Kaberle/By S. Bradley
The two most-prominent, non-retiring potential unrestricted free agents for the Stanley Cup champion Bruins are defenseman Tomas Kaberle and winger Michael Ryder.
With the Bruins lasting all the way until Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, they don’t have a lot of time to get deals done before the market opens July 1.
But according to Pierre Lebrun of ESPN.com, Bruins general manager Peter Chiraelli plans to talk to the representatives for both players to see if there’s a fit.
Chiarelli told Lebrun about Kaberle:
We want to have further discussions. We’re still in the planning stages. We haven’t ruled anything out. I told Tomas we’re still throwing it around, planning-wise. He brought something that we needed, so we’ll see where it goes moving forward.
The GM has similar comments about Ryder.
Obviously, a hometown discount would go a long way toward keeping both in a Bruins uniform — if that’s what both guys want to do. Although the Bruins have a decent amount of cap space, and might have more depending on Marc Savard’s decision, they would probably want to use some of that room to bring in fresh blood and maybe upgrade their talent. There is no bonus cushion next year either, which means Tyler Seguin and any other entry-level players will take up more space.
With the draft completed, I think the Bruins are making it clear that Ryder is on his way out. Lots of Forwards taken in this draft. I would love to see Ryder back for another go, but Kaberle can take a hike, wasn’t too excited to see him come in and really won’t mind seing him go.
I like that call. That guy seems like a good player. If he signs he will have to be taught not to be a pansy like the rest of his former MTL teamates
Personally, I would love to see James Wisniewski in the Kaberle spot. I think the price would be right as well.
I hope that is the case. That will give them 8-9 mil if Savard retires or goes on LTIR again.
I keep forgetting about the 9th pick. In don’t think this draft is the type where the 9th pick is in Boston within a year or two, but the draftniks can speak to that
To correct myself, TSN reports a $64million cap next year as does CSNNE.
I was just not assuming the cap bump you are until i see it. I dont think Marchand gets 3.5. My guess is an AAV under 3.
Bottom line, no Ryder, Kaberle and Savard means there is 12ish to play with. Marchand gets a piece, Seguin’s cap hit zooms up, no we are down to 5ish. If the cap goes up, we get more, if not, we dont. I spend it on a defenseman that I trust out there against the best in the world. We don’t need Ryder and his 18 goals. Caron can do that and Seguin will score more. So will Horton and so will Krecji. Spend the money on defense. My .02.
MCK,
It’s 11million without Savard, because the cap is going up by $4million. That said, I basically agree with your analysis. If we sign Ryder (the one I’d rather resign) and go and get a legit #2 (Carolina apparently is going to lest Pitkanen test the waters) and Marchand at 3.5, Caron at 1.1 and Kampfer at 0.88, I would expect that to cost a total of 11-12 million. That would leave us a soft $3million until Savard calls it quits or (joy of all joys) he returns healthy. Both leave us bargaining room for the future, and I would advocate no more than a 1 or 2 year deal with Ryder. The only reason Ryder looks reasonable is because we have no other options that are feasible in free agency. We could always make a big-time trade to land a top-liner, but that gives something up leading to losing value long term. Gagne is the only realistic target forward for the Bruins to improve this offseason, and we will not be the only ones searching for his services. That’s why Ryder makes more sense. Kaberle has a tenuous argument at best, so I would expect he will not be resigned. Should be an exciting offseason.
The 9th pick (presumably someone like Strome, Murphy, Zibanejad), is very unlikely to be in Boston this coming season. Landeskog and Larsson are the only 2 in the top 10 that are considered NHL ready, neither will be available at 9. It’s possible for a guy to make the jump, but pretty unlikely.
I’d take either or both back at significant discounts, but I doubt that happens.
