Chia needs to make moves now.

[MTaylorJ1]

St Louis would cost a bunch I would think... Subban, Spooner and a 1st more then likely...he is exactly what we need though.

If we could sub out Spooner for Khokhlachev I wouldn't have a problem with that at all actually, since St. Louis is an asset we'll have for a couple years. Better still if you can get Tampa to eat about 1m per year since I doubt they'll approach the cap.

I was lukewarm (at best) on the Subban pick. I don't think he'll ever usurp Rask here.

I can see Khokhlachev and Julien being a match made in I wish we dealt him at his peak value vs. trading him too late and having him blow up elsewhere.

We suck at drafting late 1st.

 

[rcduthie77]

As we get closer to the deadline its beginning to sound like what looked like a sellers market is moving towards a buyers market.

Calgary
Dallas
Edmonton
Tampa Bay
Florida
Colorado

Have all been mentioned as shopping some decent talent and depending on how the next week and a bit goes rumors of;

Columbus
New York Islanders
Buffalo
Philadelphia

Could all move pieces as well. Plus the Rangers and Carolina who have hinted at some tweaking at times, considering they have both mightily underperformed while Washington and Winnipeg are both on a ledge as it appears only 1 team from that division will make the post season.

A lot of teams out there who could see a chance to gain some younger assets on expiring contracts.

 

[MTaylorJ1]

As we get closer to the deadline its beginning to sound like what looked like a sellers market is moving towards a buyers market.

Calgary
Dallas
Edmonton
Tampa Bay
Florida
Colorado

Have all been mentioned as shopping some decent talent and depending on how the next week and a bit goes rumors of;

Columbus
New York Islanders
Buffalo
Philadelphia

Could all move pieces as well. Plus the Rangers and Carolina who have hinted at some tweaking at times, considering they have both mightily underperformed while Washington and Winnipeg are both on a ledge as it appears only 1 team from that division will make the post season.

A lot of teams out there who could see a chance to gain some younger assets on expiring contracts.

Eh if Pitt just set the market, it's going to stay a seller's market. If someone said Koko and a 2nd for Morrow on Friday I'd have put them on ignore instantly.

 

[BB624]

I love St. Louis but his cap hit the next 2 years is a little scary for me 5.625. Only because of his age. You never know what you get after 35 years old.

 

[bruinsfan46]

I love St. Louis but his cap hit the next 2 years is a little scary for me 5.625. Only because of his age. You never know what you get after 35 years old.

Conditioning freak who doesn't rely purely on speed or anything. At worst he'll be Jagr as he approaches 40, at best he'll be Selanne as he approaches 40.

 

[SpitfireIX]

I'm starting to think I would rather have Iginla for two years then however many years we might sign Horton to. Krug, Caron, Koklachev (Subban if they really push for it) and a 2nd that becomes a 1st if he resigns with us or we win the cup should be a big enough haul to get him. Then see how they perform in the playoffs. If Horton keeps floating offer him a low-ball offer and give Iginla the cash.

 

[WreckItRask]

You are FAR from crazy. Maybe one of the few sane ones left on the reservation

I can't imagine we're all alone on this. To me, the Bruins look almost bored with the regular season. They approached this shortened season seemingly with the goal of collecting as many possible points from the drop of the puck in January (which they accomplished), and now we're in the malaise that exists even in a 48 game schedule. They came out hot, I think they'll finish strong, but we're watching some boring hockey right now. I don't excuse it as a fan, but I don't overreact when a cup contender goes into a funk two thirds of the way through the regular season.

I'm not saying that Chiarelli shouldn't look to add at the deadline, but anyone that has watched the Sharks this year more than a few times will tell you that if Douglas Murray is the solution (and 2 second round picks isn't cheap), then I'd hate to know what the problem is. Of all the pieces and scenarios that are being floated around right now, the one guy I'm surprisingly not averse to moving for a stud forward is Malcolm Subban. He's coveted by other teams (ie. Calgary), and goalies are just impossible to project accurately.

 

[smithformeragent]

I'm starting to think I would rather have Iginla for two years then however many years we might sign Horton to. Krug, Caron, Koklachev (Subban if they really push for it) and a 2nd that becomes a 1st if he resigns with us or we win the cup should be a big enough haul to get him. Then see how they perform in the playoffs. If Horton keeps floating offer him a low-ball offer and give Iginla the cash.

If the B's trade for Iginla and immediately extend him (or if CGY extends and then trades him) Horton has to know that the writing's on the wall. How does that impact the team chemistry? Do we care? Are you penciling Iggy in for Horton's $4M?

