With his sophomore slump now behind him, Blake Wheeler will look to bounce back and contribute more consistently in 2010-11 for Boston. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Blake Wheeler is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

BLAKE WHEELER | #26 | Wing

HEIGHT: 6-5 WEIGHT: 205 SHOOTS: Right
BORN: August 31, 1986 – Robbinsdale, Minnesota
DRAFT: 2004 – 1st round (5th overall) by the Phoenix Coyotes
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2010-11 ($2.2 million cap hit)
2009-10 STATISTICS: 18 goals, 20 assists, 38 points in 82 games

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

After an impressive start to his NHL career in 2008-09, Wheeler seemed to hit a wall coming down the stretch in his first season with the B’s and has struggled to consistently produce ever since. Scratched thrice and held pointless in eight postseason tilts in 2009, Wheeler was eventually reunited with David Krejci and Michael Ryder this past season, but the trio failed to click the way they had the year prior. The former University of Minnesota standout dropped from 45 points to 38 points. After finishing second behind Krejci (plus-37) with an astonishing plus-36 rating for the league lead, Wheeler plummeted all the way down to minus-4 in 2009-10.

The 6-foot-5 winger almost looked like an entirely different player in his second NHL season. Having notably bulked up during the offseason, Wheeler gave the impression that he’d be far more physical last season but that seemingly never proved to be the case. The 24-year-old winger seemed to lack the confidence he possessed at the onset of his first season in the Hub of Hockey. The dazzling stick-handling abilities he should in his first few months in Black and Gold, his quick acceleration and ability to create offense on his own all seemed to have vanished in year two.

After a stretch in March that saw him pot four goals in five games, Wheeler went ice cold. The young winger had just one goal and one assist to his credit over the B’s final 13 regular season games. Just as it was in 2009, Wheeler’s performance in the ensuing playoffs was hardly spectacular. While he did pick up five assists, the former fifth overall pick scored just one goal in 13 playoff games and finished with a minus-6 rating.

FIVE FACTS

1. To date, Wheeler has just one playoff goal in 21 tilts.
2. Wheeler’s 45 points was the sixth most among rookies in 2008-09.
3. The winger was whistled for 22 minor penalties last year, more than any other Bruins’ forward.
4. After scoring four times in seven chances in 2008-09, Wheeler went 2-for-13 in the shootout last year.
5. Wheeler equaled his total of three PP goals in 2008-09 last season, despite jumping from 0:55 to 2:04 of TOI per game on the man advantage.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

After failing to come to terms on a contract, Wheeler’s tenure as a restricted free agent came to an end when he and the Bruins agreed to an arbitration award of $2.2 million for the young winger. Wheeler will have a lot to prove in 2010-11. Far too prone to lengthy goal droughts, consistency is undoubtedly atop the Minnesota native’s checklist. For a player of his stature, Wheeler should be able to frequent the “dirty” areas of the ice at a higher rate and come away victorious in far more battles in the corner and along the boards. Often indecisive with the puck in the offensive zone, Wheeler has pledged to be a more proactive shooter in the upcoming campaign.

In all likelihood, the “WKR” line should be reunited at the start of the season. With Krejci healthy, Ryder pressing to stay in Boston and Wheeler’s dreaded sophomore slump now in the rear-view mirror, the trio should be collectively more productive than they were in the first half of 2009-10. No one would ever expect Wheeler to suddenly morph into a power forward, but if he can continue to take a page out of Mark Recchi’s book by parking his big frame in front of opposing netminders and turn his grit level up a notch or two, it would be a major boost for the Bruins as they hope to get reliable production from the top three lines.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

Wheeler was oft-criticized throughout the year and the subsequent offseason for his often-times meek play and overall subpar performance in his second year in Boston. The intelligent, well-spoken winger will undoubtedly be motivated to to do whatever is necessary to take the next step in his young career. My optimistic outlook for the motivated forward: 25 goals, 31 assists, 56 points in 2010-11.

NEXT PREVIEW (9/2): Tuukka Rask

The Bruins’ salary cap situation may force the exodus of forward Michael Ryder. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

The B’s completed an essential formality this afternoon, giving the thumbs up to an arbitrator’s decision and inking winger Blake Wheeler to a one-year, $2.2 million dollar deal. Wheeler, who will turn 24 in August, will once again be a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season. That, of course, will be a challenge the B’s will tackle at a later time and date. With their latest transaction the B’s have officially exceeded the NHL’s salary cap. Now facing a $2.18 million dollar deficit and still in need of negotiating a contract with No. 2 overall pick Tyler Seguin, General Manager Peter Chiarelli will have some major decisions to make as the calendar turns to August and the regular season looms on the horizon.

