Bergeron makes Team Canada

Team Canada announced its 23-man roster for the 2010 Olympics today, and one Bruin made the cut: center Patrice Bergeron, who was named to the team after a couple of weeks of having Steve Yzerman, Team Canada's Executive Director, in the arena during some B's games, specifically to watch Bergeron play.

The 2010 games in Vancouver, B.C., will be Bergeron's first Olympiad, though he has represented Canada in other international competitions. Bergeron projects to be a third or fourth line player for Canada's stacked squad, and he will likely be relied on for strong defensive play and his ability to win face-offs.

Making Team Canada completes a whirlwind coupe of seasons for the Quebec-born forward, as he is just over two years removed from suffering a devastating concussion, an injury that caused him to miss nearly an entire season. He returned to play in time for the start of the 2008-2009 season, only to miss a bit more time after suffering another less serious concussion.

This season, Bergeron has solidified his spot as the Bruins' best all-around player and has shown signs of returning to his pre-injury form. More often than not, he has been one of the better Bruins on the ice this season.

Bergeron's selection is also particularly notable because of who didn't make the team. Big name players like Jeff Carter, Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Ryan Smyth were left off of the roster, as were defensemen Mike Green and Jay Bouwmeester.

For the full Canadian roster, click here.

In other Bruin Olympic news, Zdeno Chara was named to Team Slovakia (I know, shocking!), where he will be counted on to provide leadership to a Slovakian group that is sure to be a medal underdog, and David Krejci was named to the Czech Republic's squad.

Tuukka Rask, who has played brilliantly for the B's so far this season, was left off of a goaltending-rich Finland squad (Miikka Kiprusoff, Niklas Backstrom and Antero Nittymaki were the three goalies who made the team).

The United States will announce its team during the Winter Classic on Friday, but it appears that no Bruins will be on the roster. One player sure to be wearing the Stars and Stripes is former-Bruin Phil Kessel, who will likely get a reprieve from booing from American B's fans during the Olympics.

Games begin for the male Olympians on February 16.

Reports: Savard close to a new deal

Various reports from across the internet came out today saying that the Bruins and Marc Savard are close to a contract extension. The Boston Globe's Kevin Paul Dupont reported earlier today that the talks between the two parties "remain on course", and suggested that the final deal would be something like seven-years, $32 million, a cap hit of $4.6 million per season.

Another source, RDS' Bob Hartley, reported that the deal was imminent, and his figure was seven-years, $39 million. Savard would be 39 years old entering the final year of any seven-year deal, but if the B's can retain their top scorer for somewhere between $4.6 and $5.6 million, sign me up. Savard has been all that the B's could have hoped for when they signed him away from Atlanta, and if he puts up points at his current pace for the next few years, this deal may prove to be a steal.

Again, nothing is definite as of right now, but Dupont mentioned in his blog that he expects the deal to be done sometime around Thanksgiving. If so, B's fans will certainly be plenty thankful to have someone of Savard's talent level around for another seven years.

Updates: Krecji "side-swined", Rask extended

Both the Bruins' top scorer and (arguably) most important player are out, and the team simply can't score. How could things get any worse?

What's that you say? David Krejci has swine flu? Oh, cool.

So now the Bruins' second-most dangerous forward is quarantined, and will likely miss at least a week, if not more.

Adding to the Bruins' woes in this situation is the fact that Krejci could have spread the virus to his teammates before being isolated. It appears that he told the team as soon as he felt sick, as GM Peter Chiarelli instructed the players to do, but let's face it: this is a hockey team. There's sharing of towels, food, water bottles, and who knows what else.

Best wishes to Krejci for a speedy recovery, and let's hope the other players don't get sick. In the TSN link above, Chiarelli is quoted as saying that the players are on the list to receive vaccines, but are below the high-risk population. The team will probably get them eventually, but in waiting has avoided an embarrassing situation like the one that is currently plaguing the Maple Leafs and Flames (see the link on the BHN home page).

In better news, the B's and RFA-to-be goalie Tuukka Rask agreed to a two-year contract extension yesterday.

There was some speculation on HFBoards (from credible sources, mind you) that it was something around $1.2-1.6 million a year, meaning the Thomas-Tuukka tandem would be costing the B's around $6 million for the next two seasons. Considering that both are fairly solid in net, that's not a bad sum.

In re-signing Rask now, Chiarelli crossed another item off of his summer "to-do" list, after also re-signing Milan Lucic earlier this season. Blake Wheeler is a remaining RFA, but having to re-sign one is better than having to re-sign three.

Winter Classic Jerseys Leaked? EDIT: Philly's Included

According to multiple photos and threads on HFBoards (viewable here and here), the Bruins special edition Winter Classic jersey has been leaked a few days early. The Flyers were supposed to release their jerseys today and the Bruins on the 17th, but two different photos appear to show the new jersey in the possession of Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, who was recently in New York City filming promotional material for Versus.

Photo 1, posted by HFBoards user "Todd Elik":


And photo 2, posted by HF user "Morris Wanchuk"which gives a much better look at the sweater. Not sure yet where/when this was taken and who Thomas'...uh..."companion" is:



Again, these are "alleged" leaks, and may not be the actual jerseys. However, if they are, they appear to be a take on the B's jersey from 1942-1947, a jersey that some are saying the B's wore for the club's 25th anniversary season in 1949. One of the early points of contention is the more rounded and cartoonish-looking "B" on the crest of the sweater. The "B", or a form of it, can be seen here at SportsLogos.net. (I couldn't save the picture for some reason.)

My take? Overall, a pretty nice looking sweater. The gold jersey is much better than their last attempt at a gold uniform (though as I've said before, I kind of liked the "Pooh" jerseys), and I like the bands and piping on the jersey. Some may be turned off by the different looking crest, but, as Pittsburgh's Winter Classic sweater showed, different isn't necessarily bad.

Once more, these are alleged leaks, and could be all wrong. However, if they are the actual jerseys, I give them a thumbs-up. The B's went traditional without going too old school, and should see a decent amount of these jerseys peppered in the Fenway Park crowd come January 1st.

Opinions on the sweaters? Yay? Nay?


EDIT, 5:02 PM: Here are some pics from Philly's official unveiling earlier this afternoon. All are property of the NHL, no copyright infringement intended, and the entire gallery can be seen here.

I think the Flyers' jerseys look pretty sharp as well. I like the stripes down the arm and the horizontal orange stripe across the bottom. My only issue is with the black nameplate visible in the first picture. It seems a little out of place, but basically what this jersey seems to be is an "away" version of the Flyers' extremely popular third jersey. The black nameplate isn't necessarily bad, just a little "different".

Though the contrasting colors between the nameplate and the letters will help fans be able to read Ray Emery's name from under the Fenway scoreboard in center field...maybe it was a good move after all.

B's Begin Informal Practices

While training camp is still a couple of weeks away, the Bruins have started to come together as a group for informal practices in Wilmington. Attendance isn't mandatory, but a number of B's have already shown up and skated, including Steve Begin, Marco Sturm, David Krecji and Tuukka Rask.

The Globe's Bruins Blog has had running coverage of the event, including a piece stating that Krecji may be ready to play by October 1st. He is still unable to skate full-tilt, and may not be by the start of training camp, but isn't ruling out being ready for the opener and hopes to be back in action at some point in October.

Other tidbits from the Globe:

• Steve Begin is wearing number 27, most recently worn by Peter Schaefer and Glen Murray. Bad karma for the former Hab?
• Marco Sturm is skating without limitation and feeling good.

All practices the rest of the week are open to the public and begin at 11:30 AM.

B's Announce Date of Individual Ticket Sales

From an email from the Bruins:

Tickets On Sale August 20, 2009 @ 10 AM
Individual tickets for home games played at the TD Garden to go on sale Thursday, August 20 @ 10:00 AM

BOSTON, MA - Individual tickets for Bruins games played at the TD Garden during the 2009-10 preseason and regular season will go on sale on Thursday, August 20 at 10:00 a.m. at the TD Garden Box Office and online at BOSTONBRUINS.com.

