Salary breakdown

great breakdown, im new to the blog but will be checking each day

thanks for the continued off-season updates Fluto.

Buying out Murray + No Ward + No Metro = Hossa?

I like D Wide, but there's no way he lands #1 pp time and all those points without Z on the ice next to him. I hope he earns his payday, but I'll bet against it.
I hate to say it, but Mugs has to go. Its just way too much money for a guy who can't skate, is fragile, and is at the tail end of his career. How does does buying him out reduce the cap figure?
Would anyone really miss Schaeffer? Really? Problem is, who would take him?
How did Kessel, 2 years out of college, get such a veteran salary? I like Phil a lot, but he owes his agent about half of that sum. btw, I predict a 30-20 year from him in 08/09.

I was shocked, however, to see that PJ is so low on the salary chart. In a fair world he'd get a merit raise.

Thanks for posting this. It reminds us all in the corporate world that the amount of contribution has no correlation to the salary or title.

Murray's Salary is pretty scary. He's nothing more than 3rd or 4th line center who's nearing NHL extinction. Sorry Glen, it was a fun ride while it lasted (except for this year of course).
Also, what is it that spraks the talk of Kessel being bought out or traded? He's going into his third year in the league, isn't even 21 years old, and still has trememdous upside? Zach Hammil will be lucky to break an NHL roster by that age at the rate he's going.

If Glen Murray somehow is on our team next year at 4 million dollars he may cause the downfall for the whole season.

Why is everybody against Kessel, all i hear is "Kessel may be a trade-bait",
Great plan guys! go ahead and trade our BEST young offensive talent maybe for Hall Gill...EERRRRRRRR!

What a bad move...

Kessel is not going any where. Hossa will be a bruin somehow. Plus Kessels money is not guarenteed (I think its not anyways)

buy out Fernandez and Schaefer...that's six million dollars. One million to sign Auld and then 5 million to get Hossa. Auld and Thomas have proven that they can carry this team, meanwhile Fernandez is injury prone.

Correct, Kessel is still under his entry level contract which is the league max for base salary (850k I believe). The remainder of that cap hit is potential bonuses - if he doesn't earn them they don't count towards cap hit. Now I don't know the rules surrounding whether a team has to reserve enough cap space to accomodate those potential bonuses or not. I seem to remember something about being able to spend based on base salary but if bonuses push a team over the cap the following years cap max is reduced for them. Anyone know for sure?

please please lets all hope we have seen the last of muzz

Get rid of Murray and Schaefer!
Murray is a huge chunk of change and really can not keep up with todays game. It is not a mystery to other teams that he sits in the high to mid slot and waits for a one time pass and toward the end of the season and the playoff run if he did get a pass he couldn't even hit the net never mind get it past the net minder. I did like his outright hustle in the post season and through the play off push at the end of the season, but he really does not bring enough to the team next season, in my mind.
Schaefer just didnt seem to to me like he fit in to the team structure this season. But again, like Murray he did show a little more in the post season.
I would love to see Hossa in the black and gold and hopefully Chara can talk his buddy into maybe taking a bit of a pay cut, but that is not too likely.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bruins desire to acquire a strong puck-moving defencemen spell the end for either Wideman or Ward, especially if their salary demands get too high. Wideman and Z seem to have good chemistry, however. Perhaps Fluto can shed some light on the current state of things in the free agent market with regards to defencemen who could fit the bill for the Bruins?

Like many, I'm also in the 'thanks for everything, but happy trails Muzz' camp. I value loyalty and everything, but truthfully his post-lockout production just doesn't justify his paycheck.

(The only way I can see myself making an exception for a player like him would be a strong presence in the locker room, much like the situation the Red Sox find themselves in with Jason Varitek; a player whose numbers are trending down, but whose leadership plays a strong role in team chemistry.)

Seeing Axelsson's name in the same sentence as the words 'trade' and 'buyout' pains me greatly. Axelsson is the longest tenured member of the club; he has been with the Bruins since I was a lad, and as a longtime fan, seeing him go would be like seeing Tim Wakefield leave the Red Sox; a real disappointment.

What are the chances the Pens hold onto Hossa if they win it all?

What was Metro's salary this year, and what kind of numbers will he likely be drawing in free agency? I'm of the opinion that he proved his mettle tremendously this season as a versatile off-the-bench type player who can fill in if top tier players (read: Savard and Bergeron) go down. Especially considering no one can really be 100% sure of what to expect from Patrice when he hits the ice again; there is a possibility (and it does indeed pain me to say this) he simply won't be the caliber of player he was before the concussion. Especially when we consider that players who sustain concussions are more likely to get subsequent concussions. I think it's smart to think of Metro as an insurance policy.

