ESPN.com's James Murphy, called in to Tuesday night's NESN Daily to discuss the Bruins' process with Savard. According to Murphy, sources have confirmed that the Bruins are actively shopping Savard, and are listening to trade offers from other teams interested in acquiring the center for the upcoming season.

Murphy also discussed the current NHL investigation that surrounds Savard's contract. He says teams are backing off the pursuit for Savard because his contract is a touchy situation in the league.

"As of right now it appears Savard will go to camp with the Bruins," Murphy said. "But that doesn't mean his name's not out there and it doesn't mean something can't change in the near future."

Listen to Murphy's entire report on the Savard situation below.

Recchi's influence on his younger teammates over the past two seasons in Boston has proven to be invaluable. His leadership abilities are undoubtedly one of the main reasons the Bruins brought him back for a third season, signing him to a one-year deal worth a reported $1.7 million.

"He's looking forward to helping the younger kids," Bruins' general manager Peter Chiarelli said Friday. "He can manage their expectations, manage their lifestyles and all that. It's a group effort, but someone like Mark who has done it and has done it successfully will be an asset to our team."

Recchi said he's excited about the chance to mentor and help guide Seguin in the right direction as he enters the NHL. He's had the chance to help young stars like Eric Staal (in Carolina), Steve Stamkos (Tampa Bay) and Sidney Crosby (in Pittsburgh) deal with the on- and off-the-ice demands of being an NHL player, and he seems to already have a plan on how he will be there for Seguin. Recchi realizes that while Seguin has the potential to be a superstar, he doesn't need to become one in his first game and first NHL season.

"Well, I think it's wonderful," Recchi said on Monday. "Any time you can get a kid like that, he's a franchise player. We're very fortunate. Up the middle, we have three dynamic guys [in Marc Savard, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, and they're] all different types of players. I understand [Seguin]'s going to be an important part, but at the same time he can just come in and be a player, which I think is most important for a young kid. There's no pressure for this kid to come in, internally, anyways. He doesn't have to come in and be a world-beater."

In that respect, Recchi said Seguin is a bit better off than No. 1 overall pick Taylor Hall.

"There's a lot of pressure on Taylor Hall to go [to Edmonton] and be an impact player right away," he said. "Seguin can come in and he can learn and grow and be part of a good hockey team, and I think that's very important for the development of a young kid."

Recchi likened the situation to Stamkos' progression in Tampa Bay, as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2008 draft struggled with the rigors and pressures of the NHL in his first season. Recchi, who was on the Lightning through February of that season, said head coach Rick Tocchet played a major role in getting Stamkos on the right path. Now, Stamkos is a Rocket Richard Trophy winner after scoring 51 goals and amassing 95 points this past season.

"You look at how Tocchet handled that situation with Stamkos and how far he has already come after maybe struggling a bit in the first half of his rookie season," Recchi pointed out. "Tocchs got him on that great weight program to build his strength and now you can hardly ever battle the puck away from that kid."

Recchi said that a similar approach would help Seguin's development.

"You look at like how I said we need to approach things with Tyler, they did the same thing with Stamkos in Tampa," Recchi said. "They had guys like [Vinny] Lecalvier and Marty St. Louis to help him along. They didn't make it out like he had to be the main guy. Now he has become that star and that's because of how Tocchet changed the organization's approach to Stamkos."

Recchi will make the same message clear to Seguin and has already made it known to him that he is there for him whenever needed.

"I'm ready to do whatever I can to help Tyler," Recchi said. "He seems like a great kid and we know he will be an amazing player, but there's no rush. We will be here for him to help along and let him reach his potential at a natural pace."

While the Bruins spent most of the second day of the draft bolstering their organizational depth, it was the selection of Tyler Seguin with the No. 2 overall pick that has fans excited for hockey already.

While Seguin promises to bring an incredible offensive game to Boston, it’s his willingness to play at both ends of the rink that has NESN Bruins insider James Murphy most excited.

“I liked when we heard him say, ‘I wanna become a better defensive player, I want to be better two-way,’” Murphy told Naoko Funayama on SportsDesk. “I think that’s huge to hear in a young kid because usually, you know, when you’re young you want to do the offensive stuff and he has those skills.

“I think it’s good we know he wants to improve in all areas of the game and [Bruins general manager] Peter Chiarelli was definitely happy to hear that,” added Murphy.

Be sure to check out the video below as James and Naoko break down the rest of the Bruins’ draft along with looking at what kind of impact the re-signing of Mark Recchi could have on a player like Seguin.

