Blake Wheeler Well Worth $2.2 Million, But Bruins Will Expect Bigger Contribution in 2010-11
The Bruins have 48 hours to accept that figure or walk away from it, which would make Wheeler an unrestricted free agent. That is highly unlikely, however, as the ruling is certainly reasonable for a player who has averaged nearly 20 goals with the Bruins in his first two pro seasons. So Wheeler should have 2.2 million new reasons to celebrate by the time his 24th birthday arrives on Aug. 31.
The Bruins should be happy as well. This certainly doesn't solve all of the club's cap woes, as Wheeler's deal, if accepted, will actually push them over the $59.4 million limit with top pick Tyler Seguin still unsigned. But they have some time to move out salary with Marco Sturm ($3.5 million cap hit) expected to begin the year on long-term injured reserve as he recovers from knee surgery. The arbitration decision also opens up a new window for buyouts in the next 48 hours, though Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has stated throughout the summer that he did not plan to go that route this year.
Wheeler could easily have been given a much higher number by the arbitrator, which would have made Chiarelli's task even harder. Wheeler and Seguin, who is expected to get the rookie max ($900,000 base for a hard cap hit with bonuses that could push the total to $3.75 million), can fit into Sturm's slot without any other moves needing to be made until Sturm is ready to return, which should be in mid-November at the earliest.
Tough decisions will have to be made then, but the decision to keep Wheeler at $2.2 million should be an easy one.
Wheeler was the surprise of camp two years ago after signing as a free agent with the Bruins. Originally drafted fifth overall by Phoenix in 2004, he was unable to come to terms with the Coyotes, and the Bruins swooped in to win a bidding war for his services. He then made the leap directly from the University of Minnesota to the NHL, posting 21-24-45 and a rookie-best plus-36 in 81 games in 2008-09.
His play regressed a bit last year, but he still played in all 82 games and managed 18-20-38 totals, though he was also a minus-4. His combined two-year totals of 39-44-83 were in the same range as St. Louis forward David Perron (35-62-97 in an identical 163 games in that span). Perron recently signed a two-year deal worth $2.15 million a year, and that was no doubt used as a comparable in Wheeler's arbitration hearing.
But Clarke MacArthur (33-30-63 the last two years) received a $2.4 million arbitration award this summer, which Atlanta chose to walk away from, and Toronto's Nikolai Kulemin (31-36-67 the last two years) re-signed for two years at $2.35 million a year. Vancouver's Mason Raymond (36-40-76 the last two years) also avoided arbitration just minutes before his scheduled hearing on Monday with a two-year deal worth $2.55 million a season.
So Wheeler's production could easily have netted him an even higher cap hit, though he probably should not complain about the raise he's getting over his base salary of $875,000 the last two years.
And there is certainly room for improvement in Wheeler's game. He needs to be more consistent and make better use of his 6-foot-5, 205-pound frame, and also has to produce more in the playoffs. He's managed just one goal in 21 postseason games the last two years, and was scratched for the final three games of the Carolina series as a rookie.
Still, there's plenty to like about a young forward with size who has already shown he can be relied to play solid in his own zone, contribute on special teams and provide some offense to a club that finished last in the league in scoring in 2009-10.
Those are attributes worth holding on to, even without any cap space to spare.
Matt Keator, Wheeler's agent, did not immediately return messages left for him Thursday night, but did release a statement to The Boston Globe regarding the award.
"Blake and I are pleased with the decision," Keator said in the statement to the Globe, which first reported the decision on Thursday night. "It came in the range we expected given the common comparables presented by both sides. He is ready to go to camp and have a great season."
