Well it was an interesting weekend in Prague to say the least. I am sure glad that will be the last of the games that are on at 11AM. For a team that is thought by many to be a serious contender this season, the Bruins didn't waste any time reminding fans of how awful they can play as they did in the second half of the Philadelphia series. On Saturday, after being outplayed and out hustled for 2 periods the Bruins turned it on in the 3rd period of the 5-2 loss and carried that momentum into Sunday's 3-0 shutout. They looked like 2 completely different teams, and for the sake of all of the Bruins faithful, lets hope that second team shows up more often than not.
Here is a recap of some of the events that happened in Prague over the last week.
B's Extend Bergeron and Chara: After having a successful off-season this summer, Chiarelli and Co. didn't waste anytime getting to work on next year's agenda by locking up the two biggest upcoming Free Agents on the roster. These signings show me two things. First, by signing both these players the Bruins will continue to be a defense first club. Chara shows no signs of slowing down, so I don't mind the extension for 7 years, but would have been ok seeing 2 or so less years. The Bergeron signing was a good deal for the Bruins as well. He may not command that much on the open market, but for a team that values multi-faceted forwards, especially centers, the Bruins couldn't afford to let Patrice test the open market. Secondly, and most importantly, these signings along with other recent extensions mean that the core Bruins players are going to be locked up for at least the next 3 seasons for what hopes to be multiple cup runs. Savard, Lucic, Bergeron, Chara, Seidenberg, Seguin and Horton are all going to be wearing the black and gold for those 3 years. Krejci and Rask will most likely continue to be in Boston, but the rest of the supporting cast can be overhauled by bringing in new talent or promoting from within. This off season Ryder, Sturm, Recchi and even Wheeler (restricted) will all be Free Agents providing Chiarelli with ample amount of room to make key acquisitions on the wing.
McGrattan Inks 1 year Deal: He isn't going to change the face of the organization, but he is certainly worth the price of admission. I am not going to try to hide the fact that I enjoy fighting in hockey. It is probably the only sport that allows the players to police themselves to some extent and that has always appealed to me. McGrattan is one of the best heavyweights around so I was definitely intrigued when he was brought into camp this year. I only expect him to be around once in awhile, but since he is on a 2-way contract I will certainly be sure to check out his work in Providence this year. To me, this move has Cam Neely written all over it.
Return on Investments: The much anticipated debuts of both Nathan Horton and Tyler Seguin did not disappoint. Horton went off this weekend scoring 3 goals and 1 assist. He looks at home with Krejci and Lucic as that combination accounted for 4 out of the 5 goals this weekend. The other goal was of course the work and speed of Tyler Seguin as he was able to bury a breakaway goal. Surely that first goal has lifted a lot of pressure and will go along way to boost Seguin's confidence. They both have done what they were brought here to do, and seeing that this early in the season is a great sign of things to come.
Thomas/Rask- I wouldn't look too far into the move to start Thomas over Rask on Sunday. Yes, Rask gave up 4 goals but he also had to face a ton of shots including a few breakaways. The score could have been much worse if he wasn't up to the task. I think the switch to Thomas for game 2 was more of a move to get both goalies on track and in the lineup early in the season. It was a very reassuring sight to have Thomas return to his old form.
Early Season Test: For me, one of the keys to the Bruins season this year is how quickly they start and can find their game. Last season saw the B's stumble out of the gate at home and never seemed to get things going. This season, however, the B's spent/will spend some time on the road to get things started, which can go a long way to develop the chemistry needed. In facing Phoenix (2x), New Jersey and Washington(2x) to start the season, the Bruins are going to be tested early against playoff opponents. How they fare during this tough stretch could help define this year's team and set the tone and pace going forward.
Bruins Powerplay- Going a combined 1-8 on the man advantage over the weekend is not going to cut it this year. Simply put, the Bruins need to score on the power play. While Savard should be able to help ease the pain, it still is unknown how long he will be out for. The B's need to quickly fix this or else we are in for a repeat of last year.
Providence Recap: I was at the game on Friday and it was a great crowd on hand, over 10,400 which was 3rd in attendance in the AHL for opening night. But that is where the good news ends. P Bruins looked solid in the first period as they controlled most of the action but then gave up 4 goals in the second period (3 within 5 minutes). Really, no one looked good during this game especially the power play as they gave up 2 shorthanded goals. Providence has a lot of youth on the team, and it definitely showed on Friday losing 5-1. However, youth was forgotten the next night as Max Sauve led the team to a 6-5 win over Springfield as he recorded a hat trick. Sauve was impressive with his speed both within camp and during the game Friday. Hopefully he can continue that momentum forward. 3 games this weekend...Worcester Sharks come to the Dunk on Sunday.
October 12, 2010
September 27, 2010
Thoughts from Saturday Night's Game
First off, what a great feeling to be able to see a Bruins game on NESN. The wait is now over. Jack Edwards and Andy Brinkley are now back and hockey season is right around the corner. Watching the game on an HDTV was a huge upgrade over the streaming feeds I have struggled with for the previous two preseason games.
With camp winding down and now 3 games under their belts we are now starting to get a better feel for the new players in camp and the Bruins roster. Although Saturday night ended in a loss, there were a lot of positives to take from the game. First off, Steven Kampfer has looked tremendous, especially in this last game against Florida. He spent time alongside Chara both as a pair and on the power play. He has shown good puck moving skills in the offensive zone, a decent shot from the point and he has been aggressive on the attack. He has also shown some good speed and now can be considered right in the mix for that last D pair/7th defense men. Florida was playing a lot of their projected starters so it wasn't like he was matched up against scrubs. I really like the way Bartowski looked during the rookie games, but Kampfer is slightly ahead of him in my opinion. If both Kampfer and Bartwoski don't make the NHL roster, they will join Alexandrov in Providence this year giving the baby B's a solid group of young defense men to watch develop. Speaking of Alexandrov, he really struggled on the ice Saturday and can definitely use next year in the AHL to develop some skills. He made a few bad decisions that ended up in turnovers. He really does have excellent skating ability. Give him a year to adjust to the North American game and over come the language barrier and he should round into a solid defensive prospect.
How good has Spooner looked! He has shown some great chemistry with Sauve (who is no longer on the NHL roster) with breakouts into the offensive zone. He is playing way beyond his age so far and has been rewarded by Julien for his standout efforts with extra ice time and a chance in the shootout. He is quickly becoming a fan favorite with bellowing chants of SPOOOONER! While most of the talk in camp was about the young guns Seguin, Caron and Colbourne, Spooner has been the standout for me in regards to performance vs expectation. If you remember, Boston traded their first round pick for Horton and only had an early second round pick which they used to draft Spooner who wasn't projected to go until much later. If he makes the NHL team or even comes back next year he is looking like a steal.
If you didn't have a hockey pulse on Sunday you certainly were brought to life with the Milan Lucic pounding of Tristan Grant. Looch had a rough year last season with injuries and understandably was not the same scrapper he had built his reputation on. Clearly, this bout announces his return. Granted, Looch's role is going to be much more important and expanded than the occasional scrap but it was a great sign to see him stand up for Horton. I think you are going to see a lot more of that this season from Boston in regards to protecting their stars. Krecji, Bergeron, Savard, Horton and Seguin should all be guarded by the likes of Lujcic, Stuart and Thornton regularly. Obviously fighting is not the most important aspect of the game, but for a team that needs to establish both its chemistry and physical presence within the game a decisive win like the one on Saturday night will go a long way to do both.
Speaking of brawlers, I have been pleasantly surprised by the play of Brian McGrattan. He was a surprise addition to the preseason roster but has done well in the preseason action. He isn't going to be asked to score goals or put up any sort of offensive numbers. But he has been a presence in front of the net and checking on the ice. For an enforcer, he has also shown good skating skills. I don't think he will be spending regular time in Boston but maybe he will be on the roster while both Sturm and Savard are on long term injured reserve. If not, I think the Bruins will hang onto him in Providence, which will certainly mean the Dunkin Donut Center will be host to some brutal fights this season. To me, I think this move has Neely written all over it as with the other moves involving Reich, McIver and even Horton. Thorton is most likely going to be the one tough guy in Boston regularly, but McGrattan will certainly be called upon against certain foes. The Atlantic Division seriously added some heavyweights this season, and with having to play each of those teams 4 times it may take a toll on the smaller Thorton. Here are the enforcers in the Atlantic Division:
Islanders: Zenon Konopka
Rangers: Derek Boogaard, Brandon Prust, Aaron Voros
Flyers: Jody Shelley, The Rat, Ian Laperriere
Pittsburgh: Eric Godard, Aaron Asham
And we still will have Colton Orr to deal with within the division. Matching up against some of these teams will be exhausting for the likes of Thorton and Lucic so McGrattan will most likely be called upon to be an insurance policy or and extra on ice policemen during games where it is going to be rough and likely to be fighting. He certainly can handle himself and should become a favorite of those who frequent the garden this winter.
With camp winding down and now 3 games under their belts we are now starting to get a better feel for the new players in camp and the Bruins roster. Although Saturday night ended in a loss, there were a lot of positives to take from the game. First off, Steven Kampfer has looked tremendous, especially in this last game against Florida. He spent time alongside Chara both as a pair and on the power play. He has shown good puck moving skills in the offensive zone, a decent shot from the point and he has been aggressive on the attack. He has also shown some good speed and now can be considered right in the mix for that last D pair/7th defense men. Florida was playing a lot of their projected starters so it wasn't like he was matched up against scrubs. I really like the way Bartowski looked during the rookie games, but Kampfer is slightly ahead of him in my opinion. If both Kampfer and Bartwoski don't make the NHL roster, they will join Alexandrov in Providence this year giving the baby B's a solid group of young defense men to watch develop. Speaking of Alexandrov, he really struggled on the ice Saturday and can definitely use next year in the AHL to develop some skills. He made a few bad decisions that ended up in turnovers. He really does have excellent skating ability. Give him a year to adjust to the North American game and over come the language barrier and he should round into a solid defensive prospect.
How good has Spooner looked! He has shown some great chemistry with Sauve (who is no longer on the NHL roster) with breakouts into the offensive zone. He is playing way beyond his age so far and has been rewarded by Julien for his standout efforts with extra ice time and a chance in the shootout. He is quickly becoming a fan favorite with bellowing chants of SPOOOONER! While most of the talk in camp was about the young guns Seguin, Caron and Colbourne, Spooner has been the standout for me in regards to performance vs expectation. If you remember, Boston traded their first round pick for Horton and only had an early second round pick which they used to draft Spooner who wasn't projected to go until much later. If he makes the NHL team or even comes back next year he is looking like a steal.
If you didn't have a hockey pulse on Sunday you certainly were brought to life with the Milan Lucic pounding of Tristan Grant. Looch had a rough year last season with injuries and understandably was not the same scrapper he had built his reputation on. Clearly, this bout announces his return. Granted, Looch's role is going to be much more important and expanded than the occasional scrap but it was a great sign to see him stand up for Horton. I think you are going to see a lot more of that this season from Boston in regards to protecting their stars. Krecji, Bergeron, Savard, Horton and Seguin should all be guarded by the likes of Lujcic, Stuart and Thornton regularly. Obviously fighting is not the most important aspect of the game, but for a team that needs to establish both its chemistry and physical presence within the game a decisive win like the one on Saturday night will go a long way to do both.
Speaking of brawlers, I have been pleasantly surprised by the play of Brian McGrattan. He was a surprise addition to the preseason roster but has done well in the preseason action. He isn't going to be asked to score goals or put up any sort of offensive numbers. But he has been a presence in front of the net and checking on the ice. For an enforcer, he has also shown good skating skills. I don't think he will be spending regular time in Boston but maybe he will be on the roster while both Sturm and Savard are on long term injured reserve. If not, I think the Bruins will hang onto him in Providence, which will certainly mean the Dunkin Donut Center will be host to some brutal fights this season. To me, I think this move has Neely written all over it as with the other moves involving Reich, McIver and even Horton. Thorton is most likely going to be the one tough guy in Boston regularly, but McGrattan will certainly be called upon against certain foes. The Atlantic Division seriously added some heavyweights this season, and with having to play each of those teams 4 times it may take a toll on the smaller Thorton. Here are the enforcers in the Atlantic Division:
Islanders: Zenon Konopka
Rangers: Derek Boogaard, Brandon Prust, Aaron Voros
Flyers: Jody Shelley, The Rat, Ian Laperriere
Pittsburgh: Eric Godard, Aaron Asham
And we still will have Colton Orr to deal with within the division. Matching up against some of these teams will be exhausting for the likes of Thorton and Lucic so McGrattan will most likely be called upon to be an insurance policy or and extra on ice policemen during games where it is going to be rough and likely to be fighting. He certainly can handle himself and should become a favorite of those who frequent the garden this winter.
September 22, 2010
Bruins vs Habs
Montreal decided this off-season to trade goaltender Jaroslav Halak to St. Louis and all they got in return was a whole lotta Blues and boos. On the first night of fall and the first night of the 2010-2011 season it didn't take long for the Montreal fans to turn cold on Carey Price as he let in 3 first period goals in only 5 shots. While the B's didn't pepper the net in the opening period, I will certainly take 60% for a shooting percentage any day of the week. While Price looked shaky in the first period, his counterpart at the other end of the rink picked up just where he left off last year. Rask was solid through 2 periods even after letting in 2 goals late in the 2nd period. The Habs kept knocking on the door in the 3rd but couldn't get it done.
The following are my notes/thoughts as I watched the game. It was pretty hard to see the numbers of the players on the live feed since the quality was bad, but it was great to see the B's on the ice again.
Pregame- National Anthem audio cut out half way through and Canadiens fans started cheering loudly. Classy.
1st Period-
Rask denies a breakaway opportunity
Horton marks his Boston debut in high fashion...scores on a wrister from face off dot and beats Price near side..just what he was brought here for.
Jordan Caron is impressive on his skates. Also isn't afraid to give the body
Tuukka has been tested early...good control of his rebounds
Defense is shaky to start the game... down 9-3 on shots in the first 10 mins. New pairings/communication most likely the cause
McQuaid has been solid in the corners punishing anyone who comes down there
Sauve used his speed on the rush to draw first PP
Right off the first face off of PP, puck dropped to Boychuk and he buries a slap shot from the point on a screened Price
Paile with a great rush down the left side and a drop pass to Bergeron. Bergeron with a nice move to backhand...3 goals on 5 shots.
Second PP... never got it going..not a good PP
BRUINS UP 4-0
2nd Period-
Bruins go on PK
Great fore check by Bergeron and he forces a turnover. On the breakaway goes backhand to forehand, slams on the brakes and puts it home. His second of the night
Insane save by Rask on a one timer in close...full stretch to deny the opportunity. Has been solid all night. Really controlling the rebounds.
Price is being taken out at the 10 minute mark...9 shots on goal...4 goals allowed...ouch!
First fight of the night. McQuaid vs Conboy- easy win for McQuaid as he takes him down. Conboy takes a shot with his back on the ice, McQuaid answers with a big shot.. gets an extra 2.
Didn't get to see MON first goal...shorthanded
Second goal came on a 4-2... good feed from to wing and beats Rask trying for the stacked pad save
BRUINS 4-2
3rd Period
Seguin has been quiet but has looked good with strong drives to the net
Bruins on PK-Rask making a great set of saves
Horton delivered a great shift...2 big hits to Neely's delight
Bruins are having trouble getting it out of their own zone for 2 straight shifts
Bergeron has looked great in the offensive zone. Great puck control and movement
I like Spooner more and more every time I see him. He has great speed and isn't afraid to get right in front or in the corner. Glad Bruins went up and grabbed him in the 2nd round this year.
Where has Blake Wheeler been?
And there he is... hits the post on an open net.... here we go again.
FINAL BOS - 4 MON - 2
Rask was unbelievable tonight. It is going to be very hard for Thomas to win back the starting job this year. I don't think Wheeler's name was even called until the final minute when he missed the open net. Boychuck and Seidenberg looked pretty good. Seguin did record an assist in his first game on the Boychuk goal.
The following are my notes/thoughts as I watched the game. It was pretty hard to see the numbers of the players on the live feed since the quality was bad, but it was great to see the B's on the ice again.
