NESN

Bruins Insist They’re Keeping No. 2 Pick, Open to Moving No. 15

The Bruins are keeping their No. 2 overall pick in the NHL draft, which will take place June 25-26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. General manager Peter Chiarelli reiterated this fact Wednesday.

As Chiarelli has stated throughout the offseason, the Bruins will draft either Windsor Spitfires winger Taylor Hall or Plymouth Whalers center Tyler Seguin with their pick.

"I know who we want," Chiarelli said. "We're going to get one of the two, so we'd be happy with either. I'm not moving it. We're going to take one of those two forwards."

Chiarelli acknowledged that he has received plenty of calls about the No. 2 pick, but unfortunately for these other GMs, it has been and will be a futile exercise.

"I've gotten quite a few offers actually," Chiarelli acknowledged. "A lot of them are prefaced with the comment, 'Look, I have to do this,' because I've been quite clear that I'm not going to move this pick. There was actually one that I was impressed with, and he came hard at me."

While Chiarelli is not at the point where he may try to secure the player he wants, he still is open to possibility of  trying to make a deal with the Oilers to get whomever the Bruins have set their sights on to draft with the second overall pick.

"If I decide that the gap between who we have No. 1 and who we have No. 2 is large enough, then potentially I will consider a move to bridge that gap — that is to get that player — but right now, that gap is very small, and I don't see it changing.

"I would think if I were to make a deal, I wouldn't get the No. 1 pick, I would get the player — I know it's semantics — but I don't know, I haven't had that type of discussion. I've had discussions with [Oilers GM] Steve [Tambellini], but it hasn't reached that point yet."

The only speculation with regards to the second overall pick remains who it will be, but Chiarelli and the team brass are expected to be very busy during the draft and even leading into it. With three more picks in the first two rounds (Nos. 15, 32 and 45) and four picks in the first two rounds of the 2011 draft, Chiarelli acknowledged once again that the Bruins will be wheeling and dealing from now until July 1 and maybe beyond.

"The fact that we've got a number of them this year and next year, I'm looking to the trade market to make some changes, and in all likelihood, it will involve some picks," Chiarelli pointed out. "So it gives me some flexibility knowing we're going to get a top-end talent, still have picks next year [and possibly get a current NHLer]."

Sources have told NESN.com on numerous occasions over the last two weeks that the Bruins would love to grab one of the top three defensive prospects in the draft in Erik Gudbranson (Kingston, OHL), Cam Fowler (Windsor, OHL) or Brandon Gormley (Moncton, QMJHL). On Wednesday, Chiarelli acknowledged he's willing to deal the Bruins' other first-round pick to move up and grab another top-10 or even top-five pick, the latter being where it's believed at least two of these three blue liners will be drafted.

"I've had talks about moving up and down from 15," Chiarelli admitted.

With a thin free-agent market, Chiarelli believes he can find some dance partners for trades, and apparently, there has already been plenty of trade chatter.

"That market is thin this year, and I think there's going to be more trades," he pointed out. "I don't think it will necessarily happen on draft weekend, but I think they will happen before July 1. I know there has been a lot more talk amongst the managers than I've ever heard or seen since I've been here or in Ottawa."