For games played at the TD Garden, tickets will range in price from $10.00 - $289.50. In addition to seat location, ticket prices will vary depending on opponent and date of game. Please note that ticket prices are subject to change.

Something tells me tickets may actually be a little harder to come by this season, especially if last year's playoff-ticket fever is any indication.

Just think, two months from today it will be hockey time again. Where has the summer gone?

Claude on Kessel

Ran into Bruins coach Claude Julien at the Red Sox-A's game last night. As he was walking by, my brother asked him when Phil would be back.

Julien's response was: "Whenever he's ready."

Clearly this confirms GM Peter Chiarelli's statements that Kessel WILL be back. Stone-cold lock.









Yes, this is clearly meant as a joke. We really did see Julien, did ask him that question and did get that response, but we have not taken it anywhere near that seriously. I just thought it was a funny story.

Sources: Bruins Sign Morris

According to multiple sources, the Bruins have agreed to a deal in principle with free-agent defenseman Derek Morris.

Morris started last season with the Phoenix Coyotes, but was moved to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline. Morris had 5-15-20 totals in 75 games last season, and was a -10. He is a primarily a puck-moving d-man, and his less than stellar defensive numbers can be partially attributed to playing for Phoenix and the Rangers, two of the league's less-than-airtight defensive teams.

This could be the "other shoe" I referred to earlier, when GM Peter Chiarelli said moving Aaron Ward wasn't to sign Phil Kessel, but to add another defenseman. Morris appears to be that guy, though the team hasn't confirmed anything yet.

The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune has also reported the deal, while NESN and InsideHockey.com contributor James Murphy has mentioned a signing as well.

ESPN says it's a one-year deal, but I'm going to wait until I read the terms to comment fully on the signing. If it is a one-year deal, and it's for $2-2.5 million, then good move. If it's for $3 million+, then I'll be scratching my head. Stay tuned.

EDIT (11:52 PM): TSN is reporting the deal is a one-year deal worth $3.3 million...yeesh. That's a little high for my tastes. This essentially negates moving Aaron Ward to clear salary, meaning someone else is definitely going to have to go for Kessel to return to the B's this fall. Most likely to be moved? In my opinion (strictly opinion): Kobasew, Sturm, Ryder, Bergeron, Savard.

Again, stay tuned. More moves should be made in the next couple of weeks.

Ward traded to Carolina for Eaves and a pick; Eaves Immediately Waived

The Bruins today sent veteran defenseman Aaron Ward back to the Carolina Hurricanes, a team he helped to a Stanley Cup win in 2004, in exchange for forward Patrick Eaves and a fourth-round pick in 2010. Eaves was immediately placed on waivers by the Bruins, who intend to buy him out.

This move screams of a salary dump, as moving Ward frees the Bruins of his $2.5 million salary. Buying out Eaves, assuming he isn't claimed on waivers which doesn't seem likely, will cost the B's around $260,000 next year, and will GIVE the Bruins around $41,000 the year after (very confusing salary cap stuff, Fluto explains in the Bruins Blog).

It seems as though Chiarelli asked Ward about the move before making it, as he said he wouldn't have sent him anywhere other than Carolina, where Ward resides. In the "afore-linked" blog, Fluto says Chiarelli said he'd be looking to add a defenseman now, but didn't specify whether it would be through a trade or a signing.

Many things could be going on here, but it's clear that something else is brewing. Freeing up the cap space could be indicative of Chiarelli being prepared to sign Phil Kessel. However, saying he is going to add a defenseman could mean that he is preparing to deal Kessel to another club for a defenseman.

Either way, the other shoe has yet to drop here, so to speak. Ward is in Carolina, Eaves will soon be off the Bruins books, and there will be more moves to make. Expect one of two things to be announced in the coming days:

• 1. Someone else will be moved (Kobasew, Ryder, Bergeron, Savard) and Phil Kessel has been re-signed, either to a one-year deal at a bit less money (probably wouldn't require the above names to be moved) or to a long term deal at an averaged-out contract (would likely require a trade).
• 2. Kessel has been traded to a team willing to give the Bruins a young, impact defenseman in return.
  

Chances are, these are the two options Chiarelli has been weighing, and the trading of Ward to me indicates that he is prepared to pull the trigger on one of the two. It's just speculation on my part and could be completely wrong, but it seems the most likely set of circumstances.

It's too bad to see Ward go, as he was a tremendous veteran presence, had some snarl to his game and was extremely entertaining in his weekly radio appearances on WBCN's Toucher & Rich show. However, he is getting old, and his cap-hit made him a likely target to be dealt. He was a solid, dependable blueliner for the B's, but was among the most sensible candidates to be dealt.

Stay tuned for more announcements, as another move or two can't be all that far away.

Bruins Re-sign Hunwick

Avoiding an arbitration hearing set for this Friday, the Bruins agreed to terms with RFA defenseman Matt Hunwick, signing the young blueliner to a two-year, $2.9 million deal. The annual cap hit will be $1.45 million.

Image property of Flickr user Dan4th

Hunwick recorded 27 points last year (6 goals, 21 assists) in 53 games. He finished the season tied with Los Angeles' Drew Doughty for most points by a rookie defenseman.

Hunwick's stock with the team rose drastically over the course of the season, as he showed off his puck-moving ability, offensive instincts and willingness to jump into the rush. His offensive prowess was made even more apparent when, for a couple of games, he played as a forward.

Hunwick's season was derailed in game one of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Montreal, when he took a hit that ruptured his spleen. After surgery, Hunwick missed the remainder of the playoffs, but is expected to be ready for training camp and the start of the regular season.

With Hunwick back in the fold and Byron Bitz re-signed weeks ago, Phil Kessel is the team's lone remaining RFA.

According to the Boston Globe, the Bruins currently have $2,862,500 in free space remaining under the cap. If Kessel is to return, he will have to take a pay cut, or other moves will have to be made.

Bruins Release 2009-2010 Schedule

On the same day they announced their participation in the 2010 Winter Classic, the B's released their full 2009-2010 slate.

In a bit of a change from the norm, the B's open the season at home on October 1 against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. The opener kicks off a season-long five-game homestand, strange because the B's usually start the season on the road due to the circus being in town in Boston. Last year, the first home game wasn't until October 20th, and the year before until October 18th.

The first Bruins-Canadiens game of the regular season will be at the TD Garden on November 5th. There are rumors circulating that the B's-Habs game in Montreal on December 5th will be the "official" end to the Habs Centennial season. The question here is, why are they still celebrating what was one of the more embarrassing seasons in recent memory?

The B's will play host to the Carolina Hurricanes in the season's second game on October 3rd. Fans should rest their voices, and be prepared to boo Scott Walker as lustily and loudly as possible.

Other highlights:

• The Bruins visit the Detroit Red Wings on November 3rd. Other Western Conference games of note include at the Wild (Nov. 25th), a home and home with the Blackhawks (Dec. 18th in Chicago and Jan. 7th at home), vs. the Blue Jackets on Jan. 21, vs. the Canucks (Feb. 6th), vs. the Flames (Mar. 27th) and at San Jose (Jan. 14th).
• The B's play the Penguins four times: in Pittsburgh on November 14th and March 7th and at home on November 10th and March 18th.
• As per the NHL's new "balanced" schedule, the B's play division opponents (Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto and Ottawa) six times each.

The full schedule can be found at BostonBruins.com.

"Major Announcement" Coming Wednesday

In an email, the Boston Bruins stated that the NHL would be making "a major announcement" on Wednesday, one that "will be great news for Bruins fans everywhere".

Hm. I wonder what it could be?

______________________

From the email:

WHAT: The National Hockey League will make a major announcement concerning a special event.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 15 @ 2:00 PM ET

WHERE: Watch it stream live on Wednesday by visiting BOSTONBRUINS.COM ...


A "special event"? A "major announcement"? Could it be...is the NHL FINALLY going to announce that it plans to hold the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park? The Red Sox will still be on MLB's All-Star Break, so chances are the press conference will be held at Fenway. We should finally learn who the opponent will be (odds-on favorites: the Philadelphia Flyers), and other particulars, such as field layout and other events may be announced as well.