"I went into this last period of a month or so thinking I am going to be more active on the trade market and I think that's still the case," Chiarelli said. "The trade market is still from now until June 30 and then it extends beyond but there's a little shuffling with free agency on July 1. I will be involved and we'll see what happens."

Last Tuesday, Chiarelli went out and acquired a scoring winger in Nathan Horton and energy forward Gregory Campbell from Florida. Then on Friday, Chiarelli retained one of his best veteran leaders in Mark Recchi before drafting a future star in Tyler Seguin, whom Recchi can mentor. He then added six more picks on Saturday before dealing away center Vladimir Sobotka for defenseman David Warsofsky from the St. Louis Blues.

Chiarelli said that he was involved in other trade talks but most of the buzz died down unexpectedly. But the phones should be buzzing again Monday.

"They did [heat up] and then they died off," Chiarelli said of the volume of trade talks Saturday. "It's almost like 'I'll deal with it on Monday.' I was surprised."

The lack of available players on the free agent market has increased talks, and it could be a very active trade market as a result. Chiarelli pointed to the rights to defenseman Dan Hamhuis being dealt twice recently as an indication of the barren free agent market.

"The free agent market, it's thin," Chiarelli said. "You see the rights to a player being traded twice and that speaks to that."

There are also bound to be a lot more three-way deals in this new trade market with players being dealt within their division more.

"They're all three-way deals now," Chiarelli said. "Including intra-divisional trades because that's the reality now. I mean we had to play Phil Kessel six times. That's the reality. You see it more in the west than you do in the east but it's coming east."

Chiarelli wouldn't comment on Tim Thomas or Marc Savard reportedly waiving their no-movement clauses Saturday, but he did acknowledge that were he to try and move long-term salaries like that, the deals would be easier to consummate if teams were allowed to eat salary.

"At the start of that notion, I was against it but I'm leaning toward it now," Chiarelli said. "It's not because we may be moving guys or I'm moving guys, it's not because of that. I've been looking at it as a participant and also from 30,000 feet. Everything becomes very static and that's not good for anyone. I'm not lobbying for it to [NHL commissioner] Gary [Bettman] and the hockey ops staff because I understand why they don't have it. But certainly it would be something that I would support now."

After using their seventh-round draft pick on Russian defenseman Maxim Chudinov of the Kontinental Hockey League’s Cherepovets Severstal, the Bruins went out and traded for Marshfield, Mass., native and Boston University defenseman David Warsofsky in exchange for center Vladimir Sobotka.

“Well, he’s good, he sees the ice, moves the puck, he’s 190 pounds, we like him,” Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said of Warsofsky. “He had a great World Juniors too (winning gold).”

Trading Sobotka should alleviate some of the logjam at the center position on the Bruins depth chart after taking three more pivots at the draft this weekend, including second-overall pick Tyler Seguin.

Chiarelli made it clear though, the move wasn’t because the Bruins didn’t like Sobotka, the Czech center they selected in the fourth round (106th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

“He’s like a little wrecking ball and he’s a great kid,” Chiarelli said of Sobotka. “But I mean, we acquired Greg Campbell, we got some more centers coming in. Vladdy on the wing with his size, it’s not that he has size difficulty but he had trouble getting comfortable.

I talked to Vladdy and he’s happy that we’re giving him a chance somewhere else and again, a good kid, I like the way he plays, he’s belligerent, he protects the puck well. We just moved him to another organization now where he’s going to get a better chance.”

Chiarelli indicated that the Bruins will not urge Warsofsky to leave BU for the pros just yet.

A report by Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet.ca said that the Bruins' center has waived his no-trade clause to go to two teams. That list, according to the report, will expand to five teams on July 1.

The star center struggled with injuries last season, putting up 33 points in 41 games, but he averaged 87 points in his previous three seasons with the B's.

The popular belief is that the Bruins would like to free up his $4.2 million cap hit over the seven-year deal that Savard signed this past December, and they think they can afford to lose the scoring he brings because of the logjam at the center position that now includes newly drafted Tyler Seguin.

"He's a highly skilled player and we know he can definitely bring some offense to our game," Julien said moments after the momentous selection. "Again, I've seen him on video but I haven't really seen him play [in person], but we're going to get a chance to see that in about two weeks at our development camp. It will be nice to see him live and at the same time, we'll look at where he can fit."

Of course, there has been plenty of speculation that with so much depth at center, the Bruins may ask Seguin to start off on the wing. Julien didn't do anything to douse the speculative fire.

