In order to complete the trade for Tomas Kaberle with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins needed to clear some cap space. Peter Chiarelli has done just that.
Bruins Trade Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart To Make Room For Tomas Kaberle
According to multiple sources, the Bruins have traded forward Blake Wheeler and defenseman Mark Stuart to the Atlanta Thrashers for center Rich Peverley and former first-round pick Boris Valabik. Man, the Bruins just got scary.
Peverley is probably the definition of a late-bloomer. He’s a fantastic playmaker out of St. Lawrence University who made his way through the ECHL and AHL ranks before being picked up by Nashville in 2006. He was put on waivers and grabbed by the Thrashers and in Atlanta, he absolutely blossomed.
He’ll immediately fill the hole left by Wheeler, who tends to float a bit at times. Peverley is a solid two-way force who should fit in nicely on the Bruins, although he’s not as big as Wheeler. Not that Boston is lacking size.
Valabik, on the other hand, is absolutely huge -- just two inches shorter and listed at ten pounds lighter than Zdeno Chara. He’s played most of this season in Chicago of the AHL and will report to Providence since he must clear re-entry waivers to play in the NHL this season, but he has some upside.
According to CapGeek.com, the deal gives the Bruins about $5 million in cap space, enough to acquire Kaberle.
It's official: the Philadelphia Flyers have company in the Eastern Conference. In terms of immediate NHL assets, the Bruins gained Kaberle and Peverley today while dropping Wheeler. Considering the inconsistency from the former Bruin, it's very clear that they got much better today.
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