Things are looking a little bit tight around the hub these days. With 19 players signed for the upcoming year, the B's find themselves with just over 500K left in the bank to fill up the remaining few roster spots. While it may not be clear how things will all play out, one thing is for certain: the Bruins will have to make some sort of roster move in order for the numbers to all work.
The Bruins have yet to sign the 2nd overall pick, Tyler Seguin. Hall was given an enrty level contract of 900K but with over 2.8Mil in bonuses. It is likely that Seguin will recieve similiar numbers and he will definetly be signed, so that would put the Bruins over the cap by $400K. So how can they get under the cap next year while still improving their current roster and title chances? If I were Chiarelli, here is how I would address the situation.
Who to Trade?
Some have suggested trading Savard for Kaberle but the two have similiar salaries so the numbers just wont work. Both top prospects Hamil(1.3Mil) and Colbourne (1.1Mil) wouldn't offer any relief over Campbell's contract. So assuming the center situation will remain the same, the next place to look would be on the right wing. Ultimately, it comes down to 2 roster spots for 3 players - Wheeler, Ryder and Seguin. As of right now, its a good bet that Seguin will start the year in Boston. This would mean that the Bruins would already be over the cap without addressing Wheeler's contract. The choice will ultimately come between Ryder and Wheeler, and with Wheeler still having an upside and Ryder's cap being higher, I would think Ryder is the skater to be moved.
There has been some talk at the need for another puck moving defensemen, and while I do not know if he is on the market or not, I like Fedor Tyutin of the Columbus Blue Jackets. I would send Ryder to Columbus for Tyutin... this would save $1.2Mil in cap space. Columbus seriously needs help on the RW and has plenty of cap space available. If needed, I think the Bruins could even include Hunwick in the deal if we could get a prospect or draft pick back. That would free up an additional $1.4Mil, bringing the total to 2.6Mil saved which should be plenty to sign Wheeler as well.
Additionally, Boston will have a tough decision to make in regards to Thomas as the season draws closer. I don't think Thomas will be able to be moved until he is proven to be healthy. A potential trade partner could be the Caps, who Thomas may waive his no movement clause for. With their early exit from the playoffs, goalie should be a position they should try to solidify and taking a shot on a former Veizna winner wouldn't be their worst option. Ultimately, the Bruins may not need to move Thomas if they are able to move Ryder. Starting the season with two proven goalies isn't a bad thing as Rask showed signs of fatigue when playing consecutive games.
How would you fix the salary cap situation the Bruins find themselves in?
Go B's
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