Pregame- National Anthem audio cut out half way through and Canadiens fans started cheering loudly. Classy.
1st Period-
Rask denies a breakaway opportunity
Horton marks his Boston debut in high fashion...scores on a wrister from face off dot and beats Price near side..just what he was brought here for.
Jordan Caron is impressive on his skates. Also isn't afraid to give the body
Tuukka has been tested early...good control of his rebounds
Defense is shaky to start the game... down 9-3 on shots in the first 10 mins. New pairings/communication most likely the cause
McQuaid has been solid in the corners punishing anyone who comes down there
Sauve used his speed on the rush to draw first PP
Right off the first face off of PP, puck dropped to Boychuk and he buries a slap shot from the point on a screened Price
Paile with a great rush down the left side and a drop pass to Bergeron. Bergeron with a nice move to backhand...3 goals on 5 shots.
Second PP... never got it going..not a good PP
BRUINS UP 4-0
2nd Period-
Bruins go on PK
Great fore check by Bergeron and he forces a turnover. On the breakaway goes backhand to forehand, slams on the brakes and puts it home. His second of the night
Insane save by Rask on a one timer in close...full stretch to deny the opportunity. Has been solid all night. Really controlling the rebounds.
Price is being taken out at the 10 minute mark...9 shots on goal...4 goals allowed...ouch!
First fight of the night. McQuaid vs Conboy- easy win for McQuaid as he takes him down. Conboy takes a shot with his back on the ice, McQuaid answers with a big shot.. gets an extra 2.
Didn't get to see MON first goal...shorthanded
Second goal came on a 4-2... good feed from to wing and beats Rask trying for the stacked pad save
BRUINS 4-2
3rd Period
Seguin has been quiet but has looked good with strong drives to the net
Bruins on PK-Rask making a great set of saves
Horton delivered a great shift...2 big hits to Neely's delight
Bruins are having trouble getting it out of their own zone for 2 straight shifts
Bergeron has looked great in the offensive zone. Great puck control and movement
I like Spooner more and more every time I see him. He has great speed and isn't afraid to get right in front or in the corner. Glad Bruins went up and grabbed him in the 2nd round this year.
Where has Blake Wheeler been?
And there he is... hits the post on an open net.... here we go again.
FINAL BOS - 4 MON - 2
Rask was unbelievable tonight. It is going to be very hard for Thomas to win back the starting job this year. I don't think Wheeler's name was even called until the final minute when he missed the open net. Boychuck and Seidenberg looked pretty good. Seguin did record an assist in his first game on the Boychuk goal.
September 13, 2010
The Tuukka Thomas Tandem
Say that five times fast!
Entering this season, the Bruins have arguably the best 1-2 tandem in all of the NHL, and I hesitate to label them as a 1-2 tandem. Clearly, there is going to be a competition in camp for the number 1 spot. Rask may be the favorite to take the top spot based on his performance last season. Rask started every game in the playoffs last year as the Bruins clearly decided to go with Rask down the stretch and in the playoffs. Some of that might be attributed to the fact that Thomas was injured, so with a clean bill of health Thomas could challenge Rask again for the spot.
Anyone who knows me and talks hockey with me regularly knows how much I have dogged the Bruins for the Thomas contract. The extension was a bit much for an older goalie who was rewarded for past performance. Bruins fans were looking forward to the day this off season when Thomas was moved for a forward or d-man. However, the free agent goalie market was littered with talent like Turco, Ellis and Niemi to name a few, and so the price tag for Thomas was too high and the market never truly materialized as many thought it would. Now, Bruins fans should be thankful that Thomas was not traded. I will admit, I was all for moving Tim, but as the summer moved on, I began to think how important it was to keep Thomas on the roster.
Thomas didn't have a bad year last season, but when you are coming off the Veizna Trophy expectations tend to be much higher. Thomas' numbers were still solid (2.56 GAA, SV% .915) but without offensive support, he suffered a 17-18 record. If he had offensive support, he would have potentially put up much better numbers. Take these goalies for example:
Chicago: Huet - GAA 2.50 26W 14L
LA Kings: Quick - GAA 2.54 39W 24L
Nashville: Rinne - GAA 2.53 32W 16L
Vancouver: Luongo - GAA 2.57 40W 22L
Pitt: Fleury - GAA 2.65 37W 21L
With an improved offense this year, both Rask and Thomas should have the ability to put up some great numbers and records. The expectations for Rask entering the season are much like those that Thomas experienced last year, which to me are going to be much too high. Look, its no secret that Rask had an incredible season last year putting up league leading numbers in both GAA and SV%. I expect him to be the starter as the team makes the trip to Prague, but I think you are going to see a pretty balanced slate this year in terms of starts. Rask struggled in the second half of the Philly series and he readily admitted that he was wearing down. He is going to be a phenomenal NHL goalie, but there isn't the need to rush him into that position especially with Thomas on the roster. I think the starts will be split 46 to 36 in favor of Rask. Thomas has been very professional in taking a back seat to Rask in both the season and playoffs, and I expect the same from him this year. Would he like to be the number 1 in Boston? Absolutely. But I think he also understands the role he will be given on the roster and how he can help contribute both on the ice and with the development of TUUKKA.
Regardless, the Bruins have much to look forward to in net with a rising star in Rask and a cagey veteran insurance policy in Thomas.
Entering this season, the Bruins have arguably the best 1-2 tandem in all of the NHL, and I hesitate to label them as a 1-2 tandem. Clearly, there is going to be a competition in camp for the number 1 spot. Rask may be the favorite to take the top spot based on his performance last season. Rask started every game in the playoffs last year as the Bruins clearly decided to go with Rask down the stretch and in the playoffs. Some of that might be attributed to the fact that Thomas was injured, so with a clean bill of health Thomas could challenge Rask again for the spot.
Anyone who knows me and talks hockey with me regularly knows how much I have dogged the Bruins for the Thomas contract. The extension was a bit much for an older goalie who was rewarded for past performance. Bruins fans were looking forward to the day this off season when Thomas was moved for a forward or d-man. However, the free agent goalie market was littered with talent like Turco, Ellis and Niemi to name a few, and so the price tag for Thomas was too high and the market never truly materialized as many thought it would. Now, Bruins fans should be thankful that Thomas was not traded. I will admit, I was all for moving Tim, but as the summer moved on, I began to think how important it was to keep Thomas on the roster.
Thomas didn't have a bad year last season, but when you are coming off the Veizna Trophy expectations tend to be much higher. Thomas' numbers were still solid (2.56 GAA, SV% .915) but without offensive support, he suffered a 17-18 record. If he had offensive support, he would have potentially put up much better numbers. Take these goalies for example:
Chicago: Huet - GAA 2.50 26W 14L
LA Kings: Quick - GAA 2.54 39W 24L
Nashville: Rinne - GAA 2.53 32W 16L
Vancouver: Luongo - GAA 2.57 40W 22L
Pitt: Fleury - GAA 2.65 37W 21L
With an improved offense this year, both Rask and Thomas should have the ability to put up some great numbers and records. The expectations for Rask entering the season are much like those that Thomas experienced last year, which to me are going to be much too high. Look, its no secret that Rask had an incredible season last year putting up league leading numbers in both GAA and SV%. I expect him to be the starter as the team makes the trip to Prague, but I think you are going to see a pretty balanced slate this year in terms of starts. Rask struggled in the second half of the Philly series and he readily admitted that he was wearing down. He is going to be a phenomenal NHL goalie, but there isn't the need to rush him into that position especially with Thomas on the roster. I think the starts will be split 46 to 36 in favor of Rask. Thomas has been very professional in taking a back seat to Rask in both the season and playoffs, and I expect the same from him this year. Would he like to be the number 1 in Boston? Absolutely. But I think he also understands the role he will be given on the roster and how he can help contribute both on the ice and with the development of TUUKKA.
Regardless, the Bruins have much to look forward to in net with a rising star in Rask and a cagey veteran insurance policy in Thomas.
September 7, 2010
Bruins by the Numbers
I always find it interesting to look at a current player in any professional league and see where he was drafted. Often times it is quite surprising to see how a player has performed based on his selection. So I thought it would be interesting to look at the Bruins current/projected roster to see where each current player was drafted. It is particularly hard to project NHL prospects, so some of these might be pretty interesting. (Look at Chara, Savard and Recchi...and Krejci seems like a steal for where he was drafted.)
Centers
Centers
Savard
1995 4th Round 91st overall NYR
Bergeron
2003 2nd Round 45th overall BOS
Campbell
2002 3rd Round 67th overall FLA
Krejci
2004 2nd Round 63rd overall BOS
Seguin
2010 1st Round 2nd overall BOS
Smith
1997 9th Round 233rd overall PHO
Wingers
Lucic
2006 2nd Round 50th overall BOS
Paille
2002 1st Round 20th overall BUF
Reich
1997 2nd Round 39th overall CHI
Sturm
1996 1st Round 21st overall SAN
Horton
2003 1st Round 3rd overall FLA
Recchi
1988 4th Round 67th overall PIT
Ryder
1998 8th Round 216th overall MON
Thorton
1997 7th Round 190th overall TOR
Wheeler
2004 1st Round 5th overall PHO
Defense
Boychuk
2002 2nd Round 61st overall COL
Chara
1996 3rd Round 56th overall NYI
Ference
1997 8th Round 208th overall PIT
Hunwick
2004 7th Round 224th overall BOS
McQuaid
2005 2nd Round 55th overall CLS
Seidenberg
2001 6th Round 172nd overall PHI
Stuart
2003 1st Round 21st overall BOS
Goalies
Rask
2005 1st Round 21st overall TOR
Thomas
1994 9th Round 217th overall QUE
1995 4th Round 91st overall NYR
Bergeron
2003 2nd Round 45th overall BOS
Campbell
2002 3rd Round 67th overall FLA
Krejci
2004 2nd Round 63rd overall BOS
Seguin
2010 1st Round 2nd overall BOS
Smith
1997 9th Round 233rd overall PHO
Wingers
Lucic
2006 2nd Round 50th overall BOS
Paille
2002 1st Round 20th overall BUF
Reich
1997 2nd Round 39th overall CHI
Sturm
1996 1st Round 21st overall SAN
Horton
2003 1st Round 3rd overall FLA
Recchi
1988 4th Round 67th overall PIT
Ryder
1998 8th Round 216th overall MON
Thorton
1997 7th Round 190th overall TOR
Wheeler
2004 1st Round 5th overall PHO
Defense
Boychuk
2002 2nd Round 61st overall COL
Chara
1996 3rd Round 56th overall NYI
Ference
1997 8th Round 208th overall PIT
Hunwick
2004 7th Round 224th overall BOS
McQuaid
2005 2nd Round 55th overall CLS
Seidenberg
2001 6th Round 172nd overall PHI
Stuart
2003 1st Round 21st overall BOS
Goalies
Rask
2005 1st Round 21st overall TOR
Thomas
1994 9th Round 217th overall QUE
Defensive Pairings
A few days ago, I posted a possible break out for line combinations this year for the Boston Bruins and the forwards. Here is how I think the defensive pairings are going to be broken out this year.
1) Chara - Seidenberg
Chara is a no brainer here obviously as he is one of the most dominant defensive players in the game. His size and power intimidate opposing forwards and the combination of his wing span and poke check easily can clog the passing lanes and interrupt any potential scoring chances. Chara had a rocky season last year after suffering an injury to his pinky finger which interfered with his grip while shooting and his willingness to impose himself physically on other teams. With the summer to help it heal, Chara is hoping to have full use of the finger which will help him deliver his powerful slap shots on net once again. Seidenberg is the clear favorite to be paired with Chara as the combination had a very successful but short stint together last season. Coming off a contract extension, Seidenberg has to prove he was worth the $3.25 million he is being paid this season. In Seidenberg, the Bruins have a player that fits in nicely with Chara as a complimentary player who is defensively sound but can also chip in offensively as well. In the last 2 seasons, Seidenberg has set career highs in both points and average time on ice, so the upside on the defender is in favor of the Bruins as he enters the prime of his career. Last year the Derek Morris experiment didn't go according to plan, but with the sample we got to see last year, the top line D pair is going to be a very effective weapon for the Bruins in the 2010 - 2011 season.
2) Boychuk - Stuart
I was extremely excited to hear that Boston would be bringing back both Boychuk and Stuart this season. Both have spent time coming up in the Bruins system, especially Stuart, and both players are fan favorites and for good reason. By putting these two players on the same line you will most certainly see some of the biggest and exciting hits. Take a look at this one from Stuart and these two gems from Johnny Boychuk (Ellis Hit , Stajan Hit). Look, I never like to see a player injured, but its legal and clean hits like this that help define you as a hockey team...something Boston struggled to do last year. Putting these two players together will help to set the tone, and when they are paired with Lucic's line...watch out. Stuart finds himself returning to Boston after an injury plagued season last year which made it hard for him to get in a rhythm. Coming into camp healthy and staying healthy will only allow Stuart to continue to develop as he is still a relatively young defender as he will be only 26 to start the season. I love the way that Stuart plays on the ice and he brings a consistent effort night in and night out. I think the Bruins are looking at a future leader in Stuart, and could potentially lock him up long term based on his performance this year. Boychuk is another young defender who the Bruins will be looking for him to step up and continue to develop. Last year, Boychuk had to wait in order to get a chance to see the ice in Boston, but once he had the opportunity, he was a mainstay on the blue line for the remainder of the year. He also missed sometime due to a fractured orbital bone thanks to taking a slap shot to the face. In the playoffs is where Boychuk really came to life in being paired with Chara and logging nearly 26mins of ice time each game! He is not afraid of throwing his body around both on the glass and in front of the crease to block shots. It is that kind of reckless abandon that will both help his ice time and popularity with the Bruins faithful to continue to grow. Boychuk has incredible power on his slap shot, and if he can focus on increasing his accuracy this year, he can be an effective weapon from the point. I think Boychuk might even be able to be paired with Chara on the top line if needed. It might even work out better with a Seidenberg-Stuart line so that both of the developing D men have a NHL veteran to play alongside them.
3) Hunwick/McQuaid - Ference
There isn't much talk going on about the positional battle that I expect to see between Hunwick and McQuaid for the final D spot on the roster. The Bruins cap problems have been well diagnosed and discussed, and Hunwick carries a $1.4 mil cap hit as opposed to McQuaid's $.575 cap hit...a savings of almost $900,000. While it won't fix the problem, it may be a piece of the puzzle that the Bruins can consider when trying to become cap compliant. Hunwick has certainly had his struggles with his time in Boston. At 5'10 and 187lbs, he is a smaller defender who relies on his speed to counteract the opponents offensive rush. Last year, whether it was inconsistency in line pairings or just a regression, Hunwick just wasn't nearly as effective as he had been in 2008-2009. While this is his last year under contract, Hunwick will be looking to have a solid campaign in order to remain in Boston. McQuaid has the size that Hunwick is lacking as he is listed at 6'4 and 197 but has little when it comes to NHL experience. Last year was his first season in Boston, and in the 19 games he saw action in, we got a glimpse at a defensive project who might be ready to be a full time Bruin this year. Having a 2 way contract as opposed to Hunwick having a 1 way contract might help McQuaid in the argument to start him in Boston. I am hesitant to have both Ference and Hunwick on the same line as they are both undersized. With the tight leash that Hunwick should find himself on this training camp, it wouldn't be surprising to me to see McQuaid take that last spot. I am still questioning the contract extension the Bruins handed out to the oft-injured Ferrence this year. In fact, if I remember correctly, he was given the extension while he was currently injured....to me it just doesn't add up. I know the Bruins have him projected as a 2nd pair defense men but I just don't think he will be healthy enough and consistently productive to be placed here. He is a gritty player who plays smart and controlled with nothing flashy in his game. That's not a negative, but he just isn't someone to get overly excited about. I do like the leadership he can/could bring to the team and I think we will really need to see that from him this year. He can log a lot of minutes on the ice, so he may make that 2nd pair this year...I just would like to see that time given to Stuart or Boychuk instead.
