Big move by the B's

A TSN.ca article (with files from the Star Tribune of Minneapolis) dated 6/19 states that Manny Fernandez is "available at a price", but Wild GM Doug Risebrough "is not ready to give him away".

Adds Risebrough:

I don't necessarily believe that the circumstances are there to warrant me from doing anything other than maximizing the value."

Peter Kalus and a 4th rounder don't exactly seem like "maximum value" for Manny Fernandez (who only made $3.75mil last year).

Why would Risebrough have such a change of heart so quickly? I'd venture a guess that with the rise in the cap Risebrough was given the go-ahead to try and land a key free agent tomorrow.

Dumping $3.75 million (or whatever Fernandez will count for in '07-'08 cap room) might not seem like a ton, but for a small-market team like Minnesota it's enough room to land a quality 2nd-tier guy.

Big win for the Bruins. But not a loss for the Wild - especially if they are able to land the FA they want in the coming days. They still have Backstrom...