BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins werent expected to make a big splash during this years NHL trade deadline and they lived up to expectations.
The Bruins reacquired one of their former players, forward Brian Rolston, along with ex-Boston College star Mike Mottau from the New York Islanders for fringe prospects Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin. The B's also nabbed stay-at-home defenseman and shot-blocking enthusiast Greg Zanon from the Minnesota Wild. Mottau had missed 26 games with a concussion before returning last weekend to play against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, and had been out since the end of December with the head injury. TSN first reported that Steve Kampfer is headed to Minnesota in exchange for Zanon, and Kampfer confirmed it to CSNNE.com via a text message following the deadline.
To make room on the roster for the newly acquired players, the Bruins assigned Andrew Bodnarchuk, Carter Camper and Max Sauve to Providence. The B's had just recalled Bodnarchuk and Sauve earlier Monday, and Camper scored his first NHL goal Saturday night in Ottawa.
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The moves wont have anybody screaming out about a guaranteed Stanley Cup title, but they addressed some depth issues caused by injuries over the last few months. Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli was dealing with a trade market full of premium asking prices, and he chose not to bend.All three players acquired in the deal add up to a salary cap hit of roughly 7.8 million for this season and will be unrestricted free agents after the season after the year is over.
The one thing that can said about the Bs moves: The players acquired are better than the solutions sitting and waiting in Providence level. Carter Camper, Max Sauve and Andrew Bodnarchuk were all assigned to the Providence Bruins to make room for the newly traded players.
More into and reaction to come later . . .