"The one thing we know about Tyler — and he's been pretty open about that — is that he can play center and he can play wing," Julien said. "We'll wait and see what the puzzle ends up being and where he fits in after maybe another month or so."

As Julien pointed out, plenty of things can happen between now and the development camp, and that will have an effect on where Seguin winds up in the lineup.

"There's obviously free-agent signings, a lot of things going on. There are still trades that could happen," Julien said. "We're going to wait and see where the team sits in about a month from now. Then we'll be able to get a better idea on where we want to put him. There's no doubt that everybody seems to think he'll be able to make the jump right away."

Julien has been trying to keep track of what has already been and will continue to be a very busy offseason for the Bruins. But all he can do is mix and match lines and defensive pairings and let general manager Peter Chiarelli, president Cam Neely and the team brass take care of the rest.

"I got a whole pad that will be ready to look at and it keeps changing," Julien said with a laugh when asked if he has his mind spinning on possible lineup scenarios. "It has been [active] and obviously, without a good number of free agents out there this year, you're going to see more trades than free-agent signings. At the same time, it's a situation where teams have to deal with cap issues, and thank God it's not my problem. My problem is I have to get the most out of them and that's something I always try to do.

"It will be a good challenge for us this year because we'll probably have some younger faces in the lineup," Julien continued. "That will hopefully give us that energy level, but at the same time, it's a challenge for us because the experience is always huge when it comes to winning. But we feel pretty good about what we've got draft-wise, depth-wise and what's about to come."

But while the Oilers got Hall at No. 1, Chiarelli wasn't letting them get Seguin too.

"He pushed hard," Chiarelli said of Tambellini's efforts to get the second pick. "Talks were more centered around [the Oilers] trying to get the No. 2 pick from us. He told me early on he was going to try and get it and he didn't give up."

Chiarelli was happy he resisted those efforts by the Edmonton GM because he got a great all-around player in Seguin.

"He's a terrific player, he's got a terrific skill set," Chiarelli said. "He's still growing. His improvement was tremendous over one year to the next. Very smart, terrific hockey sense."

There's not much doubt that Seguin will make the roster this season, but Chiarelli expressed caution that it may take some time for Seguin to really start to shine, much like the 2008 top overall pick Steve Stamkos.
 
"I expect he will make the team," he said. "But you never know. You remember some of the parallels in the past sort of his age and body type, a guy like Stamkos took a while to get used to it, took him a while to get his confidence and strength. I would anticipate that line of improvement as he comes into the league."

LOS ANGELES — The guessing game is over.

The Bruins finally got to use their second overall pick at the 2010 NHL entry draft on Friday night, and after Edmonton drafted Windsor Spitfires winger Taylor Hall, the B’s selected center Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers, as expected.

Seguin was excited to be drafted.

“It feels amazing,” Seguin said as he donned the spoked B for the first time. “I can’t really describe it. Maybe it’s like winning the Stanley Cup. It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had so far.”

Despite receiving numerous and some very substantial offers for their picks, Boston decided that the Brampton, Ontario, native was worth the selection.

There were also plenty of rumblings that the Bruins were trying to move up to take Hall at No. 1, but Seguin didn’t really care where ended up. Instead, he is simply happy to be part of the Bruins organization.

“I wasn’t surprised or disappointed,” Seguin said. “I think I just came in here really with an open mind. I didn’t have any expectations. I think everyone has their own opinion. We’ve seen it all year with whatever scouting service there may be. You know Edmonton decided to select Hall first overall, and good for him. He deserves it. And I’m happy to be a Bruin.”

Most of the trade speculation on the Bruins trying to acquire the rights to select Hall stemmed from the fact that Seguin is a center, the position at which the Bruins have the most depth. But as Seguin pointed out, he began his junior hockey career as a winger, despite being a natural center, and isn’t opposed to starting his NHL career the same way.

“No, I’ve always been a natural centerman my whole life,” Seguin told the media. “I’ve always played center. But when I came into my OHL career as a rookie, I had to adjust to wing because I was playing with better players, and I was more of a play-maker that year.

“This past year, the better players ended up leaving the team. They were older, so I got moved to center, and turned out to be more of a goal scorer. I’m a pretty diverse player, and I want to step into a team or organization like the Bruins and play any role.”

Seguin may be known for his playmaking and offensive skills, amassing 106 points with Plymouth in 2009-10, but he is ready to be a solid two-way player as well, after focusing on his defensive game this past season.

