NHL teams
Joe McDonald, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

B's create flexibility before deadline

NHL, Boston Bruins

BOSTON -- The Bruins have placed forward David Krejci and defenseman Kevan Miller on long-term injured reserve, which allows general manager Peter Chiarelli to have salary-cap flexibility prior to Monday's trade deadline.

Placing Krejci (out four to six weeks with a partially torn MCL in his left knee) and Miller (out for the season due to right shoulder surgery) on LTIR gives Chiarelli an estimated $6 million to play with.

However, there's no imminent trade for the Bruins, a league source said.

If Chiarelli acquires a player or two before the deadline and Krejci is ready to return prior to the end of the regular season (which is still a possibility), the Bruins would have to be cap compliant. If Krejci does not return until the playoffs, any new players added to the Bruins' roster, along with Krejci, would be eligible for the playoffs, because the cap doesn't come into play for the postseason.

Krejci said this week he did not want to be placed on LTIR.

"This question is for management, but no, I don't want to sit out. I want to play, obviously," Krejci said. "If there's only a little chance I can play, I would like to play. Management has to do whatever they feel is right for the team and get our team into the playoffs. It's not an easy decision for them, but [Chiarelli has] been making good decisions since I've been here, so I'm pretty sure he's going to make the right one again."

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