Unfortunately for Chiarelli there are an extremely limited number of viable solutions. With No. 1 overall pick Taylor Hall recently signing on with the Oilers for three years at an annual cap hit of $3.75 million (base salary $900k but bonuses do hit the cap), it’s hard to foresee Seguin agreeing to anything well below that. For argument’s sake, let’s say Seguin is somehow swooned by an offer of $3.00 million on the nose. Barring any movement prior to a deal like that being struck, the former Plymouth Whalers’ star will push the Bruins to a whopping $5.2 million bucks over the league limit. Shedding that kind of coin in the NHL these days will hardly be a cakewalk.

It has already become public knowledge that Chiarelli has explored his options throughout the offseason. Rampant rumors swirled around center Marc Savard, as the crafty pivot was pegged to be heading to Calgary, Toronto or Ottawa at various points over the past month. Just as the case was with Savard, nothing ever came to fruition in Boston’s attempt to ship out netminder Tim Thomas, as the 2008-09 Vezina Trophy winner balked at the offer to waive his NTC. While both players have been key cogs in Chiarelli’s marvelous revamping of the organization, it’s not rocket science to determine why they were primary candidates for the trading block. Thomas’ $5.00 million dollar cap hit is second only to Captain Zdeno Chara’s, and it will be hard to justify shelling out such a sum if Tuukka Rask carries the kind of workload he did down the stretch and in the postseason. As for Savard, the man with 90-point potential but a yearly cap hit of a far less productive NHL forward, a $4.00 million dollar cap hit may be a bargain given his production but it’s still a big chunk of change at the end of the day.

That of course brings us to Michael Ryder, the former Hab who dipped from 53 points in 2008-09 down to 33 in 2009-10. After tying for the team-lead with 13 points in 11 games during the 2008-09 postseason, Ryder buried just 18 goals for the B’s last year, the second-lowest total of his six-year NHL career.  Are the Bruins in a predicament so inescapable that they’ll have to send the Newfoundland native and his $4.00 million dollar salary down to Providence? Might another suitor step forward and make a tempting offer for Marc Savard? Could the uber-competitive Tim Thomas have a change of heart during the dog days of August?

We’re a little over a month away from the opening of training camp, and the mad dash to free up cash has officially begun. With that I ask you the following…

What’s next for the Boston Bruins? Whether it goes down tomorrow, in a few weeks or on the eve of camp, what do you foresee happening first? If you’ve got a crafty alternative or any other thoughts you’d like to share, feel free to post them in the comments section.

After making their respective pitches this morning at an arbitration hearing in Toronto, both Blake Wheeler and the Boston Bruins will know within the next 48 hours whether or not the 23-year-old winger will be returning to the Black and Gold in 2010-11 or preparing to shop his services as an unrestricted free agent.

Wheeler and his agent, Matt Keator, got the first crack at highlighting the Minnesota native’s strengths in the hearing. Wheeler has potted 39 goals and registered a total of 83 points throughout his first two campaigns in Boston. The 6-foot-5 forward had a remarkable first half during his rookie season in Boston, displaying great chemistry with linemates David Krejci and Michael Ryder. Since the B’s sensational run leading up to the midway point of the 2008-09 season, however, Wheeler has proven prone to prolonged stretches of inconsistent hockey. The former University of Minnesota standout, after bulking up in preparation for his second NHL season, endured a wildly-frustrating sophomore slump.

The B’s likely relied heavily on that fact in their hopes of minimizing the soon-to-be awarded salary. Wheeler also struggled mightily in each of the past two postseasons, picking up just one goal in a combined 21 playoff tilts. While Keator doesn’t foresee Peter Chiarelli and the Bruins walking away from the promising winger, something Chiarelli did elect to do in the case of defenseman David Tanabe a few years back, he might be in for a surprise if his client winds up being as overvalued as Atlanta’s Clarke MacArthur was last week. MacArthur, a veteran of 208 NHL games who picked up 16 goals in 2009-10 with the Sabres and Thrashers, was set free when Atlanta scoffed at the $2.4 million dollar salary he was awarded.

Wheeler’s fate will likely trigger the first step toward a resolution to the current cap dilemma the Bruins’ brass must solve. With prized draft pick Tyler Seguin still unsigned, it’s no secret that some sort of maneuvering will need to be done prior to opening night. Whether Wheeler remains in town or gets the cold shoulder, Chiarelli and company will have a far better idea of just how much salary must be shed by October.

The Bruins and Blake Wheeler will find out what the young winger is worth on July 27, as that's when his arbitration hearing has been scheduled. (photo: Getty)

The NHLPA still has not officially released the dates for this year’s arbitration hearings, but the Boston Globe has reported that the Bruins will have their hearings with Gregory Campbell on July 22 and Blake Wheeler on July 27. All hearings will be held between July 20 and August 4.

