DAILY RUMORS: Marc Savard, Blake Wheeler and 1st going to Columbus for the 4th Pick Overall? No.

We at HockeyIndependent.com want to be your resource and filter for what is going on in the NHL. We try to disseminate the noise in the blogosphere. We don’t look to to attack those sources, but to question the veracity of the rumor with cold logic, hockey smarts and knowledge. To do that… we have partnered with the one of the best in the NHL blogosphere….Lyle Richardson of SpectorsHockey.net. Daily Rumors with Lyle Richardson will now be a regular feature on HI this summer and beyond…

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli recently said he’d only received one good offer for the second overall pick in this year’s draft and insisted he’d retain that pick rather than move it. He also dismissed rumors he’d move the pick to Ottawa for Jason Spezza, calling the rumor ridiculous.

But could Chiarelli, pressed for cap space with over $54 million committed to 18 players, dump salary in an attempt to land another pick in the top five?

That’s the suggestion from NBCSports.com’s “Pro Hockey Talk”, citing sources claiming the Bruins might deal center Marc Savard and winger Blake Wheeler, plus perhaps their own first round pick (15^th overall) to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the fourth overall pick.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/rumor-boston-to-trade-wheeler-savard-to-columbus-for-4th-overall-pick.php

Holy overpayment, Batman!

Not to mention several factors working against that deal.

First, Savard has a “no-trade” clause he’d have to agree to waive, something he won’t do. The playmaking center finished the first year of a seven-year contract with the Bruins and is there for the long haul.

The Bruins are lacking depth on the wing and while it’s possible they might – emphasis on “might” – move Wheeler if they cannot re-sign the restricted free agent, the betting here is they’d want an affordable scoring winger in return.

The Blue Jackets are believed seeking depth at center and Savard would certainly be a good addition, but they’re also on a tight budget and probably unwilling to accept Savard’s $4 million-plus per over seven year contract.

They’d be giving up a quality center and a promising winger for a draft pick which won’t address their scoring needs on the wing this coming season.

Oh, and did I mention the most obvious flaw in this rumor, that the Bruins would be overpaying for the fourth overall pick?

Chiarelli is expected to do something to possibly free up salary to re-sign free agents like Mark Rechhi, Johnny Boychuk, Mark Stuart, Daniel Paille and Wheeler.

Don’t expect Savard to be part of the salary dump.

Lyle Richardson
SpectorsHockey.net
twitter.com/spectorshockey