Don’t forget the 9th overall pick either. Who ever he may be could have a break out camp and make the team so want to save cap space for that bugger. Sign Ryder for cheap and get the heck out of here Kaberle, Use Steve Kampfer to be your puck moving defencemen
D are expensive regardless. Kaberle will get $3M-$4M regardless where he goes. Shea Weber will probably get $6-7 a year. (Who is now complaining about the Chara extension).
Let’s sign Kaberle and McCabe, bring back the fun times in 2002
It isn’t 11 mil if you include Savard. It is 7 mil if you include Savard. They were at the cap plus Savard. Take out the 8 mill from Kaberle/Ryder and the 2 mil from Recchi and they have 10, not including Savard. They have a hard 6 and a soft 10. Hopefully the cap goes up. The cap increase is likely to wash out a Marchand contract (3 years, 10 mil??). That leaves 10ish. I would sign a bigtime defenseman. I mean, big time. I would pocket the rest, remembering that Seguin and Caron’s numbers go up too b/c of the CBA. Caron and Seguin must be contributors on this team next season. They have to add one guy, a defenseman. With Horton back, there are only 2 open spots: a forward (Recchi) and a defenseman (Kaberle). I say Caron takes the Recchi spot, albeit on a different line, and they replace Kaberle with a stud. Seguin takes Ryder’s “roster spot” which doesn’t reall exist with the return of Horton.
We have $11m in cap space, and 3 roster spots to fill (marc savard would be counted as playing in this circumstance) $15mil for 4 spots otherwise. I think the only way we waste this “flexibility is by not using at least half of it. Marchand will take home 3.5mil, giving you 11.5mil for three other players. Caron is likely to be one at 1.1 mil, giving us 10.4 mil. to sign a winger and a good defenseman. If we sign one of the two at 2.5mil and the other position at 5 mil, we have 4mil in cap space for flexibility, or Marc Savard’s LTIR cap space. Kaberle and Ryder are both threats that have to be respected in order to be neutralized, which give far greater flexibility to others on the ice with them, or other lines. I’d be happy to get one, but not both back at a good hometown rate.
Ultimately, I want Chia to make good things happen and I trust his decision-making since Kaberle was his biggest bust, and that worked out pretty well I think (hard to argue with a ring).
I can’t seriously believe this discussion is going on internally. Be a man, admit you blew the Kaberle deal, admit signing Ryder to that huge deal was a mistake and move on. Trade for Ryder at the deadline, fine. He actually tries in the playoffs. He couldn’t care less about the regular season. He failed to score 20 goals 2 out of the 3 years here. No thanks. As for Kaberle, I would take Kampfer all day.
Take this money, hometown discount or not, and sign a shut down top 2 defenseman. That way, next year, we dont have to have this mad scramble to have Chara and Seidenberg play 1232145324 minutes each game. There are tons of FAs out there that would be great to have on the back line. Insert Caron, insert this new defenseman and pocket 4 million to spend at the trade deadline. Don’t piss away cap flexibility, which hasn’t existed here for the last few years, on these two guys
in chia we trust. this party should last 2 more years.
Honestly I am not convinced Kaberle is a good fit for the Bruins, but I also wouldn’t be upset if they resign him.
I would kind of like to see them let Ryder walk, but if they resign him for less than his current salary I probably wouldn’t be upset either.
I think I would prefer they try to sign a puck mover a little more comfortable with physical contact and while I like Boychuk a lot-I think they can upgrade in that second pairing with a strong trade or signing.
I honestly kind of like the forward situation with or without Ryder.
Kab not!
If he doesn’t resign with the Flames, they should look at Alex Tanguay. @ 1.7 mil last year he would have led the Bruins in points with 69. He’s a playmaking winger who is definitely soft but would produce more than Ryder during the season IMO and would cost less. He could play 3rd line LW with Kelly and Seguin.
I’m hoping they both walk. Having cap space doesn’t mean they need to use it all now. Flexibility going into the season is very valuable. I would rather get some new, cheap young talent in there from Providence. Spend the money it would take to re-sign these two and land a top-4 D-man via free agency.