Monster Trade Rumor: Bruins Zdeno Chara and Brad Marchand

After getting off to their worst start in a decade with three losses to Winnipeg, Montreal and Tampa Bay, the Boston Bruins are shopping big name players.

According to Joe Haggerty, the Bruins are looking to trade veterans Zdeno Chara and Brad Marchand. Bruins president Cam Neely stressed prior to the season, the Bruins would get better as the season moves along and also that the playoffs -- and winning Cups -- was still the ultimate goal:

We’ve tracked in the past and by Thanksgiving, if you’re in the playoff picture, generally by the end of the year you’re still going to be in the playoff picture. This year we have a lot of younger players that I think will develop over the course of the year, and I think the coaching staff’s going to do a really good job in helping these players develop. I think we’ll see the team improve over the course of the season. 

But having said that, we still have enough players that have been around the game long enough and are good NHL players . . . really good NHL players that I think can help bring those guys along at a quicker pace. I feel like we can have a strong start because of that.

With their injuries and weak defense, the Bruins were not competitive to start the season and are showing no signs of improvement. Brad Marchand and Zdeno Chara are being shopped and the Bruins are seeking draft picks, and top prospects in return. There are no-trade clauses to deal with, but it is likely the veterans will want to go elsewhere rather than hanging around for a full rebuild in Boston.