NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, and the Vancouver Canucks

Could the Boston Bruins consider trading Brandon Carlo?

Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now: The Boston Bruins had been trying to trade some salary on the weekend before they placed defenseman Anton Stralman on waivers to clear space to activate Derek Forbort according to an NHL executive.

The usual cast of available salaries includes $3 million defenseman Mike Reilly and $3.1 million forward Craig Smith. It would take a sweetener for the Bruins to move either.

Would the Bruins consider trading defenseman Brandon Carlo?

“You may be onto something. I like Brandon a lot, but he might be worth more to another team,” the NHL exec replied. “Depends on how the bruins view their depth. You wouldn’t have to add any sweetener with him, that’s for sure. Brandon has value around the league. Maybe a team like Seattle takes him?”

Carlo has four years left on his contract at a $4.1 million cap hit.

Is it time for the Vancouver Canucks to move on from Jack Rathbone?

Donnie & Dhali: Elliotte Friedman on the Donnie & Dhali show was asked about Vancouver Canucks defenseman Jack Rathbone.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Dhaliwal: “I want to ask you about Jack Rathbone, sent to Abbottsford. Donnie and I talked about his future and obviously, there’s concern about his development. We’ll see what happens next. What do you think about Rathbone and his future in Vancouver Elliotte?

Friedman: “First of all Rick, he needs to play and I don’t think sitting around at the NHL level does it. So I do support the move to send him to Abbottsford and he’s going to play and he’s going to play a lot.

I think the Canucks know that this is headed to a place where if they don’t have, either one of two things has to happen. Either they have to say, we’re to him we’re committed to him as an NHL player and we believe it’s going to happen here, and it’s got to happen soon. Or, he’s going to have to move on. It’s that simple.

Rathbone’s at an important part of his development where he has to play and get a shot to prove he’s an NHLer and not in and out of the lineup. He needs a stretch where he can play 20 or 30 games to see what he can do.

I don’t think this is going to come as any surprise to the Canucks but I think if they’re in a place where they can’t give it to him, then it’s going to have to be somewhere else.