The other day, we basically put out the fire regarding the potential trade of Marc Savard to the Columbus Blue Jackets for the #4 overall draft selection. Just a short while later, though, Peter Chiarelli pulled the trigger on a multi-piece deal with the Florida Panthers to bring Nathan Horton and Greg Campbell to town at the expense of Dennis Wideman and the #15 draft selection (and I love this deal even more since Horton has said it's his dream to come here and since I was shown who Horton's wife is). This trade has sparked more debate and discussion around Chiarelli's next potential move. According to TSN, there's quite a reasonable possibility that Marc Savard could be dealt -- straight up -- for star defenseman Tomas Kaberle of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Now, with this trade, the same complications will apply as before when it comes to dealing Marc Savard. He has a no-movement clause. Savard will need to willingly leave town in whatever trade the Bruins attempt to make involving him. Many speculated that Savard wouldn't leave town to go to a team like Columbus. But with Toronto being a great hockey market and former dynamic goalscoring linemate Phil Kessel there -- would Savard ever entertain the idea? Still not likely, but definitely a possibility.
So now to break down the trade. Would this be a smart move for the Bruins, trading star center Marc Savard straight up for star defenseman Tomas Kaberle?
Advantages: Marc Savard is a pretty small guy, a 32-year-old centerman, and it is very possible that he is past his prime. The Bruins have two current centers on the NHL squad younger than Savard -- Krejci and Bergeron. In addition, many scouts believe that rookie Joe Colbourne will be NHL-ready next season. Colbourne is a highly touted prospect for Boston, and he is a big, Joe Thornton-like centerman. If the Bruins have the intention of playing him in a regular spot next season, it might make sense to work a trade involving Savard. That is, if you agree that Krejci and Bergeron are more valuable than Savard. Additionally, with the loss of Dennis Wideman -- before you tell me that isn't even a loss, hear me out -- they lack a good puck-moving defenseman. Wideman was brutal last year, and I am aware of that. But he was our best defenseman at moving the puck through the neutral zone and he played a key component on the power play. Tomas Kaberle would definitely help this defensive squad -- it would probably give us the best all-around defense in the league, and how good would our offense be? Still pretty damn good on paper. If you think about how the entire team would look as a result of this trade, it isn't as absurd as it sounds initially.
Disadvantages: Plain and simply, Marc Savard is our most skilled offensive zone playmaker. He's proven that over his years in Boston. In his first three years with the B's, he tallied a gaudy 262 points. Last season, battling injuries, he notched just 33 points in 41 games. When healthy, Savard has given us no reason to believe he isn't the best offensive player on the Bruins and one of the best playmakers in the game. When he went down to the infamous Matt Cooke hit, our power play suddenly became nonexistent. And let's be honest -- when we entered the playoffs without him, we all feared his absence might be too much to overcome. He's very clearly a huge part of this team offensively. With a brand new, electrifying, goalscoring rookie stud coming in (either Seguin or Hall), it would be a bit counterintuitive to ship off Savard before giving him the chance to set up a great talent like that. Ever since the Bruins landed that top draft pick, it was the goal in mind -- get a big goalscorer that Savard can feed. By trading him, you're definitely downgrading your offense in a way. And isn't an offensive downgrade the last thing Boston needs?
Overall, the jury is still out on this deal for me. I'm pretty torn. Kaberle is an all-star defenseman, and there is no doubt in my mind we would have the best back end in the league with this trade. Between Chara, Kaberle, Seidenberg, and Boychuk (if we can re-sign him), we would easily have the best top 4 in the league. Stuart, McQuaid, Hunwick and others can easily combine for a solid #5 and #6. So that's the most obvious advantage here. How much would the loss of Savard hurt us? Well, I think that all depends on how ready Joe Colbourne actually is. There are blinding uncertainties in making a deal like this, but there are also several shining opportunities that could spring from it.
Will Savard be a Bruin come October? Nobody knows just yet. And I guess our only option is to wait around and put our trust in Peter Chiarelli.
if i was pete i would wait on the savard trade untill we draft Hall Or Seguin. "if" Hall Drops down and we Drafted him @ #2 theres no need of trading Savard becuase we got a deadley scoreing line! Hall Savard and Horton. but if Hall gets Drafted #1 and we Draft Seguin a great center. then i would try to trade savard. But i would not Trade him for a great defenseman, i would trade savard for a good scoring Left winnger becuase thats what we need the most.
ReplyDeleteI can't justify trading Savard. Also I don't believe he'd waive his clause. I say let Seguin play wing with Savard at center and hope it works out.
ReplyDeleteno mention of the actual blossoming center sobotka? nevermind colbourne... sobotka is a solid #3 / 4, young, energetic, ready to deliver a blow, and sound defensively. make the trade.
ReplyDeleteKrejci, Seguin, Bergeron, Sobtka
I agree about Sobotka, but he played a lot of wing this year, too. And I think he should continue to play there because that's what the franchise needs, is wingers. I'm pretty confident that Seguin can play the wing -- most scouts say he can, and he himself said he has played it and enjoys playing it. That's the main reason you have to be real careful about trading away Savard, because he's our best playmaker and when you look at the possibility of having Savard, Krejci, and Bergeron as your top 3 centers and guys like Seguin/Hall, Sobotka, Lucic, Sturm, Wheeler, Ryder, Recchi, Satan, Horton, etc etc all on the wings.... you're looking at what could be an extremely potent offense. Savard is one of the anchors in that group.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I'm not saying they should or shouldn't trade Savard. I'm just saying I don't think it's just a no brainer and slide Sobotka in to replace him. Savard's a better player than Sobotka, and Sobotka can be an effective winger on this team too.
sobotka plays his best at center, though. we can't do this trade. as much as i want kaberle, as good as our defense would be. i love seguin and hall, but there have been so many draft busts in the past that you dont know what will happen. savard is one of the best (second to joe thornton) set-up guys in the league. acquiring horton and *hopefully* hall would be counteractive. sign boychuk and stuart and i love our defense as it is. maybe bring in another shutdown 7th man (shane hnidy, anyone?) and we'll be all set. i know we have sooo many great centers with savard krejci bergeron and sobotka, plus colborne hamill suave and now probably seguin, but the risk factor just doesnt justify this. we need offence, and when healthy, savard is our best offensive forward.
ReplyDeletethis would not work, kaberle is gettin 4.25 mill next year (which is his cap hit also) has is a ufa after that; therefore it would cost more to resign him in 2011. why give away ur best offensive player with a cap-friendly 7-year contract for what i just mentioned? our defense is already better than it was last year in my opinion. ALSO peter will trade some prospects or thomas for a 4-7 first round pick and if that turns out to be fowler or any other dman then we are GOLDEN.
ReplyDelete