Bruins acquire Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway in three-team trade with Capitals, Wild

The Boston Bruins have acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals.

In exchange for Orlov and Hathaway, the Capitals will receive a 2023 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, a 2024 third-round pick and forward Craig Smith. Washington will retain 50% of Orlov’s $5.1 million cap hit.

The Minnesota Wild will also retain 25% of Orlov’s salary and sent the rights to former sixth-round pick Andrei Svetlakov to Boston in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick.

Orlov, 31, has been a staple on the Capitals’ blue line for a decade now and is in the final year of his contract. In an otherwise frustrating year for Washington, Orlov has still managed to be effective. The Capitals control 50.83% of the expected goals with Orlov on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick, and he has the ability to contribute offensively.

This season, Orlov has three goals and 19 points in 43 games. In his NHL career, Orlov has recorded 60 goals and 196 assists in 686 games.

Orlov was forced to shoulder a large workload in Washington, especially with John Carlson missing significant time due to injury. The Bruins already had a stacked blue line with players like Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Matt Grzelcyk eating big minutes. That means Orlov should get more favorable matchups while taking on lighter minutes in Boston.

Hathaway, who has nine goals and seven assists this season, will provide the Bruins with a bottom-six option at forward. Hathaway hasn’t recorded a point in his last five games, so maybe playing in a more suitable role with Boston will help jumpstart him.

The Capitals have taken a nosedive in the Eastern Conference standings lately, and their playoff chances look worse and worse by the day. With Orlov and Hathaway both pending free agents, Washington chose to flip them for draft capital that will help the team reload around its current core of veterans.