Disappointed McEachern awaits next move
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Less than 24 hours after working out with the Bruins at their Wilmington practice facility, Shawn McEachern and Colton Orr yesterday were essentially former Bostonians.
The two wingers, on the Boston roster since the start of the season, were placed on waivers Monday -- moves that ultimately turned Orr into property of the Rangers and McEachern into a property designated for parts unknown.
One-third of the way through the season, falling like a block of granite in the Eastern Conference, the Bruins have begun to turn over the roster, in hopes of avoiding yet another season of failing to reach the playoffs.
''Shawn is obviously disappointed," said McEachern's agent, Peter Fish, reached yesterday at his Boston office. ''He loves Boston, the fans, and he wanted to end his career as a Bruin. He's disappointed, to say the least."
According to Fish, McEachern was home on the North Shore and chose not to comment. He also said the Bruins had no immediate plans to assign the 36-year-old winger to Providence, but acknowledged it remained a possibility. Meanwhile, said Fish, he and his Global Hockey partner, Mark Witkin, were talking with other NHL clubs, hoping to find the Bruins a trade partner for the former Boston University star.
''I told Shawn we'd give him a couple of days before assigning him to Providence," said Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell. ''You never know. Maybe someone wants to move someone, you make the dollars work . . . we'll see.
Orr, meanwhile, was claimed by the Rangers. The 23-year-old winger saw limited duty during his eight weeks on the roster, his pugilistic skills rarely employed.
''We're going through difficult times," said coach Mike Sullivan, whose team, with last night's 3-2 setback against the Devils, has lost nine of 10. ''And that's leading to some tough decisions. Colton did everything we asked of him."
According to O'Connell, ''We really liked Colton -- we developed him -- but given his little ice time, less than two minutes a game, and the way our team has been going, we had to do something to energize our team."
The Bruins added ex-BU winger Dan LaCouture to their roster Monday, and he made his debut last night. They also called up winger Zdenek Blatny from Providence.
''For whatever reason, we wanted a change," O'Connell said, when specifically asked why McEachern, hindered by a bad back early in the season, was among those sent packing. ''In his defense, he was slowed by injury a little -- and again, we felt we had to do something to energize the team."
McEachern, who over the summer signed a two-year deal worth $1 million per, could be assigned to Providence before the weekend. If he were to report, and then get recalled to Boston (however unlikely), any one of the other 29 NHL clubs could claim him and pay him only 50 cents on the dollar for the remainder of his contract. The Bruins would be obligated to pay the other half, and that would be charged toward the club's $39 million salary cap.
If McEachern were to retire, then his deal would be wiped from the books.
According to O'Connell, chatter among general managers has increased markedly in recent days. Could there be a blockbuster out there somewhere?
''I don't know if that's the case," said O'Connell. ''But there is a lot more chatter, and yes, sometimes that leads to bigger things. It could happen."
No sudden impact
Newcomers LaCouture and Blatny, centered by Tom Fitzgerald, didn't add much to the mix as fourth-liners. Blatny had the line's only shot, playing 10 shifts over 5:20. LaCouture had 16 shifts for 6:48. Fitzgerald logged 10:31 . . . Joe Thornton didn't land a shot until he put one on Martin Brodeur during a power play with 6:15 gone in the third period. The captain made a rare charge to the net early in the second, providing a valuable screen that helped a Sergei Samsonov shot into the net for a 2-0 lead. Thornton must (1) shoot more and (2) play in front of the net more. Otherwise, defenses are content, even happy, to see him move to the half-board and look for passes. They know he'll pick up his points over there, but he won't take over the game . . . The Bruins were a perfect 8 for 8 on the penalty kill, thanks mostly to Andrew Raycroft's work in net. As good as he was, he left a handful of fat rebounds, something he'll have to clean up. It's obvious now that one of the very few ways for this club to win is for the goalie to steal a game . . . The three stars: Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, and Jay Pandolfo -- a Devil sweep . . . Patrice Bergeron, who had Boston's first goal, finished with a team-high five shots. Gomez led all shooters with six.
Losing out on Hainsey
O'Connell acknowledged he had had interest in ex-UMass-Lowell defenseman Ron Hainsey, acquired via waivers yesterday by Columbus. Picked 13th overall by the Canadiens in the 2000 draft, the 6-foot-3-inch Hainsey had been demoted to the minors and was plucked by the Blue Jackets upon being called up by the Habs. ''Yeah, we liked him," said O'Connell, ''and his price made him even more interesting." Hainsey, due $550,000 this season, will be paid by both Columbus and Montreal, per rules of the new CBA, and the clubs will split the hit to their cap.
