The up-and-down Boston Bruins remain squarely on a crowded playoff bubble in the Eastern Conference. Team president Cam Neely has acknowledged that a “retool” could be on the table between now and the March 7 trade deadline.

BOSTON -- Martin Necas and Jack Drury each made his debut for the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday. The forwards were acquired Friday in a three-team trade also involving the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks that sent Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes.

A former Bruins player and a soon-to-be Bruins opponent were each part of a sizable three-team deal involving the Avalanche, Blackhawks and Hurricanes. As expected Taylor Hall is on the move again. Hall, who spent parts of three seasons as a Bruin is going from Chicago to Carolina.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups.

I never thought in a million years he would leave. So yeah, it sucks,” said Nathan MacKinnon of the Mikko Rantanen trade.

After that game, Avalanche players finally had a chance to publicly react to the trade, and the team's best player, Nathan MacKinnon, had one of the stronger reactions.

The hockey schedule waits for no one. The Avalanche were preparing for an early matinee matchup on Saturday when they made the late Friday night whopper of a trade with Carolina.

The Colorado Avalanche (28-19-2) open a three-game road trip against the Boston Bruins (24-20-6). Puck drop is scheduled for 11:08 a.m. MT. READ MORE: Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen to Carolina in 3-Way Deal for Martin Necas and Jack Drury This post-Mikko Rantanen era starts now.