 

[smithformeragent]

I can't imagine we're all alone on this. To me, the Bruins look almost bored with the regular season. They approached this shortened season seemingly with the goal of collecting as many possible points from the drop of the puck in January (which they accomplished), and now we're in the malaise that exists even in a 48 game schedule. They came out hot, I think they'll finish strong, but we're watching some boring hockey right now. I don't excuse it as a fan, but I don't overreact when a cup contender goes into a funk two thirds of the way through the regular season.

Yep, and they've pretty much sleep walked through the past couple of Marches too. Means little to nothing to me. I don't care if they win the President's Trophy or finish 5th and draw Ottawa. The condensed sked makes it hard to come out and hit/fight/bring the tempo when you're playing 4 games a week.

Like you said, no excuse, but **** happens.

 

[CDJ]

Yep, and they've pretty much sleep walked through the past couple of Marches too. Means little to nothing to me. I don't care if they win the President's Trophy or finish 5th and draw Ottawa. The condensed sked makes it hard to come out and hit/fight/bring the tempo when you're playing 4 games a week.

Like you said, no excuse, but **** happens.

Exactly. We have gone through similar uninspired streaks each of the past 2 years. One year we won the cup. **** happens.

I'd give anything for St. Louis btw.

Spooner, Koko, multiple 1sts, Subban, Knight. Anybody outside the obvious (Seguin, Hamilton)

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

we have to be careful not to overvalue st Louis. he does get 22+ mins of ice per game which does pad his stats a bit. If you think about it st Louis has been on the ice for over 700 mins 127mins of which has been pp time.. our top forward Bergeron has been on the ice 578 mins and only 65 mins of pp time.

if we did pick up someone like a st Louis, he would have to spend a lot more energy playing defense... get way less ice time... get way less pp time... and he wouldn't have a shooter the caliber of steven stamkos to pass the puck to either

we need to figure out what we want to do with our team more than just for this one season... we are going to have cap issues next year and holes to fill then too.

jarome iginla's numbers don't seem sexy cause they require deeper study to really measure. he has had only 582 mins of ice and only 96 mins of pp time. Those numbers are comparable to what he could reasonably expect to get here in boston. The linemates we'd stick ingla with are an UPGRADE over what he has played with in recent years... not a downgrade like St Louis would experience.

We know St Louis isn't affordable for us unless Tampa ate like half his contract... Horton already isn't affordable himself... so we cant create cap room for St Louis by saying we'd replace Horton. It would be Horton AND another top 6 forward out the door before we could make room... or Horton AND TWO of our depth guys {Kelly/peverly/boychuck/Seidenberg}

Iginla will be an UFA next year. We can deal a 'rental' value for him... use him for the playoff run... and then if he was favorable to staying we could deal with it next year. Iginla is a very loyal guy and might very well want to stay if he was to win here with us. He might even be willing to take a hometown discount if he wanted to spend the last few years of his career on a winning team.

Detroit used to get a lot of guys to agree to lower contracts when they had a great winning team to retire with...

To me.. its no contest. I wouldn't overpay for St Louis just because he has racked up a lot of assists this year. His high number of assists doesn't make him a more valuable target than Iginla for a potential trade. And his being signed for the next 2 years at a price we cant afford actually hurts his trade value for us.

If we are destined to give up a package of picks/prospects for one impact difference maker this year... make it be Iginla not st Louis.

Iginla ultimately would be taking Horton's spot in the lineup too... so if possible, try to use Horton as the main value going back in the trade. Horton is a lot younger than Iginla and will cost a lot less contract for Calgary to resign. If Horton were willing to sign a deal for 'security' since he is a 'concusion risk' rather than take his chances in UFA... than there is no reason why Calgary wouldn't want him IMHO. They need size up front... specially if they deal away Iginla.

So Horton {a top 6 guy} plus a first plus some prospect with an NHL future {maybe spooner?} plus some project type prospect {maybe layne macdermid?}
for
Iginla and some throw in they feel is expendable but would give us playoff depth {maybe cervenka if they aren't planning to resign him?}

this deal would mirror the bourque trade quite well... and be very similar to other deals we've seen in the past when a hof type talent like iginla is being moved late in his career.

and as we look forward... if iginla was willing to stick around for us like bourque did for Colorado... we could move krecji next year to recover the picks/prospects we sacrifice here... move forward with seguin centering for iginla/lucic for the next few years on a top line... still have Bergeron/marchand and maybe soderberg or whoever to round out what would be a pretty solid top 6. Hopefully keep our bottom 6 affordable and dependable...

at some point down the road the wheels will fall of chara and we will probably need to rebuild at that point but iginla is younger than chara. Iginla can be effective as long as chara lasts.

