Easy decision: Thomas starts

Wayne Primeau will be an unrestricted free agent, but he wants to remain a Bruin. (FILE/ELSA/GETTY IMAGES)

WILMINGTON -- Tim Thomas, trusted workhorse of Bruins coach Dave Lewis, will get the call in net this afternoon in Kanata, Ontario, against Ottawa. Lewis opted for Thomas, despite Hannu Toivonen's fine performance (36 saves) against the Senators last Saturday night in Boston.

Tough decision to make?

"No, not at all," Lewis said matter-of-factly. "Now, every decision has a consequence, and hopefully this is the right decision."

Lewis said he has gained enough confidence in the 22-year-old Toivonen that he could consider using two goalies in a straight rotation.

"I'm not saying that I'm going to do that," said Lewis. "But I'd consider it."

With general manager Peter Chiarelli saying he wants to deal for an energy forward, Lewis rearranged lines, and thinks he may have the remedy for the melancholy that has plagued his club most of the season.

Lewis is looking for the line of Jeff Hoggan-Wayne Primeau-Shean Donovan to be his go guys that help shake his squad from its 4-7-1-1 doldrums since Christmas.

"I think the three of them can do it," said Lewis.

Yesterday's rumor du jour had Brad Stuart and Marco Sturm headed to Edmonton in a swap for blue liners Jason Smith and Marc-Andre Bergeron. The swap would cut some $1.5 million from the Boston cap number. Chiarelli did not respond to an e-mail requesting comment.

Meanwhile, Lewis said he hasn't addressed the growing trade rumors with his team.

"Part of the business," he said with a shrug. "Just the business of pro sports and pro hockey."

Lewis, one of the early Islanders, was swapped to the Los Angeles Kings in a March 1980 trade that brought Butch Goring to New York. Weeks later, the Islanders won their first of four straight Cups -- none with Lewis's name etched on them. He knows the biz.

Chiarelli has had contract discussions with the agents for Stuart and Sturm, but no talks with Primeau's representative. All three are on course to become unrestricted free agents. Primeau is positive he'd like to come back to Boston next season.

"Good city. Good guys in the room. And the club's made it clear that they want to win," said Primeau, noting the reasons he would be inclined to stick around the Hub of Hockey. "They show they want to win, and as a player that's what you're in it for, you know."

Thus far, said Primeau, Chiarelli has not talked with his agent, Toronto-based Don Reynolds.

"All up to Peter," said Primeau. "That's his job. I'd like to stay, but I understand too that they have to decide whether they want me back."

Patrice Bergeron, who left Thursday's practice after about a half-hour because of flu-like symptoms, made it through the one-hour workout at Ristuccia. He will center a line with Sturm on the left and Stanislav Chistov on the right. With the top line of P.J. Axelsson-Marc Savard-Glen Murray intact, and the new energy line at the ready, Lewis had a spare-parts line of two centers (Mark Mowers/Brad Boyes) between Petr Tenkrat and Phil Kessel. No telling if he will keep the lines intact today, but based on the workout, it appears Kessel has taken a temporary demotion. However, Chistov's move to Bergeron's line could be an indication that another club has interest in Chistov and the Bruins are showcasing him . . . Stuart has taken to calling his newborn son, Jake, what else, Jake the Snake. "My wife thought I was just goofing around, you know, just using his name in a rhyme," said Stuart. "She didn't know that Jake the Snake was a real person." For those too young, the real Jake the Snake was none other than goalie Jacques Plante.

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com.