NHL Rumors: Tomas Kaberle 'Not Likely To Make A Decision' Until Next Week

Tomas Kaberle has stayed in touch with the Boston Bruins during free agency, but according to a source will most likely not make a decision this week as to which team he will sign with.

The source told WEEI.com on Monday that Kaberle is "not likely to make a decision until sometime next week." (via WEEI)

Kaberle, who the Bruins acquired at the trade deadline this past season, is reportedly talking to several teams. Kaberle finished with one goal and eight assists in 24 games in Boston. In 82 games last season, Kaberle totaled four goals and 43 assists. 

In the playoffs, Kaberle was relatively silent, totaling only 11 assists in 25 games with a plus/minus of plus-8, four penalty minutes and four hits. Kaberle has played 12 seasons in the NHL and has 84 goals and 445 assists in 902 career games.

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The Boston Bruins lost a former Montreal Canadien when Michael Ryder departed for Dallas on a two-year deal worth $7 million. 

Minutes later, they gained a former Montreal Canadien, signing former Hab Benoit Pouliot to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. 

Details of the deal (like whether or not Pouliot's guaranteed a roster spot) are still emerging, but if Pouliot's able to perform to the best of his ability (he was the fourth overall pick in 2005, by the Minnesota Wild), he'll be a great addition to the team. 

In 79 games last season, Pouliot put up 13-17=30 totals, but worked his way into the Montreal doghouse by the end of the season. 

In a market where teams are overpaying out the ears for less-than-proven talent in long-term deals, the Bruins are getting a steal with Pouliot. If he struggles to perform, it'll be easy for the team to just let him go, but if he does well, they're getting a huge steal. 

Peter Chiarelli and the Boston Bruins are reportedly trying to move the rights to re-sign Tomas Kaberle, who the B's acquired midway through the 2010-11 season from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kaberle was acquired in exchange for Joe Colborne, as well as a 2011 first round picks and a 2012 second round selection. In 24 regular season games, Kaberle had one goal and eight assists. In 82 games, Kaberle finished with four goals and 43 assists.

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Peter Chiarelli remind the sports writing community of an important lesson in the first round of the 2011 NHL Draft on Friday night - rumors are only rumors.

Entering the draft, many experts pegged Ryan Murphy of the OHL to the Boston Bruins with the No. 9 overall pick, saying that he was a good fit with the B's. So what do the Bruins do? They draft Dougie Hamilton.

Now, the Bruins may not have hated Murphy's game, but they obviously didn't like him enough to draft him with that pick. After all, Hamilton was projected to go two picks ahead of Boston at No. 7 overall to the Winnipeg Jets (that just feels weird to write). Murphy wound up going to the Carolina Hurricanes with the No. 12 overall pick.

Hamilton is considered a steal for the Bruins, but one can only wonder which team will be better off. My vote's on Boston, but we'll all just have to wait.

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After an active couple of weeks leading up to last year's NHL draft, the Bruins are playing things close to the vest this time around.

General Manager Peter Chiarelli is reportedly in talks with the agents of Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle to see if a deal can be worked out with the two unrestricted free agents, but after news from Carolina came yesterday that Joni Pitkanen probably isn't coming back to the Hurricanes, there is certainly reason for Chiarelli to make another phone call, as the young puck-mover has more years on his legs than Kaberle and could probably be had for a similar cap hit, but there's no indication that the Bruins' General Manager has reached out yet. 

Internally, the Bruins will continue to work at developing Jordan Caron, Jamie Arniel, Steven Kampfer and Matt Bartkowski, each of whom could and may well make the Boston team in 2011-12. 

The Boston Bruins find themselves in good shape heading into free agency, with only two unrestricted free agents - Tomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder - who officially become free agents on July 1.

Peter Chiarelli hasn't appeared to lean one way or the other on the possibility of bringing back the pair, at least in the public eye. However, Chiarelli said that he will reach out to the representatives of Kaberle and Ryder.

The other big event coming up is free agency, and Chiarelli reiterated that he will talk to the representatives for veterans Tomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder, who will both be unrestricted July 1. Chiarelli, however, noted that the team has other options if things don't work out with those two players. (via The Bruins Blog)

Chiarelli indicated that Jordan Caron, Jamie Arniel, Matt Bartkowski and Steven Kampfer - all of which are in the Bruins' system - would have a shot to make to B's roster next season.

In addition, The Bruins Blog reports that Chiarelli has talked with injured center Marc Savard about his condition and possible return to the ice.

He also said that he talks to Marc Savard regularly about the player's future and that the center is "doing OK; he's improving a little bit." No decision about Savard's status has been made yet, though. (via The Bruins Blog)

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