Pittsburgh is out of the bidding for iginla now... so I think we have a more likely chance of getting him today than we did yesterday.

I had a gut feeling wed have to settle with morrow but this actually excites me now. I realize LA will likely make a play for iginla too... but we can match what they have to offer.

Im crossing my fingers... make it happen

 

[Kaoz*]

I love St. Louis but his cap hit the next 2 years is a little scary for me 5.625. Only because of his age. You never know what you get after 35 years old.

You make room to fit any cap hit associated with Martin St Louis on your roster. 5.625million is a bargain for that player.

 

[BB624]

You make room to fit any cap hit associated with Martin St Louis on your roster. 5.625million is a bargain for that player.

But during those 2 years, Rask, Bergeron and Seidenberg become due new contracts

 

[Kaoz*]

But during those 2 years, Rask, Bergeron and Seidenberg become due new contracts

And the upper limit could be 75 million.

 

[Scruffy]

But during those 2 years, Rask, Bergeron and Seidenberg become due new contracts

So you get rid of luxury guys like Kelly and Peverley. If Chia wants it to happen, he will make it happen.

 

[BB624]

And the upper limit could be 75 million.

Sure but a GM can not go on that assumption today.

 

[C77]

I can't recall a team with such a good record that has looked so uninspiring.

How the heck has this team won 20 games out of 30 with Lucic, Horton, Kelly, and Peverley all playing below expectations and guys like Bourque and Pandolfo on the roster?

 

[Danton Heineken]

I can't recall a team with such a good record that has looked so uninspiring.

How the heck has this team won 20 games out of 30 with Lucic, Horton, Kelly, and Peverley all playing below expectations and guys like Bourque and Pandolfo on the roster?

Maybe they're trying not to peak too early like they have in years past.

 

[Kaoz*]

Sure but a GM can not go on that assumption today.

Sure they can, they are all about projections. It's kinda what they do. I doubt they go around basing acquisitions they get today on cap issues that might be present 3 years from now.

 

[C77]

Maybe they're trying not to peak too early like they have in years past.

That would be nice.

I just think that after 30 games they would have had a few games where they played really well and scored 5 or 6 goals. Who knows? Maybe it will happen against the Leafs.

 

[Schmautzie]

Seguin is already on the first line.

People (including me) keep writing lines out with Krejci, Horton and Lucic as the "1st" line.. but it's been Marchand - Bergeron - Seguin for at least a year now.

TECHNICALLY Marchand was demoted. But the top 2 lines share a similar amount of ice time so it really isn't. Only aesthetically.

That's precisely how I see it too. The Bergeron line has been top notch all year.

 

[sarge88]

So you get rid of luxury guys like Kelly and Peverley. If Chia wants it to happen, he will make it happen.

Hopefully in a year or 2 whoever isn't moved at this deadline out of Spooner, Knight, Koko, etc. can take over the Kelly/Peverley roles.

 

[BB624]

Sure they can, they are all about projections. It's kinda what they do. I doubt they go around basing acquisitions they get today on cap issues that might be present 3 years from now.

Cap Issues happen this off season.

Add St Louis salary and you have 2 million in cap room with No Goaltender signed.

 

[rcduthie77]

Eh if Pitt just set the market, it's going to stay a seller's market. If someone said Koko and a 2nd for Morrow on Friday I'd have put them on ignore instantly.

Very possible Pittsburgh jumped the gun.

I understand they wanted to make their moves now but when you look at some trends around the league, teams are separating a little bit in the standing and contenders/pretenders are becoming more clear day by day.

If a couple teams more teams decide over the next 8 days that they are out of the race then the whole market gets turned on its head.

Not at all saying you're wrong with you're assessment just giving a different perspective.

 

[Numbah4]

So you get rid of luxury guys like Kelly and Peverley. If Chia wants it to happen, he will make it happen.

We can prob extend Iginla(5m enough?) enough and keep Rask(5.5m) if we let Peverly or Kelly go. My preference would be to keep Kelly. But, we're stronger at C/LW than right. Assuming we just let Horton and Khudobin walk. I think there is a market for Kelly without having to eat his contract.

Maybe having a guy like Iginla who has always had a great work ethic rubs off on Lucic/Krejci. Koko+1st+Caron?? Really don't want to give up Subban or Spooner. Would still have Knight and Camara too.

Maybe put a 3rd line together next year of Soderberg-Spooner and Peverly.