THE reverberations from the Bruins’ stunning first-round loss to Montreal in which Joe Thornton went scoreless over seven games while playing with a broken rib have echoed into the summer, with the Boston captain having asked management for a trade, Slap Shots has learned.
According to well-placed sources, Thornton, now a restricted free agent with a $5.5 million qualifier on the table, met with Mike O’Connell three weeks ago and told the GM he did not wish to return to Boston. We’re told that the 25-year-old centerman believes that management did not provide him with adequate cover for his ineffective work in the series that the Bruins somehow squandered after taking a 3-1 lead, and indeed hung him out to dry even though he played through substantial pain and physical limitations. An alternate source has told us that management, citing his 21:30 of average ice, seems not to believe that Thornton was so debilitated, at all, and instead used the injury as an excuse for a dreadful series.
“Joe is adamant about not wanting to go back,” one of our sources said this week. “There’s a very serious issue of [lack of] trust there.”
The Bruins, who won the Northeast Division while finishing fourth overall with 104 points, go into the summer as a shell of a club, having lost, among others, Glen Murray, Brian Rolston, Mike Knuble, Dan McGillis and Sean O’Donnell to unrestricted free agency while facing a Group II negotiation with Sergei Samsonov and a likely salary arbitration case with Sergei Gonchar that very well could wind up with a team walkaway.
In other words, the Bruins were in shambles even before Thornton – who recorded 77 points in 73 games following his 101-point, 2002-03 – told O’Connell that he wants out. It’s likely that the 6-4, 220-pound Thornton would command up to $7M (conservatively) in salary arbitration, and at least that much per in a long-term deal, new era or not. Given the skeleton crew that would surround the helicopter center (no wings) anyway, Boston ownership might decide it’s in the team’s best interests – never mind Thornton’s – to try to acquire three legitimate younger (and cheaper) players in a deal for one of the league’s elite, marquee talents.
We’re told that the Panthers, who have an abundance of young and cheap talent, are extremely interested in Thornton, who thrived in the one year he played for Mike Keenan in Boston. The newly hired Florida GM – “looking to make a splash,” we’ve been told – is believed willing to part with Jay Bouwmeister and Stephen Weiss as the foundation of a deal for Thornton. Should Keenan be able to snare Thornton – he’d also likely have to part with Nathan Horton to get the deal done – he’s expected to then zero in on dealing with Dallas for Billy Guerin, Thornton’s erstwhile linemate in Boston.
Just because Thornton has asked for a trade doesn’t mean he will be dealt, that much is obvious. But with No. 19 on the market, the hockey summer might actually provide some sizzle.
The Kings, seeking a first-line center and with payroll room given Zigmund Palffy’s bizarre decision to ignore the club’s three-year offer of around $6.5M per, don’t appear to have the pieces to send Boston’s way for Thornton. They have, however, signaled serious interest in free agent Petr Nedved, who was married yesterday in Prague to Veronica Verakova and whom the Oilers would like to retain. The Kings have also chatted with representatives for Craig Conroy, Pavol Demitra and Alexei Zhamnov.
The Rangers, who have interest in defenseman McGillis, have also checked in Conroy, Demitra and Brian Rolston. We’re told that Conroy, renowned for his character and leadership skills but coming up on his 33d birthday, is seeking a four-year deal at $4M per. No harm in asking … Which apparently is why Glen Murray is seeking five years at $30M … The Penguins have checked in on Alex Kovalev, who has an open invitation to return to Montreal.
There’s still much talk that the Devils are opening to dealing Scott Gomez – 70 points while tying for the league lead with 56 assists in just 16:00 of ice time per – because of upcoming salary arbitration that could net the pivot up to four times more than the $1M he earned last year. But unless he’s going for a first-line center – a package including a defenseman and winger for Thornton? – we’ll believe it when we see it.
Matt Barnaby was apparently misled about the offers he’d receive as a free agent from Eastern clubs. Indeed, we’re told that Barnaby attempted to use the three-year, $5.2M offer he received and ultimately accepted from the Blackhawks, as leverage to elicit competing bids from both the Rangers and Islanders. The ploy failed. And so Barnaby goes to the wonderful organization in Chicago, where players at last season’s break-up day were told by VP Bob Pulford they’d be permitted to bring home only two sticks and would have to leave their equipment behind because of the likelihood of a lockout.
Finally, Derek Jeter looked like a hockey player the other night, didn’t he?