In any case, it will be good to finally have all of this confirmed. Speculation has been swirling for months, with no one from the Bruins, Red Sox or anyone else willing to confirm or deny the reports. Stay tuned for more info, but in all likelihood we'll be reading about ice on the Fenway diamond come next week.

Chiarelli: Kessel Will Be Back

In news that is a bit surprising, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli told NESN's Kathryn Tappen that sniper Phil Kessel will be back with the team next year. The interview occurred on NESN's SportsDesk, and, according to the clip that was released on NESN.com, Kessel will return. Below is a transcript of the video clip:

CHIARELLI: “Yes, yes he will [be back]. I don’t like to talk about negotiations, but he’s a player of impact. [He has] the speed, and he’s still a young player. I can’t dismiss me talking about players to trade because that’s my job. It’s unfortunate that [trade rumors] leak out but Phil’s a good person — a very good person and a very good player — and we fully intend to keep him.”

I suppose the one "caveat" here is that Chiarelli says, "we fully intend to keep him", which to me means, "we really want to have him back". However, "wanting" is different than "doing", so it remains to be seem what actually happens.

Should the rumors of Kessel being traded to Toronto, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, FC Barcelona or the Israeli National Basketball team be put to rest? Well, not exactly. If one takes a look back at one of Chiarelli's other promises of safety and returns, that one didn't exact turn out as he had stated. Remember Dave Lewis?

Lewis was told he was "safe" on March 31, 2007. He was fired on June 15 of the same year.

Also, while stating that Kessel will be back quiets rumors of his departure, the idea of Kessel returning means someone else must go. Who? Probably one of either Matt Hunwick, Marco Sturm, Chuck Kobasew, Patrice Bergeron, Marc Savard or Michael Ryder. With the exception of Hunwick, all of those players have contracts in the multi-million dollar level, salary that will have to be cleared if Kessel, expected to net $3-4.5 million a year in a new deal, is to don the Black and Gold again next season.

Kessel is "safe" and his rumors end, but start up a whole other round of rumors involving other B's fan favorites, particularly Patrice Bergeron. So where will it all end? Unknown for now, but it's safe to say that Chiarelli isn't done making moves yet.

Photo credit: BostonHerald.com

(In case you missed the above link, the Chiarelli clip and NESN article can be found here.)

Team Canada: Lucic In, Savard Out; Kessel and Thomas for USA

Team Canada announced the invitees for its 2010 Olympic Team camp today, and one Bruin made the grade: 21-year old Vancouver, B.C. native Milan Lucic.

The bruising forward was a somewhat surprising invitee, considering that he is only in his second year in the league and was chosen over some notably more talented players, not the least of which being teammate Marc Savard, who was not invited.

Lucic, however, brings another element to the Canadians' game, one that includes physical play and a bit of an edge. Whether or not Lucic makes the final roster remains to be seen, but something tells me the kid taking the ice with the Canadian flag on his sweater in his hometown of Vancouver next year might be one of the biggest thrills imaginable.

Savard being left out is a bit of a surprise, but is almost understandable considering Canada's logjam at center. Here are just a few of the centers the Canadians have to choose from, other than Savard: Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, Eric Staal and Joe Sakic. Savard is good, but not good enough to bump one of those guys out of a spot.

For the Yanks, the Bruins chosen were Tim Thomas and Phil Kessel, neither of which was really a surprise. Thomas has become a bona-fide netminder, and will likely compete with Ryan Miller for a starting job, and is almost certain, in my opinion, to at least be the back-up, depending on how the oft-injured Rick DiPietro performs over the coming months.

Kessel will add some good scoring punch to the American squad, one that already features names like Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Zach Parise and Patrick Kane.

Other American Bruins, like Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart and Matt Hunwick, may have a better shot at donning the stars and stripes come 2014.

Recchi Returns

In what looked like it may be a long-shot at season's end, veteran winger Mark Recchi has signed a one-year deal to return to the B's next year. Because of the tight salary cap situation, it seemed like Recchi wouldn't be donning the Black and Gold in 2009-2010, despite his wishes to do so. However, he is a veteran asset to this somewhat young team, and is a huge boon to the power play.

The deal, according to TSN, includes some bonus clauses. I'm assuming, and this is just pure speculation, that the clauses include bonuses for things like games played, goals and total points.

Anyways, it never hurts to have a guy like Recchi on this team, especially one who has a Cup win under his belt, and who exhibited some unreal toughness last postseason.

A good move by Chiarelli for sure, but I'm still waiting for news on Hunwick and Kessel, whose presence/absence will have a far greater impact on this team.

Bitz Back, Begin Joins Fold

According to the Boston Globe, Byron Bitz, a restricted free agent, has been re-signed by the B's to a multi-year deal. The money has yet to be disclosed, but this is a great move by the team, as Bitz proved he could really get his nose dirty and be an asset for the team. All hail, Lord Byron returns.

On another note, one that I'm not as happy about, the B's apparently have signed former Canadien Steve Begin to a one-year deal. I never liked Begin when he was with Montreal (he was the one who broke Marc Savard's back with a cross-check before the 2008 playoffs), but perhaps the front office sees something valuable in him.

Still no word on Kessel or Hunwick.

"Hab" Gill

Sources are reporting that the Canadiens have signed former Bruin and, most recently, former Penguin defenseman Hal Gill to a two-year contract.

There is a large contingent of Bruins fans with a large amount of distaste for the big defenseman, mainly because he never used his size to his advantage whilst wearing the spoked-B. Now that he's a Hab? The booing will be louder than ever.

This does, however, mark the second defenseman of the day signed by Montreal, as they also snatched up former Sabre Jaroslav Spacek.

Needless to say, Hal Gill will probably never be welcome in Boston again.

Free Agent Frenzy Begins

Today is July 1st, AKA shopping day for every NHL club with cash to spare. There have already been a number of signings and trades, but I'm only going to comment on the biggest or the Bruins-related ones.

• Marian Hossa signs with Chicago: The Slovakian winger signed a 12-year, $62.8 million contract with the 'Hawks. The contract is front-loaded, meaning the cap hit will be lower because it is calculated using the average salary. Great signing by the 'Hawks, as it gives them another scoring threat to go along with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, but they're probably going to have to move some money around now to stay under the salary cap. This is, however, an interesting choice by Hossa. First, he leaves Pittsburgh to sign with Detroit, alienating Pens fans. Now, he leaves Detroit to sign with Chicago, one of the Wings' division rivals. Needless to say, there probably won't be much love for the Hoss when he takes the ice at Joe Louis Arena with the indian head on his sweater later this year. Another interesting note is that apparently Hossa's agent was talking to the Bruins earlier in the day, but nothing ever materialized.
• Scott Gomez is traded to the Canadiens: Not sure why the Habs would do this, as it seemed to be a salary dump by the Rangers. Gomez had underachieved horribly in big-market New York City, so what makes the Habs think he'll do any better in the Bell Centre pressure cooker? Also, Montreal had to give up Chris Higgins, one of their better forwards, to get the Alaskan Gomez. Questionable trade by Bob Gainey, but could prove to be a good one if Gomez regains his New Jersey-era form.
• Steve Montador signs with Buffalo: Not much interesting about this, other than the fact that Montador was with the Bruins this past year. Some were underwhelmed with his performance with the B's, and it didn't seem like re-signing him was in the cards.
• Henrik and Daniel Sedin re-sign with Vancouver: The Swedish twins decided that Vancouver would remain their home, as they signed identical five-year, $30.5 million contracts. This affects the Bruins because Montreal was said to be heavily involved in the pursuit of the forwards, so anything keeping the talented brothers out of the B's division can be viewed as a positive.

There have been plenty of other signings as well, including Dwayne Roloson to the Islanders, Nikolai Khabibulin to the Oilers and Mike Knuble to the Capitals, but the ones above are, in my opinion, the biggest or most Bruins-related.

There is some other Bruins news as well, some of it relatively unimportant, some of it reassuring, and some of it potentially damaging.

