Peter Chiarelli Sees 'Funky' Trade Market In Shortened Season
BOSTON (CBS) -- Normally, through just a month and a half of the season, trade rumors are relatively quiet. In this extra-packed, 48-game, lockout-shortened season, however, rumors are flying around the league as teams try to make early assessments of their rosters to determine what needs to be done.
ESPN's Pierre LeBrun had an interesting blog on Wednesday about where teams are at in their process, and it included a comment from Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli.
"Everyone has played from 20 to 24 games so far," Chiarelli told LeBrun. "You've got to adjust your thinking to making a quicker assessment. We're used to making our assessments over a longer period of time, and this year it's different. Therefore, for me it's a little funky right now to know we're that close to making deals."
The Bruins are in the favorable position of having plenty of salary cap space, in the event they want to add a high-priced player before the April 3 deadline.
"Just because we have cap space doesn't mean we'll make a blockbuster trade," Chiarelli told LeBrun.
LeBrun speculated that Chiarelli will hope to add Daniel Alfredsson, based on their history in Ottawa, and that former Senators teammate Zdeno Chara could be a big draw for Alfredsson.
With the caveat that any specifics would be "getting ahead of ourselves," LeBrun also mentioned Jarome Iginla and Corey Perry as potential UFA-to-be players whom the Bruins may target.
