No News Bad News With Kessel?

by JonnyNYC on Jul 8, 2009 11:59 AM EDT

Read a decent article today from the Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/x-2711-Boston-Bruins-Examiner~y2009m7d7-The-Boston-Bruins-future-without-Phil-Kessel

which basically says the B's have $3.8m left against the Cap for Hunwick and Kessel or whoever else they may want to sign. That doesn't leave much on the table for Phil after Hunny gets locked up, unless they are going to move somebody.

Not sure who is attractive in the market who the B's could really benefit from moving for Kessel, unless you are going to move someone like Savvy a year ahead of his contract to get a defender and also create more cap room in the process.

Do you trade Savvy to gain a 1st/2nd line defender and keep Kessel?

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No

Hands down. Marc Savard is a vastly underrated part of this organization. While Phil Kessel is a great player and loved by a lot of fans, he is replaceable. Not easily replaceable, but nonetheless a less of a loss to the franchise than Savvy would be.

by Justin_Bobo on Jul 8, 2009 1:07 PM EDT reply actions

No way...

the last thing the bruins would do is trade savvy. im sure they would trade kessel over savvy. Savvy is a two-way player. kessel is not. kessel also does not fit the physical game the bruins want to play (old-school hockey). Some players the bruins could trade kessel for would be (in my opinion) defenseman Ryan Suter, always aggressive Chris Kunitz, and just for a reach David Backes. These three would fit perfectly in the bruins system.

What are your thoughts on this?

by cafua's b's on Jul 8, 2009 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

I wouldn’t really call Savard a “two-way player”. He has made some progress defensively, but he is still far from a “two-way player”. That being said, I think the big difference between Savard and Kessel is that Savard makes the players around him better. Savard has said that he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause, so I wouldn’t completely rule that scenario out. If I had to chose between keeping Kessel and keeping Savard, I would keep Savard.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Jul 8, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Agree

I too think Savard is a better all around player then Kessel is right now and if I had to have one or the other, I’d prefer Savvy on all occasions. I think it’s more complex than simply A for B though, consider:
1. Savard’s value to other teams is equal to the B’s our our value vs. Kessel. They would get more for him then a sign and trade with Kessel or the draft picks from Kessel.
2. Savard’s $5m is more then the B’s will have to pay Kessel, so there is room to sign or acquire another player additionally. Savard plus remaining cap space = about $8m, so even if Kessel is $4m, you still have another $4m for a blue liner or centerman.
3. With Bergeron, Krecji, Savard, Begin, possibly Sobotka the B’s could be dealing from a position of strength @ C, compared to the lack of goal scorers on the roster (B’s were near the bottom in goals scored last year, including Phil’s 36)

I’d still rather see a Ward or less crucial player go then Savvy, who’d I’d like to stay on the team beyond ‘10 also, salaries providing – but I’m not sure the market will show many opportunities like that.

by JonnyNYC on Jul 8, 2009 3:20 PM EDT reply actions