Old News From 8/28/07

The Bruins are negotiating with Brad Marchand, who is currently competing in the Canada-Russia Super Series. Marchand would be subject to the standard three-year entry-level deal. - This according to Fluto Shinzawa of the Globe.

The news was made public during a season ticket holders only "state of the Bruins" event held on Tuesday at the Garden. Marchand has played 3 seasons in the QMJHL between the Moncton Wildcats and Val-d'Or Foreurs. He was a 3rd round pick (71st overall) for the B's in the 2006 draft.

Don't give the Rangers the cup yet

Money cannot buy a championship, excluding the Avs and Red Wings. Those two teams used their money to take in veteran players and put them in a place where chemistry already existed. They also drafted their players and resigned them to big deals.

Unlike the New York Rangers. Before the lockout, they had names like Lindros, Bure, Mironov, Fleury, York, Leetch, Nedved, Dvorak, Malakhov, Messier, Berard, Barnaby, Poti, Richter, Holik, Kovalev, Samuelsson, Kasparaitis, Carter, Jagr, Dunham. And don't forget, these players were in their prime at the time. All those players were on the Rangers in 2 seasons. It was like allstars on ice. An 80 million dollar payroll, and guess what, they won nada.

This years team is sort of the same. Drury, Gomez, Jagr, Shanahan, Lundqvist, Prucha, Mara. Granted, Lundqvist was drafted, Mara via trade. Now, they have good players. Prucha and Jagr play well together, Shanahan still has it. It is the 2 big free agent signings that overhype the team.

Drury is an okay centre. He played on an offensive Buffalo team which made him sexy. He is a 60-80 point man. Gomez is another sexy name, but again is a 60 point man and has scored 20 goals once. I know people pull out the BS line, "well they won a cup" Well, so did Aaron Ward, want to go give him 7 million bucks. So did Shawn Thornton. Leadership and experience are important, but when you have 2 60 point centerman and think...WOW THAT PUTS THEM OVER THE TOP, then something is wrong. They are good players, but not superstars. Bergeron is better than Drury, Savard is better than Gomez, we have them for the price of one. Do the Bruins get any credit? No. Murray could easily be as good as Shanahan if healthy. Jagr is a superstar, so that may give the Rangers a slight edge, but the Rangers D is worse. Goaltending, Rangers have edge.

My point, a lot of people think the Rangers are amazing, well they aren't that great after all. Names don't buy you a cup.

On Board

I'd like to say thanks to Matt for bringing me on board with this site. I'm looking forward to talking anything Bruins and hopefully a successful '07-'08 campaign.

I'll be posting something up soon and I'll be more than happy to take on all criticism!

Metropolit Boston Bound?

From a european website, click here.

Translation:

Glen Metropolit, at which Berne and Lugano are to, stands according to the “federation” before the signing of the agreement with the Boston Bruins.The Canadian, who led 2006 Lugano as MVP to the Meistertitel, played last for the St. Louis Blues, found so far into the NHL however still no new employer.

(used google)

Analyzing the team: Offense

by Matt and Latrappe

Marc Savard: Marc posted 92 points last season after coming off a 97 point season. He showed that he is the real deal and can produce with almost any wingers. He will hopefully have Muzzy on his wing this season to increase his numbers, since Muzz was injured for a good part of last season. Savard is one of the biggest bargains in the NHL and will build of last season. One of the brightest parts of last season, look for Savard to crack 100 points this season.

Patrice Bergeron: Bergeron was hurt for the most part of the last season, and it had an effect on his game and his production. Some fans are, already, throwing the towel on him. That's would be a huge, huge mistake. Bergeron is young and showed that it can be a very good two way centerman. The fact that he didn't use his injuries to justify his so-so performances indicates that Bergy has a high standard for himself, but it also showed that he's a great leader. I expect a HUGE season for the young centerman and I wouldn't be surprise to see him reach near 90-95 points.

Bergy was hurt most of last season, and if having 70 points is considered a bad season, he must be a good player. Marco Sturm was very inconsistant, and Brad Boyes was a shell of his former self. He was a -28, but no one on the Bruins was a good +/-. Bergeron is fully healed and should deliver a 85-100 point season. He is still only 22, and one of the best young players in the NHL.