1) Chara - Seidenberg
Chara is a no brainer here obviously as he is one of the most dominant defensive players in the game. His size and power intimidate opposing forwards and the combination of his wing span and poke check easily can clog the passing lanes and interrupt any potential scoring chances. Chara had a rocky season last year after suffering an injury to his pinky finger which interfered with his grip while shooting and his willingness to impose himself physically on other teams. With the summer to help it heal, Chara is hoping to have full use of the finger which will help him deliver his powerful slap shots on net once again. Seidenberg is the clear favorite to be paired with Chara as the combination had a very successful but short stint together last season. Coming off a contract extension, Seidenberg has to prove he was worth the $3.25 million he is being paid this season. In Seidenberg, the Bruins have a player that fits in nicely with Chara as a complimentary player who is defensively sound but can also chip in offensively as well. In the last 2 seasons, Seidenberg has set career highs in both points and average time on ice, so the upside on the defender is in favor of the Bruins as he enters the prime of his career. Last year the Derek Morris experiment didn't go according to plan, but with the sample we got to see last year, the top line D pair is going to be a very effective weapon for the Bruins in the 2010 - 2011 season.
2) Boychuk - Stuart
I was extremely excited to hear that Boston would be bringing back both Boychuk and Stuart this season. Both have spent time coming up in the Bruins system, especially Stuart, and both players are fan favorites and for good reason. By putting these two players on the same line you will most certainly see some of the biggest and exciting hits. Take a look at this one from Stuart and these two gems from Johnny Boychuk (Ellis Hit , Stajan Hit). Look, I never like to see a player injured, but its legal and clean hits like this that help define you as a hockey team...something Boston struggled to do last year. Putting these two players together will help to set the tone, and when they are paired with Lucic's line...watch out. Stuart finds himself returning to Boston after an injury plagued season last year which made it hard for him to get in a rhythm. Coming into camp healthy and staying healthy will only allow Stuart to continue to develop as he is still a relatively young defender as he will be only 26 to start the season. I love the way that Stuart plays on the ice and he brings a consistent effort night in and night out. I think the Bruins are looking at a future leader in Stuart, and could potentially lock him up long term based on his performance this year. Boychuk is another young defender who the Bruins will be looking for him to step up and continue to develop. Last year, Boychuk had to wait in order to get a chance to see the ice in Boston, but once he had the opportunity, he was a mainstay on the blue line for the remainder of the year. He also missed sometime due to a fractured orbital bone thanks to taking a slap shot to the face. In the playoffs is where Boychuk really came to life in being paired with Chara and logging nearly 26mins of ice time each game! He is not afraid of throwing his body around both on the glass and in front of the crease to block shots. It is that kind of reckless abandon that will both help his ice time and popularity with the Bruins faithful to continue to grow. Boychuk has incredible power on his slap shot, and if he can focus on increasing his accuracy this year, he can be an effective weapon from the point. I think Boychuk might even be able to be paired with Chara on the top line if needed. It might even work out better with a Seidenberg-Stuart line so that both of the developing D men have a NHL veteran to play alongside them.
3) Hunwick/McQuaid - Ference
There isn't much talk going on about the positional battle that I expect to see between Hunwick and McQuaid for the final D spot on the roster. The Bruins cap problems have been well diagnosed and discussed, and Hunwick carries a $1.4 mil cap hit as opposed to McQuaid's $.575 cap hit...a savings of almost $900,000. While it won't fix the problem, it may be a piece of the puzzle that the Bruins can consider when trying to become cap compliant. Hunwick has certainly had his struggles with his time in Boston. At 5'10 and 187lbs, he is a smaller defender who relies on his speed to counteract the opponents offensive rush. Last year, whether it was inconsistency in line pairings or just a regression, Hunwick just wasn't nearly as effective as he had been in 2008-2009. While this is his last year under contract, Hunwick will be looking to have a solid campaign in order to remain in Boston. McQuaid has the size that Hunwick is lacking as he is listed at 6'4 and 197 but has little when it comes to NHL experience. Last year was his first season in Boston, and in the 19 games he saw action in, we got a glimpse at a defensive project who might be ready to be a full time Bruin this year. Having a 2 way contract as opposed to Hunwick having a 1 way contract might help McQuaid in the argument to start him in Boston. I am hesitant to have both Ference and Hunwick on the same line as they are both undersized. With the tight leash that Hunwick should find himself on this training camp, it wouldn't be surprising to me to see McQuaid take that last spot. I am still questioning the contract extension the Bruins handed out to the oft-injured Ferrence this year. In fact, if I remember correctly, he was given the extension while he was currently injured....to me it just doesn't add up. I know the Bruins have him projected as a 2nd pair defense men but I just don't think he will be healthy enough and consistently productive to be placed here. He is a gritty player who plays smart and controlled with nothing flashy in his game. That's not a negative, but he just isn't someone to get overly excited about. I do like the leadership he can/could bring to the team and I think we will really need to see that from him this year. He can log a lot of minutes on the ice, so he may make that 2nd pair this year...I just would like to see that time given to Stuart or Boychuk instead.
September 3, 2010
On the Line
With training camp just weeks away all the pieces of the puzzle seem to have fallen into place to set the Bruin's 2009-2010 roster. A busy and exciting off-season has us all anxious to get things going. With the new additions, there almost certainly will be some shifts in the lines for the upcoming season. Clearly, this is all speculation but here is how I see the lines shaking out next year. What is important to understand is how Julien likes to rotate the top 3 lines, so I don't see a huge difference between the 2nd-3rd lines as an argument came be made in either direction. Honestly, I have no idea what PC will do once Sturm returns, so I am not even going to touch that topic yet. Your guess is as good as mine.
1) Wheeler-Savard-Horton
Yea, you heard it right. It was shocking to me as well, but its more out of necessity as opposed to Wheeler being a first line player, and you will see what I mean by this in a moment. Clearly, Horton and Savard have the potential to propel the B's offense back to top of the league. In Savard, Horton finally has an All-Star caliber center to play with after having played in hockey hell for the first portion of his career. Horton is a scorer with a big frame being listed at 6'2 and 229lbs. He can play both as a sniper, setup man and power forward, so his versatility is going to go a long ways in providing Savard both the room to operate and the ability to put points on the board. Where Wheeler falls in is a bit different of a story. While he is listed as a RW, Wheeler has spent the majority of his time on the LW as a Bruin, so he should be plenty comfortable out there. Wheeler also has a large frame at 6'5 and 205lbs but clearly doesn't use his body nearly as much as he should. With that being said, Wheeler has acknowledged a need to become more physical this season, and in doing so, he would fit perfectly on a line that also features another big scorer. Wheeler slumped at times last year, but if he is surrounded by the likes of Savard and Horton he is certainly going to be given more opportunities to score. Let's face it, this is a make or break year for Wheeler... so put him in the spotlight to start and see how he responds. If this line gels, you have viable scoring options on both wings, which may let Savard have more room to operate, freeing him to look for his shot more often.
2) Lucic - Krejci - Seguin
I think this second line has the ability to be crazy good. I was a bit hesitant to put Seguin on the 2nd line, but if he is going to be the offensive threat we all expect him to be, he has to be paired with Krejci. Krejci simply sees things on the ice that other players just don't see. He can sniff out opportunities as he has the ability to envision them developing. At times, its almost magical how he finds an open player or a seam to put the puck into. I seriously debated putting Lucic on the top line, and that most certainly could be the case, but I like him here better and here is why. In Seguin, the Bruins have a young, talented player who is going to be the face of the franchise and needs to be protected like it. With almost 100% certainty I can say that teams will take their shots at Seguin as he is welcomed to the league. Sure, a majority of the time Thornton will be called upon to address the issue, but Thornton will only be on the ice with Seguin rarely if ever. That is why it is important to have someone on the ice that can keep other teams in check. Just the threat of having to answer to Looch should be enough to thwart any would be agitators. In addition to the protection, Looch will help open the ice for both Seguin and Krejci and provide a big body in front to screen the goaltender. The return of Milan Lucic to his 2008-2009 form will go a long way to determine how successful this team can be this year. With the hands and raw skill set Seguin brings, Krejci could have a new best friend for the season.
3) Recchi-Bergeron-Ryder
I love watching Bergeron and Recchi play together. They have grown to compliment each other so well over the past 2 seasons. Bergeron is the team's best 2-way player with Recchi a close second. Together, they are a great on the defensive end but also have the ability to score. Bergeron is deadly in the face off circle, and is really effective on the back check. His offensive numbers returned last year, and if they continue to swell, he will be one of the elite 2-way centers in the league. Recchi continues to play larger then his 5'10 195lb size should allow him to. The image that remains with me is his show down with Pronger in the playoffs. Recchi always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time for rebounds, deflections and loose pucks....which isn't luck but comes with experience. While Bergeron is not the traditional set up center man, he doesn't necessarily need to be on this line as both Recchi and Ryder can put shots on net accurately on their own. Now Ryder's struggles last year have been well documented and discussed, and as bad as he was last year, the upside for him is huge. If Ryder can find his shot again this year, he can easily be a 20+ goal scorer in the league. I also like this combination because Ryder's accuracy combined with Recchi's ability to deflect shots could be an effective and frustrating combination for opposing goalies.
4) Paille - Campbell -Thornton
Don't expect this group to break the bank with excessive point production, but nevertheless, they are an important part of the Bruins overall line combination. Paille has been an integral part of the penalty kill ever since he arrived from Buffalo last year. He is a small, speedy wing but lacks offensive punch. Campbell was also brought in to help on the PK this season as the player to replace Steve Begin. By having both of these players on the 4th line, you can lower their time on ice so that they will be fresher for the PK. Thornton's skill set obviously lies within his hands, and I am not talking about his puck handling ability. Obviously he would like to contribute more offensively, but he is mainly in Boston for one reason: to hand out punishment when necessary. He is one of the best in the game at this, and has thus become a fan favorite in his time here in Boston. Always towards the top of the league in PIM, Thornton should be especially active this season as discussed earlier with the addition of Seguin. Sean was rewarded this season with a nice contract, but its one helluva a way to earn a living. What I do like best about Thornton is that even as an enforcer, he isn't a liability as he plays solid defense, is good with the body, and doesn't take stupid penalties. Paille may see a jump up to the 3rd line throughout the year depending upon how Ryder performs.
Now in terms of lines, you may see Colbourne, Caron, Reich and possibly even Marchand thrown into the mix on the 3rd and 4th lines come opening day. What really will determine that is how the players perform in camp and if there are any injuries, something no one can predict. A young player might also get the chance to play on the wing if Ryder is traded or kept in Providence.
So there you have it. My take on the lines. I am sure there are a ton of different opinions out there, so lets hear them.
Officially 2 weeks to camp.
GO B's
1) Wheeler-Savard-Horton
Yea, you heard it right. It was shocking to me as well, but its more out of necessity as opposed to Wheeler being a first line player, and you will see what I mean by this in a moment. Clearly, Horton and Savard have the potential to propel the B's offense back to top of the league. In Savard, Horton finally has an All-Star caliber center to play with after having played in hockey hell for the first portion of his career. Horton is a scorer with a big frame being listed at 6'2 and 229lbs. He can play both as a sniper, setup man and power forward, so his versatility is going to go a long ways in providing Savard both the room to operate and the ability to put points on the board. Where Wheeler falls in is a bit different of a story. While he is listed as a RW, Wheeler has spent the majority of his time on the LW as a Bruin, so he should be plenty comfortable out there. Wheeler also has a large frame at 6'5 and 205lbs but clearly doesn't use his body nearly as much as he should. With that being said, Wheeler has acknowledged a need to become more physical this season, and in doing so, he would fit perfectly on a line that also features another big scorer. Wheeler slumped at times last year, but if he is surrounded by the likes of Savard and Horton he is certainly going to be given more opportunities to score. Let's face it, this is a make or break year for Wheeler... so put him in the spotlight to start and see how he responds. If this line gels, you have viable scoring options on both wings, which may let Savard have more room to operate, freeing him to look for his shot more often.
2) Lucic - Krejci - Seguin
I think this second line has the ability to be crazy good. I was a bit hesitant to put Seguin on the 2nd line, but if he is going to be the offensive threat we all expect him to be, he has to be paired with Krejci. Krejci simply sees things on the ice that other players just don't see. He can sniff out opportunities as he has the ability to envision them developing. At times, its almost magical how he finds an open player or a seam to put the puck into. I seriously debated putting Lucic on the top line, and that most certainly could be the case, but I like him here better and here is why. In Seguin, the Bruins have a young, talented player who is going to be the face of the franchise and needs to be protected like it. With almost 100% certainty I can say that teams will take their shots at Seguin as he is welcomed to the league. Sure, a majority of the time Thornton will be called upon to address the issue, but Thornton will only be on the ice with Seguin rarely if ever. That is why it is important to have someone on the ice that can keep other teams in check. Just the threat of having to answer to Looch should be enough to thwart any would be agitators. In addition to the protection, Looch will help open the ice for both Seguin and Krejci and provide a big body in front to screen the goaltender. The return of Milan Lucic to his 2008-2009 form will go a long way to determine how successful this team can be this year. With the hands and raw skill set Seguin brings, Krejci could have a new best friend for the season.
3) Recchi-Bergeron-Ryder
I love watching Bergeron and Recchi play together. They have grown to compliment each other so well over the past 2 seasons. Bergeron is the team's best 2-way player with Recchi a close second. Together, they are a great on the defensive end but also have the ability to score. Bergeron is deadly in the face off circle, and is really effective on the back check. His offensive numbers returned last year, and if they continue to swell, he will be one of the elite 2-way centers in the league. Recchi continues to play larger then his 5'10 195lb size should allow him to. The image that remains with me is his show down with Pronger in the playoffs. Recchi always seems to find himself in the right place at the right time for rebounds, deflections and loose pucks....which isn't luck but comes with experience. While Bergeron is not the traditional set up center man, he doesn't necessarily need to be on this line as both Recchi and Ryder can put shots on net accurately on their own. Now Ryder's struggles last year have been well documented and discussed, and as bad as he was last year, the upside for him is huge. If Ryder can find his shot again this year, he can easily be a 20+ goal scorer in the league. I also like this combination because Ryder's accuracy combined with Recchi's ability to deflect shots could be an effective and frustrating combination for opposing goalies.
4) Paille - Campbell -Thornton
Don't expect this group to break the bank with excessive point production, but nevertheless, they are an important part of the Bruins overall line combination. Paille has been an integral part of the penalty kill ever since he arrived from Buffalo last year. He is a small, speedy wing but lacks offensive punch. Campbell was also brought in to help on the PK this season as the player to replace Steve Begin. By having both of these players on the 4th line, you can lower their time on ice so that they will be fresher for the PK. Thornton's skill set obviously lies within his hands, and I am not talking about his puck handling ability. Obviously he would like to contribute more offensively, but he is mainly in Boston for one reason: to hand out punishment when necessary. He is one of the best in the game at this, and has thus become a fan favorite in his time here in Boston. Always towards the top of the league in PIM, Thornton should be especially active this season as discussed earlier with the addition of Seguin. Sean was rewarded this season with a nice contract, but its one helluva a way to earn a living. What I do like best about Thornton is that even as an enforcer, he isn't a liability as he plays solid defense, is good with the body, and doesn't take stupid penalties. Paille may see a jump up to the 3rd line throughout the year depending upon how Ryder performs.
Now in terms of lines, you may see Colbourne, Caron, Reich and possibly even Marchand thrown into the mix on the 3rd and 4th lines come opening day. What really will determine that is how the players perform in camp and if there are any injuries, something no one can predict. A young player might also get the chance to play on the wing if Ryder is traded or kept in Providence.
So there you have it. My take on the lines. I am sure there are a ton of different opinions out there, so lets hear them.
Officially 2 weeks to camp.
GO B's
Ahead of the Crowd
By now you have probably heard that individual game tickets will be going on sale for the 2010-2011 Boston Bruins season on Sept 10th at 11AM, but there is a way for you to beat the crowds so you can be certain to get the seats and games you want.
The below link will take you to the Bruins Cybear registration page; the official online newsletter for the Bruins. Simply by signing up, you will gain pre-sale access to order tickets for next year. By joining, you will be emailed a password next Wednesday, and then can use that password to buy your tickets on September 9th at Noon. Cybear Registration
Hope this helps you get the tickets you want... and if you end up with an extra one, remember who gave you the heads up!
