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.