• The "Meh": The B's bought out oft-maligned winger Peter Schaefer today, freeing him to go play elsewhere. I was originally a Schaefer supporter, but after he seemingly shut it down in Providence when he could have shown the Bruins brass he still had something left in the tank, it was time for him to go. He may catch on somewhere with a team looking for a cheap veteran forward, but his time in Boston is certainly up.
• The Good: Apparently the Kessel-for-Kaberle deal between the Bruins and Maple Leafs is dead and talks haven't resumed, which, in my opinion, is a good thing. I still feel the Bruins would be remiss to deal Kessel, who seems to be on the verge of becoming a bona-fide scoring machine. The B's management team is apparently less enamored of the youngster, but I think they could get more for him than Kaberle. That's no knock on the talented defenseman, but I think Kaberle and the number-seven pick would have been more fair than Kaberle for Kessel straight up. Regardless, it doesn't seem like there has been much movement on re-signing Kessel. The hope here is that something materializes within the next couple of days.
• The Bad: WEEI.com's Joe Haggerty reported on his blog that multiple teams have contacted Matt Hunwick's agent about the possibility of signing the mobile defenseman to an offer sheet. Hunwick became a restricted free agent as of July 1, and any team can tender him an offer. The Bruins will have the right to match an offer, but if they choose not to, they will receive draft picks as compensation. Many thought that Hunwick, had he not been injured in the Montreal series, could have been what the Bruins needed to push them past Carolina. The youngster is a mobile defenseman who has no reservations about jumping up into the offensive rush, something that the Bruins need and something that is a rarity in the league these days. Losing Hunwick would be a big blow, and letting another team sign him to an offer sheet could drastically increase what the B's were prepared to offer him. More money for Hunwick would mean less money for fellow RFA's Byron Bitz and Kessel, and even less money for another UFA, should the B's choose to pursue one. Chiarelli seems to be fine with just waiting and seeing what happens, but it's a risky strategy.

I'll post more if there's any breaking news, but those are the big stories of the day so far. Stay tuned.

Double Dose of Winter Wonderland?

ESPN.com and TSN.ca are both reporting that the NHL may hold a second Winter Classic on New Year's Day 2010. The Bruins, rumored yet not officially announced as hosts of the Classic, are supposedly slated to play either the Washington Capitals or the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park on New Year's day.

One of the interesting things about the Classic was the newness of it, and some lustre may be lost if the league holds more than one outdoor game. However, put me in the camp of people who think, "the more the merrier." No, I'm not advocating that every team play an outdoor game each year (though Kings vs. Ducks at Dodger Stadium would be a smash hit!), but why not include another two markets in what has become a huge success for the NHL?

The rumors have it that the Calgary Flames would host the second half of a New Year's Day doubleheader, playing at McMahon Stadium, home of the CFL's Calgary Stampeders, and would play against another Canadian team. A game between two franchises from the Great White North may not be a ratings boon in the United States, but would be huge among Canadian viewers. Besides, NBC is likely to put all of its viewer eggs in the American basket anyways, as Boston is large TV market (as is Philadelphia), and any game featuring Washington's Alexander Ovechkin will draw in other hockey fans, casual viewers and closet hockey fans.

So put me amongst the few who don't think a second classic in 2010 would "take away" from the Bruins' hosting one. A full day of hockey to kick off the New Year sounds good to me. Plus, if nothing else, it will be fascinating to see what the weather is like in Calgary, where January is the coldest month. The average high is 26.96 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes, that's the HIGH. The low, you ask? 4.82 degrees F. Good luck, Jarome Iginla.

Photo Credit: Boston Herald Graphic

Go B's.

Breaking News: The Bruins Had a Good Year

In case you didn't notice, I didn't write a post on Game 7/the end of the B's season. No, it wasn't because I was too sad to do so. Instead, I wrote a 1,000 word piece for the newspaper at school, and will link to it when the new website is up.

The latest Bruins news since the season ended has been about a variety of subjects: injuries, contract extensions, contract negotiations, Winter Classics and, last but not least, postseason awards.

After finishing the regular season at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 53-19-10 (116 points) record, it was clear that the Bruins had a regular season to remember. Just how good the season was became even more clear last night, where the Bruins cleaned up at the annual NHL Awards Night in Las Vegas. The winners were:

• Zdeno Chara, Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman.
• Tim Thomas, Vezina Trophy winner as the league's best goalie.
• Claude Julien, Adams Award winner as the league's top coach.
• Thomas and Manny Fernandez, Jennings Trophy winner as the league's top goalie tandem (judged by fewest goals allowed).

Yes, all in all it was a great night for the Bruins, who had a haul of silver in Vegas of which even the most successful gambler would be jealous. Does it do anything to take away the sting of the season's end? No, but it certainly does validate more than a few members of this B's team.

While the "no respect" card may have been getting old as last year progressed, many were still hesitant to rate Thomas as one of the league's top goalies. "The Bruins have a solid defense," was one excuse, or, "he just gets lucky on most saves, he'll cool off eventually." Thomas, who got a top goalie-esque raise a few months back, will no longer be able to assume underdog status, as winning the Vezina cements him as one of the league's elite between the pipes.

Much of the same can be said about Julien, who, with the Adams award, may have finally silenced some doubters about his ability behind the bench. Even while guiding the B's to the top spot in the East and second round in the playoffs this year, there were still grumblings among fans during a Bruins rough patch in early 2009 that Julien simply didn't "have what it takes," and should be jettisoned. Yes, people thought the coach of the first place Bruins should be fired, mainly because of what happened with Julien in New Jersey. With the Adams Award under his belt, hopefully Julien is cut some slack, and remains in Boston for a while (which is apparently the team's wish, as contract negotiations are underway).

Also, it's good to see Chara finally validated as the league's top defenseman with the Norris. There was plenty of speculation as to whether or not Mike Green might sneak in a steal the trophy, as his offensive numbers this season were extremely impressive, but in the end, Chara emerged victorious. Chara got off to a slow start with the Bruins under much-maligned head coach Dave Lewis, but in his two years under Julien, Chara has grown into the dominant defensive force that got him named the league's best blue-liner. He plays with a physical edge not seen in the Lewis era, while also serving as the B's shut-down defender against other team's top players and the most fearsome shooter in the league from the blue line on the power play. Chara, constantly trying to better himself, will likely do all he can to assure that the trophy doesn't leave it's place on his mantle by keeping up his stellar play next season.

That's all for now. I'm thinking about doing another top-10 games of the year post, then maybe something like best plays and saves too. Stay tuned over the next couple of days, I'm sure I'll churn something out.

Photo Credit: AP

Go B's.

Pre-game Thoughts on Game 7

Just a few quick thoughts before it's time to drop the puck on this series' deciding seventh game:

• I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruins have to (pardon the bad pun) weather the storm early tonight. Carolina hasn't had to play with "desperation" at all in this series yet, while the Bruins have been playing for their playoff lives for the past two games. In some cases, especially in game five, it was clear that the Bruins were working harder and wanted it more, winning puck battles and out-hustling the 'Canes. Chances are that won't happen tonight, as the 'Canes are now facing a do-or-die game as well.
• Look for Milan Lucic to get involved early. His hit on Dennis Seidenberg essentially kickstarted the B's in game five at home. Any physical activity, be it from Lucic, Byron Bitz, Shawn Thornton or Zdeno Chara, gets the crowd going and energizes the team. Lucic is going to have to keep it within the rules, as an early power play would be exactly what the doctor ordered for the 'Canes, a pristine chance to quiet the home crowd.
• Keep an eye on Marc Savard. Claude Julien said that he sent Savard to the room at the end of game six essentially because he didn't want to risk further injury and that the game was already in hand. The game, as referenced by the last eight minutes, really was far from over, making me wonder if Savard's knee is more injured than we're being told. There is little short of a cripplnig or life-threatening injury that will keep a hockey player out of a playoff game let alone a deciding seventh game, but the Bruins need Savard to be 100%, at his play-making best.
• At some point in this game, Tim Thomas or Cam Ward will make a momentum changing save. This may seem like common sense or a broad prediction, but look for it to happen for one side. For Thomas, he has made one in each of the last two games, making two quick saves in the first period of game five just after the Bruins have scored and making a sprawling save last game to keep the 'Canes off of the board. While Thomas or Ward may not "steal" the game, one of them is going to have a chance to come up big for their team tonight.
• A lot is being made of the 'Canes "being here before", a reason for them not to worry. Also, a Versus analyst said that the pressure now shifts back to the Bruins, who are now expected to win. To me, the pressure is on each team equally. The 'Canes don't want to be a team that blew a 3-1 series lead, and the Bruins don't want to get eliminated in the second round as a top-seed. As far as experience goes, the Bruins are no slouches in that department. Everyone on their assumed starting line-up tonight experienced a game seven last year, excluding Byron Bitz, Michael Ryder, Stephane Yelle, Chuck Kobasew and Steve Montador. Bitz is the lone-playoff greenhorn here, however, as the others have significant playoff experience (Ryder with the Habs, Yelle and Kobasew with the Flames and Montador with the Ducks). Two of the leaders of Carolina's 2006 Cup-winning team are currently with the Bruins as well: Aaron Ward and Mark Recchi. While the 'Canes may be more-experienced, the Bruins certainly aren't a group of novices.
• To me, this is the Bruins' game to lose. They have proven in the past two games that if they play the way they are capable of playing, they can win. If they can play physical but careful, and continue to work hard up and down the ice, they should be OK. Does that mean I think this game will be easy? No, this won't be a flashback to last night's thrashing of the Capitals by the Penguins. But if the Bruins play their game and do what they've shown they are capable of doing, they will put themselves in a good position to win.

Go B's.

Thoughts on Scott Walker Incident, Game 6

One of the biggest stories to come out of the Bruins' game five win over the Hurricanes was the Scott Walker "sucker punch" incident, viewable below.

Today, the NHL announced that Walker would NOT be suspended, and would instead have a $2,500 fine levied against him. Bruins fans are understandably frustrated by the ruling. After the incident occurred, Walker was given a two-minute instigator penalty, a five-minute fighting major and a game misconduct. Aaron Ward, on the receiving end of the punch, was given two minutes for roughing, probably for the shoving match he was involved in with Matt Cullen prior to Walker's interruption.

The reason that Bruins fans are up in arms over this ruling is that, according to the NHL rulebook, anyone assessed an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of a game is automatically suspended for the next one. From the NHL Rulebook, rule 56.a:

(NEW for 2005-06) A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime, shall be assessed an instigator minor penalty, a major for fighting, a ten minute misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension will double for each subsequent offense. In addition, the player's coach shall be fined $10,000 -- a fine that will double for each subsequent incident.

(NEW for 2005-06) (NOTE 1) No team appeals will be permitted either verbally or in writing regarding the assessment of this automatic suspension.

If the above rule is to be taken at its word, then there's no way Walker could NOT be suspended. However, upon review, apparently by the league itself, specifically disciplinarian Colin Campbell, the suspension was "rescinded".

The problem here is that apparently Campbell, who has been skewered by hockey fans league-wide for his inconsistent policing of the game (see, just this playoffs, Milan Lucic, Alex Ovechkin, Donald Brashear, Mike Komisarek...list goes on), thought that what Walker did deserved a fine, but not a suspension. By fining Walker, Campbell is conceding that he did SOMETHING wrong, just apparently not enough to sit for a game.

The Bruins are understandably miffed by the ruling, as GM Peter Chiarelli noted that the team "respectfully disagree[d]" with the ruling. The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are relieved, and seemingly feel that Ward was the recipient of some kind of payback for "liberties" the Bruins have been taking all series.

Rutherford said that the "incident" was "clearly brought on by [the Bruins]", saying that his team has been taking shots from the B's after the whistle all series. I'm not sure what he's been watching, but the B's have hardly been the only one's taking shots, as, in my opinion, they've remained relatively restrained considering the number of times 'Canes have, shall we say, "visited the crease" of Tim Thomas this series.

What it all means is that the 'Canes will still have the services of one of their grittier forwards tomorrow, and that the Bruins may be without Ward, who is being evaluated for a fractured orbital bone. He is traveling with the team, and if I had to guess, I'd say he plays tomorrow, probably with a mask or a full cage.

This, along with the Jussi Jokinen slash of Zdeno Chara, may work in the Bruins' favor. Last night's game proved that when the B's play physical, they can neutralize Carolina's speed game, the aspect of their attack that has given the Bruins the most problems. The infusion of anger and borderline hatred for the 'Canes may be what the Bruins need to keep up the physical play.

Winning tomorrow will be tough, as the 'Canes have been stellar in their own building this playoffs. However, if the Bruins can play another game like they played last night, they won't lose again for the rest of the playoffs, not just tomorrow night. The question remains, though. Can they keep up the consistent effort? Can they play "Bruins hockey"?

These are questions that will be answered in under 24 hours, when the Bruins will be on a plane back to Boston, either with the Hurricanes following shortly behind them, or alone, making summer vacation plans.

Go B's.

There's a Hurricane Comin' Through

The Bruins have learned their second round opponent, and it is the Carolina Hurricanes, by virtue of their win over the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers' loss to the Washington Capitals.

Not enough time to write a preview (final tomorrow morning), but the B's were 4-0 against the 'Canes this season. However, the 'Canes tore it up down the stretch, and entered the playoffs as one of the NHL's hottest teams, mainly because of the return of Erik Cole and the rejuvenation of goalie Cam Ward.

Should be a good one, it's about time the Bruins hit the ice again. The Boston Globe is citing a TSN report that games 1 and 2 will be Friday and Sunday nights at the Garden. If that's right, the Bruins will have had eight full days away from game action in between playoff matches, an almost unheard of respite during NHL's dash to the Cup.

Go B's.

Seedings to be Finalized Tonight...

After nearly a week of waiting, the Boston Bruins will find out who their second-round opponent will be by the end of the night tonight. With two game 7's on tap for the evening (Carolina @ New Jersey, New York @ Washington), the semi-final match-ups will finally be completely set. However, there are plenty of different scenarios that could play out. The Bruins could play either New York, Carolina or Pittsburgh. There is no way they could play either New Jersey or Washington in this coming round.

Here are the scenarios for the two key teams (Canes and Rangers), and the end result in each of them:

Rangers

• If RANGERS win and DEVILS win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
• If RANGERS win and HURRICANES win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
  
• If RANGERS lose and DEVILS win, the Bruins play the PENGUINS
• If RANGERS lose and HURRICANES win, the Bruins play the HURRICANES

Hurricanes

• If HURRICANES win and RANGERS win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
• If HURRICANES win and CAPITALS win, the Bruins play the HURRICANES
• If HURRICANES lose and RANGERS win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
• If HURRICANES lose and CAPITALS win, the Bruins play the PENGUINS

Basically, the Bruins will only play the Penguins if both higher-seeds (Caps and Devs) advance. If one upset occurs, the Bruins play the lowest seed available. If BOTH upsets occur, the Bruins would play the Rangers, because they are guaranteed to be the lowest seed left standing.

It's really not as confusing as it sounds, and will all be sorted out within three hours (barring overtime, of course).

Predictions? I'm sticking to my originals, and saying the Canes win and Captials win, setting up the return of Sergei Samsonov to the Garden later this week, and a Bruins-Canes Conference Semifinal.

Sweep Revenge

Don't have much time to post anything as it's the last week of college classes this week, but just a couple of thoughts on the end of the series:

• Sweet revenge for the Bruins, and for Michael Ryder in particular. Cast off by the Habs, Ryder had a monster series, and was a force for the Bruins. For the team as a whole, after being dominated by Montreal for an entire season last year, the Bruins turned the tables on them this year, going 5-0-1 in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs.
• If the Bruins can play like they did in this series consistently, they will be dangerous. They were disciplined, focused and worked hard. The power play clicked, and Tim Thomas was superb.
• That's all, because I'm too happy with the sweep to write anything else right now. And I have too much homework I should be doing.