The below link will take you to the Bruins Cybear registration page; the official online newsletter for the Bruins. Simply by signing up, you will gain pre-sale access to order tickets for next year. By joining, you will be emailed a password next Wednesday, and then can use that password to buy your tickets on September 9th at Noon. Cybear Registration
Hope this helps you get the tickets you want... and if you end up with an extra one, remember who gave you the heads up!
August 31, 2010
Savard Rumors Round 2
It has been a tough six months for Marc Savard. First, his head is almost violently removed from his body by a blatant dirty hit. Then his teammates fail to respond. After working back into hockey form, Savard sparks the Bruins to an exciting win in the opeing game of the Flyer's series only to fall victim of the worst hockey collapse in recent memory. And that's when the trade rumors began for the Bruin's leading playmaker and scorer.
It was shocking to me to hear the rumors surface around the trade deadline. While most rumors tend to hold no weight, the Savard rumor seemed imminent at various times. There were just too many outlets reporting that the Bruins center was on the market. Now if you have been reading this blog since I started, you know how I feel about Savard and how I felt about the rumors earlier this summer. After rumors died down after the draft, I let out a sigh of relief while Savard let the media in Canada know how he was hurt by the thought of being dealt. Can you blame him? Savard had just signed long term in Boston for a discounted price and risked injury by rushing back to help in the playoffs while still recovering from a serious head shot. Savy wants to be in Boston; he wants to help finish what he started by delivering a Cup to Boston. Now with Nathan Horton at his disposal, Savard had reason to be excited about the upcoming season.
Unfortunately, those ugly and unfortunate trade rumors have resurfaced once again as a source close to the team says the Bruins are still "actively shopping." While something has to be done to provide cap room, this shouldn't be the move the Bruins make. By trading Savard, that would mean the B's think Krecji is ready to be a top line center and it would also put Seguin as the 3rd line center and potentially give him work as the center on the second power play unit. While Savard would certainly bring more in return in a trade than Ryder, having 3 solid centers is a formula that shouldn't be abandoned as it seemed to work well for Pittsburgh last season.
What worries me is that the rumors resurfacing this close to the start of training camp might make it that much harder for Savard to return to Boston. While such is the plight of a professional athlete, constantly hearing your name floated around can be disheartening and discouraging. Could this second round of trade rumors spell the end of Savard? It definetly can make for an awkward training camp, but it does come with the profession.
Here is my take: Savard is going to be a Bruin this year. The B's would have to get back a prospect or high draft pick again this season in order to get sufficient cap relief. With the investigation into Savard's contract looming, that may be enough to keep possible suitors at bay.
It was shocking to me to hear the rumors surface around the trade deadline. While most rumors tend to hold no weight, the Savard rumor seemed imminent at various times. There were just too many outlets reporting that the Bruins center was on the market. Now if you have been reading this blog since I started, you know how I feel about Savard and how I felt about the rumors earlier this summer. After rumors died down after the draft, I let out a sigh of relief while Savard let the media in Canada know how he was hurt by the thought of being dealt. Can you blame him? Savard had just signed long term in Boston for a discounted price and risked injury by rushing back to help in the playoffs while still recovering from a serious head shot. Savy wants to be in Boston; he wants to help finish what he started by delivering a Cup to Boston. Now with Nathan Horton at his disposal, Savard had reason to be excited about the upcoming season.
Unfortunately, those ugly and unfortunate trade rumors have resurfaced once again as a source close to the team says the Bruins are still "actively shopping." While something has to be done to provide cap room, this shouldn't be the move the Bruins make. By trading Savard, that would mean the B's think Krecji is ready to be a top line center and it would also put Seguin as the 3rd line center and potentially give him work as the center on the second power play unit. While Savard would certainly bring more in return in a trade than Ryder, having 3 solid centers is a formula that shouldn't be abandoned as it seemed to work well for Pittsburgh last season.
What worries me is that the rumors resurfacing this close to the start of training camp might make it that much harder for Savard to return to Boston. While such is the plight of a professional athlete, constantly hearing your name floated around can be disheartening and discouraging. Could this second round of trade rumors spell the end of Savard? It definetly can make for an awkward training camp, but it does come with the profession.
Here is my take: Savard is going to be a Bruin this year. The B's would have to get back a prospect or high draft pick again this season in order to get sufficient cap relief. With the investigation into Savard's contract looming, that may be enough to keep possible suitors at bay.
"When the Red's Ruled the Roost"
Friday nights in my household have become very quite and relaxed as I am home on "Dad Duty." While I usually have a Bruins game to look forward to on Friday nights during the season, the grind of a hockey-less summer is starting to get to me. However, this past weekend after I put my daughter to bed and had navigated away from Go Diego Go, I stumbled upon something that caught my interest. I am not one who views PBS regularly, but I just caught a glimpse of the info on the documentary "When the Red's Ruled the Roost." It proved to be just enough to wet the appetite as we inch closer to the preseason.
The documentary, which was released in 2009 I believe, follows the history of Rhode Island's first professional hockey team and the pre-cursor to the modern day Providence Bruins. It picks up in the 1920's and does a great job of capturing the sport's market at the time and the special place the Red's played in Rhode Island history. A lot of the information and images I had never seen or heard of before. Countless former players are interviewed and share some very interesting stories about the characters the embodied the franchise. From the chain link fence that served as the boards to the primitive goalie masks that were cutting edge at the time, the documentary "When the Red's Ruled the Roost" is a must for any hockey enthusiast or fan of the Bruins/P Bruins. If you are a Rhode Island native you most certainly will remember some of the landmarks and perhaps stories that your parents and grandparents have told you about.
If you are looking to bridge the gap until the preseason games, do yourself a favor and spend the time to watch this great hockey documentary.
The link below will take you directly to the website.
"When the Red' Ruled the Roost"
The documentary, which was released in 2009 I believe, follows the history of Rhode Island's first professional hockey team and the pre-cursor to the modern day Providence Bruins. It picks up in the 1920's and does a great job of capturing the sport's market at the time and the special place the Red's played in Rhode Island history. A lot of the information and images I had never seen or heard of before. Countless former players are interviewed and share some very interesting stories about the characters the embodied the franchise. From the chain link fence that served as the boards to the primitive goalie masks that were cutting edge at the time, the documentary "When the Red's Ruled the Roost" is a must for any hockey enthusiast or fan of the Bruins/P Bruins. If you are a Rhode Island native you most certainly will remember some of the landmarks and perhaps stories that your parents and grandparents have told you about.
If you are looking to bridge the gap until the preseason games, do yourself a favor and spend the time to watch this great hockey documentary.
The link below will take you directly to the website.
"When the Red' Ruled the Roost"
August 26, 2010
Ward Retires
While I may have missed the bus with being current on this news, the retirement of Aaron Ward brings to conclusion a career of one of the most respected and admired players in the game today. Ward spent some time here in Boston and was part of the 2008-2009 team that put up 116pts. On Wednesday while being interviewed on the Toucher & Rich show on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Ward described his time in Boston as his favorite years while playing professionally. Ward decided to hang up the skates while training for the upcoming season after his second knee surgery. Currently an unrestricted free agent, Ward commented during the interview that he had approached Peter Chiarelli about potentially resigning with Boston to finish out his career. While this was the first I had heard or seen of such rumors, Ward said that in his conversation with PC that there simply wasnt the cap room to bring him back. When asked if he would be willing or able to return in mid-season (a la Satan) Ward did not sound optimistic but did tease that he has yet to rule it out.
While Ward was a quick-to-be fan favorite here in Boston, I don't think you will see him return later this year to Boston or any other NHL team for that matter. He made it quite clear that he is planning on enjoying his first work free fall by indulging in several adult beverages while watching football on Sunday. Ward spent a good portion of the end of the season working with the VS broadcast crew, and it is likely that he will end up in the broadcast booth this season either with VS or to help cover the Carolina Hurricanes.
While Ward was a quick-to-be fan favorite here in Boston, I don't think you will see him return later this year to Boston or any other NHL team for that matter. He made it quite clear that he is planning on enjoying his first work free fall by indulging in several adult beverages while watching football on Sunday. Ward spent a good portion of the end of the season working with the VS broadcast crew, and it is likely that he will end up in the broadcast booth this season either with VS or to help cover the Carolina Hurricanes.
Good Series of Articles on WEEI Blog
I wish I had seen checked in on this earlier in the week, but WEEI's DJ Bean and the Big Bad Blog have been featuring the Bruins "X Factors" for the upcoming season.
Click Here to go directly to the Blog.
I agree with the players they have labeled so far, and DJ brings up some good points about Ryder in particular. Clearly, most fans, followers, analysts and media outlets have tabbed Ryder as the player most likely to be traded or moved in order to solve the Bruins cap situation. While I agree that is the most likely move, Bean brings up the point that perhaps Ryder has a solid season this year. Clearly not only would the help bolster the B's offense, but it would make PC's decision around Sturm's return all the more complex. Ryder can be a potentially deadly sniper and scorer if he is on his game, which was a BIG IF last season. Often times last year he just looked void of any emotion or passion, and clearly he might have been distracted by what was occuring in his family life. I can't even begin to recall how many times Ryder received a perfect setup pass or got a rebound out in front only to bury the puck into the opposing goaltender's midsection. For most of the season, he looked as if he just didn't care with the hit on Savard being the season's low point with Ryder simply skating by the motionless center. However, something happened after that. Ryder started to play more physical (remember the hit in the Islanders game that got him the game misconduct), and in the playoffs, he had registered 4 goals, 2 in one game in the Buffalo series. Just imagine if Ryder reverts to his 2008-2009 season. Can you then imagine how potent the Bruins offense could be? Look, the hockey and Bruins fan in me tells me that Ryder is the guy to go, but it is hard to look past the personal issues he was encountering last year and not hope that he has overcome those. I think if that is all put behind him and he comes to camp looking to work hard and focus in on hockey, the Bruins faithful could be in for a big suprise.
Click Here to go directly to the Blog.
I agree with the players they have labeled so far, and DJ brings up some good points about Ryder in particular. Clearly, most fans, followers, analysts and media outlets have tabbed Ryder as the player most likely to be traded or moved in order to solve the Bruins cap situation. While I agree that is the most likely move, Bean brings up the point that perhaps Ryder has a solid season this year. Clearly not only would the help bolster the B's offense, but it would make PC's decision around Sturm's return all the more complex. Ryder can be a potentially deadly sniper and scorer if he is on his game, which was a BIG IF last season. Often times last year he just looked void of any emotion or passion, and clearly he might have been distracted by what was occuring in his family life. I can't even begin to recall how many times Ryder received a perfect setup pass or got a rebound out in front only to bury the puck into the opposing goaltender's midsection. For most of the season, he looked as if he just didn't care with the hit on Savard being the season's low point with Ryder simply skating by the motionless center. However, something happened after that. Ryder started to play more physical (remember the hit in the Islanders game that got him the game misconduct), and in the playoffs, he had registered 4 goals, 2 in one game in the Buffalo series. Just imagine if Ryder reverts to his 2008-2009 season. Can you then imagine how potent the Bruins offense could be? Look, the hockey and Bruins fan in me tells me that Ryder is the guy to go, but it is hard to look past the personal issues he was encountering last year and not hope that he has overcome those. I think if that is all put behind him and he comes to camp looking to work hard and focus in on hockey, the Bruins faithful could be in for a big suprise.
August 24, 2010
Bottom of the Barrel
Here are the teams that I think are going to have a hard go at it in the upcoming season. Look for these teams to be picking in the lottery next season...err minus Toronto because that pick belongs to the Bruins. Thank you Brian Burke!
11) Atlanta Thrashers
The runner-up in the Southeast Division is now approaching year 1 AK -After Kovalchuk. It is still shocking how little New Jersey had to give up for the star winger. I had New York ranked 11th and Atlanta 10th but decided to flip flop them after careful consideration. Atlanta has done a decent job this off-season bringing in complimentary players, but this team lacks punch and star power. The Thrashers have brought over more than a handful of ex-Blackhawks when Chicago was in full on salary dump mode. Most notably is the addition of Dustin Byfuglien, which will be an interesting to see if how Atlanta plans on using the big body. Byfuglien had a solid season last year once he shifted from D to the wing, but he wont be lined up with the likes of Hossa, Kane and Toews. The use of his big frame on the ice and in front of the net freed up space for those players, but he wont be surrounded by that level of talent in Atlanta. The Thrashers were also able to re-sign Bryan Little, who suffered from the dreaded sophomore slump last season. He will be an important part of the offense if the team is to make any push towards the playoffs. I am excited to watch Zach Bogosian on the blue line this year. He is one of the best young defensemen in the league, but doesn't get the attention he deserves because of the market he is in. Atlanta also brought in Chris Mason to help in goal, but with over $20million still left in cap space, I expect Atlanta to make a few more moves. Nothing significant as most of the big free agents are long gone. Besides, who wants to play hockey in Atlana?
12) Carolina Hurricanes
Granted, Carolina began the season with an awful, awful string of games winning just 5 out of their first 27. With that kind of start, I was surprised they weren't big sellers at the trade deadline when they could have gotten something back for Ray Whitney. Now he has left as a free agent and they got nothing in return. Also departed is the gritty center Rob Brindamour who decided to retire. Losing those 2 veterans could prove costly to a team that found their stride towards the end of the season. They did little to nothing to improve the current roster. I have heard that they are going to improve from within with the promotions of AHL'ers, but that is speculative at best, and for a team with over 11million in cap space, they should have done more to build around Eric Staal. He is an absolute star in this league. There isn't anything I don't like about his game, but with Ray Whitney gone, he has only Erik Cole, Sergei Samsonov, and a combination of other role players to help out in the cause. I don't like their defense that they have put in front of Cam Ward, especially the move to bring back Anton Babchuk. Unless Carolina has some serious prospects to bring up, I just don't see this team having enough scoring punch or shut-defense to make a push for the playoffs.
13 Toronto Mapleleafs
The good news is that they have a young star offensive player in Phil Kessel. The bad news is that they wont have another first round pick until 2012 to help build around PJK. As much as I may ridicule Brian Burke for the moves he made last summer, I do think he has a good nucleus of players that he can now begin to build around. With or without Thomas Kaberle, I really like Toronto's defense. Dion Phaneuf has the ability to change the course of a game if not a career with just one hit, and young defensemen Luke Schen will continue to get better. Mike Komisarek is also coming off a season in which he only played 34 games due to injury, and his presence will only add a bit more grit to the team (and when the B's and Leafs play for the first time this year he will be reunited with Mr. Milan for their first time on the ice together since the playoffs in 2009.) The problem with Toronto is that they have nearly $28 Million invested in their defense leaving little room to add offensive firepower. This is why they will try to trade Kaberle, but Burke is smart to play this out as long as he can in order to drive the price up. The additions of Colby Armstrong and Kris Versteeg will certainly help, but it wont be enough. Look for Tyler Bozak to have a solid season as he managed 27pts in 37 games last season. If Burke can make a move to get something in return for Kaberle, this team may be able to improve enough to be in the playoff race, but I just don't see that happening this season.
14) Florida Panthers
Florida is in the midst of a rebuilding mode that by my count has currently lasted the last 6 seasons. No hurry, besides, everything is slower in the south. Gone are Nathan Horton and Keith Ballard, and when one of your key off season acquisitions is Dennis Wideman, things cant be looking that good. I do like the additions of Steve Bernier on the wing. Michael Frolik could have a big season, and if David Booth stays healthy, these three young players could be very explosive on the top line together.
15) New York Islanders
Someone send a rescue mission to get Kyle Okposo and John Tavares out while we still can. There is just so much going wrong for this organization it isn't funny. The arena is the oldest in the league. There is talk of moving the organization. The roster has a few glaring problems. First, they only have 6 players signed after this season. 6! So next year they will be able to reload the roster entirely but it will be tough to attract free agents. Rick Dipietro is signed through the Armageddon, which is a tough pill to swallow as he has only played in 13 games in the last 3 seasons. It is almost laughable how bad things are. Okposo and Tavares are the only bright spots on a roster that would have trouble competing in the AHL.