Out: Murray, Axelson, Schafer, Thomas, Metro
In: Hossa, Auld, Soderberg
Resign: Wideman (mil max is all he is worth at this stage of his career)
Bring up some youngsters from the PBs that have earned the right to be here and cost low $$.

How? Thats up to Chia to figure out. The above is only my wish list.

Stephan, the top puck-moving UFA D-man is Brian Campbell. However, you'd have to start at $6 million per season and probably more. Other candidates would be John-Michael Liles or Ron Hainsey. I'm guessing they'd want contracts averaging north of $4 million per season.

Metro: Made $500,000 in 2007-08. Just a guess, but I think both sides would be happy with a two-year, $1.6 million extension.

Murray's 40 goal days are long gone. He plays hard but he's just too slow these days.

All this talk of Hossa or a puck moving defenseman is great. It's feels awesome to be excited about the Bruins again.

If we can get Manny, Muzz and Schaefer off the cap, we clear over $10 mil right there, but let's be realistic. This ownership group has never been one to spend to win. We really need a #1 sniper, whether Kessel steps up to it, or we sign a Hossa-type guy. But we may have to wait until the dead weight comes off the cap. Let's all hope and pray that Patrice comes back strong next year.

I wouldn't put too much hope in bringing Hossa here. He's got to enjoy playing and winning with the young talent the Pens have. Not that he'd take less to stay, but the Pens could cut some numbers from their cap to fit him in too. Ultimately, the B's need to build the way the Pats and to some extent the Sox have, through the draft.

I'm a big Murray fan but I have to echo the sentiments that it's simply time for us to move on from him. His salary hit is far too high for the team we have, and the team we want to build on. We could probably get rid of Shaefer too, though I had high hopes for him this season. He really picked it up in the post-season though, so it's worth considering keeping him. I'd rather have a player who plays well in the post season, compared to the regular season (ala Joe Thornton, Brian Rolston) even though I loved those two players.

Lastly I think unless Manny posts an amazing Win/Lose record this year, he's not worth the $4.33 mil. Our biggest and most obvious problem this year (not to beat a dead horse) was offense. Our goaltending was fine - save for a few games.

Final thought - Keep Axy... I hate reading about the potential trades for him - I think he's a critical Bruin and is worth a lot more than he's being paid.

The contract that the Boston Bruins committed to with Murray in the summer of 2005 has to rank with the Alexai Zhamnov and Marty LaPointe acquisitions when you talk about stinkers. Three years and 12-plus million dollars later, Muzz has averaged 23 goals and 19 assists per season.

Buy him out.

They can not get rid of Axy, do you know how man PK mins that guy takes up and how many fore checking and neutral zone turnovers he has created??!! He IS the definition of a role player, and an important presence in the locker room. It would be like trading Joe Thornton, but without the media coverage. That is how important I think he is. I don't know how much longer he can keep giving the effort night after night, but last season he showed no signs of slowing down.

P.J.Axelson is a fourth line spare part at best. The Bruins have repeatedly tried to "unload" this guy but his price tag for his fourth line status was too much for anyone to take. Last July Anaheim offerred the Bruins a fourth round choice in the 2008 draft only if the Bruins would pick up half his salary. NOBODY wants this stiff. There is a reason he is only being paid 1.85m and that is he is not worth anymore. Both he and his agent know and now you all do as well. Get off the Axy bandwagon and that big creep (glasses, about 6'5") who wears his jersey to every game should burn it. You know who you are "balcony guy"!!

Fluto, thanks for the salary breakdown. Sorry to say it, but it's time for Murray and Axe to go. In the age of the salary cap, you can't fall in love with players whose best days are behind them. The B's absolutely need a good sized forward who can net about thirty per season. Kessel still has a lot of upside, but he needs to starting banging and using his speed more intelligently as he started to do in the playoffs. Like to see the B's sign Auld, but there's no way they should sink anymore cash into their goaltenders unless they can buy out Fernandez. Anyhow, it is good to see some excitement building for the Black and Gold again, now lets hope the senior Jacobs doesn't step in and screw it up.

