By tomorrow's 3 p.m. trade deadline, the Bruins will know what their roster will look like for the rest of the regular season.
They're projecting that Andrew Alberts, out since mid-December, will return to the lineup after recovering from his neck injury. They're still holding out hope that Patrice Bergeron and Manny Fernandez can make a contribution this season. General manager Peter Chiarelli is still hunting for a top-six forward to give his offense some extra juice.
There's a chance, however, that the latter doesn't happen.
"There's a possibility I won't make a move. And I'm fine with that," said Chiarelli. "I want to improve this team. But I also want our young guys to get that experience of the playoffs. And if you get in the playoffs, you never know what can happen."
Because of the steep prices, Chiarelli may determine that landing a big-time forward before the deadline may be too costly. The going rate for a stud like Atlanta's Marian Hossa, who is expected to be moved tomorrow by Thrashers GM Don Waddell, is a young NHLer, a prospect, and a first-round pick, and Chiarelli said he will not trade Phil Kessel. So instead, Chiarelli could pull off a lesser deal for some depth on defense, or not dip into the trade market at all.
Last season, Anaheim GM Brian Burke took the conservative approach at the deadline, forgoing the bold acquisitions (Keith Tkachuk, Ryan Smyth, and Bill Guerin were the most significant names to move) and choosing to patch up his lineup.
Teams regularly had inquired about top-shelf prospect Bobby Ryan. But rather than move the forward, who was picked second overall in 2005 behind Sidney Crosby, Burke kept Ryan and made two minor deals at the deadline. On Feb. 27, the Ducks acquired fourth-liner Brad May from Colorado for goalie Michael Wall and traded defenseman Joe Rullier to Tampa Bay for defenseman Doug O'Brien. May clicked instantly with the Ducks, giving them a veteran presence and some additional toughness.
"We brought in Mayday for character and to solidify the fourth line," recalled ex-Duck Shawn Thornton. "I think Burkie was really smart. He knew we had a really tight-knit group."
Burke had made his best moves earlier. On July 3, 2006, Anaheim acquired Chris Pronger from the Oilers when the defenseman announced his desire to leave Edmonton. On Jan. 3, 2007, Anaheim traded a 2007 sixth-round choice to Florida for Ric Jackman, a deal that paid off in the Stanley Cup finals when the defenseman filled in for Pronger, who was suspended for one game for elbowing Ottawa forward Dean McAmmond.
At last year's deadline, Burke recognized that a major deal might have upset the chemistry of his club. The day after the deadline, Burke met with his team - addressing the players with some bleep-filled language, Thornton recalled - to inform the players that he didn't land any of the big names because he believed in his roster.
While Boston's current lineup doesn't have the depth or breadth of Anaheim's Cup-winning roster, Chiarelli might be facing similar chemistry issues. The Bruins rolled through their most recent five-game road trip, taking nine out of 10 possible points. Acquiring front-line help would cost the Bruins players from their current roster, a move that could cause ripples.
Even without help from elsewhere, the Bruins could get more traction in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. Six of their next seven matches will be at TD Banknorth Garden, starting tomorrow vs. league-leading Ottawa.
One point of concern: Following the Bruins' last significant road stretch (nine of 10 away from home in late November and early December), Boston returned to the Garden and went 1-3-0-1 in five straight matches.
"Some GMs kind of mess up the chemistry in the dressing rooms," said Glen Metropolit, part of a deadline package last year that brought Tkachuk from St. Louis to Atlanta. "They like to think they're getting a great player. But we've got a great bunch of guys in the dressing room here. Everybody's pulling the rope. That's what you want. We had our backs against the wall on this road trip against teams that are fighting to make the playoffs. We battled hard."
Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at FShinzawa@globe.com.
