Kessel to Leafs, Boston's only option? Lineup released for Saturday

The Bruins released the lineup for Saturday's 4 p.m. exhibition contest against the New York Rangers at TD Garden.

Tim Thomas will get the start in goal, with Tuukka Rask also dressing.

Johnny Boychuk, Drew Fata, Derek Morris, Jeff Penner, Mark Stuart and Dennis Wideman will be guarding the back end for Boston.

Finally, the forwards will be, Jamie Arniel, Steve Begin, Zach Hamill, Jeff LoVecchio, Milan Lucic, Kirk MacDonald, Michael Ryder, Max Sauve, Marc Savard, Marco Sturm, Shawn Thornton and Trent Whitfield.

KESSEL TO TORONTO MAY BE BOSTON'S ONLY OPTION
TSN hockey analyst, Bob McKenzie had a great point in his blog posted early this morning on TSN.ca

McKenzie said that Boston may be forced to deal with Toronto and nobody else. Here's a portion of McKenzie's blog.

I don't doubt the Nashville Predators have significant interest in Boston Bruins' restricted free agent Phil Kessel.

And I don't doubt, all things being equal, Boston would rather move Kessel to Nashville and the Western Conference than to the division rival Toronto Maple Leafs.

But here's why Nashville, regardless of what it offers Boston, is at a serious disadvantage in the Kessel sweepstakes.

Kessel, it appears, wants to play in Toronto, not Nashville. And as long as that remains the case, Nashville can't trade

for him.

In order to make the trade with Boston, Nashville has to be sure it can get Kessel signed to a contract. And, by all accounts, as long as Toronto wants Kessel, the player isn't going to agree to terms with any other team.

That leaves both Boston and Nashville in a tough spot.

McKenzie went on to say that if the Predators traded for Kessel without the forward being signed, then the Leafs would likely offer a large sheet to Kessel.

Kessel really wants to play in Toronto, under GM, Brian Burke and head coach, Ron Wilson. Both of whom hold the same titles for the 2010 USA Olympic team.

All reports indicate that Burke is getting impatient and that he will make an offer sheet for Kessel early next week if a trade is not worked out.

That would lead us to believe that we could see a deal struck this weekend.

How about Sunday, so New Englanders have something to avert their attention (Patriots vs. Jets) away from a Bruins block buster?

OK, so that's just a spitball, but even with this out there Kessel probably ends up in Nashville because, honestly, nobody knows.

That includes Kessel, Chiarelli, Burke, Arnott, Poile and the rest of sports nation.