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Monday, September 24, 2007

Bruins acquire 2 for Mowers

To many fans delight, the Bruins acquired D Brett Skinner and D Nathan Saunders from the Anaheim Ducks for C Mark Mowers. Both Saunders and Skinner have been assigned to Providence (AHL).

Originally drafted by the Ducks in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Saunders split time between the August Lynx (ECHL) and Portland Pirates (AHL) last season. He appeared in 59 games for the Lynx where he tallied one goal and 13 assists and played 16 games for Portland recording three assists. He saw action in 261 games for the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL from 2001-2005 and registered 14-73-87 totals with 794 penalty minutes while with Moncton.

The 22-year-old Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island native made his professional debut with the Portland Pirates in the 2005-2006 season.24-year-old Brett Skinner was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round (68th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft before being dealt to Anaheim on March 9, 2006. He played for three different teams in 2006-2007, including the Portland Pirates (AHL), Augusta Lynx (ECHL) and Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (AHL). Skinner won back-to-back National Championships with the University of Denver in 2004 and 2005. His first professional experience came with the Manitoba Moose during the 2005-2006 season where he recorded 4-21-25 totals in 65 games.

Mowers established career highs in games played (78), goals (5) and assists (12) as a member of the Bruins last season. For his NHL career, Mowers has played in 261 games between Nashville, Detroit and Boston and has notched 17 goals and 44 assists. Mowers was signed by the Bruins as a free agent on July 6, 2006.

Matt's Take: So long Mark. Many fans hated him for some reason. I always thought he was a decent 4th liner. But to get two prospects for him is great. Hopefully one day these guys will crack the roster. This clears about 500,000 of cap space. Also, this opens up a roster spot for a guy like Lucic, Krejci and Thompson.

22 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like this deal, I think Mowers was in tough to make the team with Metropolit and Thompson in camp. We dump some salary and pick up a couple of prospects. Waiting to see if there is any truth to the Markov rumours. We can only hope.

7:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

interesting to note the loves of dave lewis are all gone. no more primeau, mowers, or donovan who logged 2nd or 3rd line minutes when they should have been getting 5 mins a game max. next axelsson needs to go and all of his loves will be finally off this team. anything dave lewis wants to do, or did, just do the opposite.

8:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you forgot the good ole boy jason york

8:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That means Metropolit will sign for roughly the same, maybe a few bucks more. The Bruins have crammed too many on that fourth line - Reich must be on the top of that cutting line. Compared to (no not that) Thornton. And Hoggan has made his trade value high, has shown signs of wow, but won't get much ice time on that fourth line. I think a Lucic-Metro-Thorn fourth line to bring Lucic along would be ideal (ala Joe in his rookie year?). I really thought Bochenski would put 20-30 in the net, but looks more like he'll be gone by Thanksgiving (the US one). And Markov will want over $4MM which the B's can't fit right now unless they unload someone up front (Sturm, Murray?) If I was Chia, stand pat - try to fit Markov in as best you can, even if we go to the max cap. If we can'f fit it, ok. He's not a game breaker/maker. I think you can find a Markov type player in Lashoff for what it's worth.

8:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

heres the team
Schaeffer-Savard-Murray
Sturm-Bergeron-Bochenski
Lucic-Krjeci-Kessel
Thornton-Metroplit-Kobasew

keep lucic and krjeci in the nhl. say goodbye to pj. now the d needs an upgrade unless one of the young guys step up.

8:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would drop Schaefer to the third line with Krjeci and Kobasew. Put Lucic on the 4th line with Thornton and Metroplit. And put Kessel up with Savard and Murray.
A third line with Lucic-Krjeci-Kessel looks good on paper, but with only one year of NHL experience combined... that would be cause for some concern. By making the above changes, it makes the top line more powerful, Gives Krjeci and Lucic some veterans to play with, and in a whole, makes the lines more potent. I think the less stress on Kessel, playing with Marc and Glen, would allow him to open his game up as well.
As for PJ, the only way I move him is if we get a #3-4 defenseman back for him, that is already playing in the NHL. Even if we send a package. Otherwise Krjeci goes to P-town and PJ is on the 3rd line... where he belongs!!
As for Mowers, i'm not sad to see him go. He was a decent 4th liner, that hussled. But to get two young guys back for him is great.

9:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

axelsson is a 4th liner on every team in the NHL, but the Bruins.

9:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

unless we can murray i really dont the bruins signing markov unfortunately... but i liek this move ... i hope lucic and krecj make it

9:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with bosbrn77, I like Kessel in the top 6, and let Schaefer prove he is above a third liner. If Bochenski continues to stink to high holy hell, maybe the third line can have both Bochenski and Schaefer. Kobasew has shown some flare in the preseason, let him play with Bergy and Sturm. Maybe something like this.

Kessel-Savard-Murray
Sturm-Bergeron-Kobasew
Schaefer-Krejci-Bochenski
Axelsson-Metropolit-Thornton

I'd maybe give Lucic that first shot at third line center for the first 10 games, if he stays, he stays. Use Reich to play Thornton's role when he is inevitably serving suspensions.

12:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anyone know if krejci has ever played wing? ... if soo trade murray and allen or lashoff for example to CLB for adam foote ..then maybe work some lines like this:

Schaefer-Savard-kessel
Sturm-Bergeron-Krejci/Bochenski
Axelsson-Metropolit-Kobasew
Lucic-Thompson-Thornton

Chara-alberts
Foote-stuart
Ward-ference

I was bored if you hate this idea im sorry

1:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am telling you right Murray is going to have a big year for the bruins, besides foote is getting up there in years.

7:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mowers was a legit 3rd liner for cheap - we let him go and kept the useless Kessel.

8:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are comparing Kessel to Mowers! Have you actually ever watched hockey ??

8:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like alot of you guy's line combos but there's on guy missing..Reich don't forget he has a one way contract. you gotta put him somewhere.I see him getting scratched alot, maybe dressing against some of the tougher teams,but if Lucic makes the team Reich becomes pretty much expendable.

9:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah thats true foote is gettin old but if murray isnt doing much by christmas i think hes gone.

If we put Reich on waivers and clears it then cant he go to the minors?

11:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My lines are more of

Schaefer-Savard-Murray
Sturm-Bergeron-Kessel
Bochenski-Kessel-Lucic
Thornton-Metropolit/Krejci-Kobasew
Reich

Remember, we can have healthy scratches, but I still question the Reich signing.

5:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You really want to work Kessel to death, Matt! LOL.

As for Shaefer, i'm not sure if he is a 1st line forward. But he could surprise us like Knuble did. I'd still like Kessel on the top line though. He was projected to go ahead of Crosby if he went a year earlier in the draft. So why not put him up there with some veterans?

6:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe Kessel should center the 2nd and 3rd lines and play both wings on the first line. He's an animal. Sorry, matt, if we jumped all over your typo/oversight - it was irresistable.

I don't see Schaefer getting play on the first line for much more than a few weeks. I think there's a good chance that Sturm will end up there, or the Bergeron or Kessel will jump up there. Bergeron and Sturm's chemistry has been taken as a given thus far, but it doesn't seem to be reflected on the score sheets in preseason. I think that they will end up split up.

6:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If somehow we could id liek to see kessel savard n bergy together on a line but yea 3 centers? wouldnt it be a pretty nice line

2:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

haha who would center any of the other lines?

2:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

lol krecji metropolit and haha hoggan

3:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Haha sorry I didn't notice that. I was thinking too hard. In that case, I'd shove Krecji on the 3rd line center and keep Kessel as a LW with Bergy.

12:55 PM  

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