Well these are the most astute thoughts and ideas I've ever read on a Bruin Blog. Only a few people slightly banging ownership and Timmy Thomas. Lots of good feelings going here. I agree, I'm a huge Muzz fan, but his time has come to retire. maybe get job in the front office. We need a Big forward, I always liked Knuble. Definately a sniper, but I have not seen Hossa enough to judge. Defence is tough Widemen could be great this year, but I've seen just enough "hicups" to put some ?? in my mind. Love Ward, he is what a Bruin is all about. Axey, yeah he has to stay. Goaltending, buyout Manny and go with Thomas and Auld. Give Auld more starts and keep Timmy fresh. I do not know what more Thomas has to do to prove he is a #1 goalie. He is the obvious choice to be Rask's mentor, if indeed Tukka is the goalie of the future. So if Muzz retires, Manny is bought out and Schaefer is shown the door (I admit, I thought he was a great signing but he just didn't pan out.) So that leaves about $10mil for Peter to play with. Could be a fun offseason.

no one seems to think manny can have a good year?
i think manny will standout as the clear #1 next year. if thomas could learn how to play a puck or just chain himself to the net i would be a little more comfortable. we have to keep both for this next season at least or until the trade deadline when you can dump whichever isn't cutting it and call up rask
schafe, murray, axe should be gone, love PJ but he really dissapointed towards the end of the season (playing hurt maybe? he usually does) and i just dont know if he is a good fit anymore. reich or thorton need to go too, we only need one of em, call up a kid from providence to fill that gap.

hossa would be great but all i know is no matter who we go out and get or bring up we need to get bigger and tougher in the offensive zone. bergeron will be a blessing for our problem of not lighting the lamp, but he just isnt the physical presense up front we need.

Funny how few of us are as big on Manny as the B's front office is. I agree that they're fine with Thomas and Auld, but the boys in charge have their heart set on Manny. They paid for him for a reason.

Axy's defensive contributions have been huge for this team. The only downside to him is his shot; he's hit more goalies in the logo that any guy I've ever seen. But when he's on the ice the other team's offense shapes around him -- he's that good a defensive player.

That said, you could move him, much as I'd hate to see him go, and ask Met to step into that roll, which he's shown he can do.

What they need more than anything is a forward with some size. They can't keep asking Savard, Sturm, Kessel, and Bergeron to take a beating in front of the net, and they can't generate enough offense from the perimeter to win games. They need a big body or two up front. That would change everything for this team.

I would be bigger on Manny Fernandez if his salary wasn't four million dollars per season. He has years of hockey left in him, and the way he has dedicated himself to attending all volunteer and mandatory practices to take shots has been pretty inspiring.

to Mattyw, "...reich or thorton need to go too..."
of those two I think Reich will be let go. Not only did Thornton out play and knuckle chuck him this year, but Reich had a bout with Big Z in practice this year during one of the losing streaks. I don't know if this was a statement by Big Z to his team or not, but if it wasn't and was a ligit scrap be sure that Reich will be a Bruin no longer.

Manny could be great, but he does have a history of being a malcontent in the locker room, and this team seems to be developing a real chemistry. Buy him out and save some $$. Good point about Metro taking Axey's role, maybe we could flip him for a big forward, who do we want?

This confirms what I have always said....the Bruins are screwed until 2009 when Murray and Fernandez are gone. And picking up stiffs like Schaefer for $2m is not helping matters. It's just more bad management. Personally, I would buy out Murray because you can't trade him. I wouldn't re-sign Ward or Metro. I'd think about buying out Schaefer. If we still don't have any cap room I would trade Axelsson and Alberts for some help on defense/offense depending on what was available......They never should have traded for Fernandez or Schaefer. That was $7m down the drain last summer. Fortnunately, Chiarrelli seems to have started to smarten up recently..probably since Cam Neely is around now.

Keep in mind that Charelli has been trying to clean up a disaster left in place by sinden and oconnell. Charelli has been a bit erratic at times, but has done well with the turn around for the most part. Swapping schaefer for Sean Donovan was a smart move at the time, and although he struggled this year, is still a better long term guy than Donovan would have been. It might be hard for us B's fans to accept, but there is no chance Fernandez, Thomas, or Auld backstops us to a stanley cup next year. That said, why keep the dead weight of ferneandez's contract? It is a bit interesting that they love him and we hate him, so they have a bit of explaining to do. Timmy and Alex are a good enough tandem to get us back to the post season, and some offensive improvements could help us get through to the 2nd or 3rd round. Baby steps...

There's no way they spend that money on Manny to have him miss his whole first year, then dump him. Just ain't gonna happen. If you'd gone out and got him you wouldn't do it either -- you'd let him prove that he's a #1 goalie, or fail trying. But sign him, then buy him out? No way. You might as well light $4 mil on fire. How do you explain that to the boss?

They'll buy out Muzz -- and let's be fair, the guy had a good career. Maybe I'm soft on him because I'm his age. We all get there.

