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Marco Sturm and Marc Savard hit the ice for first time today, salary cap problems await

Peter Chiarelli

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli listens to a reporter’s question during a news conference in Boston, Tuesday, May 18, 2010. The Bruins were eliminated from the NHL hockey playoffs in game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

AP

The Bruins’ season is off to a great start and the upside for them now is that they’ll be getting key reinforcements back. They’re 4-2-0 to start the season and things are clicking pretty well without offensive studs Marc Savard and Marco Sturm. The good news for them today is that both Savard and Sturm took to the ice for a light skate. Savard is dealing with the lingering effects of post-concussion syndrome while Sturm is coming off of knee surgery for an injury suffered in the playoffs against Philadelphia. Sturm, however, is tempering his excitement about hitting the ice today.
“It’s going to be tough,” Sturm said of returning by mid- or late-November. “I don’t know. I really don’t know. We just have to see how the next 2-3 weeks go. I want to make sure I’m going to be full strength. Before that, I’m not going to play.”

Sturm taking his time to get better is the right idea and it’s one that the Bruins are likely to be totally OK with as well since that means delaying making tough salary cap-based decisions on altering their already successful roster. Both Sturm and Savard are on long term injured reserve which gives the Bruins the ability to spend above the cap by the amount of money their cap hits come out to. When they return, that means the Bruins have to lop off over $7 million in salary. If you think the Bruins are going to wait until the last minute to prepare to do that, you might want to think again. Joe Haggerty of CSN-New England tells us that Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli is already scouting around for potential moves.

Several hockey sources indicated to CSNNE.com that the Bruins are in the beginning stages of discussing deals involving several players, including Blake Wheeler and Michael Ryder. The urgency for Chiarelli and the Bruins is a need to make room for at least two forwards when Marco Sturm (knee) and Marc Savard (post-concussion syndrome symptoms) are ready to come off long-term injured reserve.

Matt Hunwick could also be in the trade mix for the Bruins if they can find a willing partner, but thus far the market hasn’t quite developed for the aspiring puck-moving defenseman. Hunwick has been inconsistent over the last year-plus since a promising rookie season two years ago, but his skating ability remains unquestioned.

Mark Stuart has drawn interest around the league at points over the last two seasons, but he’s an integral part of the B’s leadership inside the dressing room.


Ryder is an obvious person for the Bruins to shop around as he’s got a $4 million cap hit this year. Meanwhile Blake Wheeler is an enigmatic talent in Boston and it’s possible that another team could figure out best how to get Wheeler to play at a peak level. Wheeler also comes with a $2.2 million cap hit. Losing those two players while bringing back Sturm and Savard means the Bruins don’t lose anything talent wise while also getting them under the cap. Not a bad way to deal with things.

The Bruins know what they can get out of Sturm and Savard, even coming off of injuries, while Wheeler and Ryder are still as inconsistent as ever. It might hurt to lose those guys, but youngsters Tyler Seguin and Jordan Caron have stepped up in a way to help soften the blow. The Bruins are still a couple months away from having to have their cap in order, but the way they go about it will be worth watching.