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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Thornton out vs Tampa

Shawn Thornton will not play tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Thornton's injury is "undisclosed". The Bruins enforcer has played in every single game so far this season. Last season he missed 24 games with a foot injury. Bryon Bitz and Steve Mondator will skate on Stephane Yelle's wings tonight.

Manny Fernandez will be in goal tonight.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Philly Recap

- Tim Thomas stood on his head again, making 45 saves. Another great game from the potential Vezina winner. Imagine the score if Manny Fernandez had started.

- Mark Recchi continues to be a solid trade deadline pickup. Recchi goes to the net and knows how to score from the dirty areas. He also drew a cross-checking penalty in front of the net which led to the 5 on 3 powerplay. The 41 year old now has 7 goals in 11 games since joining the Bruins.

- Steve Mondator badly lost his fight with Dan Carcillo. Carcillo landed atleast 5 solid punches to Mondator's head without receiving a clean shot in return. Mondator has been showing his guts but someone needs to teach him how to fight. He is a good energy and physical presence on the fourth line but I would prefer Bitz in that spot.

- Milan Lucic was hitting everything in sight and added two more goals. Lucic, now with 16 goals, is making a run at the 20 goal mark. When Lucic is at his game the Bruins feed off his energy.

- Another sloppy defensive game from Aaron Ward. Ward's streak of bad games continues with bad clearing attempts and turnovers which lead to scoring chances and goals.

- David Krejci had one of his best games in about a month. Having Lucic on his wing may be exactly what he needs to get him going. Lucic's presence added energy to that line and it really showed in both Krejci and Ryder who were both real physical two nights in a row.

Call me crazy but I still think the Bruins have a shot at the President's Cup. San Jose has three more points (same games played) then the Bruins but plays in Calgary tonight and has games remaining against hot teams (Anaheim twice, Edmonton).

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Manny in net tonight

Finally some hockey!

Manny Fernandez will start in goal tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This will be Fernandez's first start since a brutal performance against the New York Rangers on March 8th. Fernandez allowed 4 goals (3 very soft) on only 30 shots. With back to back games this weekend the Bruins would much rather have Thomas start against Philadelphia tomorrow. Byron Bitz who was expected back in the lineup to take Phil Kessel's spot, is now scratched in favor of Steve Montador. Mondator, a defenseman, will skate on the fourth line. Kessel's injury is believed to be a right shoulder which was injuried against the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 8th. Kessel has not missed any previous games since the injury. Here is the rest of the lineup:

Axelsson-Savard-Wheeler
Lucic-Krejci-Ryder
Recchi-Bergeron-Kobasew
Thornton-Yelle-Mondator

Chara-Ward
Stuart-Hunwick
Ference-Wideman

Leafs Lineup:

Jason Blake - John Mitchell - Lee Stempniak
Alex Ponikarovsky - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin
Niklas Hagman - Matt Stajan - Jeff Hamilton
Boyd Devereaux - Jamal Mayers - Brad May

Luke Schenn - Jeff Finger
Jay Harrison - Pavel Kubina
Ian White - Phil Oreskovic

Justin Pogge

Friday, March 27, 2009

No Kessel for the weekend

Phil Kessel will not travel with the team to either Toronto or Philadelphia. He has been ruled out with an undisclosed injury for both games. Kessel will be reassessed next week. Here are the practice lines:

Axelsson-Savard-Wheeler
Lucic-Krejci-Ryder
Recchi-Bergeron-Kobasew
Thornton-Yelle-Bitz

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A Statement Made

The Bruins came out today and made a statement to the rest of the NHL. They played a complete game, something we have not seen in the past month and a half. They were physical, skated hard nearly every shift, and did not sit back with conservative hockey once they got the lead. A few observations:

- Patrice Bergeron continues to look great. Threw the body and played a solid two way game.
- Mark Recchi was on the ice for three of the four goals. Doesn't always stand out but makes the right plays and drives to the net.
- Phil Kessel was flying once again. He probably returned too soon from mono but he is starting to return to form here in the past 5 games or so.
- Finally the powerplays were switched up a little. Hunwick and Wideman made a huge difference on the first unit. Hunwick needs to be in this lineup every single game. The Bruins play their best transition game when hes back on the blueline.
- Aaron Ward took two more bad penalties. That's 8 minor penalties in the last 8 games. He is a leader on this team, hopefully in the playoffs one of those penalties don't come back to bite the Bs.
- Not a huge fan of the line combinations today. I just hate seeing Lucic on the fourth line.

