Plenty in the works for GMs this summer

These are supposed to be the days when executives ponder training camp and players bolt for 18-hole afternoons following morning workouts.

But as the Bruins proved this past week, jettisoning Glen Murray and re-signing Dennis Wideman to a four-year, $15.5 million extension, the NHL has been plenty active, with even the sleepy time of August expected to be stuffed with action.

There are two primary forces in play to explain what should be a busier-than-ever summer.

First, the free-spending general managers of the league - some NHL personnel consider Boston boss Peter Chiarelli among this bunch for throwing $12 million at Michael Ryder - have put some clubs over or near the $56.7 million cap ceiling, which guarantees shifting of salaries prior to the 2008-09 season.

Anaheim will most assuredly move defenseman Mathieu Schneider, his puck-moving abilities, and his $5.625 million contract to a club that can absorb such a cap hit. Chicago will undoubtedly move goalie Nikolai Khabibulin's $6.75 million salary, especially with newbie Cristobal Huet ($22.5 million over four years) expected to grab the No. 1 job. Ex-Bruin Mike Knuble, entering the final year of his contract (a mere $2.8 million per season), might be up for grabs for a club seeking a power forward.

Second, Mats Sundin has pledged to make a decision on his future by Friday, which should let loose a torrent of activity for the clubs that lose out on the pivot's services - if, in fact, the big Swede decides to return to the NHL.

"I think it has a tremendous effect," said Chiarelli on how Sundin's decision has affected the market. "Starting from July 1, you saw an ebb and flow of signings. It has a tremendous effect. It's certainly within his rights to wait and make a choice. He's a tremendous player who had a tremendous year."

If Sundin doesn't retire, Vancouver and Toronto are believed to have the strongest chances of landing the center, although Montreal and the Rangers could also remain in the mix.

Consider the following scenario: Sundin returns to the Maple Leafs, leaving the Canucks and their two-year, $20 million offer on the table. New GM Mike Gillis would then be forced to make a deal to land a top-two center. One NHL agent suggested that Washington, with Nicklas Backstrom and Sergei Fedorov projected to be centers 1 and 2, could deal ex-Bruin Michael Nylander to Vancouver. Another option for Gillis would be to inquire about Ottawa center Antoine Vermette, currently scheduled to go to arbitration.

Another unknown is Joe Sakic, who also has yet to decide on his playing future. Although the hobbled Sakic was outperformed by Sundin in 2007-08 (only 40 points compared with the Toronto captain's 78), he could still be an option for the Avalanche, who have money to spend if "Burnaby Joe" says no.

The Bruins may have made their biggest noise with the Wideman-Murray flurry, but they could still use a top-four, puck-moving defenseman to start the season.

"That's what they need," said one NHL source. "The question is, are they willing to give up [Phil] Kessel?"

Yes, No. 81's name, despite his late playoff burst against Montreal, is still mentioned in trade talks. Teams inquired about Kessel prior to the draft, and he remains the most attractive lure for GMs (David Krejci and Mark Stuart round out the wish list, with Milan Lucic virtually untouchable because of his unique skill set) who might be willing to make a deal for a puck-rushing defenseman.

As it stands, Chiarelli is a fan of his current blue line, especially if puck-movers Matt Lashoff and Matt Hunwick prove themselves ready for big league play.

"I like our defensive unit," Chiarelli said. "We grew as a unit last year. We've got a complement of size/strength guys and a complement of puck-movers. Most important is that this group is able to progress under our coaching staff. We're happy with the players we have. Having said that, you always want to improve your team if you can do it properly. I like what I see from our defensive unit. We grew as a unit, and I expect it to grow and improve."

Make all the jokes you want about the Movieman and the Mullet, the newsmaking duo in Tampa Bay of owner Oren Koules (who made his money in Hollywood) and coach Barry Melrose (who made his name with a business-in-front, party-in-back hairstyle).

Koules and co-owner Len Barrie have made some curious decisions, such as hiring Mike Butters, most recently the president of the Helena Bighorns of the Northern Pacific Hockey League as GM of Norfolk, the Lightning's AHL club. Bruins fans might snicker about the Lightning signing Brandon Bochenski, who squatted and bench-pressed his way out of the lineup at the start of 2007-08.

But the new bosses might be an upgrade over their former GM. Jay Feaster, most likely reduced to the role of Rob Schneider's "Saturday Night Live" character in the Lightning offices ("Oren! Orenmundo! The Orenator!"), left the organization after ownership took over hockey operations. While Feaster has a Stanley Cup on his résumé, the ex-GM's team-building philosophy didn't place much emphasis on the draft, which is one reason the club's talent pool is so shallow.

