Bruins Send Stuart, Wheeler to Thrashers for Valabik, Peverley

[Guest Crymson]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=354407

This all doesn't seem worth it just to pick up Kaberle.

Edited February 18, 2011 by Crymson

[Travis 576]

Making room / cap space for Kaberle.

[Din758 371]

They made out alright. I personally know Valabik through playing with him for a couple summers. Hes had some injury problems the last year or so and it never seemed like a good fit there in ATL. Being a slovak native one of his idols is Zdeno Chara and they are both monsters (Valabik is 6'8" 240 I believe). Maybe Chara will be able to help to develop into a regular for them.

[Rivalred 630]

I really like Wheeler and hope one day he lands on the Wings.

[Jusek 437]

Bruins won this one clearly. You know, it's Rich Peverley!

[Konnan511 1,736]

Bruins needed the cap room and they didn't get swashbuckled too badly. maybe down the road they'll win this one if Vbik learns anything from Chara.

[Hockey Convert 55]

This actually made a lot of sense for the Bruins. Wheeler seems great on paper, but this year he's really been like Ville Leino was for the Wings. He may do great somewhere else, but he was absolutely average and replaceable on the Bruins roster. Mark Stuart is great, the fans love him and I wish the Wings could get him, but he really is extraneous on the Bruins; McQuaid can fill the same role and is cheaper (at least for now). So the Bruins shed some salary, and got what appears to be a decent depth winger in return (I don't really know much about Peverley, though, to be honest).

More than anything, I feel bad for Wheeler and Stuart having to play in Atlanta. I wouldn't wish living in the Southeast on anyone, let alone having to play hockey in front of an indifferent market...

[eva unit zero 271]

This deal was a second piece attached to the Kaberle trade. The Peverley deal was made to clear cap space for Kaberle. So they ultimately have to be viewed together.

To Boston:

F Rich Peverley

D Tomas Kaberle

D Boris Valabik

From Boston:

F Blake Wheeler

F Joe Colborne

2011 1st pick

conditional 2nd round pick

Laying it out for what each player cost, you can put it like this to compare the before/after:

Tomas Kaberle - Mark Stuart, 2011 1st, conditional 2nd

Rich Peverley - Blake Wheeler

Boris Valabik - Joe Colborne

Kaberle is a genuine #1 defenseman, and one of the league's top PP QBs. Stuart was Boston's #6, and completely replaceable.

For the right now, Peverley is an all-around upgrade over Wheeler.

Valabik is a huge defenseman with excellent potential, but he has spent a few years in the minors due to lack of development. Colburne is a 6'5" center who is not terribly dissimilar from Tomas Kopecky in his skill set, and his AHL performance carries that out.

[Hiei 192]

Boston loading up.

Peverley is gonna give Savard competition for that first line center spot if/when Savard returns.