returning from an upper-body injury that caused him to miss six games.

One goalie who could be available is Marc-Andre Fleury. The 37-year-old was traded by the Golden Knights to the Blackhawks on July 27, 2021 after playing the previous four seasons with Vegas, including their run to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.

Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Feb. 15 a reunion with Fleury was very unlikely.

"There is absolutely no credence to that rumor at all," McCrimmon told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I wouldn't normally speak (officially) on such things, but there will be so much racket about this, it's important to let people know that's not going to happen."

Laurent Brossoit started three of the five games for Vegas since Lehner was injured and was 0-3-0 with a 4.02 goals-against average and .853 save percentage. Logan Thompson made 38 saves in a 5-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, relieved Brossoit in a 7-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, and on Thursday made 33 saves in a 5-3 win against the Florida Panthers to help the Golden Knights end a five-game losing streak.