After missing on Jarome Iginla, what now for Peter Chiarelli and Boston Bruins?
Let’s recap Wednesday night in the life of Boston Bruins fans:
Boston scores four times in the second period to take a 4-2 lead over the Montreal Canadiens.
YAY!
They blow that lead in the third period allowing the Canadiens to score three times, forcing overtime and then a shootout.
BOO!
Brendan Gallagher scores in the sixth round of the shootout giving the Canadiens a 6-5 win and a 1-point lead over the Bruins in the Northeast Division standings.
BOOOOOOOO!
“Jarome Iginla has been traded to the Boston Bruins.”
HOLYYYYYY [EXPLETIVE]!!!!!!
"Jarome Iginla has actually been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins."
WHAT THE $%@#!
[Also: Jarome Iginla's trade to Penguins an improbable move in today's NHL]
So, you can forgive Bruins fans this morning if they’re a little grumpy.
How does Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli respond to Pittsburgh’s stock-piling of arms?
As of Thursday morning, the Bruins can add a little more than $22 million in cap space, according to CapGeek. (Frighteningly, Pittsburgh can still add just over $13 million). Boston has been linked with Jarome Iginla for quite some time and now that they’ve missed out on him, Chiarelli has to look elsewhere to bolster his already strong club, if he chooses to.
Kaspars Daugavins isn't an answer to Brenden Morrow, Douglas Murray or Jarome Iginla, especially with no shootouts in the playoffs, but with six days until the NHL trade deadline, it's almost expected now for Chiarelli to respond to what Ray Shero has done for the Penguins.
But where will he look?
From CSNNE's Joe Haggerty:
Peter Chiarelli is Harvard-educated and one of the best GMs in the NHL, and there’s little doubt he had contingency plans in case the Iginla sweepstakes fell through. They’ve had discussions with the Edmonton Oilers about offensive defenseman Ryan Whitney and a forward (Magnus Paajarvi and Ales Hemsky were prominently discussed). They still have San Jose captain Ryan Clowe as a possibility for the gritty, leadership role on the wing. And Jaromir Jagr and Marty St. Louis are still out there as big-name possibilities as the Bruins search for top-six forwards.
As ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun reported on Wednesday, Clowe is the owner of a full no-trade clause -- and 0 goals -- and will be a UFA this summer.
Whitney is Massachusetts native and could provide some depth with Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk out injured, pending he stays healthy. But what of the prices? Will other GMs smell desperation on Chiarelli if he comes calling and push for a bigger return?
[Also: Could the Phoenix Coyotes be on the move soon?]
Chiarelli said on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston this week that he will not deal 2012 first-round pick Malcolm Subban. With the current look of the trade market, and the Bruins missing out on Iginla, does that change his opinion on Subban's availability?
With all this cap space, Chiarelli is like a kid the day after opening up all of his Christmas cards and cashing the checks. But is the wise investment going out and acquiring a couple of headline names to respond to what Pittsburgh has done; or being smart about it and taking care of the immediate needs of the club, in the hopes their regular season success continues into the playoffs?
Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy
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