Bruins Trade Frank Vatrano To Panthers For 2018 Third-Round Pick

TORONTO-Bruins' GM Don Sweeney continued his wheeling and dealing today by moving Frank Vatrano to the Florida Panthers for a 2018 third round draft pick, recouping a pick from the third round that they used in the deal that brought Nick Holden from the Rangers on Tuesday.

Vatrano flashed impressive goal-scoring ability at times during his Bruins tenure, though.

Before the injury, his role with Boston was minimal this season as he averaged 9:28 minutes per game and had two goals in 25 contests.

After leading UMass with 18 goals during his first full season with the Minutemen in 2014-15, Vatrano signed a free-agent contract with Boston on March 12, 2015.

Vatrano - listed at 5-foot-9 and 201 pounds - had 36 goals in 36 games during his first full season in the AHL in 2015-16, but has struggled to produce in the National Hockey League.

Expectations were high for Vatrano entering the 2016-17 campaign, but the forward was dealt a major blow during training camp - tearing ligaments in his left foot that forced him to undergo surgery.

This season, a combination of injuries and performance pushed him down the Boston depth chart.

In the 2015-16 season, Vatrano scored 36 goals in 36 games in the AHL, registering 55 total points.

By trading away a third-round pick, the Panthers now have six selections in June's draft.