Bruins go digging, acquire Schaefer

Rich in offensive treasures, and faced with signing key players to humongous contracts next summer, the Senators yesterday culled some salary by dealing left winger Peter Schaefer to the Bruins for fourth-line spare part Shean Donovan.

Could one team's dollar dump be another team's treasure?

Schaefer in recent years has been among the game's best workers along the boards and in the corners, and is also a skilled passer. He finished with 12 goals and 46 points last season. He can bang a bit, help lead the forechecking game, dig out pucks, kill penalties, and perhaps most important of all for a Bruins team that desperately needs consistent offense, can score and set up goals.

"I'm not happy with the amount of goals I scored last season," said the 30-year-old Schaefer, reached last night at his family's home in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan. "I think I can score more, and I'm looking forward to whatever challenge they have in store for me in Boston."

Schaefer, who signed a four-year deal with the Senators last July, will earn $6.7 million the next three seasons and will be a $2.1 million charge against the salary cap. Donovan, 32, who signed with the Bruins last July, will earn $925,000 (also his cap hit).

All in all, it was a savings of $5.775 million for the Senators, whose No. 1 scorer, Dany Heatley, will become an unrestricted free agent next July 1. Already on the books for $5.5 million in 2007-08, Heatley easily will command a long-term deal worth an average of $8 million a year. Top blue liner Wade Redden, who will earn $6.5 million this season, will reach UFA status July 1. Ottawa also has yet to come to terms with No. 1 goalie Ray Emery, a restricted free agent who has filed for salary arbitration and likely will earn $4 million in the coming season.

Meanwhile, the addition of Schaefer adds $1.175 million to Boston's 2007-08 cap figure. General manager Peter Chiarelli's financial wiggle room now is all but gone, unless he moves a body or two off the roster.

"We're not in a position to add any free agents," said assistant GM Jim Benning. "If we're going to make any more moves, it would have to be a trade situation."

Schaefer's game best mirrors that of Swedish winger P.J. Axelsson, who now could be dealt, a move that would shave $1.8 million from the Boston payroll. Axelsson has a limited no-trade clause in his deal. Reached for comment yesterday, Axelsson's agent, Neil Abbott, reported he had not heard a word, speculative or otherwise, that the Bruins were looking to deal the 32-year-old Axelsson, who has been with the team nine years. The Bruins also are likely to deal a goalie, probably Hannu Toivonen, before the start of the season.

According to Chiarelli, who left yesterday for an Alaskan fishing trip with NHL GMs and executives, Schaefer will bring some "added scoring and tenacity along the boards." If so, he will be an important addition to a club that too often played softer than slush cones last season. New coach Claude Julien has promised that the 2007-08 Bruins will be feisty forecheckers, and even before he pulled on that Black and Gold sweater, Schaefer may already be the poster boy for Boston's "forecheck first, last, and always" game plan.

Benning, reached at his home in Portland, Oregon, said Schaefer could be counted on for 20 goals.

"He's played on a third line most of his time in Ottawa," noted Benning. "We're going to give him an opportunity to do more."

By no means can Schaefer be considered an offensive force, though he often found himself paired with top forwards Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher last season. In the playoffs, he struggled (1-5--6 in 20 games) when packaged with Fisher and Mike Comrie (since departed for Long Island as a free agent).

A comparison is the role Mike Knuble played with the Bruins on the "700-Pound Line" with fellow widebodies Joe Thornton and Glen Murray. Schaefer is 6 feet 1 inch, 185 pounds, small when compared with the 6-3, 228-pound Knuble, but he likely will ferret for pucks, looking to dish rather than shoot.

"I've got to shoot more," said Schaefer. "I've got to be a little more selfish about that. Last year wasn't my greatest."

Schaefer began his career with the Canucks, who made him the 66th pick overall in the 1995 draft. Displeased with his contract offer from the Canucks after his third season, he sat out 2001-02 and played in Finland (Turku), which ultimately led to the September 2002 deal that sent Schaefer to the Senators for blue liner Sami Salo.

Schaefer, in 493 career games, has 89 goals and 233 points. He is also a career plus-59, an indication of his solid two-way work.

Following their failed run against the Ducks in the Stanley Cup finals, the Senators turfed longtime boss John Muckler and moved coach Bryan Murray into the GM's position. Last week, John Paddock was named coach. The moves, in Schaefer's opinion, hinted at more changes to come.

"You get the feeling, well, you know, everyone's got their guys," said Schaefer. "I was getting paid to do more than the role I was doing last year, and when [Murray] moved up as GM, I could kind of see where it was going."

Donovan, a fast skater and willing grinder, often looked out of synch in a Boston offense that often looked out of synch. He scored but six goals and had 17 points in 76 games.

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