So as a recap, here is how I have the teams in the Eastern Conference Ranked for 2010/2011.
1. Washington
2. Boston
3. Pittsburgh
4. Philadelphia
5. New Jersey
6. Ottawa
7. Buffalo
8. Tampa Bay
9. Montreal
10. New York Rangers
11. Atlanta
12. Carolina
13. Toronto
14. Florida
15. New York Islanders
What are your thoughts? As always, there is a surprise team or two each year. Which team could that be in 2010-2011?
Go B's
11) Atlanta Thrashers
The runner-up in the Southeast Division is now approaching year 1 AK -After Kovalchuk. It is still shocking how little New Jersey had to give up for the star winger. I had New York ranked 11th and Atlanta 10th but decided to flip flop them after careful consideration. Atlanta has done a decent job this off-season bringing in complimentary players, but this team lacks punch and star power. The Thrashers have brought over more than a handful of ex-Blackhawks when Chicago was in full on salary dump mode. Most notably is the addition of Dustin Byfuglien, which will be an interesting to see if how Atlanta plans on using the big body. Byfuglien had a solid season last year once he shifted from D to the wing, but he wont be lined up with the likes of Hossa, Kane and Toews. The use of his big frame on the ice and in front of the net freed up space for those players, but he wont be surrounded by that level of talent in Atlanta. The Thrashers were also able to re-sign Bryan Little, who suffered from the dreaded sophomore slump last season. He will be an important part of the offense if the team is to make any push towards the playoffs. I am excited to watch Zach Bogosian on the blue line this year. He is one of the best young defensemen in the league, but doesn't get the attention he deserves because of the market he is in. Atlanta also brought in Chris Mason to help in goal, but with over $20million still left in cap space, I expect Atlanta to make a few more moves. Nothing significant as most of the big free agents are long gone. Besides, who wants to play hockey in Atlana?
12) Carolina Hurricanes
Granted, Carolina began the season with an awful, awful string of games winning just 5 out of their first 27. With that kind of start, I was surprised they weren't big sellers at the trade deadline when they could have gotten something back for Ray Whitney. Now he has left as a free agent and they got nothing in return. Also departed is the gritty center Rob Brindamour who decided to retire. Losing those 2 veterans could prove costly to a team that found their stride towards the end of the season. They did little to nothing to improve the current roster. I have heard that they are going to improve from within with the promotions of AHL'ers, but that is speculative at best, and for a team with over 11million in cap space, they should have done more to build around Eric Staal. He is an absolute star in this league. There isn't anything I don't like about his game, but with Ray Whitney gone, he has only Erik Cole, Sergei Samsonov, and a combination of other role players to help out in the cause. I don't like their defense that they have put in front of Cam Ward, especially the move to bring back Anton Babchuk. Unless Carolina has some serious prospects to bring up, I just don't see this team having enough scoring punch or shut-defense to make a push for the playoffs.
13 Toronto Mapleleafs
The good news is that they have a young star offensive player in Phil Kessel. The bad news is that they wont have another first round pick until 2012 to help build around PJK. As much as I may ridicule Brian Burke for the moves he made last summer, I do think he has a good nucleus of players that he can now begin to build around. With or without Thomas Kaberle, I really like Toronto's defense. Dion Phaneuf has the ability to change the course of a game if not a career with just one hit, and young defensemen Luke Schen will continue to get better. Mike Komisarek is also coming off a season in which he only played 34 games due to injury, and his presence will only add a bit more grit to the team (and when the B's and Leafs play for the first time this year he will be reunited with Mr. Milan for their first time on the ice together since the playoffs in 2009.) The problem with Toronto is that they have nearly $28 Million invested in their defense leaving little room to add offensive firepower. This is why they will try to trade Kaberle, but Burke is smart to play this out as long as he can in order to drive the price up. The additions of Colby Armstrong and Kris Versteeg will certainly help, but it wont be enough. Look for Tyler Bozak to have a solid season as he managed 27pts in 37 games last season. If Burke can make a move to get something in return for Kaberle, this team may be able to improve enough to be in the playoff race, but I just don't see that happening this season.
14) Florida Panthers
Florida is in the midst of a rebuilding mode that by my count has currently lasted the last 6 seasons. No hurry, besides, everything is slower in the south. Gone are Nathan Horton and Keith Ballard, and when one of your key off season acquisitions is Dennis Wideman, things cant be looking that good. I do like the additions of Steve Bernier on the wing. Michael Frolik could have a big season, and if David Booth stays healthy, these three young players could be very explosive on the top line together.
15) New York Islanders
Someone send a rescue mission to get Kyle Okposo and John Tavares out while we still can. There is just so much going wrong for this organization it isn't funny. The arena is the oldest in the league. There is talk of moving the organization. The roster has a few glaring problems. First, they only have 6 players signed after this season. 6! So next year they will be able to reload the roster entirely but it will be tough to attract free agents. Rick Dipietro is signed through the Armageddon, which is a tough pill to swallow as he has only played in 13 games in the last 3 seasons. It is almost laughable how bad things are. Okposo and Tavares are the only bright spots on a roster that would have trouble competing in the AHL.
So as a recap, here is how I have the teams in the Eastern Conference Ranked for 2010/2011.
1. Washington
2. Boston
3. Pittsburgh
4. Philadelphia
5. New Jersey
6. Ottawa
7. Buffalo
8. Tampa Bay
9. Montreal
10. New York Rangers
11. Atlanta
12. Carolina
13. Toronto
14. Florida
15. New York Islanders
What are your thoughts? As always, there is a surprise team or two each year. Which team could that be in 2010-2011?
Go B's
August 22, 2010
Rookie Games offer Fist Glance
The Boston Bruins will host the New York Islanders on September 15th and 16th in Boston to start off training camp. What I failed to mention is that the organizations will only be featuring their rookies, which will provide a great chance to see the future B's in the spotlight. Tickets went on sale last Thursday and are only $5 for general admission. Can't beat that right? After the way last season ended and the long, drawn out summer, I jumped at the chance to see some hockey in September. You can get your tickets on the Bruins website through Ticket Master.
Additionally, individual game tickets will go on Sale September 10th. For a look at the highlighted home contests, head over to The Bruins Blog. I am going to say it again, that Dec 11th game against Philly could be the game of the season.
GO B's
Additionally, individual game tickets will go on Sale September 10th. For a look at the highlighted home contests, head over to The Bruins Blog. I am going to say it again, that Dec 11th game against Philly could be the game of the season.
GO B's
Whitfield Injured, Door Open
It looks as if the injury bug that hung around Boston last year hasn't moved on yet. It has been reported that veteran centerman Trent Whitfield has ruptured his achilles' tendon while training for the upcoming season. Whitfield played a majority of last year with the P-Bruins but was called up at times to Boston when there were injuries to both Savard and Bergeron. Whitfield would have been counted on to provide leadership and guidance to the younger players in Providence this year. He has a lot of NHL and AHL miles, and from everything I have heard, is a great influence and professional when it comes to hockey. It is going to be hard to replace that influence in Providence.
So now that you have heard the bad news, what does this mean for the roster in the upcoming season? Most likely, Whitfield was going to be the 5th center in the organization once again this year. His injury may give Joe Colbourne the oppourtunity to either become the top line center in Providence or even battle for the last spot on the Boston Roster. The injury also leaves Reich as one of the only vets in Providece, so that signing is looking to be more important than originally thought. I think you will see Boston go out and sign an AHL veteran or journeyman that can fill the void left if Whitfield is going to miss the season.
So now that you have heard the bad news, what does this mean for the roster in the upcoming season? Most likely, Whitfield was going to be the 5th center in the organization once again this year. His injury may give Joe Colbourne the oppourtunity to either become the top line center in Providence or even battle for the last spot on the Boston Roster. The injury also leaves Reich as one of the only vets in Providece, so that signing is looking to be more important than originally thought. I think you will see Boston go out and sign an AHL veteran or journeyman that can fill the void left if Whitfield is going to miss the season.
Middle of the Pack
Here are a look at the teams I have ranked from 6th to 10th place for the 2010-2011 NHL season.
6) Ottawa Senators
The biggest news out of Ottawa this year is that the thought to be disgruntled Jason Spezza didn't pull a Danny Heatley on the Sens this off-season. It looked as if Spezza had grown frustrated with the team and fan base as he was the target of the boo-birds at the end of the seasons. Turns out that this wasn't the case, and the cornerstone of the franchise will be back again for this year's campaign. In addition to retaining Spezza, the Sens brought in veteran defensemen Sergei Gonchar, who is always scary offensively from the blue line. Look for Nick Foligno to be primed for a break-out season this year. The Sens will remain a middle of the road, consistent team in 2010-2011. I have picked them to come in Second in the Northeast, but a distant second from the Bruins.
7) Buffalo Sabres
I apologize for being a bit harsh on the Buffalo Sabres, but how long can you rely on the league's best goaltender to carry a team with a mediocre roster at best. I think the whole 2009-2010 season was long enough, and the Sabres will slid back to the bottom of the playoff race in 2010-2011. Granted, Miller will still continue to be the league's best goaltender, but it will be a tough challenge to replicate his 41 win and 5 SO Vezina winning performance from last year. For one, their defense is suspect this season with the departure of both Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman. They did bring in both Jordan Leopold and Shaone Morrison. How quickly their new pairings develop chemistry will determine how successful this team can be. Tyler Myers is going to be a star defensemen, and perhaps this year he can put his stamp on the Northeast Division. Secondly, the play of the overpaid Vanek will go a long way towards this team's fate. I expect them to be in a battle for the last playoff position throughout the season.
8) Tampa Bay Lighting
The Capitals now have some competition for the Southeast Division crown...well not exactly. But hey, at least they might have 2 teams in the playoffs this year. The Steve Yzerman era has begun in sunny Tampa Bay, and the ex Red Wing has already put his stamp on the franchise. This team has a lot of top end talent in Lecavalier, St. Louis, Stamkos, Ryan Malone and Simon Gange. With just that list of talent, you would think that this team has a chance at being a contender this year... but not quite. They have the top level talent, but the supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired. The addition of Pavel Kubina and the maturation of Victor Hedman will do a lot to bolster their defensive core for years to come. The good news in Tampa is that they have a solid mix of veterans and younger talent and a lot of cap room this year as well as a majority of the role players having contracts that expire at the end of the season. This team is close, real close to being a serious contender in the Eastern Conference once again, but they may just be a year away, and that's why I take the safe pick and take them 8th.
9) Montreal Canadiens
Serioulsy? Price over Halak? Ok?!? I am going to chalk this one up to the salary cap era, that has to be the reason right? I don't know much about the prospects they got in return from St. Louis, and maybe they will help out down the road, but to me this move didn't make much sense. But what makes this move even more confusing is that the club has yet to sign Price for the current season. Essentially, this is the same exact team from last year, with the major addition being PK Suban most likely seeing more time on the NHL roster. He had a strong run in last year's playoffs and I am excited (is that the right word to use for a Canadien player, probably not)to see how he plays this year. The team that was just good enough this year won't have the same results finding themselves just out of the last spot.
10) New York Rangers
For a team that was a SO win on the last day of the season away from being in the playoffs, you would think that New York would be right in the thick of the playoff race again. And while they may be, the franchise continues to make questionable roster moves in the summer. Signing knuckle chucker Boogard to a 4 year deal worth 1.625 a year is a head scratcher to say the least. In the last 5 years, the often injured Boogard has played only 60+ games 1 time while recording a total of 14 points to an astounding 544 PIM. Whatever sells tickets I guess. The sad thing is, for a team with some serious cap issues, this money could and should have gone to re-siging Stall on the blueline. I do like the addition of Frolov, but this team needed something a bit more. I am beginning to feel bad for Lundquist who is routinely one of the best goalies in the league year after year. The dysfunctional family that is the New York Rangers will again fall short of the playoffs this year. Additionally, I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that Sean Avery will cause some sort of controversy this season... shocking and breaking news.
6) Ottawa Senators
The biggest news out of Ottawa this year is that the thought to be disgruntled Jason Spezza didn't pull a Danny Heatley on the Sens this off-season. It looked as if Spezza had grown frustrated with the team and fan base as he was the target of the boo-birds at the end of the seasons. Turns out that this wasn't the case, and the cornerstone of the franchise will be back again for this year's campaign. In addition to retaining Spezza, the Sens brought in veteran defensemen Sergei Gonchar, who is always scary offensively from the blue line. Look for Nick Foligno to be primed for a break-out season this year. The Sens will remain a middle of the road, consistent team in 2010-2011. I have picked them to come in Second in the Northeast, but a distant second from the Bruins.
7) Buffalo Sabres
I apologize for being a bit harsh on the Buffalo Sabres, but how long can you rely on the league's best goaltender to carry a team with a mediocre roster at best. I think the whole 2009-2010 season was long enough, and the Sabres will slid back to the bottom of the playoff race in 2010-2011. Granted, Miller will still continue to be the league's best goaltender, but it will be a tough challenge to replicate his 41 win and 5 SO Vezina winning performance from last year. For one, their defense is suspect this season with the departure of both Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman. They did bring in both Jordan Leopold and Shaone Morrison. How quickly their new pairings develop chemistry will determine how successful this team can be. Tyler Myers is going to be a star defensemen, and perhaps this year he can put his stamp on the Northeast Division. Secondly, the play of the overpaid Vanek will go a long way towards this team's fate. I expect them to be in a battle for the last playoff position throughout the season.
8) Tampa Bay Lighting
The Capitals now have some competition for the Southeast Division crown...well not exactly. But hey, at least they might have 2 teams in the playoffs this year. The Steve Yzerman era has begun in sunny Tampa Bay, and the ex Red Wing has already put his stamp on the franchise. This team has a lot of top end talent in Lecavalier, St. Louis, Stamkos, Ryan Malone and Simon Gange. With just that list of talent, you would think that this team has a chance at being a contender this year... but not quite. They have the top level talent, but the supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired. The addition of Pavel Kubina and the maturation of Victor Hedman will do a lot to bolster their defensive core for years to come. The good news in Tampa is that they have a solid mix of veterans and younger talent and a lot of cap room this year as well as a majority of the role players having contracts that expire at the end of the season. This team is close, real close to being a serious contender in the Eastern Conference once again, but they may just be a year away, and that's why I take the safe pick and take them 8th.
9) Montreal Canadiens
Serioulsy? Price over Halak? Ok?!? I am going to chalk this one up to the salary cap era, that has to be the reason right? I don't know much about the prospects they got in return from St. Louis, and maybe they will help out down the road, but to me this move didn't make much sense. But what makes this move even more confusing is that the club has yet to sign Price for the current season. Essentially, this is the same exact team from last year, with the major addition being PK Suban most likely seeing more time on the NHL roster. He had a strong run in last year's playoffs and I am excited (is that the right word to use for a Canadien player, probably not)to see how he plays this year. The team that was just good enough this year won't have the same results finding themselves just out of the last spot.
10) New York Rangers
For a team that was a SO win on the last day of the season away from being in the playoffs, you would think that New York would be right in the thick of the playoff race again. And while they may be, the franchise continues to make questionable roster moves in the summer. Signing knuckle chucker Boogard to a 4 year deal worth 1.625 a year is a head scratcher to say the least. In the last 5 years, the often injured Boogard has played only 60+ games 1 time while recording a total of 14 points to an astounding 544 PIM. Whatever sells tickets I guess. The sad thing is, for a team with some serious cap issues, this money could and should have gone to re-siging Stall on the blueline. I do like the addition of Frolov, but this team needed something a bit more. I am beginning to feel bad for Lundquist who is routinely one of the best goalies in the league year after year. The dysfunctional family that is the New York Rangers will again fall short of the playoffs this year. Additionally, I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that Sean Avery will cause some sort of controversy this season... shocking and breaking news.
August 20, 2010
Early Season Rankings - The Contenders
In the past few weeks, various media outlets have begun the annual ritual of ranking NHL teams as we inch closer and closer to the beginning of training camps across the country. I wanted to hold off to see how the Kovalchuk and Kaberle rumors pan out as they could potentially alter the landscape of the Eastern Conference. But since others have begun their preseaon rankings, here is a look at how I see the Eastern Conference playing out next year. I will start with my top 5 teams, and the update the rest throughout the weekend. As always, thanks for reading.
