The trade market is expected to be incredibly active this year, and speculation is running rampant on who will be moved. Some of the biggest news today comes from Boston, and CSN New England reporter Joe Haggerty.
NHL Trade Talk: Bruins Top Priority Is To Move Tim Thomas
Sources have confirmed to CSNNE.com that the Bruins' top priority on the trade front is to move veteran goalie Tim Thomas, who lost his job to Tuukka Rask in the second half of the year.
Thomas underwent hip surgery at season's end, but general manager Peter Chiarelli said recently that Thomas is recovering well and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in mid-September.
Sources say the Bruins have discussed Thomas with San Jose, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.
Thomas has a cap hit of $5 million, and that lasts for three more seasons. That's a ton of money to be paying a goaltender who isn't even your starter, obviously. San Jose could opt not to re-sign Evgeni Nabokov, meaning they would have a hole in goal. Tampa Bay could lose Antero Niittymaki, who started most of this past season for them, and the Flyers have needed adequate goaltending for about 23 years.
Still, any team would have to pay Thomas that $5 million, and uh, the consensus seems to be that Thomas deserves nowhere near that type of pay check. For that reason, Boston might have trouble dumping him.
I think the Bruins need to move Thomas and not just to write his contract off the books. Thomas obviously wants to be the #1 goaltender and that is not going to happen now that Tuukka Rask has won the job. Thomas is scheduled to make $6 million ($5 million cap hit) next season. That is a lot money to pay a guy that will be working the door 50 nights a year. Thomas has had to work hard to get to where he is today and I get the feeling that he does not want to be a back-up at this stage in his career.
Having a guy like Thomas around that feels as though he should be the starter and is making starter's money can not be good for the room. Giving Tim Thomas the opportunity to start somewhere else is the best move for all parties involved. Now, the Bruins just need to find a
suckertrade partner that is willing to take on one of the worst contracts in the league for a overrated, 36-year-old goalie coming off of off-season hip surgery.
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