Phil Kessel: Phil "the thrill" really developed after his cancer scare. He seemed to be be a really different player after that. He will be 19, and is a franchise type prospect. He will be a year older and knows the NHL better. A shoot-out specialist, we will likely see that again. Look for Kessel to get around 50 points this season. He is likely going to see more PP time. Kessel will be a big part of this team this season.

Mark Mowers: Will be a 4th line player, maybe a 13th forward. He is good on the PK and scores a few key goals during the season. He is a solid depth player to have on the team. Look for him on the PK again this season. He could score from 3-7 goals this season.

Glen Murray: The experienced winger is in the middle of all the rumours surrounding the B's. He's an excellent goal scorer and his experience is priceless. He never complained about the B's situation and he acted like a real professionnal when JT was dealt. Murray can be an important piece of the puzzle IF he stays healthy. I'd like to see him paired with Bergeron to see the results but since he was productive with Savard; it would be a bad idea to fix something that wasn't broke.

Look for Muzzy to, if he stays healthy, to score 35-45 goals. He is the best pure goal scorer on the team.

Chuck Kobasew: The jury is still out on him and i think some fans need to cut him some slack. He returned from a major injury and his timing was way off. This is a new season for him and i expect a good defensive-hitting game from his part but not a lot of offense. Combined with PJ, this guy can give the team an excellent mid-productive 3rd line and a good PK unit with Axe or Schaefer.

Marco Sturm: Ahhhh, Marco. Sturm can be a very good element for the B's if he decide to be more consistent in his game. Sturm have all the tools but have the bad habit to disappear for a long period of time. I had no problem with his re-signing but 3.5 per seems to be a bit higher for a guy who didn't show up everytime. I'm looking for a better season from Sturm, especially with the arrival of a new coach who is more willing to let his players use their creativity.

PJ Axelsson: Another name in a lots of rumours and rightly so. Axelsson, despite what some fans think, is a very important element of this B's team. His defensive game is very sound and he rarely hurt his team when he's on the ice. His contribution on the 3rd and during the PK can be a HUGE part of the GAA plan of the team. PJ is a keeper, especially at 1.85 per...

Jeremy Reich: I must admit that i never liked the guy and though that his tougness was a bit questionnable. That said, he was definitely not the worst player on the ice for the B's and a spot on the 4t line with Thornton and Mowers ( ?, i wish not ) might be just what the doctor should prescribe for the B's 4th line.

Milan Lucic: Still very young and it can develop into a very good player for the B's if the team is patient enough with him. Having him at the camp will help the team to evaluate his developement. I don't see him in Boston, this year, and another year in Vancouver might the best thing who can happend to him.

Jeff Hoggan: Was horrible, last year. Bad in the defensive zone and his signing was more a Providence one. I don't expect him to make the team, especially if you consider that Walter and Krecji might a better alternative on the 4th line; if there's any place, already, available on that 4th line...

Peter Schaefer: Could post 20+ goals on the 2nd line. He is a solid gritty winger who can score. In exchange for Shean Donovabn, he will provide an upgrade at LW posistion. He rounds out a nice 2nd line with Bergeron and Bochenski. Schaefer should post some solid numbers. Look for him to be on both the PP and PK. Plays well in defensive zone.

Shawn Thornton: Will provide grit. A 4th liner who will beat the shit out of anyone. Him and Reich should be in many fights this season. The Bruins were one of the lamest teams last season, but this year that'll change with the addition of Shawn. Don't look for more than 10 points from him.

Brandon Bochenski: Hopefully will ride a full season. He could score anywhere from 20-30 goals. He reminds me of Glen Murray. He will be paired with Bergeron and Sturm likely. Bochenski is the real deal.

Stan Chistov: Signed in Russia, wouldn't have done much here. We will save 800k in compensation.

Trading Bergy is trading our future

By Latrappe


One day, after my withdrawal, insomnia showed up last night and a column was the result of these long sleepless hours. There's a lots of rumours surrounding Bergeron ( Matt posted some of them ) and there's an interesting debate among fans regarding the young center. Some think that Bergy is an untouchable and some think that, if Gretzky was traded, anyone can. But, in the B's situation, would trade Bergy?