I'm not as down on Schaefer as everyone else seems to be. No question he dogged it a lot this year, but he has the goods. I say give him a chance to prove he'll show up every day. If not, someone will take him.

I don't see trading Alberts. That size, at $1.25 mil? Works for me. That kind of size on D you keep, unless it's Gill. Still haven't figured out why they gave Jurcina away for basically nothing. I'm more concerned about Wideman; he made a lot of questionable plays that weren't due to a groin problem.

Who do we want? We want Hossa. And we can get him. Allow yourself to dream of Bergeron centering Hossa and Lucic or Sturm, with Savard, Kessel & Kobasew on line 2. Oh baby.

I think Alberts made as many "questionable" plays as Wideman did in 1/3 of the games. Without Wideman this team is terrible. Granted he's not Bobby Orr but this is a team that wouldn't have been in the playoffs if Carolina hadn't lost to Florida on the last day of the season. And I don't see Hossa coming here. He'll get $10M per year if he keeps scoring in the Finals. The Bruins aren't paying that kind of money to somebody because of the "bogus" salary cap. There is no such thing in reality. A team can just send a player to the minors after he passes waivers. He doesn't count against the cap after that even though they still have to pay him. I'm not really sure what the new CBA was all about except egos. It did nothing for hockey.

I think if the salary cap was that easy to get "around" the Rangers would have spent alot more $$.

It is a hard cap and you are so wrong about the CBA not making a difference. The NHL is the most competitive league in sports. As far as what needs to be done next year. Here is 1 option

1) trade Axe (sorry i respect him also, but), Schaefer, Alberts, Ference
2) Sign Wideman at 3.0M before Jul 1
3) Sign Jeff Carter at 5.8M
4) Sign Roszival or Liles at 4-4.5M
5) Sign Ward at 2.25M
6) Play Murray the first 25-27 games of season as an injury replacement which you are guaranteed to have. Then send him down to Ptown to finish off his career. Cap hit will be about the buyout for 08-09, but you have no cap hit for 09-10. Handle Murray just like this.
7) Sign Auld for 1.1M, play Fernandez for the first 20 or so games, if he is decent see what team needs a #1 goalie and ship him out for a 2nd or 3r roun pick in 2009. If he can't play anymore than LTIR him or send him to Ptown with Murray.
You have now opened up about 4M in cap space in 08-09 and 3M for 09-10.
8) Make sure Soderberg starts the year in Boston

They ARE spending alot more money. They sent Kasparaitis to Hartford and still paid him $4M to play in the AHL. They are also paying Drury and Gomez $10M this year even though that is above the "maximum" salary bs......It's all a joke. You can put a good team on the ice for $30M or $300M. You just have to know what you are doing. Unfortunately, the Bruins don't.

The Cap makes no difference. Detroit is still the best. Boston is still the worst. Tickets are still $100+......Nuf said.

Just because you can ice a $300M team doesn't mean its good business. What happens 4 years from now when Drury and Gomez are on the downside of their careers and their cap hit is $2M more than they're actually getting paid? Just buy them out and have multi million dollar cap hits spread out over twice their remaining contracts for guys that won't be playing on your team?

It may work for a team that needs to add one or two pieces to win now - but ultimately it seems like a long term disaster waiting to happen.

The cap makes no difference? If if doesn't, why do you think there's all this speculation about Hossa ending up in Boston? He's tearing it up in the playoffs, yet there's no way the Pens can sign him to a contract. Give Fernandez a chance. Thomas is a good goalie, but Manny was brought in to be the top guy. He put up some impressive numbers in Minny playing the same kind of system that Julien is installing in Boston. Someone said earlier, he's taking all the shots he can, going to voluntary camps, stuff like that. He'll be back in Boston over the summer working on being the Bruins top goalie. The Bruins have finally started to show some life. Be patient. If I'm Chiarelli, I would do exactly what he did at the trade deadline. Nothing. Sign those you have on the team now, maybe 1 or 2 low priced UFAs, no Hossa, no big names. Next year, you free up almost 9 million in cap space when the contracts of Manny and Murray expire. Plus the cap will go up. Think about that. Probably about 11-14 million next year in cap space. Now you can be a serious player in free agency.

Sorry Gary, but they need to bring in at least 1 legit FA. My choices were Carter or Rozsival/Liles.

KK, I agree, but they don't have to try to make a big splash this year. Plug some small holes now. Carter would cost them at least 5-6 million, along with a 1st round, 2d round, and 3d round pick if Philly doesn't challenge an offer sheet. I've heard alot about Liles; a good puck moving D guy would be nice to have.