1) Washington Capitals
Last year's runaway for the President's trophy has had a quiet offseason choosing only to make small moves here and there. Besides for the 2nd straight early exit from the playoffs, the Caps have been the team to beat, but cleary have struggled in the "Second Season." They are interested in beefing up the blue line and have been rumored to be in on both Kevin Bieska (VAN) and Thomas Kaberle trade rumors. Until they prove me wrong in the regular season, they are again the favorite to grab the #1 seed come late spring.
2)Boston Bruins
Call me a homer, but it really came down to who has the more complete team here between Pittsburg and Boston. With Pitt's questionable wing presence and the Bruin's aquisitions of both Horton and Seguin, I had to give them the slight edge. Boston should be a motivated team come this fall as they need to get off to a solid start early. The "Meltdown in Beantown" is certainly still with the players, and they will still be looking to respond to that. Last year, the B's could not find a rhythm early and that continued throughout the 09-10 campaign. Look for them to get hot early and not look back as both Krejci and Horton have breakout seasons.
3) Pittsburgh Penguins
See above. Is Bill Guerin coming back? That should be the big question in Pittsburgh these days, and any Penguins fan should be praying for yes. To say this team lacks depth and skill on the wing would be an understatement. I guess that is the price to pay when you are paying for three #1 centers, who will undoubtly carry the team again. There has been some rumblings that Malkin could move to wing, which would give opposing defenders nightmares with Crosby and Malkin both roaming the ice. Sergei Gonchar left but was replaced with Paul Martin and Michalek Zbynek, so the defense looks just as good if not better. It will be important to see if Fleury can recover from last year's sub par perfomance between the pipes.
4)Philadelphia Flyers
Sure, Simon Gange is gone. Sure, they don't have a stellar goaltender. And yeah, Pronger's health is questionable at the start of the season. But the Flyers we saw in the playoffs last year was the team everyone expected to see throughout the year last season. The young players on their roster (Giroux, Van Riemsdyk, and Coburn) will continue to get better next year. They took a chance on Nikolai Zhedev and if it works out, may be one of the best free agent signings of the offseason. Brad Richards really came alive last year and if his play continues at that level, this team can be scary good, and will challenge Pitt all season long for the top spot in the division.
5) New Jersey Devils
I don't want to say the fate of this team lies with the fate of Kovalchuk, but it would be a crushing blow to have him signed, then have it reversed for him to only sign elsewhere. I do think he will remain in NJ. The Devils, with or without Ilya have a solid roster from top to bottom as has become the norm for any Lou Lamoriello team. Brodeur continues to be strong in net, and the addition of Anton Volchenkov will only help.
1) Washington Capitals
Last year's runaway for the President's trophy has had a quiet offseason choosing only to make small moves here and there. Besides for the 2nd straight early exit from the playoffs, the Caps have been the team to beat, but cleary have struggled in the "Second Season." They are interested in beefing up the blue line and have been rumored to be in on both Kevin Bieska (VAN) and Thomas Kaberle trade rumors. Until they prove me wrong in the regular season, they are again the favorite to grab the #1 seed come late spring.
2)Boston Bruins
Call me a homer, but it really came down to who has the more complete team here between Pittsburg and Boston. With Pitt's questionable wing presence and the Bruin's aquisitions of both Horton and Seguin, I had to give them the slight edge. Boston should be a motivated team come this fall as they need to get off to a solid start early. The "Meltdown in Beantown" is certainly still with the players, and they will still be looking to respond to that. Last year, the B's could not find a rhythm early and that continued throughout the 09-10 campaign. Look for them to get hot early and not look back as both Krejci and Horton have breakout seasons.
3) Pittsburgh Penguins
See above. Is Bill Guerin coming back? That should be the big question in Pittsburgh these days, and any Penguins fan should be praying for yes. To say this team lacks depth and skill on the wing would be an understatement. I guess that is the price to pay when you are paying for three #1 centers, who will undoubtly carry the team again. There has been some rumblings that Malkin could move to wing, which would give opposing defenders nightmares with Crosby and Malkin both roaming the ice. Sergei Gonchar left but was replaced with Paul Martin and Michalek Zbynek, so the defense looks just as good if not better. It will be important to see if Fleury can recover from last year's sub par perfomance between the pipes.
4)Philadelphia Flyers
Sure, Simon Gange is gone. Sure, they don't have a stellar goaltender. And yeah, Pronger's health is questionable at the start of the season. But the Flyers we saw in the playoffs last year was the team everyone expected to see throughout the year last season. The young players on their roster (Giroux, Van Riemsdyk, and Coburn) will continue to get better next year. They took a chance on Nikolai Zhedev and if it works out, may be one of the best free agent signings of the offseason. Brad Richards really came alive last year and if his play continues at that level, this team can be scary good, and will challenge Pitt all season long for the top spot in the division.
5) New Jersey Devils
I don't want to say the fate of this team lies with the fate of Kovalchuk, but it would be a crushing blow to have him signed, then have it reversed for him to only sign elsewhere. I do think he will remain in NJ. The Devils, with or without Ilya have a solid roster from top to bottom as has become the norm for any Lou Lamoriello team. Brodeur continues to be strong in net, and the addition of Anton Volchenkov will only help.
August 8, 2010
Lots to Catch Up On
Its been awhile since my last post, and even though the off-season is starting to wind down for the Bruins, there has been a lot of news and rumblings coming from the Hub in the last week or so. In my best effort to keep this short and to the point, here is a summary of the most recent news.
1) Wheeler was awarded a $2.2 million dollar salary through arbitration and the Bruins elected to accept the award and sign the young power forward. This means Wheeler will have a 1-year contract until next year when he will once again become an UFA and be arbitration eligible. For the Bruins, this contract will be a nice "feeling out" process to determine what the future holds for Wheeler. After a solid rookie campaign, Wheeler had somewhat of a lapse last year with his production dropping just slightly. The whole offense was in shambles last season as injuries really hurt both the wing and center position. Wheeler is certainly a player that will benefit from having consistent lines and chemistry with his center. Look for him to have a strong season while playing more physical and utilizing his big frame in front of the net.
2) The second overall pick Tyler Seguin has officially signed on with the Bruins. The rookie inked a 3 year entry level contract for $900,000 with bonuses that can reach up to $3.65-$3.75 million. This is almost an identical contract that his counterpart Taylor Hall received from Edmonton. Seguin has been nothing short of impressive in the early goings through development camp and has shown a great sense of maturity when dealing with the various Boston media outlets. While Seguin remains reserved and only slightly optimistic about making the Boston roster, it is almost with 100% certainty that Tyler will be playing in Boston next season. It would be shocking if Chiarelli sent him to play another season in Plymouth. He will be a big contributor to the B's this season... I'm predicting 18 goals, 35 assists. I will check back in on these numbers at the end of the season.
3)With the departure of Craig Ramsay to Atlanta (all the best and good luck) the B's needed to bring in another coach for the upcoming season. The B's reunited Julien with his former assistant from Montreal Doug Jarvis. The saying "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" comes to mind. Over the past three years, Boston has added coaching or players (Julien & Ryder, Begin, and now Jarvis). The B's always seem to lock in on the players and personnel they are familiar with, and hopefully Jarvis plays out better than Ryder and Begin did. Jarvis' will help to bolster the defensive system the B's have in place.
4) Savard rumors have slowly but surely quieted down. It no longer looks like #91 will be traded away for salary cap concerns. (Insert applause here). Needless to say, the Bruins still have a logjam when addressing the cap. Sturm's injury will help the Bruins to address the problem in the short term as he will begin the season on the long term injured list. This means his salary will not count against the B's until he is activated. It remains to be seen what the Bruins will do in order to become cap compliant. It seems unlikely that Thomas can be moved, even more so now that Chicago didn't resign Anti Niemi. A team needing a goalie would most likely go with the younger, less expensive and fresh off the Stanley cup model goalie over the aging, recently injured salary cap nightmare Thomas would bring. Besides, I think having Thomas on the roster is a good thing for the B's as there will be an open competition this year for the starting spot. Again, this inevitably brings the spotlight down on Ryder. I think this is the player the Bruins can move as they upgraded the roster on RW with both Seguin and Horton, but don't expect much back for Ryder.
If I was Pete, I would try to package Ryder and Zach Hamill for either a young defensive prospect or a 2nd round pick. Hamill has had a difficult time adjusting to the pro game, and the depth the B's have at center both in Boston and Providence make the project expendable. If they don't include Hamill, perhaps a Ryder and Hunwick deal would make sense as well as it would free up over $5.5mil in cap space.
Either way, the Bruins will not be getting an NHL player back in a deal as the roster seems to be over-filled currently. They need to dump cap space and pick up what they can for the future. In coming seasons, the B's will be serious contenders, so a move like this can help solidify positions we may have to fill due to upcoming free agents and should not be taken lightly.
4)I have read recently comments on other sites with readers and fans asking about Satan and Begin and the likelihood of them being back next year. FORGET IT. Unless the veterans want to play in Providence and dine on Federal Hill, you won't be seeing them back next year. Not enough room, not enough production from either, and the upgrades in the roster would leave them with little to no ice time.
Both the Bruins and baby Bruins will begin camps soon, and the seasons are starting in less than 2 months. This is an exciting time of year as hockey is starting again, the fall fishing starts to turn on, and Sam Adams Oktoberfest starts to flow at your favorite drinking establishments.
Look for my take on pre-season rankings sometime soon and then a preview of each division as the rosters start to finalize.
GO B's
1) Wheeler was awarded a $2.2 million dollar salary through arbitration and the Bruins elected to accept the award and sign the young power forward. This means Wheeler will have a 1-year contract until next year when he will once again become an UFA and be arbitration eligible. For the Bruins, this contract will be a nice "feeling out" process to determine what the future holds for Wheeler. After a solid rookie campaign, Wheeler had somewhat of a lapse last year with his production dropping just slightly. The whole offense was in shambles last season as injuries really hurt both the wing and center position. Wheeler is certainly a player that will benefit from having consistent lines and chemistry with his center. Look for him to have a strong season while playing more physical and utilizing his big frame in front of the net.
2) The second overall pick Tyler Seguin has officially signed on with the Bruins. The rookie inked a 3 year entry level contract for $900,000 with bonuses that can reach up to $3.65-$3.75 million. This is almost an identical contract that his counterpart Taylor Hall received from Edmonton. Seguin has been nothing short of impressive in the early goings through development camp and has shown a great sense of maturity when dealing with the various Boston media outlets. While Seguin remains reserved and only slightly optimistic about making the Boston roster, it is almost with 100% certainty that Tyler will be playing in Boston next season. It would be shocking if Chiarelli sent him to play another season in Plymouth. He will be a big contributor to the B's this season... I'm predicting 18 goals, 35 assists. I will check back in on these numbers at the end of the season.
3)With the departure of Craig Ramsay to Atlanta (all the best and good luck) the B's needed to bring in another coach for the upcoming season. The B's reunited Julien with his former assistant from Montreal Doug Jarvis. The saying "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" comes to mind. Over the past three years, Boston has added coaching or players (Julien & Ryder, Begin, and now Jarvis). The B's always seem to lock in on the players and personnel they are familiar with, and hopefully Jarvis plays out better than Ryder and Begin did. Jarvis' will help to bolster the defensive system the B's have in place.
4) Savard rumors have slowly but surely quieted down. It no longer looks like #91 will be traded away for salary cap concerns. (Insert applause here). Needless to say, the Bruins still have a logjam when addressing the cap. Sturm's injury will help the Bruins to address the problem in the short term as he will begin the season on the long term injured list. This means his salary will not count against the B's until he is activated. It remains to be seen what the Bruins will do in order to become cap compliant. It seems unlikely that Thomas can be moved, even more so now that Chicago didn't resign Anti Niemi. A team needing a goalie would most likely go with the younger, less expensive and fresh off the Stanley cup model goalie over the aging, recently injured salary cap nightmare Thomas would bring. Besides, I think having Thomas on the roster is a good thing for the B's as there will be an open competition this year for the starting spot. Again, this inevitably brings the spotlight down on Ryder. I think this is the player the Bruins can move as they upgraded the roster on RW with both Seguin and Horton, but don't expect much back for Ryder.
If I was Pete, I would try to package Ryder and Zach Hamill for either a young defensive prospect or a 2nd round pick. Hamill has had a difficult time adjusting to the pro game, and the depth the B's have at center both in Boston and Providence make the project expendable. If they don't include Hamill, perhaps a Ryder and Hunwick deal would make sense as well as it would free up over $5.5mil in cap space.
Either way, the Bruins will not be getting an NHL player back in a deal as the roster seems to be over-filled currently. They need to dump cap space and pick up what they can for the future. In coming seasons, the B's will be serious contenders, so a move like this can help solidify positions we may have to fill due to upcoming free agents and should not be taken lightly.
4)I have read recently comments on other sites with readers and fans asking about Satan and Begin and the likelihood of them being back next year. FORGET IT. Unless the veterans want to play in Providence and dine on Federal Hill, you won't be seeing them back next year. Not enough room, not enough production from either, and the upgrades in the roster would leave them with little to no ice time.
Both the Bruins and baby Bruins will begin camps soon, and the seasons are starting in less than 2 months. This is an exciting time of year as hockey is starting again, the fall fishing starts to turn on, and Sam Adams Oktoberfest starts to flow at your favorite drinking establishments.
Look for my take on pre-season rankings sometime soon and then a preview of each division as the rosters start to finalize.
GO B's
July 27, 2010
Weighing in on Wheeler
This morning in Toronto the Bruins and Blake Wheeler engaged in a salary arbitration case that will help decided the young winger's salary and possible destination next year. The Bruins, if they accept the salary as decided upon during the case, will only retain Wheeler for a 1-year contract. "I think it was handled very professionally by both sides," said Matt Keator, Wheeler's agent. "Our interpretation of the marketplace is different from theirs, hence the disagreement. I think both sides handled it well, keeping it professional. They pointed out Blake's shortcomings. We pointed out Blake's strengths. But Blake already knew his shortcomings. He knows what he needs to work on. There were no hurt feelings in what was said. It was not contentious at all." Wheeler had somewhat of a letdown this year after showing a strong rookie season. The young, lanky forward has great puck handling skills and has the potential to be an effective scorer and presence in front of the net. There were times last year where Wheeler was effective in front of the net with screens and deflections, but his inconsistent play and seemingly lack of effort caused concern for the Bruins. I highly doubt that the Bruins would walk away from the young winger and will use this season as a barometer for the future. Wheeler may be able to lock up a long term deal in Boston if he returns to form this year as there will be a lot of money coming off the wings next year (Sturm and Ryder will be UFA's). With the likely return of Wheeler and the imminent signing of Seguin, the B's cap situation will remain grim until a player is moved or buried in Providence.
Another interesting rumor that surfaced today was the report that the Bruins are interested in veteran free agent winger Bill Guerin. Obviously, the B's are unlikely to sign Guerin unless cap room can be adjusted. It wouldn't make sense to add another offensive player with the cap as tight as it is. However, this is an interesting rumor to surface, as Guerin certainly has the experience and still has the scoring ability to make an impact on the roster. He would almost certainly become a fan favorite should he wear the black and gold next season.
Another interesting rumor that surfaced today was the report that the Bruins are interested in veteran free agent winger Bill Guerin. Obviously, the B's are unlikely to sign Guerin unless cap room can be adjusted. It wouldn't make sense to add another offensive player with the cap as tight as it is. However, this is an interesting rumor to surface, as Guerin certainly has the experience and still has the scoring ability to make an impact on the roster. He would almost certainly become a fan favorite should he wear the black and gold next season.
July 23, 2010
Circle the Dates
The Bruins have been pretty lucky the past two seasons as they have participated in two of the NHL's premiere events. (The 3rd event was a little more elusive). Last year's Winter Classic was a great treat to Bruins' fans and fans of hockey in general. It seemed like everything was done right, and hopefully, the NHL will award Boston with another game in the future. This year, the Bruins will travel to both Belfast, Ireland for a preseason game and then to Prague for the first 2 games of the season against the Phoenix Coyotes. This will definitely be an exciting way to begin the season, especially for David Krejci, the Czech born center who also had the privileged to play for the national team in this year's Olympic Games. Unlike last season with the Winter Classic, lets hope the games in Prague aren't the only premiere event the Bruins take part in (Hint: Philly took our spot this year). Here is a look at the other games that should be circled with anticipation on your 2010-2011 Bruins calendar.