On a PR and credibility standpoint, that would be a terrible, terrible move. Lots of fans like Bergy for what is and he's probably the next guy to be the face of the franchise. Most of us are still angry about the JT trade ( rightly so ) and the shadow of this trade is still haunting the organisation from a credibility standpoint. As it stands today, the B's are definitely considers as a bottom-of-the-conference team without any long term plan. Terms like quick fixes, bad decisions and improvisation have been plaguing the team for a decade or so. Trading Bergeron would simply add another element to a long list of blunders.

On a hockey standpoint, there's are philosophical differences among the fans. Some of them like the excitement of a pure scorer but some them ( like yours truly ) prefer to have ( especially at the center position ) an all around player who will succeed in every aspect of the game. When i saw the rumour ( baseless? ) about a swap between Bos-Atl, i was wondering. Let's say that the Hossa-Bergy swap could occur. Does the arrival of Hossa make Boston an instant winner and a playoffs bound team? My answer is no since it takes more then one player to make things happen. Don't get me wrong: Hossa is an excellent player but since his arrival won't change anything why the B's would take a 7 per contract ( it's doubtful that Hossa ask less then Drury ) when they have a #2 centerman, who play an excellent all-aound game, who will progress through next year? Slowly but surely, this Boston team starts to look as very promising.

Trading Bergy will be a devasting blow for the fans who will see, a player who performed well in Boston, traded for a player who will have to adjust himself to a new team. It could perpetuate the vicious circle of instability who made the B's so mediocre for the last couple of years. I think it's time for the B's to step up behind their stars player and to avoid, this time, the search for a magical solution. There's no such thing in professionnal sports and It just doesn't work. You can't win without a plan and you can't buy a cup by signing free agents or trade for an high-end player ( the Rangers are the bext example of this ). A player like Hossa can put you over the top if you did the proper homework before acquiring him.

When i look at this team, i see good things but i'm not seeing a team who's ready to add an high impact player who can really change the course of the franchise. The B's are on the right track and they have a golden chance to get right, this time. Maybe it's time to get it right by keeping Bergy.

Latrappe

Our friend Latrappe has decided to leave the blog due to personal issues, we wish him the best of luck.

For those who followed us a long time ago, he was my first writer on the site. This blog wouldn't be what it is without him.

Some Things to Think About

...on a potential Thrashers deal...

1) Kovalchuk won't be in it. Why would ATL deal him, he is under contract for awhile, top winger in the league, no deal.

2) It is a high powered forward, so that leaves Hossa. Holik cannot be considered that, unless you want to trade Muzzy straight up in exchange for contracts, which makes no sense.

3) It won't be Slava Kozlov, he was just resigned by Atlanta, if the Bruins wanted him, they would have attempted to sign him.

4) It won't be Chara going to ATL, he has a full NTC, why would he waive that? And why would the Bruins deal their captain?

5) It won't be Savard, he is one of the best bargains in the NHL, and to have Bergeron, Kessel, and Savard to center, is something you don't want to break up.

6) It won't be Bergeron, Chia said, and why would we deal a 22 year old who had a 70+ point "down season"?

So, all guesses are we are looking at Hossa. He has a 6 million cap hit. B's have 2.736 million in cap space. So we need to send roughly 4.5 million back to ATL to make a cap space wise deal. Aaron Ward (2.75), Chuck Kobasew (1.2) is 3.95 million, still a little short, but could work. Obviously, not enough to get a deal done. But likely those two would be included. Ward, ATL needs defensive help, Kobasew is still a promising young winger. A 1st round pick would likely be included, also a top prospect (Soderberg, Alexandrov, Stuart). Maybe Murray could go to ATL.

7) Hossa makes sense because of the Chiaconnection.

New Bruins Blogger on HockeyBuzz

Just wanted to let you all know, on Blogging the NHL on HockeyBuzz, there is a new Bruins writer, Gerry Bordeau, he is fun read and is pretty good. I know people dislike Ek, but the other writers on the site are pretty good.

B's-Thrashers deal in the works?

Haha...I post my Hossa thing last week, and now this Ek rumor floats. Coincidence?

A "high power forward" coming to Boston or going to Atlanta.

Holik
Kovalchuk
Hossa
Murray

I am guessing from the way it was posted, the Bruins are getting the high powered forward. Kolvachuk no way in hell, so that leaves Hossa and Holik.

Both in contract years. Holik would be a longshot since he isn't worth his contract.