The Bruins now have 5 days off and do not play again until Saturday. Hopefully this win is just what they needed.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Yelle back tonight

Stephane Yelle will be back in the lineup tonight centering the fourth line. Yelle has missed the previous five games after falling backwards into the boards. With the return of Yelle, expect Byron Bitz to be the healthy scratch. Bitz has 4 goals and 3 assists in 28 games this season. Bitz brings grit and energy to the fourth line but with a healthy squad he's the odd man out.

Matt Hunwick and Shane Hnidy are both expected to be scratches once again. It wouldn't be a bad idea to try some different defensemen in there, especially the way Ference and Montador have been playing lately.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Current Playoff Matchups

Heres a look at the current playoff matchups if the season ended today. The way the Bruins have been playing lately, do not be surprised if the Devils catch the Bruins by the end of the season. The Devils also have three games in hand on the Bs.


(1) Boston vs. (8) Carolina
(2) New Jersey vs. (7) NY Rangers
(3) Washington vs. (6) Montreal
(4) Philadephia vs (5) Pittsburgh

Still with a shot: Florida and Buffalo

Bruins record against Carolina: 4-0-0
Bruins record against NY Rangers: 1-1-1
Bruins record against Florida: 3-1-0
Bruins record against Buffalo: 2-2-1

Which team do you want?

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Kessel and Krejci to play tonight



Both David Krejci and Phil Kessel will play tonight despite missing yesterday's practice with undisclosed injuries. Kessel took a big hit from Columbus defenseman Jan Hejda and appeared to injure his shoulder. Krejci, who has been slumping lately, is believed to be battling from some type of injury.

Monday, March 09, 2009

OT - Guy gets the boot

Sorry had to post it. Guy Carbonneau has been fired as the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. GM Bob Gainey takes the reins behind the bench. Obviously a desperation move by Gainey whos team is at risk of falling out of the playoff race completely. Only 2 points separate the Canadiens from Carolina, the 9th place team in the East.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Who wants sloppy seconds??



Look who's back. I bet Andrew Ference would like seconds with Sean Avery. I wonder what kind of dirt bag tricks Avery has up his sleeves tomorrow. The Bruins will take on a Ranger team that has dropped to 8th in the East. All of their trade deadline acquisitions, Antropov, Morris, and Avery will be in the lineup. This should be a fun one.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Coyotes at Bruins

The newest members of your Boston Bruins will play tonight. Mark Recchi will wear 28 and Steve Montador will wear 23. Shane Hnidy, Matt Hunwick, and Bryon Bitz will all be scratched for tonight's game. Hunwick is expected to be sent back to Providence. Here is the expected lineup:

Lucic-Savard-Kessel
Wheeler-Krejci-Ryder
Recchi-Bergeron-Kobasew
Axelsson-Yelle-Thornton

Chara-Ward
Ference-Wideman
Stuart-Montador

It will be interesting to see how the fourth line plays out now. I like Bitz but Axelsson's PK skills are too valuable to have ride on the bench. I have a real bad feeling that Wheeler or Lucic will be in Julien's doghouse soon and we will see Axelsson in the top 9 again.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Deadline Day Review

Montreal Canadiens acquire Mathieu Schneider and a conditional pick from the Atlanta Trashers for a 2009 2nd round pick and a 2010 3rd round pick.
Looking back, this was a good trade by Montreal.  Schneider was arguably the best defenseman to change addresses during the deadline and he went for a reasonable price considering the cost for Derek Morris and Jordan Leopold.  Schneider has 6 points in 6 games with the Habs and has really solidified their powerplay, helping the Habs making a recent run toward the playoffs.

Ottawa Senators acquire Chris Campoli and Mike Comrie for Dean McAmmond and a 2009 1st round pick.
Stupid move by Ottawa.  First off, Ottawa is 16 points out of 8th place, so their playoff chances are slim to none.  They have already been through the Comrie experiment before and it did not work so well.  Comrie is also a UFA at seasons end so what is the point of the deal?  If your going to re-sign Comrie, why not wait until July 1st and save some assets?  Campoli has been injury prone and although he is a RFA, is he worth a 1st rounder?  No.  Thankfully for Sens fans, the 1st rounder (currently slated to be 4th overall), is not theirs', it is San Jose's first rounder.  

