NHL Update: Bruins Give up Two Draft Picks for Brett Connolly, Lightning get Braydon Coburn

The Boston Bruins gave away two draft picks in order to land forward Brett Connolly from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The team's official statement read:

"Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today, March 2, that the Bruins have acquired forward Brett Connolly from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the Bruins' natural second round draft pick in 2015 and the Bruins' natural second round draft pick in 2016."

The 22-year-old Connolly played in 50 games this season and scored a career-high of 12 goals. He also recorded three assists, 15 points and 38 penalty minutes. He was sidelined for a month earlier this season due to a hip injury. In his four years with the Lightning, he has 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points. From 2012-14, Connolly also recorded 120 points in 137 games with Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate in Syracuse.

Connolly, who is from Campbell River, BC, was the number six overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

The Bruins were reportedly interested in veterans Antoine Vermette and Erick Cole. Both players, however, were traded to other teams. Chris Peters with CBSSports.com detailed the risks involved with giving up draft picks for a young player.

Peters wrote:

"Connolly may not offer the best consolation prize when the team was pursuing established veterans. This deal represents a risk, and a surprisingly high cost to take on that risk, considering the value of second-round draft picks. The good news for the Bruins is that Connolly comes extremely cheap, with a $851,000 cap hit. He is also a restricted free agent at the end of the season, with not much leverage to seek big dollars on his next deal."

The Bruins are currently second in the wild card.

The Lightning landed defenseman Braydon Coburn from the Flyers. Rumors claimed that 30-year-old Coburn was being shopped around. In 39 games this season, he has one goal and nine points.

Coburn has played in 614 games with the Thrashers and Flyers and has scored 37 goals and 166 points.