Hossa is intriguing. I would not deal for Hossa without an extension. My offer? I wouldn't deal Bergy. I'd give away Sturm before him. I would do Kobasew, 1st round pick, Krejci, Ward and Alexandrov. Try not to sell the team for Hossa. Savard and Chara have NTC's I believe. (Dbl check Savard). Imagine...

Hossa-Savard-Murray
Sturm-Bergeron-Schaefer
Axlesson-Kessel-Bochenski
Thornton-Mowers-Reich

Chara-Alberts
Stuart-Ference
Wideman-Lashoff

Hossa in black and gold?

No, not by trade, but by UFA. This is about 10 months and change away, but Hossa could very well test the UFA market. Many of you are probably thinking, he will go to a different team, but think again. If he doesn't resign in Atlanta, where would he go?

He has Marc Savard here in Boston. Imagine Hossa and Savard. Say Hossa costs the B's 7.5 million per season, front loaded deal like Briere or Gomez.

For purposes, the cap is 53 million on 08-09. Bruins have Ward's 2.75 million coming off. Mark Stuart's 1.8 cap hit on the rookie deal and he would sign as an RFA for less likely. 1.2 from Kobasew gone, RFA could sign for less. Chistov is already gone with 800k. So, there is money coming off the books.

Teams that usually are big spenders, don't have the cap space.

Calgary: Needs to sign Phaneuf long term, Regher has an extension, needs to resign Kipprosuff, and David Hale, along with Daymond Langkow, Owen Nolan and Craig Conroy.

Edmonton: Who wants to play there?

Anaheim: No cap space

San Jose: Needs to resign Marleau

Detroit: Needs to resign Lidstrom

Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto: No cap space

Rangers: Drury, Gomez, Jagr, no cap space

Philly: Briere, Gagne, Hartnall, Timonen, Hatcher, no cap space

The Bruins have a realistic shot at signing him. A lot of the big clubs won't have a lot of money to offer.

GM for one day

A little slow, for now, in the news aside silly rumours like Bergeron for draft picks and prospects. As you all know, the B's have plenty of centermans ( NHL'er and prospects ) and one might be dealt during the season. You are the GM: Which center would you trade if you can acquire a player who can fill one of your needs? Savard, Bergy or another center? and why? In the Murray case, what's your stance?

I already said, elsewhere, that Bergy is an untouchable in my book. He's young, have a lot of upside and already proved that he's a legitimate #2 centerman who could turn into a #1. Sooner then later, he will be the face of this franchise. Trading him will send the wrong message to the fans unless the team can deal him for another very good young player like Jay Boomester. Anyhow, Bergy is a keeper in my book and if i have to deal a center, that would be Savard. Murray is a good guy and he can score goal but i doubt his value will be higher then it is, right now, mostly because of the Gomez/Drury contracts signed this summer. I like Murray a lot but i don't think his presence will be the difference between a playoffs spot or not. Also, there's an health issue....

Projected Stats

My first round of projected stats, more will come.

Name..............G...A....PTS
Marc Savard......24..77....101
Glen Murray......36..30.....66
Marco Sturm......34..40.....74
Peter Schaefer...20..20.....40
Patrice Bergeron.30..54.....84
Brandon Bochenski17..20.....37
Phil Kessel......16..23.....39
Chuck Kobasew....14..15.....29
Mark Mowers.......6..10.....16
Shawn Thornton....2..7.......9
Jeremy Reich......1..4.......5
PJ Axelsson......15..23.....38
Zdeno Chara......11..30.....31
Andrew Alberts....3..14.....17
Aaron Ward........3..18.....21
Dennis Wideman...13..22.....35
Andrew Ference....6..18.....24
Mark Stuart.......2..13.....15

Name.............GAA...SV%
Manny Fernandez..2.82..912
Tim Thomas.......3.24..901

Chistov Signs in Russia

As I reported a few days ago, Stanislav Chistov, whom the Bruins acquired for a future 3rd rounder, has signed with Salavat Yuleav of the Russian Superleague.

For those who are wondering what the B's will do regarding his salary, according to the CBA, since Russia isn't part of the NHL-IIHF agreement, they can sign players under NHL contracts. Therefore, the Bruins can suspend him, taking his salary off the books, or consider him a "defected" player of the league.