“Especially this year I knew I had to get to the next level, and I had to mature as a player and get better being in my own end, and I knew that,” the Bruins’ newest member said. “It started working out that when I was doing better in my ‘D’ zone, I was getting more chances in the offensive zone. I think that was just because of maturing as a player here in this past year.”

Seguin acknowledged that his childhood loyalty was dedicated to his local team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, but any blue and white flowing through his veins has turned black and gold and, as he pointed out, he is happy to play with Toronto’s Original Six rival and be a Bruin.

“Growing up I was the local guy. I liked watching the Leafs because they were the local team,” Seguin admitted. “Now that it happened, I think it’s meant to be. I think things worked out throughout my life and anyone’s lives. It’s just where we were supposed to fall, and Boston was the team that was supposed to pick me.”

Seguin apparently has already become very familiar with a new teammate that will most likely become a mentor for him, veteran Mark Recchi, who just signed a new one-year deal with the Bruins on Friday.

“Actually I just ran into Mark Recchi at the hotel a couple times,” Seguin said when asked if there are Bruins that he has looked forward to playing with if he did become a Bruin. “We seem to be elevator buddies. That was pretty cool. He’s going to give me a lot of advice, and I’m looking forward to that.”

Seguin also enjoyed watching captain Zdeno Chara play this past season, but isn’t sure about facing him in practice.

“And of course, I’ve seen Chara play and he was probably the best player I’ve ever seen on the Bruins this past year,” Seguin said. “I think it’s going to be quite tough going one-on-one against him if I get that opportunity.”

Murphy touched on Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, the reports about Tim Thomas and Marc Savard being on the trading block and the two-year extension signed by defenseman Johnny Boychuk.

Click the video below to hear what he had to say.

There is still a chance that Hall could be drafted by the Boston Bruins at No. 2, and not the Oilers at No. 1. That will be the buzz all day in Los Angeles. But for now, here's how the first round may go.

1. Edmonton Oilers
2009-10 record: 27-47-8, 62 points
The pick: Taylor Hall, left wing, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Analysis: As of Thursday, it appeared likely that the Oilers will draft Hall, and a trade between the Bruins and Oilers to help the Bruins secure the player they want (believed to be Taylor Hall) wasn’t likely. But there’s still time, so we shall see.

2. Boston Bruins (from Toronto)
2009-10 record: 39-30-13, 91 points
The pick: Tyler Seguin, center, Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Analysis: If the Bruins end up with Seguin, they won’t be playing second fiddle by any means. Scouts and GMs in Los Angeles for the draft continue to rave about this young man’s well-rounded game and maturity. The only question will be whether the Bruins switch him to wing.

3. Florida Panthers
2009-10 record: 32-37-13, 77 points
The pick: Erik Gudbranson, defenseman, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Analysis: The Panthers are very active in trade talks, so this pick could be dealt. Either way, look for Gudbranson to get picked here.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets
2009-10 record: 32-35-15, 79 points
The pick: Cam Fowler, defenseman, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Analysis: Fowler’s stock keeps rising and falling on many mock drafts, but we still see the Blue Jackets taking him here unless they deal for a veteran puck-mover.

5. New York Islanders
2009-10 record: 34-37-11, 79 points
The pick: Brett Connolly, left wing, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Analysis: Sources confirmed to NESN.com on Thursday that Connolly could very well be the Islanders' guy.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning
2009-10 record: 34-36-12, 80 points
The pick: Brandon Gormley, defenseman, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) 
Analysis: The Lightning are actively searching for a veteran goalie and may deal this pick, but if they don’t, expect them to take this skilled and quality character player.

7. Carolina Hurricanes
2009-10 record: 35-37-10, 80 points
The pick: Ryan Johansen, center, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Analysis: It's still looking like this Eric Staal-like player may play with Eric Staal himself.

8. Atlanta Thrashers
2009-10 record: 35-34-13, 83 points
The pick: Jack Campbell, goaltender, USA U-18 (USHL)
Analysis: The Thrashers would love to add goaltending depth and Campbell would be a good place to start. One thing to keep an eye on is if Atlanta decides to inquire about Tim Thomas. But still, adding a young, future No.1 between the pipes can’t hurt.

9. Minnesota Wild
2009-10 record: 38-36-8, 84 points
The pick: Mikael Granlund, center, HIFK Finland
Analysis: The Wild are trying to build up the forward position in their system and this slick playmaker will help.

10. New York Rangers
2009-10 record: 38-33-11, 87 points
The pick: Nino Niederreiter, right wing, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Analysis: Niederreiter brings that combination of grit, flash and hockey smarts the Rangers need more of.

