Toucher & Rich: Chiarelli Eyes Defenseman, Forward At Trade Deadline

BOSTON (CBS) - The NHL trade deadline is approaching fast, and the Boston Bruins would like to make some addition without subtraction.

"I'd like to add a defenseman and a forward, without subtracting anything," Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich on Wednesday morning. "Right now the market is very, very slow. Races are so tight. I say this every year, but it seems slower this year. The gaps between the 12-13 spots for the playoffs are small."

"It's been tough sledding this year, I know we have 2-3 weeks, but we'll see how it goes," he said of the Feb. 27 deadline.

While the Bruins would like to add some players at the deadline, as they did last season with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley, they would also like to get center David Krejci going. He was demoted from the first line recently, as Chiarelli explained the man who led all Bruins in points during the playoffs is in a bit of a dip right now.

"He hasn't had his linemates," Chiarelli said of Krejci being paired with Milan Lucic and the injured Nathan Horton. "They haven't been there together or they haven't been playing as well as we're used to seeing them; the way they played in the playoffs. They certainly haven't played poorly, I think they've played well. They're in a bit of dip right now."

Speaking of Horton, he will miss his sixth straight game with a concussion.

"With concussions you never know. With Nathan, that applies," said Chiarelli. "He's had good days, he's had bad days. It's unfortunate, but there are times when guys feel good the next couple days following a hit to the head, or a concussion accident, and you see in the past they come back to play and the conditions come back."

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