Judging from conversations with rival team executives around the league over the past few days, it’s certainly not from a lack of trying by Peter Chiarelli that the Boston Bruins' GM hasn’t made a trade yet.
Chiarelli is contacting lots of teams trying to find a fit, both for a traditional hockey deal (harder to do at this time of year) and a rental deal (more likely). But so far nothing, as the prices are still too high.
For example, it’s believed Boston circled back recently to Buffalo on pending unrestricted free agent Chris Stewart. Sabres GM Tim Murray, however, remains adamant (at this point) that he wants a second-round pick plus a prospect for Stewart. Boston talked to Columbus on Cam Atkinson but the Blue Jackets, as one Western Conference source suggested, don’t seem that keen to move the pending restricted free agent winger unless it’s a home run deal. At least for now.
What the price is now may not be the same come next Sunday and Monday.
Another name to keep in the back of your mind is veteran winger Erik Cole, another pending UFA winger. If the Dallas Stars decide to pull the plug over the next week, Cole is yet another name on the Bruins’ shopping list.
Not exactly helping things for Chiarelli, however, is that everyone knows by now that his job is on the line in Boston. It’s human nature for rival GMs to then try and exploit that, knowing he’s under pressure to make a deal or two.
Chiarelli will act before next Monday’s deadline, he has no choice, but clearly the hope is that prices change a little before then.