Since 1999, the first draft with Feaster as a member of the front office, the Lightning's picks have combined for only 1,544 NHL games, fewest of any Eastern Conference team. Defenseman Paul Ranger, the 183d pick from 2002, leads all Lightning selections with 220 NHL games. In 2003, when future NHLers were falling into executives' laps, a ninth-round pick, forward Nick Tarnasky, turned out to be the club's best selection (169 NHL games).

The List

In terms of base salary, Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals was the biggest bargain among the top 10 scorers in the NHL in 2007-08, earning $8,785.71 per point, an indication of how important a top producer on an entry-level deal can be to a team. Here's the breakdown of cash per point earned by last year's 10 best, ranked in bang-for-buck order:

Ovechkin, Washington: $8,785.71

Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh: $9,283.02

Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit: $29,347.83

Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa: $52,707.87

Jason Spezza, Ottawa: $54,347.83

Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta: $63,218.39

Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit: $69,072.16

Joe Thornton, San Jose: $69,479.17

Jarome Iginla, Calgary: $71,428.57

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay: $77,902.17

By the numbers

Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman's 2007-08 salary

Wideman's 2008-09 salary after signing a four-year contract extension

Percentage increase of Wideman's salary from 2007-08 to 2008-09

"I saw him the other day. He looked tired. And it wasn't from his workouts. It was from lack of sleep."

Jay Fee, agent of Bobby Allen, on his client and how the former Bruin is enjoying life with infant son Quinn.

Speak up

"I saw him the other day. He looked tired. And it wasn't from his workouts. It was from lack of sleep."

- Jay Fee, agent of Bobby Allen, on his client and how the former Bruin is enjoying life with infant son Quinn.

Be C-ing you?: With Jaromir Jagr to collect his paycheck in rubles in 2008-09 in the Continental Hockey League, the logical choice to take over the captaincy on Broadway is ex-Boston University star Chris Drury. The former Buffalo captain will be entering the second season of a five-year deal with the Rangers, and should be more comfortable asserting himself in the dressing room, especially if Brendan Shanahan isn't re-signed. The 31-year-old Drury is a lead-by-example player, but can make himself heard when necessary. "He felt like there were things he could do and say," an NHL source said of Drury last season, "but it was just too early."

Old college try: Because of a confluence of reasons — current collective bargaining agreement, expanding reach of junior teams, influence of family advisers — collegians with NHL aspirations rarely stay for four years of school. Ottawa prospect Jesse Winchester, however, stayed all four years at Colgate, scoring 40 goals during his ECACHL career. The Senators, under considerable pressure from their fan base because of their whimpering 2007-08 finish, will be looking for an upgrade of character in their dressing room, and the 24-year-old Winchester could be a candidate to make an NHL contribution this season. "I would be disappointed if he doesn't make the team," said agent Mark Witkin. "We had lunch recently and he couldn't wait to go to their [development] camp. He did very well there. He'd be the perfect addition. He's a kid who just loves it. He wants to start to get his career going. He's a player." Last season, after concluding his run at Colgate, Winchester appeared in one game for the Senators.

Still available: Bobby Allen, his 2007-08 season leveled because of back woes, is still aiming to sign a two-way contract with an NHL club before training camp. The Boston College alum, who appeared in only 19 games last season, is working out and continuing his rehab this summer. "I'm getting a couple calls every other day on Bobby," said agent Jay Fee. "Teams are very interested in his services." Upon exit interviews with the Bruins, it was determined that Allen didn’t require surgery on his back, a procedure that might have shelved the stay-at-home defenseman for the 2008-09 season. "He's going to take the time he needs," Fee said. "We'd rather have him right and make a decision late in the summer. The goal is to be in camp somewhere. But as we sit here now, he’s still got work to do. There's quite a bit of interest in him. I'm sure that once he gives me the green light, finding a job won’t be difficult."

