The Boston Bruins have far exceeded expectations this season. They enter Wednesday atop the Atlantic Division and sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-4-1 record.

So much has gone right for the Bruins through 16 games. Many of the team's young players -- most notably James Hagens, Fraser Minten, JJ Peterka, Frederic Brunet, etc. -- aren't just proving they belong in the NHL, they have been meaningful contributors at both ends of the ice.

The goaltending, led by Jeremy Swayman, has been elite. David Pastrnak is on his way to another point-per-game (or better) campaign.

The Bruins have positioned themselves well to make the playoffs, but plenty of work remains. It's only early November.

One way for the Bruins to bolster their playoff chances for this season and beyond is to swing a big trade that addresses one of the team's top-two weaknesses -- the lack of a true No. 1 center and the need for another top-four defenseman.

It just so happens that one team, the Detroit Red Wings, could end up trading two players that fit those descriptions.

Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, a legit top-six forward, requested a trade earlier this year (it became public in June). After playing in 10 of Detroit's first 16 games, he is now sitting out until a move happens. Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson is a restricted free agent without a contract, so he hasn't yet played this season. Both players have been the subject of many trade rumors of late.

Should the Bruins make a strong pursuit of a Larkin or Edvinsson trade? Let's break down the latest reports and assess each player's potential fit.

Latest rumors

Larkin

The Bruins reportedly are not on the list of 10 teams to which Larkin would approve a trade. Those 10 teams, according to TSN, include the Panthers, Wild, Golden Knights, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Stars, Devils, Lightning, Mammoth and Capitals.

This list is not set in stone, though, and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted this past Saturday that Larkin's list could be altered to help a deal happen. "It's possible Larkin may take some teams off, or possibly add some teams on," Friedman said.

If the Bruins ever get on Larkin's list, would they be interested?

"I know that the (Red Wings) director of pro scouting, Kris Draper, was in Boston for the Bruins versus Vegas Golden Knight game. We believe that the Bruins are no different than the Montreal Canadiens and would like to get on to Larkin’s list," TSN's Darren Dreger said earlier this week on Insider Trading.

"But I’m telling you as we have this conversation that his list remains status quo. It is an unchanged 10-team list."

Dreger later added: "So, if you’re Don Sweeney in Boston or Kent Hughes of the Canadiens, you’re very eager to get involved. They believe that they have the pieces that can encourage Larking to their cities, but that hasn’t happened yet."

Edvinsson

Edvinsson, as a restricted free agent, has to be under contract by Dec. 1 or he won't be eligible to play this season. So his situation has a deadline to work around. Unlike Larkin, any team that wants Edvinsson not only will have to part with premium assets to acquire him, they'll also need to pay him a lot of money on a new deal.

How much?

"Simon Edvinsson is going to be north of Brandt Clarke, north of (Simon) Nemec, he's in the $9 million range on a long-term deal," Dreger said on TSN's OverDrive earlier this week.

Dreger later added: "Boston would love to make a deal for Simon Edvinsson, probably more so than Dylan Larkin. San Jose, that speculation has been out there -- Michael Misa, plus, maybe plus."

Larkin's potential fit and cost

Larkin, on paper, fits what the Bruins need. He would give them a bonafide top-six center who can produce at a high rate offensively. He has scored 30-plus goals in five consecutive seasons. He's not an elite playmaker, but he'll tally between 35-45 assists per year. Larkin is a real threat on the power play, too. He has scored at least 13 goals with the man advantage in each of the previous four seasons.

If healthy, Larkin should tally around 70 points each season. It's not a staggering amount of scoring production, but the only Bruins player who has put up more than 68 points in any of the last four years is Pastrnak. They need another top-level forward to take some of the offensive burden off the captain.

Larkin is signed for four additional seasons (UFA in 2031) at an $8.7 million salary cap hit, which is a very team-friendly number for a player of his caliber with the cap projected to rise quite a bit in the coming years. Basically, he's under contract for what should be his best remaining seasons.

So, Larkin would definitely be a major offensive upgrade for the Bruins.

What are some cons to a potential deal?

Well, Larkin hasn't exactly produced in important games for the Red Wings. Last season, from March 1 through the finale, Larkin scored just two even-strength goals in 14 games. The Red Wings had a 4-7-3 record in those games and missed the playoffs by seven points. In the 2024-25 season, Larkin scored twice in the last 13 games and Detroit missed the playoffs by five points.

Larkin is also 30 years old. If the Bruins are willing to spend several of their remaining best trade assets, should they use them to get a younger player?

The cost to get Larkin likely will be very high.

The Bruins own all their future first- and second-round draft picks. They also have a first-rounder from the Maple Leafs in 2027 or (more likely) 2028. Boston has some good prospects, too, including Boston College center Dean Letourneau and North Dakota's Will Zellers. If the Red Wings want an established center in any Larkin package, could Pavel Zacha be involved? Zacha is in the final year of his contract. Would he be willing to sign with the Red Wings? If not, it's hard to see him being in any deal.

It wouldn't make any sense to include James Hagens or Fraser Minten. Both of those players could be as productive as Larkin in the near future, and they're obviously much younger than the Detroit star.

Edvinsson's potential fit and cost

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Bruins can afford to pass on Larkin because they have two very talented young centers in Hagens and Minten. Matt Poitras looks like a real NHL center, too. Veteran center Elias Lindholm has been much more productive offensively as well.

The Bruins don't have the same caliber of talent on the blue line. In fact, you could make a strong case that adding another top-four defenseman should be Boston's top priority in looking to upgrade the roster. Hampus Lindholm is 32 years old. Nikita Zadorov is 31. Will Borgen is 29. These guys aren't old, but they aren't in the early stages of their prime, either.

Edvinsson is only 23 years old and already is capable of playing a meaningful top-four role. He could be a top-pairing player in the very near future. The Bruins don't have a defenseman prospect who projects to be a top-four or top-pairing piece right now. Edvinsson is a very good defensive player who also has plenty of offensive upside. He's 6-foot-6 and 226 pounds, and plays with plenty of speed. He's already capable of playing 22-plus minutes per game.

The Bruins have the cap space needed to sign Edvinsson long term. The hard part is finding a trade package both sides can accept.

Dreger mentioned in the report above that Michael Misa plus another asset might be the cost for the Sharks to be in the mix for Edvinsson. A comparable Bruins player for Misa is Hagens. Both Misa and Hagens are centers and both were top seven picks in the 2025 draft.

There's no way the Bruins should give up Hagens or Minten for Edvinsson. Can the Bruins make a deal based around draft picks, prospects and maybe an NHL defenseman?

But if the Bruins are going to spend top-tier assets to make an upgrade, pursuing a young player with loads of talent, size and upside such as Edvinsson makes the most sense.