Bruins keep rookie prospect Wheeler, release five players

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins cut five players from their roster Tuesday and kept promising rookie forward Blake Wheeler, a first-round draft choice in 2004.

The Bruins released forward Peter Schaefer and planned to waive him and assign him to Providence of the AHL. They also placed forwards Nate Thompson and Jeremy Reich on waivers for the purpose of assigning them to Providence, and assigned defenseman Matt Hunwick to Providence and forward Carl Soderberg to Malmo in Sweden.

Wheeler was the fifth choice in the 2004 draft by Phoenix, but played instead with Green Bay of the United States Hockey League for one year and at the University of Minnesota for two.