For much of the off-season, it seemed like the Boston Bruins would pull a “Wade Redden/Cristobal Huet” and sneak Michael Ryder’s approximate $4 million cap hit under the radar. Yet with Marc Savard’s issues with post-concussion syndrome becoming very public, it seems like the cap “solution” might be to put the talented-but-injury-ravaged pivot on the long term injured reserve (or LTIR).
Bruins blog Stanley Cup of Chowder provides some quotes from a conference all with GM Peter Chiarelli, who admitted the possibility of putting Savard on the LTIR.
“That could happen. It is a little early to tell, but based on what he is going through: the post-concussion syndromes, the time he has been experiencing [post-concussion symptoms], the time he hasn’t been doing anything, it’s tracking that way.” [Chiarelli said.]
“That spot is open and we’re going to have a look at Wheels (Blake Wheeler) in that spot. We’re going have a look at Zach [Hamill] in that spot. Some other different combinations. You may see Tyler [Seguin] go back to that spot. There’s a hole there. Even [Ryan] Spooner. He is making a case. He is young and in his first pro camp, but each day, each game he is getting better and he is such a smart player. He might be able to fill in.”
[snip]
“I’m looking internally right now. We have a real promising and good supply of players right now...I’m not looking externally right now and I don’t anticipate it, but that may change.”
Sadly, a healthy Savard might be a pipe dream at this point.