11. Dallas Stars
2009-10 record: 37-31-14, 88 points
The pick: Alexander Burmistrov, center, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Analysis: The Russian prospect most-accustomed to North American hockey will be a good fit for the Stars.

12. Anaheim Ducks
2009-10 record: 39-32-11, 89 points
The pick: Jeffrey Skinner, center, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Analysis: One of the best pure-shooters in the draft, Skinner will be a good replacement for sniper Bobby Ryan should the Ducks not be able to sign their star restricted free agent and trade him.

13. Phoenix Coyotes (from Calgary)
2009-10 record: 50-25-7, 107 points
The pick: Derek Forbot, defenseman, USA U-18 (USHL)
Analysis: This slick-moving blue-liner will help a team already loaded with solid youth up front and can benefit from the tutelage of a veteran defenseman like Adrian Aucoin.

14. St. Louis Blues
2009-10 record: 40-32-10, 90 points
The pick: Nick Bjugstad, center, Blaine High School (Minn.)
Analysis: The Blues roster has a very solid young core, so they can afford to take a chance on a kid like Bjugstad who might have a long way to the NHL. His raw talent is too hard to pass up.

15. Florida Panthers (from Boston)
2009-10 record: 39-30-13, 91 points
The pick: Jarred Tinordi, defenseman, USA U-18 (USHL)
Analysis: Tinordi switches spots with Dylan McIlrath this week as a Florida scout told NESN.com they would prefer the son of former NHLer Mark Tinordi. But keep an eye out here because rumors were circling Thursday that Florida could deal this pick that they just acquired from the Bruins in the Nathan Horton-Dennis Wideman deal.

16. Ottawa Senators
2009-10 record: 44-32-6, 94 points
The pick: Beau Bennett, right wing, Penticton (BCHL)
Analysis: This explosive forward may be a few years away from the NHL, but his pure skill is amazing.

17. Colorado Avalanche
2009-10 record: 43-30-9, 95 points
The pick: Dylan McIlrath, defenseman, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Analysis: Toughness and skill is how to describe McIlrath, and he could be a future replacement for Adam Foote.

18. Nashville Predators
2009-10 record: 47-29-6, 100 points
The pick: Emerson Etem, right wing, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 
Analysis: Nashville loves to load up on young talent and, because they have plenty of depth on defense, a forward like Etem works here.

19. Los Angeles Kings
2009-10 record: 46-27-9, 101 points
The pick: Austin Watson, left wing, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
Analysis: Watson could get the biggest ovation if and when he is selected by the hometown Kings at the Staples Center.

20. Pittsburgh Penguins
2009-10 record: 47-28-7, 101 points
The pick: Jonathon Merrill, defenseman, USA U-18 (USHL)
Analysis: Merrill brings great size and depth to the Penguins' blue line.

21. Detroit Red Wings
2009-10 record: 44-24-14, 102 points
The pick: Mark Pysk, defenseman, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 
Analysis: Pysk’s size is hurting his stock, but the Red Wings have never been shy to take on a project and shape him into a top four d-man.

22. Phoenix Coyotes
2009-10 record: 50-25-7, 107 points
The pick: Kevin Hayes, right wing, Noble & Greenough High School (ISL)
Analysis: According to multiple sources, the Coyotes have zeroed in on this future Boston College Eagle, who could add some size and scoring to an already young and talented Phoenix squad.

23. Buffalo Sabres
2009-10 record: 45-27-10, 100 points
The pick: Jaden Schwartz, center, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Analysis: Is Schwartz a future playmaker to feed sniper Thomas Vanek?

24. Chicago Blackhawks (from Atlanta via New Jersey)
2009-10 record: 52-28-8, 112 points
The pick: Tyler Toffoli, right Wing, Ottawa 67s (OHL)
Analysis: The Blackhawks just dealt away a solid goal-scorer in Dustin Byfuglien to get this pick, so why not replace him with one here?

25. Vancouver Canucks
2009-10 record: 49-28-5, 103 points
The pick: Tyler Pitlick, center, Minnesota State (WCHA)
Analysis: Pitlick has been one of Minnesota State’s best players and he could be just what the Canucks need to improve their offensive depth.
 
26. Washington Capitals
2009-10 record: 54-15-13, 121 points
The pick: Vladimir Tarasenko, right wing, Novisibirsk, Russia
Analysis: Tarasenko will be the next slick Russian scorer that the Caps produce.

27. Montreal Canadiens
2009-10 record: 39-33-10, 88 points
The pick: Stanislav Galiev, right wing, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Analysis: Galiev was tabbed the best pro prospect in the QMJHL, and the Habs don’t want to let another potential star slip away from their backyard.

