Hodgson for Hall or Seguin?

RUMOUR			2009-2010 NHL Statistics				2011 Cap Info
To Boston	Position	Age	GP	G	A	P	Years	Cap Hit
Michael Grabner	Forward	22	20	5	6	11	1	$843,000
Cody Hodgson	Forward	20	0	0	0	0	2	$1.6 million
--------------
To Vancouver	Position	Age	GP	G	A	P	Years	Cap Hit
Milan Lucic	Forward	22	50	9	11	20	3	$4.1 million
2010 1st Round Pick (2nd overall)
2010 2nd Round Pick (32nd overall)

Well, when I saw this one on Twitter this morning, I had to laugh, as there doesn't seem to be too much rhyme or reason for this one.  Between the two teams, there is a lot being thrown around and for what going to Vancouver, to me, the Bruins are banking on way too much of a gamble with Cody Hodgson.

What this rumour is suggesting is that to the Bruins, Hodgson is worth more to the Bruins than either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, depending on who the Oilers choose, of course.  Hodgson, dealing with back injuries and attitude problems, should be discounted straight away, unless the Bruins have some inside scouting information that the Canucks may only know in secret.  With Hall and/or Seguin preparing to be franchise players in the league, it's hard to believe that it would be the deal this year, but the Bruins have said that the pick is in play.

Next, is the salary cap issue.  Yes, the Bruins would probably love to dump a salary like Lucic's, since it is fairly big, especially for a borderline 2nd line player, better suited as a 3rd line player.  If the Bruins could dump that deal, they would definitely be happy campers going into the Summer, without a doubt.  Unfortunately, the way this deal works out, the Canucks really are not giving up definite cap hits in either Grabner or Hodgson and then taking on a lump of salary, that would affect the team's chances of adding some more veteran experience or defensive help.

At best, there would have to be some cap space going the other way to Boston, if this trade was to go anywhere near reality, in my opinion.  Hodgson instead of Hall or Seguin, is mildly believable, Hodgson had his share of honours in juniors, even after he was drafted, but there would have to be some assurances to Boston that he'd be good to go right away.  A salary dump on a team that is already relatively high in their cap situation seems rather unlikely, no matter how much of a reception that Lucic would receive, returning to the city that he won a Memorial Cup with.  In another possible scenario, there would have to be another deal brewing that would see a pick and a salary dump by the Canucks to go out of town to fit this in, but speculating on anymore deals past one rumour, is just nonsense.  This rumour has too many ways to fail, it's ludicrous.