WILMINGTON, Mass.Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said that the team is merely dabbling in the free agency market as their Development Camp comes to a close.
There is a bit of a free agent gridlock situation going on Monday as both players and teams wait for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to make their final choices, and many dominoes are expected to fall in their aftermath.
Chiarelli had a more humorous reason why the Bruins havent been all that active in free agency while their development camp is taking place at Ristuccia Arena in the hinterlands of Massachusetts.
Whats cut down here at Ristuccia Arena is that theres no cell phone coverage, said a smiling Chiarelli. Im afraid to walk outside. Any irons I had on the fire 10 hours, I dont know where they are now.
The calls have been fewer and further in between; having said that Ive dabbled in a couple things. I dont anticipate anything, but were dabbling a little bit.
Perhaps the Bruins are waiting for things to loosen up, and thats the secondary trade market that Chiarelli has been talking about over the last month.
There could be big NHL names in play like Keith Yandle and Bobby Ryan in the secondary trade market once Parise and Suter have made their decisions, and perhaps thats what the Bruins are waiting for. The Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes both want a center as the main piece in exchange for either player, and theres every possibility David Krejci could be in play for either All-Star-level performer.
Boston Bruins
More likely is the Bruins continuing their search for a Mark Recchi-type third line veteran winger in the mold of Shane Doan, Jason Arnott, Daniel Winnik or Steve Sullivan via free agency.
There will be a number of useful players still available for bargain prices later in free agency for the patient GM willing to wait for team roster spots to begin filling up. It remains to be seen whether thats the route the Bruins will take, but it seems likely given Chiarellis careful, conservative nature.