Possible team next year...

I like seeing Sharp’s name on that first line. Way to be optimistic!

Who did we offload Thomas and Wideman on?

this means you’re assuming a Thomas for Sharp trade with Chicago? The Blackhawks wouldn’t make that deal, because they’re already looking at serious salary cap issues for 2010-11. They won’t be making a deal that has them taking on MORE salary.

They might, however, do trade of Thomas and either Ryder or Wideman, plus a prospect for Sharp and Campbell. That would appeal to them in the sense that they could get rid of Campbell’s atrocious contract, save about $1M next year in salary, more long term, keep their young talent core together and pick up a player to add to it.

it’s known league wide that ‘hawks have to move some players and re-work their salaries – so it’s incredibly likely the B’s are going to have to give real value, not simply players we don’t want anymore.

Thomas is not going to go to the Hawks, they have too much invested in net anyway. Wideman perhaps could be moved there, but as noted above with $$ coming back.
To add sharp into this mix, B’s will have to give up young cheap talent, not a Ryder.
Wheeler, Hamil, etc.

Or perhaps this is where the Toronto pick is used best, via trade to a cash strapped team.

Honestly, the B’s are only gonna be able to unload Wideman on a bottom tier team that is completely desperate for defensemen or to some team that we trade someone of value to as kind of an icing on the cake deal.

Reasons:
He’s constantly caught out of position.
He’s not fast and to complement this, he constantly seems to turn only one way (I can’t remember if its to the right or left).
He’s sporting a terrible 15 +/ for the season thus far (280th in the league for god’s sake)

Seriously, the only way he’s able to look good is because he’s out there with Stuart, Chara, Seidenberg, and Boychuck.

If the Bruins are looking to make a serious run next year, they need to find that one or two pieces for the offense in the draft this year (seriously, the pieces are in place, we just need that one guy), unload Wideman, keep Ferrance healthy somehow, and possibly pick up a 3rd or 4th round defenseman with decent speed to complement a line with either Stuart, Chara or Seidenberg.

Similarly, Ryder has been doing everything except pulling his weight up front. Basically filling space, he’s recorded an astounding 1 goal and 5 assists in the last 20 games. As one of about half a dozen players to play over 75 games this season, you would think we’d be getting a bit more out of him.