Pondering Bruins Trade Possibilities After Patrice Bergeron's Latest Concussion

Unfortunately it is a sight Boston Bruins fans are becoming accustomed to all too often the last couple of seasons—watching one of the Black 'n' Gold lie motionless on the ice after a devastating collision.

Such was the case when Patrice Bergeon collided at center ice with Carolina Hurricanes' defenseman Dennis Seidenberg on Saturday afternoon at TD Banknorth Garden. Onlookers gasped in familiar horror as the 23-year old center initiated contact with Seidenberg only to take the brunt of the defenseman's shoulder and fall nearly face first onto the ice.

Almost immediately, Bergeron lay motionless as Bruins trainer Don del Negro and teammates rushed to his side. It would be several anxious minutes before the clearly shaken and dazed Bergeron would rise to his skates and leave the ice—this time under his own power.

It was a much different scenario on Oct. 28 of last season. Bergeron skated behind the Philadelphia Flyers net, trying to beat out an icing call and retain possession of the puck. As he neared the boards, Bergeron stopped abruptly and turned ever so slightly, but it was enough to align himself awkwardly with the pressure from behind by Flyers defenseman Randy Jones.

Jones' momentum slammed Bergeron head, neck and face first into the dasher, resulting in a broken nose and severe concussion that knocked Bergeron out for several minutes on the ice and several months off it. The lasting image etched in every Bruins' fans mind was that of watching the team's future captain carted away on a stretcher, barely conscious.

Later on in the season, former Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts was drilled from behind by yet again another Philadelphia Flyer, Scott Hartnell. Alberts would miss significant time as well and did not look the same upon his return at the end of the season. Ironically, Alberts would be traded to the Flyers at the start of the 2008-09 season as it was felt by Bruins management that the defenseman had lost an edge to his game.

Though Bergeron's return seemed to be the feel good story of the Bruins' current year, it seems to be short lived. Another concussion on a seemingly harmless (or at least not that bad) collision almost certainly spells the end of Bergeron's career.

If you ask any Bruins fan, they will tell you that the inevitable has happened—they were just hoping it wouldn't be anytime soon. Bergeron's livelihood is in jeopardy and just how far are the Bruins willing to take it to see if the youngster can ever regain his pre-concussion abilities? Hopefully, we will never have to mention Patrice Bergeron and Eric Lindros in the same breath.

But as history has proven, time and time again, for every tragedy there certainly can be a blessing in disguise. Don't get me wrong, no one wants to see the demise of what was considered to be one of the best young players in the NHL. However, it does open the door to some interesting possibilities...

The Ottawa Senators and their fans are crying bloody murder after the team's consistently lackluster efforts this season. Somebody on that roster is going to be a martyr and soon. All reports out of the Canadian capital indicate that Jason Spezza and his bulky contract may be on the move relatively soon.

Spezza, who is raking in $8 million this season, was demoted to the Ottawa Senators third line on Saturday, centering muckers Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil. Coach Craig Hartsburg felt the move would bolster Spezza's work ethic since he would not have Alfredsson and Heatley to rely on. With a reduced ice time of 14:41, Spezza managed just one shot on goal and finished the game minus-1.

The talented Ottawa center has 23 points in 31 games this season and has put up 90, 87 and 92 points the last three seasons respectively. Still at the tender age of 25, Spezza is just entering his prime and would be bolstered by a move out of the critical circus atmosphere that is Ottawa. Could be the Bruins be calling?

Recent history has shown that it does not take much to pry a superstar away from his former employer:

Brad Richards, the 2004 Conn Smythe trophy winner as playoff MVP in Tampa Bay's march to the pre-lockout Stanley Cup, was dealt to the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline last season for Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern.

Although Smith has been OK, none of the players involved can possibly compare to Richards, and it has shown. Tampa Bay's dirty laundry has been aired out all over the media and Barry Melrose was fired before he even had a chance to pick up a clipboard.

Lightning fans should take solace in the fact that they are on pace to pick up the No. 1 overall draft pick two years running. But imagine if they still had Richards between Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis...

Marian Hossa was rented by the Pittsburgh Penguins last season and abruptly helped lead them to the Stanley Finals against his new employer the Detroit Red Wings. And what of Hossa'a former team, the Atlanta Thrashers?

Colby Armstrong and Eric Christensen have been nothing but spare parts with the Thrashers, while Angelo Esposito is nowhere near NHL ready. For the time being, it looks as though Ray Shero really pulled one over on Don Waddell. Then again, who hasn't?...

And, of, course the most infamous of all trades in Boston Bruins history, Joe Thornton to San Jose for Brad Stuart, Marco Sturm, and Wayne Primeau. All Thornton has done since joining the Sharks is win the Hart Trophy, put up a ton of points, and lead the team to the fastest start in NHL history this season.

Meanwhile "Suitcase" Stuart has departed the B's, playing for the Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, and now the Detroit Red Wings in the last three seasons. Wayne Primeau is a fourth-line center in Calgary, while the oft-injured Marco Sturm isn't healthy for long enough stretches to make a significant impact.

If it weren't for Peter Chiarelli's retooling of the team and his audacity to trade Brad Boyes for a little-known defenseman named Dennis Wideman, the Bruins would still be reeling from the deal.

The point in all this is the right player can be had for relatively little in return. If I were Peter Chiarelli, I look at the fact that I have a highly sought-after goaltending prospect wasting away in Providence that I know the Ottawa Senators would love to have in their net NOW.

Considering Chiarelli came to the Bruins from the Senators organization, it would stand to reason that his former employer would entertain offers from him and maybe even give him a bit of a "discount" when talking trades.

Tuukka Rask could and should be the centerpiece of a package to put Jason Spezza in Black 'n' Gold for a long time. Seeing as Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez have a stranglehold on the netminding duties in Boston, Rask clearly is expendable. Throw in the still underdeveloped Matt Lashoff and a couple of draft picks and the possibility becomes quite intriguing, doesn't it?