Oct 21, 2010: Capitals at BruinsHome opener, just like last year. We welcome Oveckin and the Caps crew back to the garden to kick off the season, hoping for a better result than last year.
Oct 28,2010: Maple Leafs at Bruins
Kessel vs Seguin: I am sure this will be built up long before they hit the ice, but fans of both teams will forever link the two players together and rightfully so. The trade could have very well shaped the face of the Northeast Division for years to come.
Nov 10, 2010: Bruins at Penguins
Savard and Cooke meet for the first time. Last year, the B's played down the idea of retribution because of the looming playoff spot that was still in question. Part of me thinks nothing is going to happen, but a larger part of me hopes this still isn't over.
Dec 1, 2010: Bruins at Flyers; Dec 11, 2010 Flyers at Bruins
Vindication. I have been waiting all summer for this, and I simply cannot be more excited for any other two games than these two games for a few reasons. The Bruins want revenge for last year's embarrassing letdown. It still hurts. Additionally, with the Winter Classic and the playoff series playing out as it did, it is safe to say this rivalry is back. The Flyers have seriously revamped their Broad Street Bully image adding fuel to an already intense rivalry. Not to mention, these games are only 10 days apart, so the players will be really familiar with each other when the puck drops on the 11th.
As a side note, I have already put in requests for a BDay/early Xmas present for TIX to the 11th. Cmon Santa.
Dec 27, 2010: Bruins at Florida
Horton returns. It will be interesting to see how Horton is received by the 2,000 fans that show up in Florida.
Jan 17/18: Home and Home with Carolina
At times a heated rivalry. I still haven't forgot about the Scott Walker sucker punch and then game winning goal in game 7. Anytime we beat Carolina, it makes that hurt just a bit less. Even though Walker has moved on, I have not. Seeing each other two nights in a row will make it that much more intense
Feb 27: Bruins at Oilers
Finally, they met. Hall vs Seguin. Hopefully at this time, both rookies are deeply entrenched in rookie of the year conversations. They will always be compared to each other, and this is the first time we get to see them play against each other.
March 29: Blackhawks vs Bruins
The Bruin's only shot at the defending champs comes late in the year, as both clubs look to solidify playoff position. This will be a good test for both teams down the stretch, and perhaps I am looking too far in advance, but perhaps a possible Stanley Cup Finals preview...ok, knock on wood 3x if you read this.
Oct 21, 2010: Capitals at BruinsHome opener, just like last year. We welcome Oveckin and the Caps crew back to the garden to kick off the season, hoping for a better result than last year.
Oct 28,2010: Maple Leafs at Bruins
Kessel vs Seguin: I am sure this will be built up long before they hit the ice, but fans of both teams will forever link the two players together and rightfully so. The trade could have very well shaped the face of the Northeast Division for years to come.
Nov 10, 2010: Bruins at Penguins
Savard and Cooke meet for the first time. Last year, the B's played down the idea of retribution because of the looming playoff spot that was still in question. Part of me thinks nothing is going to happen, but a larger part of me hopes this still isn't over.
Dec 1, 2010: Bruins at Flyers; Dec 11, 2010 Flyers at Bruins
Vindication. I have been waiting all summer for this, and I simply cannot be more excited for any other two games than these two games for a few reasons. The Bruins want revenge for last year's embarrassing letdown. It still hurts. Additionally, with the Winter Classic and the playoff series playing out as it did, it is safe to say this rivalry is back. The Flyers have seriously revamped their Broad Street Bully image adding fuel to an already intense rivalry. Not to mention, these games are only 10 days apart, so the players will be really familiar with each other when the puck drops on the 11th.
As a side note, I have already put in requests for a BDay/early Xmas present for TIX to the 11th. Cmon Santa.
Dec 27, 2010: Bruins at Florida
Horton returns. It will be interesting to see how Horton is received by the 2,000 fans that show up in Florida.
Jan 17/18: Home and Home with Carolina
At times a heated rivalry. I still haven't forgot about the Scott Walker sucker punch and then game winning goal in game 7. Anytime we beat Carolina, it makes that hurt just a bit less. Even though Walker has moved on, I have not. Seeing each other two nights in a row will make it that much more intense
Feb 27: Bruins at Oilers
Finally, they met. Hall vs Seguin. Hopefully at this time, both rookies are deeply entrenched in rookie of the year conversations. They will always be compared to each other, and this is the first time we get to see them play against each other.
March 29: Blackhawks vs Bruins
The Bruin's only shot at the defending champs comes late in the year, as both clubs look to solidify playoff position. This will be a good test for both teams down the stretch, and perhaps I am looking too far in advance, but perhaps a possible Stanley Cup Finals preview...ok, knock on wood 3x if you read this.
Commenting & Contact
Before I launched this, I was unaware of how the comments section would work. Unfortunately, you need to either be registered for blogspot or have a gmail account in order to comment. It is really easy to create a login on either, and I encourage you to do so.
However, if you don't want to do that, you can send me your comments directly to me by email. Feel free to ask about my opinion, make suggestions or just check in.
You can email me at bruinsblog@yahoo.com
Thanks! Go B's
However, if you don't want to do that, you can send me your comments directly to me by email. Feel free to ask about my opinion, make suggestions or just check in.
You can email me at bruinsblog@yahoo.com
Thanks! Go B's
July 22, 2010
Interview With Chara
No, not from me, but a good read on the Bruins website today. Chara talks about his off-season, the moves so far and his expectations for the upcoming year.
Good read if you have a few minutes.
http://bruins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=534759#
Go B's
Good read if you have a few minutes.
http://bruins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=534759#
Go B's
July 21, 2010
Not so Fast
The things you could buy with $102 Million dollars. I bet Ilya already had some pretty big plans. Houses, cars, yacht's and a dream vacation home perhaps in Siberia. But it appears that Kovalchuk has been left out in the cold as the NHL today rejected his 17 year, 102 Million dollar contract with the New Jersey Devils. But don't get me wrong, this isn't a pity Ilya party. I am sure the high scoring winger will do just fine.
It is hard to ignore the fact today that the NHL has put its proverbial foot down on the front loaded contracts by squashing the mammoth deal handed out to Kovalchuk. Front loaded contracts are an easy way for teams to lock up star players and save cap room on them by having them play for less money at the end of the long contract.
Saving Cap Room 101
1) Offer a longer than necessary contract to a star you want to lock down for the long term...10 years is a good start.
2) Decide on the financial terms of the deal... Say 10 years, 73 Million.
3) The way the salary cap works in the NHL, the cap hit would be the average of the contract over the time, not what the player is paid per season. The example would have an avg cap hit of 7.3 Million per season.
4) Load the front portion of the contract with a majority of the salary so by the time player is older and less productive you are paying them peanuts. For the example, put the first $70 Million of salary in the first 7 years, and then spread the final 3Mil out over the remaining 3 years at 1Mil a year.
5)When the player's salary is down to 1Million a year, buy them out. Teams can buy players out for 2/3 of what the salary is for the current year. Then they can spread out the cap hit to double the length of the remaining years on the contract.
Example: 1 Million cap hit becomes $666,000 of a cap hit, but spread over 2 years. So in the example, when the player was bought out, the team would have a cap hit of essentially $333,000 over 6 years.
A bit confusing right? Not really sure how else to explain it, but these are the exact loopholes that GM's and cap guru's have been pulling in the NHL for years. There are multiple examples of this: Zetterberg, Hossa, Loungo, and even Savard to some extent have all received front loaded contracts. In all of these contracts, the players are going to be near the end of their prime, or should be well retired. In Kovalchuk's case, he is supposedly going to play until he is 44. That just will not happen and certainly is not the plan.
What is important to note here is the rumor that general manager Lou Lamoriello knew the NHL was going to reject the contract before it went through. Lou is one of, if not the most respected GM's in the game, and oddly enough, he was one of the GM's who helped shape how the current CBA is structured. Perhaps Lou went over the top with Kovalchuk's deal to point out the absurdity of other deals the NHL has allowed. Or maybe he was just testing the NHL's patience. Either way, the NHL set a precedent today by rejecting the contract which could send a ripple affect through the NHL and how Free Agents negotiate. This will certainly increase some of the tension as we move closer to a new CBA.
Below is a breakout of Kovalchuk's proposed contract.
2010-11: $6 million
2011-12: $6 million
2012-13: $11.5 million
2013-14: $11.5 million
2014-15: $11.5 million
2015-16: $11.5 million
2016-17: $11.5 million
2017-18: $10.5 million
2018-19: $8.5 million
2019-20: $6.5 million
2020-21: $3.5 Million
2021-22: $750,000
2022-23: $550,000
2023-24: $550,000
2024-25: $550,000
2025-26: $550,000
2026-27: $550,000
It is hard to ignore the fact today that the NHL has put its proverbial foot down on the front loaded contracts by squashing the mammoth deal handed out to Kovalchuk. Front loaded contracts are an easy way for teams to lock up star players and save cap room on them by having them play for less money at the end of the long contract.
Saving Cap Room 101
1) Offer a longer than necessary contract to a star you want to lock down for the long term...10 years is a good start.
2) Decide on the financial terms of the deal... Say 10 years, 73 Million.
3) The way the salary cap works in the NHL, the cap hit would be the average of the contract over the time, not what the player is paid per season. The example would have an avg cap hit of 7.3 Million per season.
4) Load the front portion of the contract with a majority of the salary so by the time player is older and less productive you are paying them peanuts. For the example, put the first $70 Million of salary in the first 7 years, and then spread the final 3Mil out over the remaining 3 years at 1Mil a year.
5)When the player's salary is down to 1Million a year, buy them out. Teams can buy players out for 2/3 of what the salary is for the current year. Then they can spread out the cap hit to double the length of the remaining years on the contract.
Example: 1 Million cap hit becomes $666,000 of a cap hit, but spread over 2 years. So in the example, when the player was bought out, the team would have a cap hit of essentially $333,000 over 6 years.
A bit confusing right? Not really sure how else to explain it, but these are the exact loopholes that GM's and cap guru's have been pulling in the NHL for years. There are multiple examples of this: Zetterberg, Hossa, Loungo, and even Savard to some extent have all received front loaded contracts. In all of these contracts, the players are going to be near the end of their prime, or should be well retired. In Kovalchuk's case, he is supposedly going to play until he is 44. That just will not happen and certainly is not the plan.
What is important to note here is the rumor that general manager Lou Lamoriello knew the NHL was going to reject the contract before it went through. Lou is one of, if not the most respected GM's in the game, and oddly enough, he was one of the GM's who helped shape how the current CBA is structured. Perhaps Lou went over the top with Kovalchuk's deal to point out the absurdity of other deals the NHL has allowed. Or maybe he was just testing the NHL's patience. Either way, the NHL set a precedent today by rejecting the contract which could send a ripple affect through the NHL and how Free Agents negotiate. This will certainly increase some of the tension as we move closer to a new CBA.
Below is a breakout of Kovalchuk's proposed contract.
2010-11: $6 million
2011-12: $6 million
2012-13: $11.5 million
2013-14: $11.5 million
2014-15: $11.5 million
2015-16: $11.5 million
2016-17: $11.5 million
2017-18: $10.5 million
2018-19: $8.5 million
2019-20: $6.5 million
2020-21: $3.5 Million
2021-22: $750,000
2022-23: $550,000
2023-24: $550,000
2024-25: $550,000
2025-26: $550,000
2026-27: $550,000
July 19, 2010
The Salary Cap Situation
Things are looking a little bit tight around the hub these days. With 19 players signed for the upcoming year, the B's find themselves with just over 500K left in the bank to fill up the remaining few roster spots. While it may not be clear how things will all play out, one thing is for certain: the Bruins will have to make some sort of roster move in order for the numbers to all work.
The Bruins have yet to sign the 2nd overall pick, Tyler Seguin. Hall was given an enrty level contract of 900K but with over 2.8Mil in bonuses. It is likely that Seguin will recieve similiar numbers and he will definetly be signed, so that would put the Bruins over the cap by $400K. So how can they get under the cap next year while still improving their current roster and title chances? If I were Chiarelli, here is how I would address the situation.
Who to Trade?
Some have suggested trading Savard for Kaberle but the two have similiar salaries so the numbers just wont work. Both top prospects Hamil(1.3Mil) and Colbourne (1.1Mil) wouldn't offer any relief over Campbell's contract. So assuming the center situation will remain the same, the next place to look would be on the right wing. Ultimately, it comes down to 2 roster spots for 3 players - Wheeler, Ryder and Seguin. As of right now, its a good bet that Seguin will start the year in Boston. This would mean that the Bruins would already be over the cap without addressing Wheeler's contract. The choice will ultimately come between Ryder and Wheeler, and with Wheeler still having an upside and Ryder's cap being higher, I would think Ryder is the skater to be moved.
There has been some talk at the need for another puck moving defensemen, and while I do not know if he is on the market or not, I like Fedor Tyutin of the Columbus Blue Jackets. I would send Ryder to Columbus for Tyutin... this would save $1.2Mil in cap space. Columbus seriously needs help on the RW and has plenty of cap space available. If needed, I think the Bruins could even include Hunwick in the deal if we could get a prospect or draft pick back. That would free up an additional $1.4Mil, bringing the total to 2.6Mil saved which should be plenty to sign Wheeler as well.
Additionally, Boston will have a tough decision to make in regards to Thomas as the season draws closer. I don't think Thomas will be able to be moved until he is proven to be healthy. A potential trade partner could be the Caps, who Thomas may waive his no movement clause for. With their early exit from the playoffs, goalie should be a position they should try to solidify and taking a shot on a former Veizna winner wouldn't be their worst option. Ultimately, the Bruins may not need to move Thomas if they are able to move Ryder. Starting the season with two proven goalies isn't a bad thing as Rask showed signs of fatigue when playing consecutive games.
How would you fix the salary cap situation the Bruins find themselves in?
Go B's
The Bruins have yet to sign the 2nd overall pick, Tyler Seguin. Hall was given an enrty level contract of 900K but with over 2.8Mil in bonuses. It is likely that Seguin will recieve similiar numbers and he will definetly be signed, so that would put the Bruins over the cap by $400K. So how can they get under the cap next year while still improving their current roster and title chances? If I were Chiarelli, here is how I would address the situation.
Who to Trade?
Some have suggested trading Savard for Kaberle but the two have similiar salaries so the numbers just wont work. Both top prospects Hamil(1.3Mil) and Colbourne (1.1Mil) wouldn't offer any relief over Campbell's contract. So assuming the center situation will remain the same, the next place to look would be on the right wing. Ultimately, it comes down to 2 roster spots for 3 players - Wheeler, Ryder and Seguin. As of right now, its a good bet that Seguin will start the year in Boston. This would mean that the Bruins would already be over the cap without addressing Wheeler's contract. The choice will ultimately come between Ryder and Wheeler, and with Wheeler still having an upside and Ryder's cap being higher, I would think Ryder is the skater to be moved.
There has been some talk at the need for another puck moving defensemen, and while I do not know if he is on the market or not, I like Fedor Tyutin of the Columbus Blue Jackets. I would send Ryder to Columbus for Tyutin... this would save $1.2Mil in cap space. Columbus seriously needs help on the RW and has plenty of cap space available. If needed, I think the Bruins could even include Hunwick in the deal if we could get a prospect or draft pick back. That would free up an additional $1.4Mil, bringing the total to 2.6Mil saved which should be plenty to sign Wheeler as well.
Additionally, Boston will have a tough decision to make in regards to Thomas as the season draws closer. I don't think Thomas will be able to be moved until he is proven to be healthy. A potential trade partner could be the Caps, who Thomas may waive his no movement clause for. With their early exit from the playoffs, goalie should be a position they should try to solidify and taking a shot on a former Veizna winner wouldn't be their worst option. Ultimately, the Bruins may not need to move Thomas if they are able to move Ryder. Starting the season with two proven goalies isn't a bad thing as Rask showed signs of fatigue when playing consecutive games.