Gordon on list: According to Newsday, Providence coach Scott Gordon will interview this week for Ted Nolan's old job on Long Island. While NHL coaching veterans such as Bob Hartley (most recently of Atlanta), Paul Maurice (Toronto), and John Tortorella (Tampa Bay) may have the experience GM Garth Snow is seeking, Gordon would be an ideal fit for the Islanders. Snow wants a coach with development experience, which will be crucial on the Island, considering the current roster will be hard-pressed to make a playoff run in 2008-09. Gordon has most recently groomed up-and-comers like David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka, and would project to work well with youngsters such as Kyle Okposo and Jeff Tambellini. Gordon is from Easton, while Snow hails from nearby Wrentham. "[Snow] wants someone to grow their youth," said an NHL source. "Gordon is a Massachusetts guy and has been successful." Also in the mix is ex-Bruins bench boss Mike Sullivan, whom Gordon replaced in Providence when the Boston University grad was bumped up to the big club. "They're talking to everybody," said one team executive. If Gordon gets the New York job, current P-Bruins assistant Rob Murray could get promoted to the lead job in Providence.

Development complex: The Sabres, who had perfected the Buffalo-Rochester pipeline that kept AHL prospects streaming into the NHL, took a big hit last week when Randy Cunneyworth was named an assistant to coach John Anderson in Atlanta. Cunneyworth, Rochester's coach for the last eight seasons, had a heavy hand in developing current Sabres such as Jason Pominville, Derek Roy, and Paul Gaustad. Buffalo must now find an AHL coach for its farm club, which moved operations from Rochester, N.Y., to Portland, Maine. One candidate could be Kevin Dineen, who coached Portland the last three years while the Pirates were affiliated with Anaheim.

Bumper crop: In 1998, when the Canadiens drafted current Bruin Michael Ryder with the 216th overall pick, the selection added to a deep talent pool that was one of Montreal's finest in the past 10 years. Montreal's 1998 picks included forward Mike Ribeiro (No. 45), defenseman Francois Beauchemin (No. 75), and defenseman Andrei Markov (No. 162). In all, the 10 players Montreal drafted in 1998 have combined to appear in 1,694 NHL games. Sharp contrast to Montreal's disaster of a draft the following year, when defenseman Matt Carkner (No. 58) became the only one 11 picks to play in the NHL — and in only one big league appearance (for San Jose in 2005-06) at that.

Loose pucks: Not a bad philosophy by Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi, emphasizing defense in the Kings' rebuilding, with youngsters Jack Johnson, Thomas Hickey, Drew Doughty, and Colton Teubert projected to be the core. That said, why no signs of a veteran goalie - prospects Jonathan Bernier and former UMass star Jon Quick aren't ready for the bigs - to prevent the young D-men's confidence from being broken? "For development's sake, you want to put in a good goalie so you don't get waxed," said one NHL executive. It wouldn't take much for Lombardi to take Nikolai Khabibulin and his remaining $13.5 million from Chicago GM Dale Tallon . . . A preseason candidate for Rookie of the Year in 2008-09: Philadelphia's Claude Giroux. The slippery forward had 38 goals and 68 assists for Gatineau of the QMJHL in 2007-08, leading the Olympiques on a deep playoff run. In the postseason, Giroux averaged 2.7 points per game. Gatineau swept Halifax and Bruins prospects Andrew Bodnarchuk and Brad Marchand . . . Boston-based agent Mark Witkin, after noting how ex-player reps such as Peter Chiarelli, Tampa Bay's Brian Lawton, and Vancouver's Mike Gillis are filling roles in hockey operations, brought up another notion. "How about writers?" Witkin asked, no doubt on the verge of giggling like a schoolgirl on the other end of the line. "Seems natural, doesn't it? That might become the next big idea." I'm pretty sure that ex-Globie Chris Snow, now Minnesota's director of hockey operations, is and will be the only exception. For some reason, Chris didn't like the crayons the rest of us prefer. . . Last week, USA Hockey released its roster for the Under-18 select club that will appear in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in Slovakia next month. Of the 21 players, only one is from Massachusetts: forward Steven Whitney (Wakefield), more proof that the Bay State's influence on hockey isn't what it used to be ... The Canadiens showed their up-the-middle organizational strength last week by dealing center Corey Locke, Hamilton's leading scorer in 2007-08 (30-42—72) to Minnesota for defenseman Shawn Belle. For the big club, Tomas Plekanec, Saku Koivu, and Maxim Lapierre are expected to serve as centers, while the Canadiens will seek a replacement for pivot Brian Smolinski between Steve Begin and Tom Kostopoulos. Montreal has youngsters Kyle Chipchura and Mikhail Grabovski pushing for big league work. And perhaps Mats Sundin will be thrown into the mix ... A space shooters will be looking to exploit on Montreal goalie Carey Price: glove hand.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.