Blake Wheeler

[RockStar36]

After an extended wait, Boston Bruins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/bos/) forward Blake Wheeler (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3641/)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3641/news) was awarded a $2.2 million decision (http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2010/07/wheeler_nets_22.html) in his arbitration case, a hefty raise from the $875,000 salary he made during the 2009-10 season.

Bedard, what do you think will happen?

Boston is pretty tight against the cap so I wonder if there is a chance they walk away from this deal and he becomes a UFA.

Wheeler is only 23 and puts up about 20 goals a season.

[User Manuel]

I can't see them walking away. He is very young and big. If he becomes available we should snap him up.

[The King]

I hope they dump this guy. Cam has a hard on for him and for some reason sees him as top 4 forward... but I think he's one of the worst handlers on the team, and he pulls a terrific vanishing act in the playoffs. He's also a really big forward that doesn't seem to have a handle on his size, he might be the smallest 6"5 in the league.

I think the 20 goals is misleading too, he never seems to score big goals, he's usually scoring the 5th in a 6-2 game... that type of thing.

He never lived up to the expectations IMO. I think PHX felt the same way.

I had two players I wanted to see gone going into this offseason. Wideman and Wheeler.

[The King]

I can't see them walking away. He is very young and big. If he becomes available we should snap him up.
He'd be a perfect Sabre... he's as soft as kitten.

[Crisis]

isn't wheeler the one with a huge hard-on for vanek?

[RockStar36]

Yikes. Thanks for the info Bedard. Now I'm sure the Sabres will go after him.

[OpIv37]

Sounds like Kotalik part 2.

[OpIv37]

Yikes. Thanks for the info Bedard. Now I'm sure the Sabres will go after him.

hahahahaha really? If there's one thing we DON'T have to worry about, it's the Sabres going after a player on another team. Status quo is how we do it.

[The King]

Yikes. Thanks for the info Bedard. Now I'm sure the Sabres will go after him.I have to wonder if there is some interest from other teams... if so the B's should jump on it. His numbers could definitely lead some teams on.

All that being said he is still very young, so there may be something there, but he line up next to Savard, Bergeron and Krecji all very good C-men, and he wasnt able to pull it together.

[RockStar36]

In other arbitration news, as expected, the Boston Bruins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/bos/) signed Blake Wheeler (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3641/)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3641/news) to his one-year, $2.2 million award (http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2010/07/wheeler_signs_o.html) announced last night. The deal puts the Bruins over the cap by $2,187,771 with first-round draft pick Tyler Seguin (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/4962/)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/4962/news) still to be signed.

[The King]

God Dammit Cam!

[OpIv37]

hahahahaha- how is Boston going to clear cap space?

[Dozerdog]

They will probably trade Tim Thomas

[hydro]

They will probably trade Tim Thomas

I'd hate to be the team which gets him. Not that he is a terrible Goalie but that contract is ugly.

[mightysimi]

I think they trade Savard.

[The King]

They may buy out Ryder...
Trade Wheeler or Savard or Thomas (they both have trade clauses and Tim has mentioned he doesnt want to leave)

Savard is the most likely to be gone the Bruins are stacked at Center.

[utmhead]

Also Sturm's 4 million is not on the cap until he plays and with his tore up knee, he will not play until Dec at the earliest so they will be fine cap wise.