The Dallas Stars acquire Steve Begin from the Montreal Canadiens for Doug Janik.  
A depth move for the Stars.  Begin is a gritty 4th line type who can get under the skin of opponents.  Janik is a depth defenseman who played two seasons in Tampa Bay.  Overall, fairly minor deal.

The Anaheim Ducks acquire Ryan Whitney from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Chris Kunitz and Eric Tangradi.
The Ducks acquired another stud defenseman who is under control for a few more seasons.  With most of the Ducks defenseman UFAs this summer, they needed someone for the long haul.  Whitney is one of the better offensive defenseman in the league at a reasonable price.  The Ducks had plenty of forwards (Getzlaf, Ryan, Selanne, Perry, Kunitz) so one of them was expendable.  For the Penguins, Kunitz is the forward they have been looking for to compliment Crosby and Malkin.  They already have Gonchar, so Whitney was expendable especially with his 4 million price tag.  Tangradi is also a very good prospect.  The Ducks got the better player, but this deal helps both teams needs.

The New Jersey Devils acquire Niclas Havelid and Myles Stoesz from the Atlanta Thrashers for Anssi Salmela.
A good move by the Devs, picking up some depth on defense.  Salmela was a fringe player who was good offensively but struggled to play in his own zone, which is slightly important for a defender.  Havelid is a solid defender who will help one of the top 3 teams in the East come post season.  For the Thrashers, if Salmela, 24, can become more responsible in his own end, he could end up a decent pickup for a guy who was not going to be re-signed.

The St. Louis Blues acquire Danny Richmond from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Andy Wozniewski.
Both defenseman are fringe NHLers and are nothing more than depth moves.  Richmond is only 23 though while Wozniewski is 28.

The Buffalo Sabres acquire Mikael Tellqvist from the Phoenix Coyotes for a 2009 4th round pick.
With Miller out, the Sabres needed some goaltending help, and instead of losing assets for a Manny Fernandez or Martin Biron, the Sabres got Tellqvist for close to nothing.  Tellqvist is a decent backup, but once Miller returns, the goaltending situation in Buffalo is no longer a real issue.

The Ottawa Senators acquire Pascal Leclaire and a 2009 2nd round pick for Antoine Vermette.  
After placing Martin Gerber on waivers, the Sens needed a new goalie.  The former 1st round pick had been replaced by rookie sensation Steve Mason, so he was expendable.  For the Sens, the need for a new young goalie was immense and they accomplished this.  For the Blue Jackets, they added a dynamic offensive force to play with Rick Nash and co.  The Blue Jackets are really trying to push for the playoffs.

The Boston Bruins acquire Steve Montador from the Anaheim Ducks for Petteri Nokelainen.
The Bruins were rumored for another Anaheim defenseman, but had to settle for Montador.  A solid move for the B's as he is an upgrade over Shane Hnidy and Matt Hunwick.  Montador did not cost any roster players and they did not need to gut the roster for a Pronger or Kaberle.  Montador is a physical defenseman who led Anaheim in PIM and +/-.   For the Ducks, Nokelainen is a young banger who is a physical gritty player.  While his offense has been disappointing, there is hope the former 1st round pick could figure it out.  The Bruins also save 850,000 next year.

The Calgary Flames acquire Jordan Leopold from the Colorado Avalanche for Lawrence Nycholat, Ryan Wilson and a 2009 2nd round pick.
The former Flame is back.  Leopold, one of the better defenseman on the market, is joining the Flames cup run.  This is a great move by Calgary.  Nycholat is a fringe NHLer and Wilson is a decent prospect.  Nothing not to like from the Flames side of this deal.  For the Avs, they should have tried to sign Leopold, who is a very good defender, but that could not be done and they got a fairly good return for him.  Wilson could turn out to be something, he is lighting it up in the OHL.

