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.
August 31, 2010
"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
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