Boston Bruins: 5 ways to create cap space

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Boston Bruins defenseman John Moore (27) looks to pass during Game 5 of the First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 19, 2019, at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Boston Bruins defenseman John Moore (27) looks to pass during Game 5 of the First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 19, 2019, at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 22: Chris Wagner #14 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck during NHL action against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on February 22, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 22: Chris Wagner #14 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck during NHL action against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on February 22, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins could create cap space by trading forward Chris Wagner.

The Bruins signed Chris Wagner to a three-year extension with an annual cap hit of $1.35 million last November. However, with the looming cap issues and the amount of bottom-six forward depth the Bruins have, they could afford to move him.

Wagner is a reliable bottom-six forward who has played at least 65 games in each of his two seasons with the Bruins. But with the amount of bottom-six forwards and prospects ready and waiting to come up the Bruins have, they may want to deal him.

I think he Bruins would be better served shedding the cap hit of Wagner and letting Jack Studnicka take his place in the lineup. They would probably get around the same amount of production, but for less money.

If the Bruins were to trade Wagner, I don’t think they would get much due to his age (29 years old) and his role (bottom-six forward). The most you would probably see the Bruins get for Wagner is a late fourth-round pick.