28. San Jose Sharks
2009-10 record: 51-20-11, 113 points
The pick: Connor Brickley, center, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
Analysis: The Sharks are still liking Brickley here, but sources on Thursday claimed they could deal this pick to acquire a goalie.

29. Anaheim Ducks (from Philadelphia)
2009-10 record: 39-32-11, 89 points
The pick: Alexandre Petrovic, defenseman, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Analysis: This gritty rear guard will fit the mold of the defensemen that the Ducks always seem to covet.

30. Chicago Blackhawks
2009-10 record: 52-22-8, 112 points
The pick: Charlie Coyle, center, South Shore Kings (EJHL)
Analysis: Coyle remains the pick for the last to be drafted in the first round, but keep an eye on Kirill Kabonov here, as he is now represented by the prestigious Orr Hockey Group.

But on Thursday morning, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said that the gap between the two prospects remains too small for him to pay the high ransom such a move would apparently cost.

"I'm not in a position right now, based on how big I feel and how big our group feels the gap is," Chiarelli said of making a deal. "I'm not in a position right now. I don't know if I ever will be, to go to Edmonton and say, 'Here's this, this, this, and this, let us take our guy.' I think those players are so good at that 1-2 that it's not worth, to me, to go and give something where I think I could get something somewhere else."

Sources in L.A. told NESN.com that “somewhere else” could come in the form of numerous deals the Bruins GM is in on and seriously pondering. The Bruins have been linked to Maple Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle, whom they tried to acquire at the 2009 NHL Draft in a trade that would’ve sent Phil Kessel to the Maple Leafs then as opposed to the September deal that netted the Bruins the second overall pick in tomorrow’s draft. No one could confirm that the Bruins were one of the reported five teams to have made offers for Kaberle.

A report also surfaced Thursday that the Bruins have granted goaltender Tim Thomas and his agent Bill Zito permission to speak to NHL teams about a possible trade. Thomas has three years remaining on his contract at an annual cap hit of $5 million per year and a no-movement clause. An email to Chiarelli for confirmation was not replied but Zito confirmed to Pierre Lebrun of ESPN.com that this was the case.

"I do have permission to talk to teams," Zito told ESPN.com on Thursday afternoon. "But I'm not pounding the pavement looking for a team. What we agreed to with [Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli] is that he would see what's out there. Tim said he would look at whatever Pete brought to us and decide from there. But Pete hasn't brought anything to us at this point. I guess that could change at any point though."

But thanks to injuries, specifically a torn wrist tendon suffered by fellow rear guard Dennis Seidenberg, Boychuk got the chance to prove he deserved a regular spot. And that’s just what he did; scoring six points in 15 playoff games as he played on the top pairing alongside Bruins captain Zdeno Chara.

As a result, Boychuk’s stock rose and, if he wanted to, he might have been able to score a nice contract as an unrestricted free agent had he chosen to become one on July 1. But realizing that he finally found a niche in the Bruins lineup, and being familiar with the Bruins system and his teammates, proved to be more valuable for the 26-year-old that had only five NHL games under his belt prior to the 2009-10 season.

"I was thinking about maybe going to free agency and seeing what was out there, but when I looked around the league, I knew what kind of position I’d be in," Boychuk said. "Just to come back to Boston to a great coaching staff that we have there and I know a lot of the guys. It made it a lot easier decision knowing that we would have all these people back in Boston, so that was the main factor that tipped the scale for me."

The fact that the Bruins dealt away another defenseman in Dennis Wideman Tuesday also made Boychuk realize he will see plenty of playing minutes in 2010-11 as well.

"When they moved Dennis, obviously it maybe makes an opening for me to maybe jump into the top four and play a little bit more minutes than being a five or six guy," Boychuk said. "When they moved him, it kind of just maybe sent a message to me saying 'You’d better be ready to be a top four guy.' And even if I’m not, I want to play like I am."

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli credited Boychuk for his patience and diligence as he waited for a regular spot in the lineup.

"He made great strides this year," Chiarelli said. "He was patient before he got into the lineup, he learned our system, he’s got a dimensional shot, he competes, he’s got size, but the biggest thing that I saw was that he improved from being the defenseman of the year in the [AHL] to being maybe our seventh [defenseman] to start [while] patiently waiting to learn along the way. We have a very good defensive system and Johnny has picked it up and showed improvement while he is in the lineup. He’s a good kid and he’s still young."