The Calgary Flames acquire Olli Jokinen and a 2009 3rd round pick for Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, and a 2009 or 2010 first round pick.
The biggest move of the deadline, Jokinen is reuniting with Mike Keenan.  Lombardi, a fan favorite in Calgary, could never take his game to the next level, and Jokinen could be an elite centerman under Keenan.  Prust, the former 3rd round pick, spent time between the NHL and AHL this season.  Depending on how Phoenix drafts, they could get some more young talent on their roster.

The Boston Bruins acquire Mark Recchi and a 2010 2nd round pick for Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums.
The Bruins desperately needed a left-handed shot and with the asking prices of Eric Cole and Keith Tkachuk a little too high, Recchi is a nice consolation prize.  Recchi will play on the powerplay and 3rd line most likely as Marco Sturm's replacement.  Karsums did not have a spot on the team and could be a 3rd liner in Tampa.  Lashoff, the former 1st rounder (22nd overall), never showed the Bruins enough at the NHL level and considering that 2nd round pick could be in the late 30s, early 40s, you have to like that trade for the Bruins.

The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Kevin Lalande from the Calgary Flames for a 2009 4th round pick.
Lalande is going to be the 3rd goalie for Columbus behind Mason and Dubs.  With Leclaire gone, the Blue Jackets needed to pick up some more depth.  Lalande has played well in the ECHL and AHL this season.  

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire Bill Guerin from the New York Islanders for a conditional pick (5th rounder, 4th rounder if the Penguins make it past the first round, 3rd if they make it past the 2nd round).
We all assume there was a deal with Washington that fell through.  This was a great trade by the Penguins, acquiring Guerin for close to nothing.  He will really help that offense and most likely play with Crosby since Kunitz is with Staal.  I'm surprised the Islanders could not get more for Guerin considering he was one of the better veteran forwards on the market.

The New York Rangers acquire Nik Antropov from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2009 2nd round pick and a conditional pick.
Brian Burke wanted a 1st, but settled for a 2nd plus.  Good deal by the Rangers, they desperately needed offense and got a 20+ goal scorer for a fair price.  Now it remains to be seen if Antropov and Torts can get along, but on the surface, solid deal for the Rags.  Burke did a good job getting a 2nd for a guy he knew he did not want as well.

The New York Rangers acquire Derek Morris from the Phoenix Coyotes for Dmitri Kalinin, Nigel Dawes, and Petr Prucha.
Very high price for Morris.  I don't like this deal for the Rags, as it takes away from their depth.  Kalinin was a solid defender and Dawes was a good 3rd liner who seemed to score timely goals.  I don't know why Rags fans hated Prucha, 20+ goal seasons his first two and then his ice time dwindled.  I like this deal more for Phoenix as again they stock up for the future.  Don't know if this deal really helps the Rangers, but they do save some cap space.

The Anaheim Ducks acquire Erik Christensen from the Atlanta Thrashers for Eric O'Dell.
Christensen, acquired in the Hossa deal, is a decent 3rd line player who likely replaced Sami Pahlsson on the Ducks.  Again, the Ducks are restocking for the future adding some more young forwards.  O'Dell was the Ducks 2nd round pick and is playing well in the OHL.  Seems like a trade where Anaheim gets the better player, but in the long run O'Dell could be something.

The Chicago Blackhawks acquire Samuel Pahlsson, Logan Stephenson, and a conditional pick for James Wisniewski and Petri Kontiola.
The Hawks needed a center badly, since Sharp is not a natural center and Versteeg has struggled lately.  The Hawks are not necessarily poised for a Cup run, but they could do some damage in the playoffs and Pahlsson is a shut down center who played very well during the Ducks cup run.  Wisniewski is another young defender who can help the Ducks next season.  

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Olaf Kolzig, Jamie Heward, Andy Rogers and a 2009 4th round draft pick for Richard Petiot.  
Basically a salary shedding move by the Bolts.  Hard to believe the Leafs need Kolzig after claiming Gerber off waivers.  Bolts save some money, Leafs get another pick.

The Buffalo Sabres acquire Dominic Moore from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2009 2nd round pick.  
Solid move by the Sabres.  DoMo has had a career year thus far could add to that offense.  With Vanek coming back, this team could be poised for a 1st round upset.  Moore will likely replace Ales Kotalik in the lineup.  With the Kotalik move, you have to wonder how much better this makes the Sabres, but you can't fault them for this move.  For the Leafs, they stock pile more picks for this years deep draft.  Got to like Burke's rebuilding plan.