It isn't much of a blow to the team, except for those who felt he could score 20 goals. Looks like Anaheim got the best of us on this deal. The Bruins will either be in the market for a 3rd liner (Tony Amonte, Jeff O'Neill) or have Milan Lucic earn a spot. The Bruins now have 2.7 million in cap space.

Analyzing the Team: Defense

By Latrappe and Matt

Andrew Alberts: Was solid last season and his game is getting better and better. He's not afraid to hit and he's more reliable in the defensive zone. Playing with Z had a great impact of his play. I fully expect to see Alberts become a solid player for the B's this year.

Alberts matured a lot this season, racking up solid minutes and proving himself as a top 4 guy on the team. He signed a 2 year/2.5 million dollar deal this summer which shows the B's have him in their plans for the future. He is a defensive defenseman and will rarely make bad choices. Expect his game to go to the next level.

Zdeno Chara: Big Z had a very ordinary season last year. He was not that bad considering the fact that he was not able to play his game. He logged a ton of minutes, for the first time of his career, and that workload had an impact on his game; especially in the last minutes of the game. Still, the impact of big Z, on Alberts's game, should not be overlooked. Look for Chara to the captain of this D.

Z had a tough time last season, which can largely be contributed to Dave Lewis, now the ex-coach. Chara did, overall, have a nice point production, and logged a lot of minutes. He is clearly the number 1 defenseman on the team. Chara did make a handful of mistakes, but hopefully which the defense a year older, that will change. Look for Chara to likely set the screen on the PP. Many fans we dissappointed with last season's Chara, but look for the real Chara this season. We also notice that almost every defenseman Chara played with, they were better, whether it be Redden in Ottawa, Lashoff, Stuart, or Alberts in Boston.

Andrew Ference: Good speed and decisions making. Ference is very reliable in the defensive zone and he rarely puts himself in a bad position. According to reports, he's a very good team player and I expect Julien to give him a larger role on this blueline next year. A very good return from the Stuart trade.

Ference is one of the more underrated defenseman on the team. He is overall very sound and can score and play great defense. I found him to be the best defenseman on the team last season. He comes at a reasonable price, 1.4 million for the next 3 seasons, and can contribute on all parts of the ice. PP, PK and even-strength he can do it all. Ference, like Latrappe said, is a team player. I look at him as a top 4 on the team. By getting a full season to watch him, we can appreciate him more.

Aaron Ward: Has the experience and the leadership but I'm not sure about his adjustements to the new NHL. When I looked his game, last year, he looked slow and prone to penalties. Granted that experience and leadership are priceless, but if we look at his contribution versus his salary, Ward could be a part of a trade, especially if you consider that Lashoff is in the fold.

Ward may not live up to his salary, but I will say that the B's D is a little young, and having a veteran with Chara will help. Ward may be a scape-goat for B's fans, but he is a nice stay at home defenseman that makes some great defensive plays. He is also not afraid to drop the gloves. Ward should provide a nice season for the B's, and if they do fall out of contention, expect him to be dealt.

Mark Stuart: Young stay-at-home D who likes to hit. I must admit that I was impressed by his game last year; especially in the defensive zone. Stuart has solid potential and can be a very good player for the B's for many years to come. Stuart reminds me, a bit, the way Don Sweeney was playing. My only worry: Can Stuart stay healthy?

Arugably the most NHL-ready prospect on the B's D, he is why they didn't go after D in the UFA market. He will likely make the club this season as the 6th defenseman. He should make the team over Matt Lashoff. He played very well last season in his limited time, and not for injury, would have likely made the team. Expect a great rookie season from Mark.

Matt Lashoff: Very, very close to the NHL. Lashoff can be the smooth skating and PP D-man the B's are looking for. During his stint in Boston, Lashoff was -6 and half of this stat was taken in the Ottawa game where he had to handle an enormous workload. His pairing with Chara was a success and he didn't looked foolish at all, on the ice. I'm ready to give him a spot on the roster but the politics around Wideman (Boyes trade) might award him another year in Providence.

I would slot him as the 7th defenseman barring injury. He is still very young, not even 20, so I don't want to rush him. He is a fluid skater and will be a solid NHLer. Him playing another season in Providence wouldn't be the end of the world either. Him and Mark Stuart will likely battle for a spot on the team.