Wheeler is the key one for the Bruins. His play slipped in his sophomore season, dropping from 21-24-45 totals and a plus-36 as a rookie to 18-20-38 totals and a minus-4 this past year. But two things did remain consistent from both seasons. He failed to provide much of a physical presence despite his 6-foot-5 205-pound frame, as he managed just 49 hits as a rookie and 70 in his second season. He also struggled to produce when the games mattered most, scoring just one goal in 21 career playoff games. Those stats will be strong evidence for the Bruins in an arbitration hearing, but putting them forward too forcefully could lead to some lingering ill will between Wheeler and the club.

And the Bruins don’t want to alienate him, as the 23-year-old has plenty of skill and a guy who averaged nearly 20 goals a year in his first two pro seasons is a valuable asset. The question is how much will that asset cost to keep around, especially with the Bruins’ precarious cap situation. Wheeler had a base salary of $875,000 last year and a cap hit of $2.825 million due to the bonuses in his entry-level deal. The Bruins will be free of those bonuses this time around, but how much of a raise on his base salary will an arbitrator award Wheeler? Or what will it take for the Bruins to reach a deal without having to go through with the hearing?

Campbell, acquired from Florida along with Nathan Horton, has less of a case after managing just 2-15-17 totals in 60 games last year. He did post 13-19-32 totals in 77 games the previous year and brings plenty of intangibles as a leader, physical presence and key penalty killer. He has some numbers to back up those qualities, with 158 hits and 72 blocked shots last year and 202 hits and 82 blocked shots the previous season. Campbell, 26, also is always willing to stand up for a teammate (7 fights last year, 6 in 2008-09), despite not being the best pugilist and standing just 6-foot, 197 pounds. How much will those intangibles be worth in arbitration? At least the Bruins now know they will find out by July 22.

The deadline for restricted free agents with arbitration rights to file came and went at 5 p.m. today. Two high profile Bruins RFAs chose to go the arbitration route as forwards Blake Wheeler and Gregory Campbell filed, but defenseman Mark Stuart opted not to file for arbitration.

Wheeler and Campbell can still work out deals with the Bruins before their hearings, which will take place between July 20 and August 4, with specific dates to be assigned tomorrow. Wheeler, 23, is coming off a rocky sophomore year that saw him slip slightly in point production to 18-20-38 totals from his rookie numbers of 21-24-25. More significantly, he finished a minus-4 after posting a plus-36 in 2008-09 and continued to struggle at the most important time of the year with just one goal in 21 career playoff games. He made a base salary of $875,000 last year with bonuses pushing his cap hit to $2.825 million.

Campbell, 26, came to Boston this offseason along with Nathan Horton in a trade with Florida. He had 2-15-17 totals and 53 penalty minutes in 60 games with the Panthers, but did put up 13-19-32 totals in 77 games the previous year. He projects to be Boston’s fourth-line center and a key penalty killer next season and made $762,500 last year.

Stuart, 26, was limited to just 56 games this year as he was placed on injured reserve on three separate occasions with a broken sternum, broken finger and infected hand, but is usually a very durable performer despite his physical style as he played all 82 games in each of the previous two seasons. He still managed 103 hits and 82 blocked shots this year, along with 2-5-7 totals and 80 PIMs.

Stuart’s decision to avoid arbitration stems from a confidence that a new deal will be worked out quickly. The Bruins would like to retain all three players, but they face serious cap issues which could complicate the negotiations.

After a promising rookie campaign, Bruins forward Blake Wheeler struggled to keep things going in the right direction this season. (photo: Getty)

Note: Continuing our look back at the 2009-10 Bruins, the Black & Gold Blog’s player-by-player report card now turns its attention to Blake Wheeler, who struggled for long stretches of his sophomore season and once again came up lacking in the playoffs.

Blake Wheeler

2009-10 stats: 82 games, 18-20-38, minus-4, 53 PIMs

Playoffs: 13 games, 1-5-6, minus-6, 6 PIMs

Other numbers of note: Led all rookies with a plus-36 last year, but was a minus-4 this season; exploded for seven points (4 goals) in three games in early January and had goals in three straight games in mid-March, but other than those brief hot streaks, his offense disappeared for long stretches; had his first career fighting major against Montreal’s Ryan O’Byrne in February, but is still waiting to connect on his first punch in the NHL; his physical game was sorely lacking, as he rarely initiated contact and won far too few battles along the boards for a guy that stands 6-foot-5, 205 pounds.

Preseason expectations: After a strong rookie campaign, bigger and better things were expected for the young winger who was the fifth overall pick of the 2004 draft.

