If Eaves goes unclaimed (he would carry a $258,333 buyout number) by today’s noon deadline, the Bruins will trim $2,241,667 from their 2009-10 books by making the trade, giving them enough space to pursue a top-four defenseman via trade or free agency. The Bruins would have approximately $4.6 million remaining under the $56.8 million ceiling.
“I’m looking at another defenseman,’’ confirmed general manager Peter Chiarelli, adding that he expected a deal to take place shortly.
Last night, TSN of Canada reported the Bruins signed free agent defenseman Derek Morris to a one-year, $3.3 million contract. Brad Devine, Morris’s agent, declined to comment and Chiarelli was unavailable for comment.
The 30-year-old Morris, acquired by the Rangers at last year’s trade deadline from Phoenix, recorded eight assists in 18 games with the Rangers. He is a righthanded shot with power-play presence.
Ward’s salary was too rich for a stay-at-home defenseman with a history of injuries. He appeared in 65 games each of the last two seasons, but played with a cracked tailbone, sprained ankle, and charley horse, and dressed when he shouldn’t have. Ward’s cap hit, combined with Boston’s snug fit against the ceiling, made him the odd man out.
By trading Ward, however, the Bruins are significantly weaker on defense. Dennis Wideman could be a possible partner for Chara. Currently, Matt Hunwick and Mark Stuart are considered third-pairing defensemen. Johnny Boychuk is on a one-way, $500,000 contract (it would not make sense financially to pay him half a million dollars to play in Providence), indicating he will most likely will be with the big club. But the 25-year-old Boychuk, last season’s AHL Defenseman of the Year, has only made five NHL appearances.
Last season, Ward averaged 19:01 of ice time per game (fourth behind Chara, Wideman, and Andrew Ference), blocked 124 shots (second to Wideman), and threw 151 hits (second among defensemen to Chara).