Dennis Wideman: What I can say... PC sold him as a PP specialist but he doesn't have the footwork who comes with the responsibility. I thought that he was a bit "flatfooted" on the blue line. Wideman was a minus player since his last year, junior year, and we can say that he did not improve (from what I saw when he played in St-Louis) the defensive aspect of his game. It's good to produce on the PP but it doesn't help if you're -15 in 5 on 5 situation. Still, the jury is out on Wideman and the fact that PC signed to a 1 year contract tells me that the team is not that "high"on him.

At first I thought he sucked, but people have told me to wait a season and I will. He is only 24, so he is still young. He is an offensive defenseman, but I want to see him play a little more defense too. He was awful in his own zone, which is the last thing the B's need. Hopefully he will mature, if not, Matt Lashoff is waiting.

Bobby Allen: Nothing against the guy or his game. Allen is a profesionnal AHL'er who can fill a 7th D-man spot in the NHL. He might be victimised by the fact that Lashoff is better then him and his two ways contract. I don't see him making the club, this year.

The "Nathan Dempsey" of this season. He will the 7th-8th defenseman. He played well last season, but barring an injury to a starter, he will spend the season in the AHL. Allen is a great depth guy to have.

B's Sign Hamill

Bruins announced they signed 1st round pick Zach Hamill to a 3 year entry level deal which is a base salary of 875,000.

Most Overrated GM: Lou Lamoriello, K Lowe, or Brian Burke?

I hate them all, not personally, but I hate listening to people praise them like jesus.

Lou Lamoriell0...Hmm...what has he done? First off, he won a few cups. Nice, but Martin Broduer. Take him away and NJ sucks. Yeah he has the trap, but Martin. Acquisition wise, he hasn't done so well. He resigned Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrick Elias when it seemed they were going to sign elsewhere. Nice job, but Elias isn't worth 7+ million for the next 7 seasons. Elias is a overrated Devil, like Scott Gomez. Having John Madden making 3+ million...ouch. He had dead salary in McGillis, Malakhov, and Mogiliny. It was complete BS he got out of that salary. Lou has yet to make any resemblence of a good FA signing, his trades, well, none have been blockbuster. O yeah...he let Brian Rafalski, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Gomez leave...seems like he is improving his team. And he fires coaches 3 days before the playoffs...Ftorek and Julien.

Kevin Lowe...I already had my speech on him. Acquires Pronger. Great deal...gets to the finals. Then screws up. Pronger wants out...he has a affordable contract...tell him to stfu and play for us. But...if your going to trade his ass...DON'T TRADE HIM TO YOUR OWN CONFERENCE!!! Especially Anaheim where you know they'll be good with Nieds and him. Complete tard. He doesn't even get a franchise name back. He also lost out Ryan Smyth because he was being cheap over 500k. Now he is begging for sexy names and Smyth is in Colorado. But, since needing big names...he acquires Joni Pitkanen in a here is what we got for Pronger trade. Then overpays for Sheldon "hot wife" Souray who couldn't suck enough in his own end. While I am at it...I'll screw Buffalo over. Then I'll try and screw back Brian Burke by taking Dustin Penner to an offer sheet, which he gives up 1, 2, 3 round picks. But! Since EDM sucks...John Tavares to Anaheim possibly with that 1 pick? That leads us to...

Brian Burke...Mostly successful due to luck..with retarded GMs. Sergei Federov...the aging superstar sucked in Anaheim. He as getting paid 6+ million a season. Horrid cap charge for 50 points. But some turd in Columbus would take him off Burke's hand for Todd Marchant and change. So Burke ridded himself of Fedorov...lucky. Then Scott Niedermayer. Well, he only signed in Anaheim because of Rob his bro was playing there, that is it. No skill for Burke. Then Teemu Selanne. He was all "washed up" Burke only signed him to a 1 year 1 million dollar deal because Selanne was a Duck for life, and he wanted to give him a shot. It worked out...but again, lucky. Chris Pronger...because Joeffry Lupol came off a good year and Kevin Lowe was snorting coke the previous day. Which leads us to this offseason. Hey Todd Bertuzzi, you played 15 games last season...your suppsed to make 1.5+ incentives...here is 2 years 8 million. SHIT KEVIN LOWE JUST GAVE PENNER 4.5 for 5 years. Well...if you hadn't wasted your money elsewhere you could have kept them. And give Mathieu Schneider 2 years and 5.5+ per. We need more D?

