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Wheeler’s date set; ‘Not much talk’

 07.13.10 at 4:21 pm ET
By DJ Bean

Bruins winger Blake Wheeler‘s arbitration hearing has been set for July 27, agent Matt Keator told WEEI.com on Tuesday. Though the team has generally avoided such hearings at all costs, their current salary cap situation may prevent them from being able to give Wheeler a new deal prior to arbitration.

Asked by WEEI.com if any negotiations to re-up the 23-year-old have been complicated by the team’s lack of cap space [the team has only $1,687,229 available according to CapGeek.com] Keator said there has been “not much talk yet” between the two parties, so Wheeler’s camp is “not sure” of whether the Bruins are planning on making a roster move to accommodate a deal as he prepares to enter his third season. If the hearing takes place and the Bruins choose not to pay him what he is awarded in arbitration, Wheeler will become an unrestricted free agent.

The fifth overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft by the Phoenix Coyotes, Wheeler never signed on with Phoenix after playing his college hockey at the University of Minnesota and signed with the Bruins in the 2008 offseason. In two NHL seasons, both with the Bruins, Wheeler has totaled 39 goals and 44 assists for 83 points in 163 games. He earned $2.8 million last season.

Defenseman Mark Stuart was, like Wheeler, eligible for arbitration but chose against electing the process and last week signed a new deal for one year and $1.675 million. Center Gregory Campbell, who also filed for arbitration, has a hearing set for July 22, according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe.

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  • Slugo

    Just release him already. Don’t waste the capspace or roster spot.

  • Deano

    First of all you cannot just let him walk, he is too valuable as a trade commodity being a young big winger who is NHL ready and has some playoff experience. With that being said I would sign him and trade him if possible. Wheeler constantly was caught up ice floating around the opponenets blue line on the breakout (can only be seen in the rink because he was so far up ice he was off the television screen). He was one of two wingers inclduing his partner in crime Michael Ghost Ride the Whip that did nothing to help in the bruins defensive zone and hurt the bruins by not being available on the half boards on the breakout. Too many times Wheeler was so far up ice that the bruins D had almost no shot of completing the outlet pass and the bruins would give the puck right up to the other teams d. A high percentage of the goals by Philly happened when their d men got the puck off a failed bruins breakout and were able to regroup at their own blue line. This allowed Philly to set up the offense perfectly and hit the bruins blue line with the puck, numbers and speed. The transition game killed the bruins because their wingers did nothing to help the breakout and guys like Krecji had to go above and beyond what a center should be asked to do and got injured trying to do the wingers job. So sign wheeler and try to trade him maybe with Thomas to free up cap space, he must have some worth and I am sure the bruins will be better off with someone more gritty and competitive.

  • Slugo

    I’m not sure he has as much trade value as you think. Espesially if he gets 3-4 mil in arbitration. What did he make this year 2.8 mil? He’ll be hard to move without taking someone elses trash back.

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