Go B's.

League-Wide Playoff Preview

Well, it's been quite a while since my last post here, but thankfully the Bruins didn't take as much time off as I did. I've been doing a lot of writing for the school newspaper (www.suffolkjournal.net) and some for InsideHockey.com as well, but figured I needed to at least do a playoff preview for each conference, as well as some predictions. It won't be that in depth, as I may work on a more in depth B's-Habs preview for one of the aforementioned publications.


EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
Come on, admit it. It had to come down to this. Same teams, a year later, in opposite roles. If last Thursday's game is any indication, this series will be a barn burner. It's hard to argue that the Bruins aren't better than Montreal in nearly all aspects of the game. The Bruins hold an edge in goaltending, defense, physicality and scoring, while Montreal may hold a slight edge on the power play. If the Bruins play their game and stay out of the box, they'll take this series going away. However, if the B's get complacent and take the Habs lightly, a surprise isn't out of the realm of possibility. Claude Julien isn't likely to let his B's slack off though. Bruins in 5

(2) Washington Capitals vs. (7) New York Rangers
The Rangers played better hockey down the stretch under new coach John Tortorella, but they lack the offensive firepower to compete with the high-scoring Caps over the course of a series. The Rangers definitely have a wide advantage in goaltending though, and if Henrik Lundqvist gets hot, the Rangers have a fighting chance. Jose Theodore can be shaky in goal for the Caps, but they have more than enough power on the other side of the puck with Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green and Alex Semin. Expect the Rangers to put up a good fight in each game, but ultimately fall short. Caps in 5.

(3) New Jersey Devils vs. (6) Carolina Hurricanes
This is going to be my first upset pick, and I'm sure hockey pundits would be aghast: how DARE I pick against Martin Brodeur in the playoffs?! Uh, well, simply: I think the Canes are one of the more underrated teams in the Eastern Conference, and are getting stellar play from goalie Cam Ward when they need it most. The Canes went an astounding 10-1-2 in March, proving that the team is coming together just in time for the playoffs. While I expect Brodeur, Zach Parise, Patrik Elias and Co. to play strong hockey, I think the Canes, on the back of Ward, will take this series in the end. Canes in 7.

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers
This battle of Pennsylvania is sure to be a wild one, with bad blood between the two teams closest to each other in the standings. Sidney Crosby and the Pens have played inspired puck under Dan Bylsma, and are starting to look like real Cup contenders again. They have a playoff-tested roster and a high-powered offense. While the Flyers also have plenty of firepower, I'm not sold on their goalies, Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki. I expect this one to be a close series, but one that the Pens pull out. Penguins in 6.

_________________________________________________

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Anaheim Ducks
Call me crazy, but I feel like this one may be a shocker waiting to happen. The Sharks have been one of the league's elite teams all year, and finished with the league's best record. The hockey experts hae all proclaimed this "their year", the year where the Black and Teal will finally get that playoff-choker monkey off of their back. I just think they're playing one tough group right off the bat. Like the aforementioned Penguins, the Ducks have plenty of playoff tested vets on the roster. They are a cohesive group, and feel that they have a good shot at knocking off Goliath. I won't go so far as to say that they'll do it, but expect a tight one. Sharks in 6.

(2) Detroit Red Wings vs. (7) Columbus Blue Jackets
Poor Columbus. The Jackets finally make the playoffs for the first time in the history of the franchise, aaaaaaaand what do we have for them? Only one of the best teams of the past decade. I think Steve Mason is the real deal, but he's facing too much talent against the Wings. If Rick Nash can seriously elevate his play to an otherworldly level, then the Jackets may have a chance, or if Mason can get his game rolling, which isn't out of the realm of possibility. The Wings will take this one, but it sure won't be easy. Wings in 6.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) St. Louis Blues
I love this match-up for the Blues, and I'm not even sure why. There's something about their team that I like, and I think they can take this series. While Roberto Luongo is undoubtedly a stellar goalie, his playoff record isn't as shiny, and I'm not sold on the Canucks as a group, even though their one of my favorite non-Bruins teams. If Luongo plays as well as he is able to, then the Canucks should be able to win, but I think the Blues, led by their enthralling core of youngsters, will shock the NHL and take the series. Blues in 7.

(4) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (5) Calgary Flames
The Flames, who were, as their name suggests, on fire after the trade deadline, have cooled signifcantly, and didn't exactly burst into the postseason in full gallop. The Hawks, led by youngsters Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, are ready for their first taste of late-spring hockey in years, and are primed to make a decent run out West. I think the Flames have plenty of talent, but are going to come up short barring consistently stellar play by Miikka Kiprusoff. Fans in the Windy City will get to enjoy an extended visit to the playoffs this year. Hawks in 6.


So there you have it. According to my predictions, the second round match-ups will be as follows:

Bruins vs. Hurricanes
Capitals vs. Penguins
Sharks vs. Blues
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks

Only time will tell how I do...any comments or predictions are welcome as well, and, as always, Go B's.

Deadline Buzz: Who's coming, who's going?

As March 4th approaches, the Bruins find themselves in a unique position: comfortably settled into a playoff spot, and, for the first time seemingly in years, being buyers at the trade deadline. Barring a collapse of epic proportions (think Yankees 2004, and multiply it by 10), the B's will find themselves in one of the top three spots in the Eastern Conference come April, and according to some recent comments by GM Peter Chiarelli, are gearing up for a serious run at Lord Stanley.

Also, today on WEEI's Dale & Holley, which is probably the best show on WEEI, as listening to the Big Show try to talk about hockey is about as helpful as me trying to teach Calculus, Chiarelli said there is a 60-75% chance that he WILL make a trade at the deadline.

This means a couple of things: management believes this team has a serious shot at the Cup, and appears to be ready to put the pedal to the metal and go for it. Also, it means that some current Bruins property is on his way out of town, which, with a team as tight-knit as this year's group, could have some bad side-effects. If a player sent away in a trade is from Providence, it may not impact this year's NHL team much. However, if it's a regular (or even a bit-role) player from the big club, it could disrupt what until this point has been a locker room that by all accounts has the atmosphere (attitude-wise, anyways) of a frat house.

Some names that I've heard bandied about that may disrupt the B's squad include Chuck Kobasew, Vladimir Sobotka, Matt Lashoff, and even the injured Marco Sturm. Chiarelli has shown that he's not shy about making trades, as referenced by sending the popular Brad Boyes packing in two years ago, a trade that, as made clear by Patrice Bergeron's comments in the link, wasn't popular in the room either. To put it plainly, there's no way player egos should be put before a real chance for the Cup, and I don't see any way he lets feelings or camaraderie get in the way. That's not to say he'll bring in a locker-room cancer, but if he feels a player is available that can help the team, he won't hesitate to pull the trigger.

In the "afore-linked" Hubhockey.com piece on Chiarelli's interview on WEEI today, it lists a couple of things that he mentioned on the show today, basically clues as to what he may be looking for at the deadline. His remarks included:

• He wants to get the team bigger up front, and add size in general.
  
• He would add a forward and a defenseman in a "perfect world", but is confident in the depth in Providence.

With those couple of things, especially the first one, let's try to narrow down the Bruins' possible trade targets.