Who is the most overrated..I am to angry to answer this after writing this...you decide.

Chistov to play in Russia?

http://www.russianprospects.com/public/index.php

I don't know what our situation would be cap wise. I am guessing we'd somehow save 800k or receive some compensation.

Eklund Rumors

From the past week or so...

Derek Morris (e2)...Morris is an offensive defenseman who can man the PP. He is a top 4 guy. He makes 3.9 this season and 3.95 next season, cap hit is 3.917. I don't see the fit unless we trade Aaron Ward. Wideman could be as good as Morris if he steps his game up. Morris's cap hit seems a little high to absorb with the B's having under 2 million in cap space.

Interest in Patrick Marleau...This one has been rumored for some time. I think Marleau's name was accidently whited out in the JT deal, so he should be a Bruin. His cap hit is 4.5 million. He is a poor man's franchise player. Bruins already have 3000 centers in Savard, Bergeron, Mowers, Kessel, and now Soderberg. I don't see it happening unless again we deal Ward and Kobasew.

Interest in Mike Cammalleri...I don't get this one either. Why would LA even trade him. We'd probably have to deal our top prospects and Kobasew. LA has plenty of cap space and they have a 2 year ruling on him. He'll probably get around 3.5 in arbitration. LA also doesn't need any defenseman with Blake, Stuart, Visnovsky, and Preissing. Don't see why LA would trade him.

Interest in Envir Lisin...The fastest skater in the world from Russia. Don't know what Phoenix would want, but I am guessing this guy gets paid in Russia and doesn't want to go to Phoenix. He would be sick to have with Kessel in the future.

Interest in Eric Lindros...B's almost signed him last offseason. I'll sign him 1 year at 500-650 k. He can still score, and hell, I am a little addicted to "sexy names". Lindros would fit well on the PP and the B's need as much scoring as they can. If he will accept under 1 million, I'd take the chance.

Bruins Sign Lucic

The Bruins signed Milan Lucic to a 3 year entry level contract. It is worth the max 850,000, not including incentives, which would boost his overall pay and also be a cap hit, if he were to make the big club. Lucic was the 50th overall pick in the 2006 draft. Last year with the Vancover Giants (WHL) he recorded 30 goals, 38 assists, and 147 PIM. He was rewarded MVP of the Memorial Cup, where he recorded 7 goals and 12 assists in 22 games. Hopefully the Bruins see him in Boston sooner rather than later.

New Coaches

From bruins.nhl.com

BOSTON, MA - Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has named Craig Ramsay and Geoff Ward Assistant Coaches. Ramsay and Ward join Assistant Coach Doug Houda and Goaltending Coach Bob Essensa to round out Head Coach Claude Julien’s staff.

Ramsay comes to the Bruins after spending the last seven years with the Tampa Bay Lightning where he served as the team’s Associate Head Coach. During his time with Tampa Bay, Ramsay helped lead the Lightning to four consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, two Southeast Division titles, and a Stanley Cup Championship in 2004.

Prior to joining Tampa Bay during the 2000-2001 season, Ramsay spent eight seasons in NHL coaching and management including stints with the Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers.

As an NHL player, Ramsay, a native of Weston, Ontario, played from 1971-1985 with the Sabres. In 1,070 career games, Ramsay scored 252 goals and recorded 420 assists. Ramsay won the Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) in 1985.

Ward comes to Boston after spending the 2006-2007 season in Germany as the head coach of the Iserlohn Roosters, where he led the Roosters to a 18-6-4-24 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record, finishing in 11th place in the 14-team German league. Previously, Ward had spent five campaigns in the Edmonton organization, where, beginning in January 2001, he coached in the American Hockey League.

While with the Oilers, Ward served as Julien’s assistant coach for the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldog’s when the squad worked its way to the AHL's Calder Cup semi-finals in 2002. Ward took over for Julien as head coach during the 2002-2003 campaign when Julien was hired by the Montreal Canadiens on January 17, 2003. Later that season the Bulldogs went to the AHL finals and the two head coaches were co-winners of the American Hockey League’s Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award, which is given annually to the league’s coach of the year.

Ward, a resident of Manitouwadge, Ontario, has been in the coaching profession since 1994 when he started with Kitchener of the OHL. He also served as the Edmonton Oilers development coach during their 2005-2006 run to the Stanley Cup Championships