Performance evaluation: Wheeler struggled mightily to build off of last year’s impressive rookie campaign. Never a physical player despite his size, that shortcoming became more pronounced with his offensive struggles, and even his defensive play slipped, perhaps in part due to his pressing at times to get things going offensively. Most disappointing was his continued struggles in the postseason. He was benched after failing to score in eight playoff games as a rookie, but did not learn from that experience and was largely a non-factor once again this year and now has just one goal in 21 career postseason games.

2010-11 outlook: The Bruins know Wheeler is a talented young player. He showed that last year and again in flashes this season, but they need more consistent effort and production from him if they are to commit to him with a long-term deal. A restricted free agent, Wheeler’s name has been tossed around in plenty of trade rumors. He could be a chip the Bruins use to move up in the draft, but if he doesn’t get dealt on draft day, don’t expect the Bruins to offer him much of a raise or too many years on a new contract. A short-term deal until Wheeler proves more capable of playing up to his potential consistently is more likely.

Regular-season grade: D

Playoff grade: D-

Overall grade: D

The sight of a Bruin squared off with his gloves on the ice wasn’t that unusual. Not even this season when Boston hasn’t exactly been piling up the penalty minutes.

But when a closer inspection revealed that there was a 26 on the back of the sweater of the Bruins about to engage in the bout, that was definitely a bit of a shock. Bruins forward Blake Wheeler engaged in his first career fight yesterday afternoon in Montreal, taking on Habs defenseman Ryan O’Byrne.

Wheeler vs. O\’Byrne

It wasn’t much of a bout, with Wheeler throwing two rights that appeared to come up short, then losing his balance and falling before O’Byrne could throw any punches in return. But the important thing was the message it sent, as Wheeler’s willingness to do something that’s obviously not his forte showed the kind of emotional investment and intensity the Bruins have lacked much of this season.

“It’s been a frustrating time,” said Wheeler. “You do whatever it takes. I just got challenged and decided maybe that was the time to drop the purse. That’s just what it was and it was great to see the guys respond when something like that happens.”

It wasn’t the first time a Bruin wearing 26 became an unlikely combatant in an attempt to snap out of a slump. Almost exactly three years ago, the last Boston player to wear the number had a similar encounter. On Feb. 1, 2007, Brad Boyes had his first and only NHL fight when he took on Buffalo’s Toni Lydman.

Boyes put on a little better show than Wheeler, outslugging Lydman in a lengthy toe-to-toe exchange that drew a rare standing ovation in the Garden during Dave Lewis’ one-year tenure behind the bench. But while the fights may have varied greatly in quality, the meaning behind them was identical.

Boyes vs. Lydman

Wheeler had been mired in a slump, scoring just one goal and one assist while being a minus-5 in his last 10 games. Boyes, likewise, had gone 16 straight games without a point when he reached his boiling point and dropped the mitts.

“I was just trying to get something going,” said Boyes after that game. “I’m not a tough guy at all. I’m not scoring right now, so I just wanted to do something to try to help the team.”

Wheeler and Boyes weren’t alone in their struggles. The current edition of the Bruins had lost 10 straight games before yesterday’s 3-0 win. That was also the first time in 10 games the Bruins scored more than two goals. In 2007, the Bruins lost their fifth straight the night Boyes fought, scoring just four goals (and allowing 22) in that span, which was part of a longer 3-11-1 slump.

The good news is that both Boyes and the Bruins picked their game up after his rare display of pugilism. He snapped his scoring drought with a goal in the following game and put up 9-11-20 totals in the final 31 games of the season after scoring just eight goals in the first 50. Of course, only 12 of those remaining games came with Boston before he was traded to St. Louis for Dennis Wideman. Boyes’ career really took off with the Blues, with 43-22-65 and 33-39-72 totals the following two years, but he did post 5-3-8 totals in his final 12 games with Boston after the fight.

The Bruins also fed off Boyes’ energy, snapping their losing streak with a 4-3 win at Carolina in their next game, starting an 8-2-0 run. Boston still finished last in the Northeast Division that year and Lewis was fired that summer, so a single fight isn’t exactly a guaranteed cure all. But it might provide at least a little comfort to know that Wheeler’s willingness to leave his comfort zone and get more involved physically could be a key spark for the club.

A few other coincidences beyond the numerical symmetry of Wheeler’s fight and Boyes’ bout:

- Marco Sturm scored the Bruins’ only goal the night of Boyes’ fight, and Sturm also scored both Boston goals yesterday after Wheeler’s fight.

- The game before Boyes dropped the gloves, then-rookie David Krejci suffered a concussion when hit with a dirty elbow by Adam Mair in Buffalo. Yesterday, Krejci was hurt again, suffering a leg injury in the first period.

Boyes, by the way, entered tonight with just one goal in his last 23 games with the Blues (though he does have 10 assists in that span). St. Louis is also 13^th in the West, seven points out of the final playoff spot. So maybe it’s time for time for fight No. 2 for Boyes?