What are the Ducks going to do?

From Dan Wood of the Orange County Register:

Ducks general manager Brian Burke finds himself in exactly that situation today. After last week’s free-agent signings of center Brendan Morrison and defenseman Steve Montador, the Ducks are more than $2 million above the NHL’s $56.7 million salary cap for next season.

That is not a problem, for now, because the NHL allows teams to be as much as 10 percent above the salary cap during the off-season, but they must be at or below the maximum figure by the time the regular season begins. And most teams, including the Ducks, want to be significantly lower so as to enable flexibility for adding players during the season. Chief Executive Michael Schulman has targeted $50 million as the team’s budget for player payroll, though the Ducks could meet that goal and still have a higher salary-cap figure because of the way some contracts are structured.

Read the entire post here.

The Ducks are in a bind here. It seems obvious that their most logical move would be to trade Mathieu Schneider, and I believe that will happen sooner rather than later. But even if that does occur, and then Selanne wants to return, the Ducks would probably end up significantly over their ideal $50 million starting point for next season. I guess this is why they pay Brian Burke the big bucks.

Ducks sign Steve Montador

From Dan Wood of the Orange County Register:

The Ducks plan to announce Friday the signing of veteran defenseman Steve Montador to a one-year contract worth approximately $800,000.

Montador, 28, notched a career-high eight goals and 15 assists, along with 73 penalty minutes and a plus-1 mark, in 73 games for the Florida Panthers last season.

The addition of Montador gives the Ducks seven established NHL defensemen and increases the likelihood of one being traded. The most likely candidate to be on the move is veteran Mathieu Schneider, whose $5.625 million salary-cap hit is probably unworkable given that the Ducks will pay standouts Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger a combined $19 million in 2008-09.

Read the entire post here.

Montador is a solid depth defenseman who does all the little things a team needs from someone in that role. He is a solid character pick up for the Ducks.

Bruins could use a puck-mover or two on their blue line

From Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe:

Something else has to happen, specifically along the blue line, if the Bruins are going to return to the playoffs next spring. Even with Dennis Wideman plugged back into the equation - and his pending arbitration case makes that a question - the defensive corps needs an upgrade or two, specifically to enhance the transition game, a body or two to deliver the ever-elusive first quick pass out of the zone.

Read Dupont's entire Sunday morning piece here.

The Bruins, like just about every team in the league, could use some more puck-movers on the back end. Whether the team is willing to give up the assets necessary to acquire one is another story.