This past off season wasn’t exactly a success for the Boston Bruins.  In fact, it was a borderline train wreck.

They lost Jarome Iginla.  They lost Shawn Thornton.  They gave David Krejci a ridiculous contract extension.  On top of all of that, they have yet to resign restricted free agents Reilly Smith and Torey Krug. (Their second line winger and their offensively gifted defencemen who resurrected their  power play from the deepest circle of hell.)

That’s a problem, isn’t it?

And on top of all of that, they have been no where to be found for both training camp and the beginning of the preseason.  Which of course means that they are looking for a big pay day.  A wise move.  Especially considering the fact that bruins GM Peter Chiarelli loves overpaying his so called “Core” players.   (i.e. Chris Kelly and Brad Marchand)

The holdouts present a rather difficult predicament for Peter Chiarelli and the bruins because he has to trade a couple of his  current roster players in order sign them while staying under the cap.  They are in what some call “cap jail.”

Now, the question is will he do it?  Will he trade a couple of his overpaid “core” players?  Or is he still in love with players like Adam Mcquaid, Greg Campbell, Jordan Caron, and the aforementioned Marchand and Kelly.  If traded, the bruins can live without each of these players.  Why keep Adam Mcquaid when you have Kevin Miller?  What is the obsession with Greg Campbell?  Is an expendable fourth line center really that important to the success of the team?  Why keep Jordan Caron when he has scored a grand total of two goals in his last 52 games?  What’s that player still doing here?

Peter, you have plenty of tradable players!  Why keep Caron or Kelly if you can have Smith and Krug? (Or anyone of equal or better talent?)

I’m going to leave you with one final thought.

Early this off season, the bruins resigned draft disappointment  Jordan Caron to a one year, minimum wage contract.  Isn’t it at all alarming that the bruins’ front office put signing Caron before Krug and Smith on their off season to do list?  One can only assume that they are going to let them both walk.  That tells me that they have no plans to resign Krug or Smith because he is too in love with his current roster.

Having said all of that, I’m not going to get Chiarelli in trouble for something he hasn’t done yet.  I’m still optimistic that the B’s are going to get something done before the season.  All I’m saying is that given Chiarelli’s tendencies, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

Well, we’ll find out soon enough.  The puck drops on the Bruins‘ season on October 8th against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Update: The Bruins resigned both Torey Krug and Reilly Smith to one year, 1.4 million dollar contracts this morning.  So, I guess Peter Chiarelli is willing to part with a couple of his roster players to stay under the cap.  It will be interesting to see who stays and who goes.