• Nik Antropov, F, Toronto Maple Leafs- The writing is on the wall for the big Russian winger, as Leafs' GM Brian Burke has all but promised to trade the winger before the deadline. Antropov certainly fits the big-body mold (6'6", 230 lbs.), and is also a left-handed shot, playing on the right wing. With Burke's assertions that he will be moved, he may have lowered the market for the winger. The Bruins could probably have Antropov for a lower-level prospect (possibly Matt Lashoff, to solidify the Leafs defensive corps) and a first or second round pick. Antropov has 42 points on the year so far, but my concern is that he may not fit in the dressing room. I'm not sure there are any players on the team who have played with him before, and he seems like he may be out of place character-wise compared to the current group. However, he's a big-body who may thrive from a change of scenery, and would fill the need for a left-handed shot. Antropov is in the last year of his contract, and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. LIKELIHOOD: 6.5/10.
• Keith Tkachuk, F, St. Louis Blues-Here's a story for you: local kid comes back to his hometown team and helps them win their first Stanley Cup in over 30 years. That's the scenario that could follow if Tkachuk comes to the Bruins. The Melrose, MA, native is in the last year of his contract in St. Louis, and is another big-bodied winger who shoots from the left. The problem here is that the Blues are currently still in the hunt for a playoff spot, sitting seven points out of 8th place at the time of this post, and may not be sellers at the deadline. In all likelihood, the next two weeks will settle it for the Blues. If they don't make a significant move towards a playoff berth, they'll be forced to make some trades. If this is the case, Tkachuk is, in my opinion, the most likely player out there who will pull on the black and gold for the first time after March 4th. He'd likely cost the B's though, probably a player like Martins Karsums or Vladimir Sobotka as well as a first or second round pick. LIKELIHOOD: 7.5/10
• Jordan Leopold, D, Colorado Avalanche- Leopold's name has been tossed about by Bruins fans for weeks now, with some sources saying a deal for Leopold is already in the works and nearing completion. The 28-year old Leopold, who is an unrestricted free agent at season's end, would certainly solidifiy the Bruins' blue line. He wouldn't add much in size (6'1", 200 lbs.), but he is definitely a solid player. The former Hobey Baker Award winner would probably come with a decent price tag, but one deal that could materialize (and would be a blockbuster for sure) would be to send Manny Fernandez to the Avs. I feel like this isn't likely, since the B's seem comfortable playing the two-goalie system, but the Avalanche are in the market for a more solid goalie, and the free-agent-to-be Fernandez COULD fit the mold. If not, expect to see a winger (Kobasew, Sobotka, Karsums, Bitz or Nokelainen possibly) and maybe a couple of picks heading to Colorado. LIKELIHOOD: 7/10
• Erik Cole, F, Edmonton Oilers- Another big guy (6'2", 205 lbs.) who shoots from the left and plays on the wing. Seems like a good fit, and there were even reports that Cole was telling friends he thought he was Boston-bound. This is one trade I'd rather not see. In a player's bio on TSN.ca (the link on each player I've listed's name), there is a section called "Honors and Awards", and Cole's last one listed is winning the Stanley Cup...three years ago. No honors in three years, and slumping point production? Doesn't sound like a solid pick-up to me. The hope here is the Cole would wake up with a change of scenery, and could, upon reconnecting with Cup teammate Aaron Ward, find his game again. I'd rather stay away from this one, especially when the asking price seems to include Sobotka, and I think Chiarelli will think the same way. LIKELIHOOD: 5/10.
• Jay Bouwmeester, D, Florida Panthers- The "creme de la creme" in this year's trade pool, Bouwmeester is on every contender's wishlist, and the Bruins are no exception. However, as was the case with St. Louis, the Panthers are in a very real chase for a playoff spot, and may be hesitant to deal the big defenseman. GM Jacques Martin will likely decide soon, and may be forced to deal him. It's unlikely that Bouwmeester, who is an unrestricted free agent at season's end, would return to South Florida, so Martin needs to decide which is worth more: a foray into the playoffs, or getting something in return for Bouwmeester. In my opinion, trading Bouwmeester would sink the Panthers' season (and it's been a good one so far), and completely demoralize the team. However, if he does get dealt, expect the Bruins to at least make a call. The package for him would be huge, something to the effects of Zach Hamill, one of David Krecji, Phil Kessel or Milan Lucic, possibly Tuukka Rask, and a couple of picks as well. I think the bidding war and subsequent asking price will scare the B's away. LIKELIHOOD: 3/10.

There are other names that are being tossed about as possibilities for the B's, and here they are, in no particular order:

• Dominic Moore, F, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Ryan Smyth, F, Colorado Avalanche
• Chris Pronger, D, Anaheim Ducks
• Bill Guerin, F, New York Islanders
• Doug Weight, F, New York Islanders
• Mikael Samuesson, F, Detroit Red Wings

Anything's possible at the deadline, but in my opinion, the guys most likely to come to the Bruins are the ones I talked about more in depth at the top of this post. For the fun of it, here is my prediction for what the Bruins will do at the deadline:

TO BOSTON: F, Keith Tkachuk, 2010 4th-round draft pick
TO ST. LOUIS: D, Matt Lashoff, F, Vladimir Sobotka

I think that'll be it for the Bruins, and this is based purely on opinion, so don't hold me to this. If it came to fruition, it'd have the B's line-up looking something like this, when completely healthy:

Lucic-Savard-Kessel
Ryder-Krecji-Wheeler
Tkachuk-Bergeron-Kobasew
Bitz-Yelle-Thornton

Chara-Ward
Wideman-Ference
Hnidy-Stuart

Thomas
Fernandez

I do think that once Ryder returns, the lines will go back to how they were before, especially the top two. The third line, with the edition of Tkachuk, gets a lot bigger, and with a rough-and-tumbe guy like Kobasew, could be a line that could wear opponents down and grind out goals.

Other trade deadline predictions:

• Montreal, desperate to save their Centennial Season, will make any payment necessary to acquire Vincent Lecavalier from Tampa Bay.
  
• Pronger won't be dealt.
• Washington, Pittsburgh and Vancouver will make significant deals.
• Teams like New Jersey, San Jose and Philadelphia may make minor deals to tweak their rosters in preparation for the playoffs.
  

Even if the Bruins make no moves, the trade deadline is always a great day: HFBoards and TSN routinely crash with all of the server traffic, and the NHL Network will likely have trade specials on all day. It's going to be an interesting couple of months, and the stretch drive to Lord Stanley will begin in earnest on March 5th.

Ryder Out Indefinitely

As per the Boston Globe and Boston Herald, Michael Ryder is out indefinitely after suffering a facial fracture after taking the stick of Ottawa's Antoine Vermette to the face late in Thursday night's game.

The high-stick, which gave the Bruins a four-minute advantage on which they tied the game, appeared to catch Ryder near the right eye, and caused the forward to bleed profusely. He did not return to the game.

According to Fluto Shinzawa of the Globe, Ryder's eye was not affected, but he may still require surgery.

Tough blow for the B's and Ryder, who was playing very strong hockey as of late. With Ryder out, the line-up has a little less firepower, but expect one of the youngsters to fill in during Ryder's absence.

January Wrap-Up

Now that the school year has started back up again, my contributions to this blog have slowed considerably. Fortunately for Boston hockey fans, the Bruins aren't following my lead.

In my December wrap-up post, I predicted the B's to go 10-2-1 in their 13 games last month, giving them more credit than my last couple of predictions. In reality, the Black and Gold put up a record of 8-3-2, proving that perhaps I should stick to my less optimistic predictions.

However, on the bright side, claiming 18 out of a 26 possible points is nothing to be ashamed of, though the B's were playing less-than inspired hockey at times in the month of January.

