Bruins Trade Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart to Atlanta for Rich Peverley, Boris Valabik

by Michael Hurley on Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 1:22PM

The Tomas Kaberle-to-Boston deal is as close to done as possible, but the Bruins do need to clear some cap space first.

According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the B's are set to send Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart to Atlanta in exchange for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik.

"Once that trade call is done, [the Kaberle] trade call takes place," McKenzie reported via Twitter.

The deal is done, according to Sportsnet.ca's Nick Kypreos.

Wheeler, a restricted free agent at season's end, carries a $2.2 million cap hit, while unrestricted free agent-to-be Stuart carries a $1.675 million hit. Peverly is under contract through next season at $1.325 million a year, while Valabik makes $762,000 and will be an unrestricted free agent.

Update, 1:25 p.m.: McKenzie also reports the deal to be completed.

Update, 2:27 p.m.: The Bruins officially announced the trade via Twitter.

Peverley is a 28-year-old center with 14 goals and 20 assists for Atlanta this season. He posted 22-33-55 totals last year in his first full season in Atlanta. Prior to that, he spent parts of two and a half seasons with Nashville before getting picked up on waivers by the Thrashers.

Valabik, a 24-year-old defenseman, has zero career goals in 80 games, but has 210 penalty minutes. At 6-foot-7, 255 pounds, he's an imposing figure, and his plus-2 rating has him tied for third among Atlanta defensemen this season.

Wheeler, 24, has 11 goals and 16 assists this season, while Stuart has been a healthy scratch for much of the past month, registering a goal and four assists in 31 games this season.