But in six NHL seasons, Horton has cracked the 30-goal plateau only once and never fully reached that potential or turned into the power forward the Panthers believed the 6-foot-2, 229-pound winger could be.

There have been numerous claims that Horton lacks the desire and dedication to reach his potential and that question mark of character. That, and the fact that Horton requesting a trade was the reason why the Panthers finally decided to part ways with him.

But Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli isn’t scared of such accusations and believes that Horton can become the superstar so many pegged him to be.

"There seems to be a thread out there saying that he’s, I don’t know if you want to call it a neutral-character or whatever. What I know, what our research shows, what our due diligence shows is that he’s a good person, he competes," Chiarelli said Wednesday. "I guess occasionally he’s … and that’s what’s grown into this thread, so to speak. But he’s a big-bodied kid. He can skate, he can shoot. He’s only 25. And he’s what we’re looking for."

A former Florida pro scout confirmed there were character issues in the eyes of the Panthers organization, but that same scout still sees a kid finding his way and says his full potential can be reached.

"He’s really a good kid and there were lots of other team issues so-to-speak," the scout said. "I like Nathan the person and I really like the player he is and can be. I think Boston got a good deal and a real scoring threat that they obviously needed. His physical game will be a crowd-pleaser for sure in Boston."

Chiarelli was impressed by those very attributes and that made it a no-brainer when he realized a trade for Horton could be consummated.

"He's a tremendous shooter, Nathan. He's a big body, he can skate, he can play physical," Chiarelli said. "There's a lot of things to like about him, and we're going to be getting a highly skilled forward with the No. 2 pick with some speed.

"We think at the end of the day, if we do nothing else to our forwards, we're adding an established big power-forward shooter and a real speedy young legs skill guy [Gregory Campbell]. We're happy with that. We had to do it."

Pysyk, 18, had 24 points in 48 games in an injury-riddled season for Edmonton. He has the tools to make it in the NHL, but at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, he needs to bulk up some more. He prides his game on playing the body, positioning and closing the gap, but also being an offensive player. He has raw talent but is a work in progress.

Here's what Matt Ebbs, president of Charron Langlois LLP and Ebbs Sports Management Ltd. and former director of the International Scouting Service, had to say about Pysyk:

"He's a smooth skater with a great first pass. But the issue right now is that sometimes he tries to do too much offensively. The problem is that the NHL guys are looking for a solid player — somebody that's got that good first pass but not necessarily overly dynamic. So the issue here is that he's got it. Like I said, lots of poise and a real smooth skater. But at times maybe he's trying to play like a forward too much or maybe like a Duncan Keith.

"He just needs to be himself and it will come. Size for him is maybe a concern, too, but if he gets bigger, his natural skill will be more of a factor. I like the kid a lot, but that size issue and maybe overdoing it a bit offensively could hurt his stock."

Screen grab from Yahoo.com

“The only thing I question is the Bruins giving up that 15th overall pick — I still think the team could have got a very good player there,” NESN.com’s James Murphy told Jade McCarthy during Tuesday’s edition of SportsDesk. “I think that this is a good deal, I like Horton’s potential and I don’t think he’s reached it yet. I like this deal overall.”

Check out Murph’s phone interview with Jade below.

Toffoli, 18, is a 6-foot, 180-pound winger who had 79 points in 65 games. Scouts love his right-handed wrist shot and the ability it has to change a game in an instant. But there are some question marks on other parts of his game, like skating and positioning. However, with some good coaching and work ethic on his part, Toffoli could be a legit sniper.

Here's what Matt Ebbs,
president of Charron Langlois LLP & Ebbs Sports Management
Ltd. and former director of the International Scouting Service, had to say about Toffoli:

"I think the issue that's kind of interesting about Toffoli is he's ranked down there in the second round but he is a big-game scorer and has that coveted ability to score big-game and clutch goals. A lot of scouts … have compared him to a Brad Boyes.

"He has enough size and he played for [Brian] Kilrea and Chris Byrne in Ottawa. … A kid like that I can see really going higher than expected, and I know Montreal likes him and is hoping he falls to 27th."

Each day this week, we will be profiling a prospect that the Bruins
could draft with the 15th pick overall at the NHL draft this Friday in
Los Angeles.

We will also provide insight from Matt Ebbs,
president of Charron Langlois LLP & Ebbs Sports Management
Ltd. and former Director of the International Scouting Service, one
of the services most commonly used by NHL teams to get the skinny on
draft prospects.