A couple of games stick out as being especially disappointing, for different reasons:

• Jan. 6, vs. Minnesota: Not so much disappointing, but extremely frustrating. Here was a game in which the Bruins had a chance to avenge one of their few regulation losses by beating a Minnesota team that defeated them in the second game of the season. Instead, the Bruins got shutout for the only time (so far) this season, and didn't really have an answer for Minnesota's neutral zone defense. Granted the Wild are a good team and a loss against them isn't something to be ashamed of, but it was a bit of a stinker in front of the hometown fans.
• Jan. 19, vs. St. Louis: This game was a little strange, because it was a game the Bruins didn't deserve to win, but I ended up being disappointed when they lost. After playing rather listlessly for most of the game, the B's found themselves down 2-1 late in the third to one of the bottom-ranked teams in the Western Conference. However, they cashed in on two St. Louis mistakes with two quick power play goals, and when Zdeno Chara buried a slap shot with 3:05 to go in the third to give the Bruins a 4-2 lead, it seemed like they would be making the great escape, and stealing the two points. To their credit, the Blues didn't lay down, and scored with 1:20 to go and goalie Chris Mason on the bench. 1:20 later, David Backes batted a puck out of the air to tie the game with literally no time left on the clock. After reviewing the goal to see if the stick was too high, the refs awarded (and rightly so, in my opinion) the tying goal to Backes, sending the game into overtime. The game eventually went into a shootout, which the Blues won. Blake Wheeler was the goat in this one. He missed an empty net goal that could have iced the game, then again missed an open cage after beating Mason in the shootout. In his defense, the whole team played less than superb hockey that afternoon, but they still emerged with a point.
• Jan. 29, vs. New Jersey: Another game in which the Bruins got a point, but was disappointing nevertheless. This was a game of unlucky and lucky bounces depending on which side one takes, and one that, ultimately, the Bruins let get away. The Devils are a good team, one likely to be in the Bruins' way to postseason glory. After going into the locker room down 2-0 and being thoroughly outplayed, they came back with three straight goals to take the lead with six and a half minutes to go. With their strong defense, it should have been time for Claude Julien's boys to lock down the neutral zone and smother the Devils. Instead, Patrik Elias scored with under two minutes to go, and Jamie Langenbrunner got his second of the game in overtime to give New Jersey the win. This was another game that saw the Bruins let a point that they should have had slip away, and while they're in comfortable playoff position, a team can never have too many points, especially against an inter-conference rival.

The Bruins are currently in what is arguably the toughest portion of their schedule, as 11 of their 13 games in February are against teams that are currently in playoff contention (the only ones that aren't being Ottawa and Tampa Bay). Their last three games in January were against playoff teams as well, so the boys from Causeway street are truly being tested. Currently, they are passing with flying colors, having won 6 of 7, including their first three games in February.

Luckily, the B's have gotten mostly healthy, and should be facing the NHL's top tier with the majority of their roster intact. The biggest circle on this month's slate has to be Tuesday's game vs. San Jose, for a few reasons. The Sharks and Bruins have been flip-flopping in the NHL's top spot for three months now. It is Joe Thornton's second return to Boston since being traded (let's see if he lasts more than five minutes this time). It is also a chance for the Bruins to silence some doubters. If they can beat San Jose, as they have Washington, Detroit, New York and New Jersey, they will have beaten a bonafide top team in each conference, giving the team some confidence going into the stretch run.

I think that while the B's will certainly not have an easy time this month, they will silence the few remaining "haters" out there, and will come out of the month in good shape. Excluding the three wins they already have, I'm predicting that come March 1, the B's will have gone 7-2-1, thereby finishing February with 99 points, sporting a record of 46-10-7.

99 points before March? I'll take it.

Go B's.

December Wrap-Up

Well, it seems like everyone in the hockey world is waiting for the Bruins to cool down. Waiting...and waiting...aaaaaaaand still waiting. In my November Wrap-Up post, I predicted a respectable 8-2-3 mark for the Bruins in the year's final month. And like my previous guess, I was a little bit off. The Black and Gold continued on their tear in December, going 12-1-0, the lone bump in the road coming in a 3-1 loss to the surging Capitals in Washington.


All twelve of the Bruins' December victories were by two or more goals. They scored four or more goals in nine of the twelve, posted two shutouts (at Florida, at New Jersey) and allowed only one goal on two other occasions.

Here's a glance at some of the B's numbers this month:

Avg. Goals Scored: 4.23
Avg. Goals Allowed: 2.07
Goal Differential: +2.16
Points Taken: 24
Points Possible: 26
Point Percentage: 92%

And here are some league-wide stats and where the B's rank, as of the night of January 1st (post-Pittsburgh win):

Points: 62 (29-5-4, 1st)
Wins: 29 (1st)
Goals per game: 3.66 (1st)
Goals allowed per game: 2.10 (1st)
Power play: 24.7% (3rd)
Penalty kill: 83.3% (8th)
Shots/game: 29.9 (13th)
Shots allowed/game: 30.7 (22nd)

As mathematicians often say, the numbers don't lie. The Bruins are first in the two most telling characters: goals per game and goals allowed per game, with an average goal differential of 1.56. An interesting note is the Bruins' shots allowed. This number is higher than I had imagined it would be, but it speaks to the play of Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez.

THOMAS:
Save percentage: .935 (3rd in league)
GAA: 2.04 (3rd)
Wins: 16 (5th)

FERNANDEZ:
Save percentage: .930 (4th)
GAA: 2.02 (2nd)

Needless to say, when BOTH of your goalies rank in the top five in all major goaltending categories, your team should be looking good. However, it's not just the goalies that are contributing. I've wavered on how telling the +/- stat is, as it can be fairly arbitrary at times. For example, if defenseman A makes a boneheaded pass that leads to a goal allowed on a breakaway, forward A, who was below the attacking goal line, has his +/- lowered, even though he wasn't even a factor in the play. Regardless, +/- is a telling team stat, and a look at the league leaders in the category over on NHL.com reads:

1. Dennis Wideman, BOS: +26
2. Marc Savard, BOS: +25
3. Blake Wheeler, BOS: +23
4. David Krecji, BOS: +22
5. Alexander Semin, WSH: +20

Yes, that's LEAGUE leaders, not Northeast Division leaders, or even Eastern Conference leaders. The Bruins are dominating statistically, and it's showing in the standings. The B's are nine points ahead of the red-hot second place Caps, and 13 points ahead of the third place New York Rangers. To really illustrate the distance between the B's and other teams in the conference, there is a 21 point gap between the Bruins and the 8th place Buffalo Sabres/Carolina Hurricanes.

Offensively, the Bruins are making their presence felt at the top of the league ranks as well. Marc Savard is 4th in points (48) and tied for second in assists (35), while Phil Kessel is 4th in the league in goals with 23.

So what does all of this mean? Basically, it means that everything is rosy in Bruin-land. Despite injuries to Aaron Ward, Andrew Ference, Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins have rolled on. Martin St. Pierre has filled in nicely, and Vladimir Sobotka continues to earn his playing time.

Bergeron is out for the foreseeable future, and, in my opinion, that is for the best. His injury came as he was playing his best hockey of the season, and will probably carry as many emotional effects as physical. Bergeron was being physical, and reinjured himself simply trying to make a check. I don't think it's reached this point yet, but sooner or later Bergeron and his family may start looking at whether or not this is all "worth it", if playing is worth the detrimental effects these concussions may have on him later in life. In all likelihood, Bergeron isn't going to walk away from the game he undoubtedly loves, and in fairness, the hit he took from the shoulder of Dennis Seidenberg of the Hurricanes would have knocked any player for a loop. Hopefully Bergeron gets a chance to fully recover, and can be back with the team by the end of January.

JANUARY AT A GLANCE (excluding today's Pittsburgh win):

Games: 13 (10 home, 3 away)
Key games: 1/13 vs. Montreal, 1/17 at Washington, 1/31 vs. New York Rangers
Average opponents' points: 40.25

For me, the most important game of the month is going to be the Montreal one. Last time the B's played the Habs, they won in Montreal. The time before that, they pounded them at the Garden. Another win over the Habs would solidify the B's confidence, and further suppress the Habs. The games against the Caps will be big too, as Ovechkin's bunch are one of two teams to beat the Bruins in regulation since October 30th. Hopefully, the Bruins won't forget that, and will be eager for revenge.

I've been off on the pessimistic end on my last couple of predictions, but am going more optimistic here. With the return of Aaron Ward, the possible return of Andrew Ference, and a favorable home slate, this month should be kind to the B's. Look for the Black and Gold to post an 10-2-1 mark in the first month of 2009, continuing on their tear and tightening their grip on the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The above mark would put the Bruins at 81 points. 81 points with over two full months of games left? Yikes. With the Patriots out of the picture and the Celtics seemingly on cruise control towards a playoff return, the B's may be the only act in town for a while. That's not to say the Celtics aren't or won't be good. I'm saying that there's really no chance that the team doesn't make the playoffs as a high seed, meaning there's little drama to unfold over the course of the year. I'll still be watching, as I'm sure plenty of others will as well, but the Bruins remain at the top of my chart.

Over the next 30 days, Boston may find out what area hockey diehards have known for months: the Bruins are back.