NHL Trade Deadline: Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli Weighs His Options

As we inch closer to the 2012 NHL trade deadline, Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli continues to work the phones to see if a deal exists which could boost the team's prospects of defending its Stanley Cup championship.

In the aftermath of the Jeff Carter acquisition, it appeared the Los Angeles Kings were preparing to trade their captain Dustin Brown to clear cap space.

Brown fits the mold of Bruins hockey—a physical leader who wears his heart on his sleeve, and is a proven scorer (Brown recorded a career-high 28 goals in 2010-11).

Reports have stated that Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi has since refuted the rumors that Brown was on the market.

Given Brown's style of play, and a sudden need to add depth in the absences of Rich Peverley and Nathan Horton, Chiarelli wouldn't be doing his job if he wasn't first in line to submit his bid for Brown's services.

In a perfect world, Chiarelli would recognize that even though there is always room for improvement, there is no pressure in Boston to surrender significant assets and enter "win now" mode.

They are the defending champions and feature a roster with minimal overhaul, as well as young players who are pivotal to the future success of the Bruins.

However, from the perspective of general managers around the league, Tyler Seguin, Tuukka Rask, Dougie Hamilton, Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic is the limit of what a potential trade partner would be willing to surrender significant assets for.

Why even think about trading the likes of Seguin, Rask, Hamilton & Co.? 

The aforementioned names have become "core players."

The assets that Chiarelli would declare as moveable hold minimal interest around the league.

Moving a core player for a quick fix would go against what the Bruins are trying to build; a team that is prepared to make multiple runs for Lord Stanley's cup in the next decade. 

Chiarelli wouldn't be crazy to stand pat and trust that there is enough leadership in his locker room to overcome their recent slumps.

The Joe Corvo experiment has proven to be a colossal failure, and Boston fans are pleading for defensive help. 

That raises the question of how many top-four defensemen will actually be available between now and 3:00 PM on Monday?

Chiarelli must be patient and stand his ground. If the right deal presents itself, then by all means, he should make his move. 

Considering the returns that Hal Gill and Marek Zidlicky have garnered thus far, Boston fans should not accuse their GM of "falling asleep at the wheel" if he cannot strike a deal, and instead should applaud Chiarelli for having faith in his players and refusing to push the panic button.