The Minnesota Wild are acquiring winger Justin Brazeau from the Boston Bruins in exchange for forwards Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick, according to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes. Minnesota has made the deal official.

With Boston shifting into a seller’s mindset over the last week, Brazeau became an obvious trade chip. The New Liskeard, Ontario, native was in the final year of a two-year, $1.55M contract and was one of the few pending unrestricted free agents of value on the Bruins’ roster.

Brazeau is in his first full NHL season after splitting last year between the Boston and Providence Bruins. He has 20 points, split evenly, in 57 games this season and ranks seventh on the team with 89 hits. Minnesota was drawn to Brazeau’s lofty 6-foot-6, 227-pound frame — and his right-hand shot — shares Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Brazeau’s pro career began on an ECHL contract with the Newfoundland Growlers in the 2019-20 season. He broke into the pros with 55 points in 57 games, enough to earn a midseason call-up to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and an everyday role with the squad in the following year. Brazeau’s AHL start was slow-going in the shortened 2020-21 season, backed by just five points in his first 22 AHL games. The Marlies opted to move on from Brazeau in the following summer, setting him up for a move to the Bruins organization. 

On the back of cold scoring, he returned to the ECHL for the start of the 2021-22 campaign. But Brazeau quickly earned another call-up after netting 20 points in 18 games. He didn’t let his second chance slip, netting 31 points in 51 games in his first season in Providence. He doubled down with 45 points in 67 games of the 2022-23 campaign and 37 points in 49 AHL games last year — hot enough scoring to earn the lumbering winger his first NHL call-up.

The Bruins have kept Brazeau on the NHL roster since his first recall in February 2024. He’s totaled 15 goals and 27 points in 76 career NHL games — and seems to be finding better footing as a third-line role specialist this year. He’ll bring a strong net-front presence to a Wild roster that only has one player — fringe defenseman David Jiricek — taller than 6-foot-3.