NEWTON, Mass. — Dylan Larkin wants to be traded by the Detroit Red Wings. This does not bother Cam Neely. The Boston Bruins president is looking for a No. 1 center like Larkin. Parties interested in such rare commodities, like the Bruins, are happier whenever such players become possibilities for acquisition.“A lot of chatter about trade,” Neely said on Monday at the 32nd Cam Neely Invitational charity golf tournament at Charles River Country Club, reporting what general manager Don Sweeney encountered at the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo. “So we’ll see where it goes.”Neely, Sweeney and their colleagues have had a month to analyze results from the 2025-26 season and map out how the upcoming segment of the calendar might proceed. It could be busy. The Bruins, who could have No. 6, must wait until No. 23 to make their first-round selection after the Toronto Maple Leafs won the lottery. They expect to pick a good player. The odds of the 23rd selection becoming a 2026-27 roster player, however, are slim to none.In fact, given the organization’s draft capital (the NHL has led Neely to believe the Bruins will have an unprotected 2028 first-rounder to wrap up the Brandon Carlo trade), Sweeney could put the No. 23 pick on the trade market. David Pastrnak turned 30 in May, one of the first signs of color for what has been an evergreen leaf. Management’s priority is to give Pastrnak enough support to hit hard in what remains of the superstar’s peak power.“I’m all about being aggressive if it’s going to help us today, tomorrow and the next day, for sure,” Neely said. “We know where our core group is. We’d certainly like to add and give them another opportunity to kick at the can. Last year was a good stepping stone, but we still have work to do.”Neely’s wish list has not changed. The Bruins need more top-six firepower, ideally in the middle. Larkin would be an excellent fit on the first line next to Pastrnak. Two seasons into their Elias Lindholm signing, it appears the Bruins will fall short of full value on their $54.25 million investment. Pavel Zacha has one year remaining on his contract. Time will tell whether Fraser Minten or James Hagens can grow into top-line talent.But up-front assistance is not the only area the Bruins want to target. The right side is light, in multiple senses of the word, behind Charlie McAvoy. It remains to be seen whether Andrew Peeke will hit free agency on July 1. If a pace-pushing right-sider becomes available, the Bruins will be interested.“The elusive right-shot D that’s got some offense on the offensive blue line would be helpful,” Neely said.In the latter category, Darren Raddysh and his 70 points in 2025-26 would fit nicely behind McAvoy. But the 30-year-old, No. 2 on The Athletic’s unrestricted free agent big board, is likely to have multiple clubs elbowing each other aside to present him a blank check in less than a month. The Bruins would have to overpay for a defenseman whose 22-goal explosion was more than triple his previous best. Rasmus Andersson, another right-shot defenseman on an expiring deal, does not bring as much offense as Raddysh but is also projected to strike it rich because of low supply and high demand.When it comes to the bare-bones upcoming UFA market, Neely believes it’s a function of how teams wanted to sign their players to eight-year extensions before the rules change on Sept. 16. Maximum term will decrease to seven years.Kirill Kaprizov signed an eight-year, $136 million extension on Sept. 30, 2025. Jack Eichel signed an eight-year, $108 million agreement on Oct. 8, 2025. “At the start of the year, there was a little bit more,” Neely said of prospective free agents. “A lot more names on the potential UFA list that kind of dried up.”This leaves the Bruins in a critical window before the first round of the draft on June 26. It is the segment within which picks will be in play as well as existing players and prospects.Sweeney has a recent history of trade success. Neely would like that to continue.“The year probably went a bit better than most expected,” Neely said. “I thought it was an entertaining hockey season for us this year, especially at home except in the playoffs, unfortunately. But there’s certainly a lot to grow.”