Jarred Tinordi
Defenseman, USA U-18 (USHL)

The apple didn't fall far from the tree for the son of former Minnesota North Stars defenseman Mark Tinordi. This 6-foot-6, 205-pound rear guard is a punishing force on the blue line, just like his Dad was. His passion for the game exudes with every shift. Many have said he may be the most NHL-ready defenseman in the draft, and his stock is rising as we get closer to draft day.

Here's what Ebbs had to say on Tinordi:

"This is a big kid that I see playing at the NHL right away. He has that nasty bone, and like [Dylan] McIlrath he can play physical and nasty with a great first pass as well. So he has that skill and size combo that all the scouts like.

"A lot of people have compared him to Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr. Certainly, it is one of those situations that he is a simple, big, tough kid that can have an impact and, quite frankly, step right into an NHL lineup because in this era, you can't spend three years [developing in juniors] because at age 27, they're potentially gone. So, when you get a player like this that's drafted at this spot or higher, they're looking for him to step right in because he has a lot of talent and size."

Monday: Dylan McIlrath
Wednesday, June 23: Mark Pysk

"I spoke to Steve on the weekend and we didn’t really discuss that in any detail," Chiarelli said. "But after speaking with Steve I think he probably has these two guys very close, as we do. So neither of us are really committed to moving forward on that type of discussion."

At this point, such a deal looks unlikely, but the two GMs will speak again during the week.

"We spoke briefly on the weekend, and I would imagine that we’re going to talk again at some point, but right now if the draft was tonight, I’d say there would be no deal," Chiarelli said.

Both Chiarelli and Tambellini are obviously in an enviable position with the chance to take either Hall or Seguin, but neither is letting on which one it is that he wants. Chiarelli admitted that he and Tambellini have discussed pros and cons of each player, but both have kept their poker faces on. However, both agree that the gap between the two prospects is very small.

"Well, it is different," Chiarelli said when discussing each GM’s position. "I generally would characterize it as we both don’t want to play any cards to each other right now — if we have any to play — because I genuinely believe that Steve is of the same opinion on these players as me. [We feel] they’re very close.

"And the discussions we’ve had … they’re not really in detail yet because we’re not very close to [the draft]," he added. "I don’t know if they’ll ever get really into detail, but it is unique. I think we’re both really non-committal, and in fact, I know we are when we talk, but we talk in specifics on other fronts and we’ve talked about the boys in general what our thoughts are on each of the kids. So it’s a little different. You’re right, it’s a little different in this case and I wish I had more to tell you about it, but that’s all I can tell you about it right now."

Chiarelli also confirmed again that the 15th overall pick is in play for a possible trade and he will entertain offers of moving up and down until this weekend.

"Yeah, that would be of interest to us," he said of moving the Bruins' other first-round pick. "Again, it’s hard to move up right now as far as it being a week away from the draft. I’ve had a lot of concepts thrown at me as far as moving up and moving down and that’s per the normal course. It’s just that nothing is really imminent now. There’s no pressure, there’s no reason to really talk in detail right now."

Each day this week, we will be profiling a prospect that the Bruins could draft with the 15th pick overall at the NHL draft this Friday in Los Angeles. We will also provide insight from Matt Ebbs, president of Charron Langlois LLP & Ebbs Sports Management Ltd. and former Director of the International Scouting Service, one of the services most commonly used by NHL teams to get the skinny on draft prospects.

Dylan McIlrath
Defenseman, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

This 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman may have one of the best combinations of size, puck-moving skills and grit available. His style and size epitomize the "Big Bad Bruin" style which the Bruins have progressively brought back as their identity, and he's definitely "difficult to play against."

With Cam Neely now serving as president and with more authority on player personnel decisions, it would be surprising if the Bruins pass on this rugged rear guard should he be available at this point in the draft.

Here's what Ebbs had to say on McIlrath:

"He's tough and big, and that's evident immediately when you see this kid play. Obviously that's something we saw with Philly and Chicago, that you're going to need toughness to win a Stanley Cup. That's why it wouldn't surprise me — particularly now with Cam at the helm — there may be a little extra emphasis to pick a kid like that because he's got skill, but more importantly, he's got a lot of toughness. You can just see it when you look at him or he looks at you. He has that look.

"The NHL is still an extremely tough league and you gotta have it. As much as you need to skate, you still have to be tough. This kid has a nasty side. He's skilled with a great first pass, and that is something that I think the Bruins will love. That's a rare combo. The Bruins could use more of that combo in their farm system and this is a kid who could definitely even make the NHL roster."

On Tuesday, we'll look at Jarred Tinordi.

Screen grab from YouTube.