How would you fix the salary cap situation the Bruins find themselves in?
Go B's
Kovalchuk signs, Gange Traded
Big news in the Eastern Conference today. Ilya Kovalchuk announced today that he will re-sign with the New Jersey Devils, thus ending his nearly month long flirtation with the Los Angeles Kings. I thought for certain the Kings would find some way to land Kovalchuk, but they repeatedly could not satisfy him with a large enough contract. The terms of his new deal have yet to be released and it will be interesting to see how his contract effects the rest of the Devils roster.
The signing of Kovalchuk, as expected, has now jump started the trade market with the Flyers sending Simon Gange to the Tampa Bay Lighting in return for Matt Walker and a 4th round pick. Steve Yzerman has been pretty busy this off season and now has made an immediate impact on the Lighting for next year. The Southeast Division will still belong to the Capitals, but the Lighting are certainly shaping up to be a playoff contender. The Flyers freed up cap room and now find themselves with a full roster with 1mil to spare. They have been incredibly busy this summer and have really rejuvenated the Broadstreet Bullies of the 70's. They have added tough guy Jody Shelley, retained the pest and pirate look alike Carcillo and have added another agitator/fighter in Walker. This is all in addtion to Ian Laperierre, the NHL's active leader in fighting majors. Perhaps they are going with the brawn over brain approach as taking away the scoring of Gange would seem to indicate. For a team that was a few wins away from the cup it sure seems a bit drastic to me.
There will likely be a lot more moves in Free Agency and the trade market this week as pieces and complementary players are moved around. Hopefully this will help the Bruins to free up some cap space (without trading Savard). Look for a post later tonight on some ways for the B's to get under the cap.
The signing of Kovalchuk, as expected, has now jump started the trade market with the Flyers sending Simon Gange to the Tampa Bay Lighting in return for Matt Walker and a 4th round pick. Steve Yzerman has been pretty busy this off season and now has made an immediate impact on the Lighting for next year. The Southeast Division will still belong to the Capitals, but the Lighting are certainly shaping up to be a playoff contender. The Flyers freed up cap room and now find themselves with a full roster with 1mil to spare. They have been incredibly busy this summer and have really rejuvenated the Broadstreet Bullies of the 70's. They have added tough guy Jody Shelley, retained the pest and pirate look alike Carcillo and have added another agitator/fighter in Walker. This is all in addtion to Ian Laperierre, the NHL's active leader in fighting majors. Perhaps they are going with the brawn over brain approach as taking away the scoring of Gange would seem to indicate. For a team that was a few wins away from the cup it sure seems a bit drastic to me.
There will likely be a lot more moves in Free Agency and the trade market this week as pieces and complementary players are moved around. Hopefully this will help the Bruins to free up some cap space (without trading Savard). Look for a post later tonight on some ways for the B's to get under the cap.
July 18, 2010
Campbell, McQuaid, Bodnarchuk, LoVecchio Signed
Last week the Bruins announced the signings of Greg Campbell, Adam McQuaid, Andrew Bodnarchuk and Jeff LoVecchio. While these aren't earth shattering moves, the Bruins have essentially rounded out the bottom of the roster and retained some key pieces in Providence. The McQuaid and Campbell signings will help to boost the toughness and grit that wasn't seen at key times last year. Here is a look at each of the players and their contracts.
Greg Campbell
Campbell was the second player brought over in the Wideman-Horton trade, but came over as a restricted free agent. Campbell only posted 2 goals and 15 assists on the season last year, and his role in Boston will remain the same. Campbell will most likely center the 4th line with Thornton and a RW yet to be determined. Campbell is a grinder who likes to mix it up from time to time, and he will be called upon to help on the PK as well. His contract is for set for $1M this year, and $1.2M in 2011-2012. Also of interest, Greg is the son of Colin Campbell, the NHL disciplinarian who failed to handout a suspension for the Cooke hit on Savard this season. It's almost too ironic how this came full circle. (cue Alanis Morrisette music)
I do think Campbell will be a good addition to the 4th line and certainly an upgrade over Begin. Essentially, the B's had the choice of keeping Sobotka for this money or signing Campbell, so it will be interesting to see which player has the better year next season.
Adam McQuaid
I was very excited about this signing as I didn't think the young blueliner would be back in Boston next year. Please note I said BOSTON. McQuaid had a solid season last year and played well when called up both times, and if it wasn't for his mid season injury, we probably would have seen a lot more of him. The 6-5, 209lb defensemen will certainly battle for a permanent spot on the NHL roster. Most likely it will come down to McQuaid and Hunwick. In his time in Boston, McQuaid showed that he is a strong, physical defender who can bring a downright nasty side to his game. He didn't back down from opponents, and played as if he belonged there. The one critique is that he sometimes tried to play mistake free hockey, which in the end ultimately lead to tentative play and turnovers. If he plays within his game and gets some NHL miles, I think you will see a much improved player by the end of the year.
I also like they way his contract is structured. He is signed for 2 years, with the first year being a 2 way contract, and the second being a 1 way contract. This will allow him to go back to Providence this year if he isn't ready, but it also leads me to believe that the Bruins think he will be on the NHL roster next year. Maybe this is looking too far ahead, but Hunwick will be a RFA next year and McQuaid may already be lined up to take his position if he doesn't do so this year.
Andrew Bodnarchuk
I like the signing of the young prospect defensemen who saw limited time in Boston last year. He was signed to a 1 year deal and will most likely spend his time in Providence unless the injury bug hangs around beantown for another year. If he is given the time to develop in the B's system, he could be a solid NHL player 2-3 years down the road.
Jeff LoVecchio
Played his first season in Providence last year, and will be there again this year. Had a decent rookie season and was given another year to develop. Won't see him in Boston next year.
Greg Campbell
Campbell was the second player brought over in the Wideman-Horton trade, but came over as a restricted free agent. Campbell only posted 2 goals and 15 assists on the season last year, and his role in Boston will remain the same. Campbell will most likely center the 4th line with Thornton and a RW yet to be determined. Campbell is a grinder who likes to mix it up from time to time, and he will be called upon to help on the PK as well. His contract is for set for $1M this year, and $1.2M in 2011-2012. Also of interest, Greg is the son of Colin Campbell, the NHL disciplinarian who failed to handout a suspension for the Cooke hit on Savard this season. It's almost too ironic how this came full circle. (cue Alanis Morrisette music)
I do think Campbell will be a good addition to the 4th line and certainly an upgrade over Begin. Essentially, the B's had the choice of keeping Sobotka for this money or signing Campbell, so it will be interesting to see which player has the better year next season.
Adam McQuaid
I was very excited about this signing as I didn't think the young blueliner would be back in Boston next year. Please note I said BOSTON. McQuaid had a solid season last year and played well when called up both times, and if it wasn't for his mid season injury, we probably would have seen a lot more of him. The 6-5, 209lb defensemen will certainly battle for a permanent spot on the NHL roster. Most likely it will come down to McQuaid and Hunwick. In his time in Boston, McQuaid showed that he is a strong, physical defender who can bring a downright nasty side to his game. He didn't back down from opponents, and played as if he belonged there. The one critique is that he sometimes tried to play mistake free hockey, which in the end ultimately lead to tentative play and turnovers. If he plays within his game and gets some NHL miles, I think you will see a much improved player by the end of the year.
I also like they way his contract is structured. He is signed for 2 years, with the first year being a 2 way contract, and the second being a 1 way contract. This will allow him to go back to Providence this year if he isn't ready, but it also leads me to believe that the Bruins think he will be on the NHL roster next year. Maybe this is looking too far ahead, but Hunwick will be a RFA next year and McQuaid may already be lined up to take his position if he doesn't do so this year.
Andrew Bodnarchuk
I like the signing of the young prospect defensemen who saw limited time in Boston last year. He was signed to a 1 year deal and will most likely spend his time in Providence unless the injury bug hangs around beantown for another year. If he is given the time to develop in the B's system, he could be a solid NHL player 2-3 years down the road.
Jeff LoVecchio
Played his first season in Providence last year, and will be there again this year. Had a decent rookie season and was given another year to develop. Won't see him in Boston next year.
July 17, 2010
In defense of Marc Savard
Chances are, you have heard of a Savard rumor or two so far this off season. And chances are, you probably have a pretty strong opinion one way or the other. Savard's name had been linked to a slew of trade rumors, most prominently Thomas Kaberle. While I like the idea of Boston improving our defensive rotation, it would be foolish for Chiarelli to ship out Savard. It is well documented the Bruins struggled mightily on offense last year. Perhaps it comes as no coincidence that Savard played only 41 games last year, the fewest games he has played since his rookie season. As a proven play maker in this league, Savard has been a vital component of the offense since he arrived in Boston, and should have a big impact this year. Here is why I believe the Bruins would be making a huge mistake by shipping out Savard:
1) Here are Savard's stats while in Boston
2006/2007 82 GP 22G 74A (39 on PP) 96Pts
2007/2008 74 GP 15G 63A (27 on PP) 78Pts
2008/2009 82 GP 25G 63A (21 on PP) 88Pts
2009/2010 41 GP 10G 23A (11 on PP) 33Pts
Pretty consistent numbers. What I find most impressive is the amount of assists Savard accumulated while on the PP; nearly half his season total in each year came with the man advantage. Last year, when Savard went down, the PP really struggled to score. While only playing in half of the regular season games last year, Savard still managed to be in the top 7 on the team for goals, assists and points. You have to imagine that if he was healthy the entire year, he very well could have led the team in all three. I don't like the idea of taking any scoring off the roster as it is currently constructed.
2) The notion that Savard is injury prone doesn't hold much weight with me. Prior to last year, he had played in 238 out of 246 possible games. Last year's injuries (caused by the boards and a blindside hit) could have happened to pretty much anyone on the ice. While there are some concerns about the severity of his concussion and the effects moving forward, I don't think we have any evidence thus far to know whether or not it will effect how he plays this season, and it shouldn't play into the decision to trade him.
3) Savard has also taken some hits in the media saying that he isn't a tough player, which is unfair and not exactly true. Savard is listed at a generous 5-10, 195lbs., which isn't exactly the prototypical NHL tough guy. Every NHL team is comprised of different types of players, the snipers, play makers, power forwards etc. Savard is a finesse, play making player who a) doesn't have the size to use the body on other players and b) is much more effective in the open ice when he can create (which is why he is so effective on the power play).
But the notion that Savard isn't tough really bugs me for 2 reasons. First, he took one of the worse shots to the head seen in recent years. The hit was so bad, it prompted the NHL to pass the new rule banning head shots. Many thought this would end Savard's season, and rightfully so. But Savard battled back and gutted it out to make the 2nd round of the playoffs. While he wasn't that effective, you still have to acknowledge how hard it was to come back from a hit like that.
Secondly, this Bruins team has gotten a reputation for being soft at times throughout the past two seasons. While Savard isn't going to be the guy who drops the gloves, he has shown on multiple occasions that he will step in and defend a teammate or that he isn't afraid to mix it up. See the videos linked: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6wQRnnT8o&feature=related Vid 1, 2008-2009 vs Dallas, forward to 5:30. Vid 2, 2009-2010, in response to a low hit on Sturm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2CpKr9I6FMIf only all the Bruins would follow this example (cough cough Ryder, Wheeler)
4)Savard's contract is awesome for the Bruins. He is making slightly over $4million a year through 2016-2017 and the NTC he has expires after the 2013-2014 season. Savard's salary is a steal when you compare him to other Centers around the same age and stat line (Andy McDonald $4.7mil, Brad Richards $7.8mil, Mike Ribiero $5.0mil, Scott Gomez $7.3mil, Daniel Briere $6.5mil, Joe Thorton $7.2mil). Over the past few seasons, his production has been better or at least comparable to all of those players. Savard is a 1st line center signed long term at under market value... to me it makes more sense to dump the salary of Ryder (4mil as well), who is likely to be a 3rd or 4th line wing this season.
Additionally, with Savard, the Bruins have depth and talent through center. I think it will be better to start Seguin on the wing as he is still an unproven NHL player. It sets up well having Savard's NTC expire in 3 seasons, and by that time, hopefully Seguin will have become the dominant NHL center that we are all expecting. At that time, it would make sense to trade Savard, but at this point, he simply brings too much offense and experience to be a salary dump type of player. Like mentioned earlier, there is at least one other player on the current roster who could save the same amount of money while losing a whole lot less.
Let me know what you think.
Go B's
1) Here are Savard's stats while in Boston
2006/2007 82 GP 22G 74A (39 on PP) 96Pts
2007/2008 74 GP 15G 63A (27 on PP) 78Pts
2008/2009 82 GP 25G 63A (21 on PP) 88Pts
2009/2010 41 GP 10G 23A (11 on PP) 33Pts
Pretty consistent numbers. What I find most impressive is the amount of assists Savard accumulated while on the PP; nearly half his season total in each year came with the man advantage. Last year, when Savard went down, the PP really struggled to score. While only playing in half of the regular season games last year, Savard still managed to be in the top 7 on the team for goals, assists and points. You have to imagine that if he was healthy the entire year, he very well could have led the team in all three. I don't like the idea of taking any scoring off the roster as it is currently constructed.
2) The notion that Savard is injury prone doesn't hold much weight with me. Prior to last year, he had played in 238 out of 246 possible games. Last year's injuries (caused by the boards and a blindside hit) could have happened to pretty much anyone on the ice. While there are some concerns about the severity of his concussion and the effects moving forward, I don't think we have any evidence thus far to know whether or not it will effect how he plays this season, and it shouldn't play into the decision to trade him.
3) Savard has also taken some hits in the media saying that he isn't a tough player, which is unfair and not exactly true. Savard is listed at a generous 5-10, 195lbs., which isn't exactly the prototypical NHL tough guy. Every NHL team is comprised of different types of players, the snipers, play makers, power forwards etc. Savard is a finesse, play making player who a) doesn't have the size to use the body on other players and b) is much more effective in the open ice when he can create (which is why he is so effective on the power play).
But the notion that Savard isn't tough really bugs me for 2 reasons. First, he took one of the worse shots to the head seen in recent years. The hit was so bad, it prompted the NHL to pass the new rule banning head shots. Many thought this would end Savard's season, and rightfully so. But Savard battled back and gutted it out to make the 2nd round of the playoffs. While he wasn't that effective, you still have to acknowledge how hard it was to come back from a hit like that.
Secondly, this Bruins team has gotten a reputation for being soft at times throughout the past two seasons. While Savard isn't going to be the guy who drops the gloves, he has shown on multiple occasions that he will step in and defend a teammate or that he isn't afraid to mix it up. See the videos linked: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6wQRnnT8o&feature=related Vid 1, 2008-2009 vs Dallas, forward to 5:30. Vid 2, 2009-2010, in response to a low hit on Sturm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2CpKr9I6FMIf only all the Bruins would follow this example (cough cough Ryder, Wheeler)
4)Savard's contract is awesome for the Bruins. He is making slightly over $4million a year through 2016-2017 and the NTC he has expires after the 2013-2014 season. Savard's salary is a steal when you compare him to other Centers around the same age and stat line (Andy McDonald $4.7mil, Brad Richards $7.8mil, Mike Ribiero $5.0mil, Scott Gomez $7.3mil, Daniel Briere $6.5mil, Joe Thorton $7.2mil). Over the past few seasons, his production has been better or at least comparable to all of those players. Savard is a 1st line center signed long term at under market value... to me it makes more sense to dump the salary of Ryder (4mil as well), who is likely to be a 3rd or 4th line wing this season.
Additionally, with Savard, the Bruins have depth and talent through center. I think it will be better to start Seguin on the wing as he is still an unproven NHL player. It sets up well having Savard's NTC expire in 3 seasons, and by that time, hopefully Seguin will have become the dominant NHL center that we are all expecting. At that time, it would make sense to trade Savard, but at this point, he simply brings too much offense and experience to be a salary dump type of player. Like mentioned earlier, there is at least one other player on the current roster who could save the same amount of money while losing a whole lot less.
Let me know what you think.
Go B's
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