The big prize of the day was landing puck-moving defenseman Tomas Kaberle from Toronto. But to fit him into their cap, the Bruins first needed to clear out some space. They did that by sending forward Blake Wheeler and defenseman Mark Stuart to Atlanta in exchange for forward Rich Peverley and defenseman Boris Valabik.
The deal accomplished the biggest objective in creating cap room, as $3.875 million went out with Wheeler ($2.2 million) and Stuart ($1.675 million) and just $1.325 came back with Peverley. Valabik was assigned to Providence, and his $762,500 salary will only count toward the cap if he is called up, which is unlikely this year.
Peverley is also locked in at that price for next year as well, while both Wheeler and Stuart are on one-year deals that expire at the end of the season, and the Bruins would have been hard-pressed to re-sign either one.
"His contract's at a good number," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said at a news conference at the Garden announcing the trades Friday afternoon. "We believe he's got some good service yet. It's not too long, but long enough where it justifies the assets [the Bruins gave up]."
But this wasn't just about economics. The Bruins also like what Peverley can bring to the team. He has 14-20-34 totals in 59 games this season with Atlanta after putting up career-high 22-33-55 totals last season. While likely ticketed for a third-line role to start in Boston, Peverley's numbers already exceed what Wheeler (11-16-27 in 58 games) had done this year and compare favorable to what Nathan Horton has put up. Horton was acquired this offseason to be a sniper on the first line, but has just 14-22-36 totals in 56 games.
"We get back a player who is a terrific offensive player," Chiarelli said of Peverley. "He's a shooter. He plays center or wing. With his number of shots [161] he'd be second on our team. He's got a good wrist shot, a good one-timer. He plays with a bit of an edge to his game."
Chiarelli stated he sees Peverley fitting into the third-line mix with Michael Ryder, Tyler Seguin and Chris Kelly, who was acquired from Ottawa on Tuesday. Chiarelli indicated he didn't expect to change the fourth line, which currently consists of Greg Campbell, Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille and has been an effective energy line all season. That could leave prized rookie Seguin in a battle for playing time, but if he plays like he did Thursday against the Islanders, Seguin shouldn't have to worry too much.
Still, the Bruins didn't want to put too much pressure on youngsters like Seguin, so adding Peverley, 28, and Kelly, 30, gives them more of a veteran presence to rely on to support the top two lines.
"They have some pretty talented players, some of the best players in the league, maybe the best goalie in the league," Peverley said in a call with a pool reporter. "I'm really excited to play a good team game and [with a team that's] very good at all facets of the game and I think just try to find my role on that team, whatever it may be. I am very excited."
While the Bruins hope Peverley, who is still in Phoenix and will join the Bruins on Sunday after stopping in Atlanta to pick up some things, will have an immediate impact on the offense, they're taking a more long-range view on Valabik.
"Valabik is a former high first-round pick who's been a little slow in developing," Chiarelli said. "He's still a project, but he's a guy we're willing to work with."
Valabik, 25, was taken 10th overall in 2004, the same year Phoenix took Wheeler with the fifth pick. Valabik has impressive size (6-foot-7, 255 pounds) and plays a physical style, but has yet to put it all together in five pro seasons.
He's played 80 games in the NHL with seven assists and 210 penalty minutes, with five of those coming in a fight with boyhood idol and fellow Slovakian Zdeno Chara in the 2008-09 season.
While the Bruins wait to see the return on Peverley and Valabik in both the short and long term, they know what they gave up in Stuart and Wheeler.
"The two players we gave up provided us with good service," Chiarelli said. "Blake's big and skilled. He's very fast, can kill penalties. He's a versatile player. And Stuey is a character kid, a strong presence on our blue line."
