Nothing new on Boynton

WILMINGTON -- Nick Boynton is not in the Bruins lineup, but the rumor mill yesterday claimed he was in Boston Monday night with his agent, Anton Thun, meeting with general manager Mike O'Connell at a North End eatery.

Thun, contacted via e-mail yesterday, was asked about the meeting and whether there was anything beyond heartburn to report.

''No heartburn, as we didn't dine," responded Thun, ''although I'm sure the food is good there. Nothing new to report."

Thun did not return a phone call later in the day. O'Connell, who briefly attended the club's late-morning workout at the Ristuccia Arena, also did not return a call to his office.

Where's Boynton? For now, the Bruins' No. 2 back liner remains in contract limbo. Thun has suggested for weeks another NHL club could tender his client a Group 2 free agent offer sheet on the eve of the new season, but with the puck about to drop on the 2005-06 season, none of the other 29 NHL clubs is known to have come up with an offer.

The Bruins, after originally offering Boynton a smidge more than his $1.33 million qualifying offer, later increased their bid by some 30 percent, to $1.75 million. Had they picked up his option, at a discounted price of $1.9 million, Boynton would have been obligated to report to camp on time. When the team dropped the option, Boynton's qualifying offer plummeted to $1.33 million (representing a 24 percent discount from his 2003-04 pay).

With Boynton still out, the Bruins have three rookie blue liners, Kevin Dallman, Milan Jurcina and Andrew Alberts, as part of a seven-man defensive corps. One of the three likely will not suit up tonight when the Bruins open the season on Causeway Street vs. the Canadiens.

Early scratches

Two veteran free agent signings, Alexei Zhamnov and Dave Scatchard, will likely be scratched tonight.

Scatchard (groin injury) was unable to play the entire preseason, but has resumed skating on his own, according to coach Mike Sullivan.

The highly skilled Zhamnov did not attend the final workout, and is considered day to day with a bruised shoulder, according to Sullivan.

The chance Zhamnov will play tonight?

''Not probable," said Sullivan.

Duxbury's Pat Leahy, among the demotions to Providence, was called up to fill Zhamnov's void. According to Sullivan, Zhamnov hurt his shoulder in Saturday's final preseason tuneup vs. the Rangers.

Eye for an eye

As expected, the league dealt sternly with Dale Purinton after the Rangers tough guy attempted to gouge the right eye of Bruins rookie Colton Orr in a third-period dustup Saturday. Purinton will remain sidelined for the first 10 games of the season. ''He was going for the player's eye," noted Colin Campbell, the league's discipline czar. ''He was trying to grab the player's eye with his thumb . . . enough is enough, it's always the same guys doing this." . . . Orr, his right eye slightly bloodshot and bruised, skated the full workout yesterday. He was in good spirits and reported his eye was not permanently injured in the altercation . . . The Canadiens are carrying six rookies, including Latvian tough guy Raitis Ivanans, who finally has made it to the bigs after leaving Riga eight years ago to begin his playing career in the US. Mark Streit, ex-captain of the Swiss national team, landed the last opening on the Montreal blue line and rookie goaltender Yann Danis (Brown University) begins the season as Jose Theodore's backup. The three rookie forwards: Chris Higgins, Alexander Perezhogin, and Tomas Plekanec . . . Sullivan planned to use Zhamnov regularly at the point on the power play, opposite Brian Leetch. During practice, Sullivan rolled in a number of different blue liners at the points . . . The Habs sent 18-year-old Guillaume Latendresse, the sensation of training camp, back to juniors (Drummondville). The last 18-year-old to crack the Montreal lineup: Petr Svoboda in 1984.