Trading For Savard, Carter Emerges As Top Option For Center Help In Light Of Weak UFA Class

When the San Jose Sharks re-signed Patrick Marleau to a four-year deal, they took the most highly-coveted unrestricted free agent center off the market before it even opened for business. Before that, the Montreal Canadiens took the second most sought after UFA center Tomas Plekanec out of play with a new six-year contract.

With those two players off the board, few high-end options exist for teams in need of help at center. Sure, there are second-tier options like Saku Koivu, Olli Jokinen, Peter Mueller and Matt Cullen. But none of them have the potential to have as much offensive, and even defensive in Plekanec's case, influence on an organization like the two guys just extended by their current organizations.

In order for team's to rectify situations down the middle, they might have to look toward the trade market for more high-end options. Two players that might very well be up for grabs are Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins and Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli would love to clear some cap space off his payroll and inevitably needs to deal with a logjam at the center position, especially with the recent drafting of Tyler Seguin second overall. Despite the fact that Matt Cooke now makes him somewhat of an injury risk courtesy of a concussion by way of blindside, Savard is still one of the most solid playmaking centers in the NHL. But he is also entering a seven-year extension signed back in December that will pay him $7 million in each of the next two seasons and count as a $4.007 million cap hit during the contract's duration. As the elder statesman of the center position on Boston at 32 years, it makes him more expendable than the 24-year old Patrice Bergeron, 24-year old David Krejci, recently acquired 26-year old Gregory Campbell and newly drafted 18-year old Seguin.

Unfortunately, Savard's salary has made it difficult for Chiarelli to move him. And a no-trade clause also provides some obstacles. There has been some talk that Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke has interest in Savard. And the ability to pair him up with former-Bruin Phil Kessel sounds very intriguing. But Tomas Kaberle would probably need to be part of the return package, and Burke is not interested in that kind of deal. Savard wouldn't mind going to Ottawa, according to Ottawa Sun writer Bruce Garrioch. But with just around $9 million of cap space remaining and Jason Spezza's $7 million cap hit still on the payroll, it would be difficult to fit in Savard's contract.

It's hard to believe that a player with the talent level of Savard is that hard to move. And an approximate $4 million cap hit doesn't even sound like that much. But as was spoken about during the NHL Entry Draft broadcast on Friday night, teams that have money to spend don't have the cap space and teams with the cap space don't have money to spend.

That little dilemma will make it even harder for the Flyers to deal Carter, who will earn $5.5 million next season and count as a $5 million cap hit before heading into unrestricted free agency next summer, where he will surely command a larger contract should his play continue as expected.

The Flyers aren't necessarily eager to trade Carter, and General Manager Paul Holmgren definitely won't concede certain demands like Chiarelli might do just to get Savard off the Bruins' payroll. But with plenty of depth at center and Daniel Briere's $6.5 million cap hit almost impossible to move, one would have to imagine he would bit if the right deal came along for Carter.

The Philadelphia Inquirer speculated prior to this past weekend's draft that Carter could have netted the Flyers a high draft pick and a goalie, which is a pressing need for an organization. Even with the draft behind us, the Flyers would still place an asking price of a high draft pick, a goalie and a prospect or two for the services of Carter. That would, of course, factor in more if the Flyers weren't pursuing the likes of pending unrestricted free agents Michael Leighton, Evgeni Nabokov, Marty Turco and Chris Mason over trading for somebody like Jonathan Bernier of the Los Angeles Kings or the Minnesota Wild's John Harding. But if Holmgren decides he likes those latter options more, it could cost him Carter to pry them away.

Mike Ribeiro is another intriguing trade option at center. There are conflicting reports on the Dallas Stars' status with Ribeiro. While TSN's Darren Dreger states that Dallas is listening to offers but isn't necessarily actively shopping him, Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News says that the Stars are actively trying to move him. Either way, with three years remaining on his contract at the price of $5 million per season, the Stars would certainly welcome the cap relief. The St. Louis Blues have reportedly "kicked the tires" on trying to acquire Ribeiro, to no avail.

While none of these centers might be moved considering the high trade returns they carry, it's safe to say that the trade market carries better options this year at the center position than the free agent market. They will be more costly, but the expense of winning is sometimes worth it. And success is more likely to come with caliber players the likes of Savard, Carter and even Ribeiro much quicker than an again Saku Koivu or recently disappointing Olli Jokinen.