The Philadelphia Flyers acquire Dino Carcillo from the Phoenix Coyotes for Scottie Upshall and a 2009 2nd round pick.
I don't get this move.  Upshall is a decent young player who was once a lottery pick (6th overall in 2002).  I don't think trading him AND a 2nd rounder for a goon is a good idea.  Carcillo led the NHL in PIMs last season, and is a one tough kid, but is he really what Philly needs?  I mean they are a physical team as is, doesn't seem like a good deal.  For Phoenix, they take this and run.

The Florida Panthers acquire Steve Eminger from the Tampa Bay Lightning for Noah Welch and a 3rd round pick.
Great deal by Florida.  They have a very good defense with the addition to Eminger.  He is only 25 and has some offensive spunk to his game.  Florida is really pushing for a playoff spot by adding Eminger and keeping Jay Bouwmeester.  Welch is a fringe NHL defenseman.

The San Jose Sharks acquire Travis Moen and Kent Huskins from the Anaheim Ducks for Nick Bonino, Timo Pielmeler, and a conditional pick.
Good depth move by San Jose.  Moen was another contributer for the Ducks on their Cup run.  Huskins is a nice depth defenseman incase of injury.  San Jose did not have to give much up for these two players.  

The Philadelphia Flyers acquire Kyle McLaren from the San Jose Sharks for a 2009 6th round pick.
Depth defenseman who maybe can turn it around.  McLaren has floundered in San Jose, maybe he can do something for Philly.  Don't see the point of this deal other than to add a veteran body.

The Edmonton Oilers acquire Ales Kotalik, and Patrick O'Sullivan, the Carolina Hurricanes acquire Eric Cole and Edmonton's 2009 5th round pick, the Los Angeles Kings acquire Justin Williams, and the Buffalo Sabres acquire Los Angeles's 2009 2nd round pick.
Edmonton wins huge on this deal, basically Cole and a 5th for Kotalik and O'Sullivan.  Both are good players and will really help this team.  Cole was not doing well in Edmonton, and going back to Carolina could turn his game around.  Los Angeles loses heavily in this deal, trading away O'Sullivan AND a 2nd for the injured Justin Williams.  It still does not make sense why Buffalo traded Kotalik after acquiring Dominic Moore.

The Buffalo Sabres sign Tim Connolly to a 2 year, 9 million dollar deal.
Could end up a good, or a bad signing.  If Connolly can stay healthy, he will put up the points deserving of this contract.  That is a big if.  If Connolly ends up hurt like he has, then this deal could really hinder Buffalo.

The Los Angeles Kings sign Sean O'Donnell to a 1 year extension.
O'Donnell wanted to stay and this is a good signing by the Kings.  Nothing wrong with locking up a veteran for one more season for cheap money, especially with young guys like Doughty and Johnson in the system.

Martin Gerber claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs really needed some goaltending with Toskala out, so this makes some sense although his contract isn't that great.

Sean Avery claimed off re-entry waivers by the New York Rangers.
This will be interesting....

Brendan Morrison claimed off waivers by the Dallas Stars.
Morrison is having a decent season.  3rd line center for the Stars, not a bad pickup at all.

Craig Adams claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Wasn't doing much in Chicago, and the Pens need any offense they can get.  

WINNERS
Calgary Flames
Boston Bruins
Toronto Maple Leafs
Anaheim Ducks
Phoenix Coyotes
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Rangers

LOSERS
Washington Capitals
Philadelphia Flyers
New York Islanders
Detroit Red Wings
San Jose Sharks







Bruins tried for Tkachuk

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Bruins pushed hard for Tkachuk but a deal could not be reached.  Was this after or before we acquired Recchi?  Who knows.  Tkachuk would've been nice but I'm satisfied with Recchi and Montador.

New Line Combos?

With the additions of Marc Recchi and Steve Montador today it will be interesting to see how Julien puts together his lines. Here what I would do:

Recchi-Savard-Kessel
Wheeler-Krejci-Ryder
Lucic-Bergeron-Kobasew
Axelsson-Yelle-Thornton

Chara-Montador
Ference-Wideman
Stuart-Ward

Breaking Down the Deals

Petteri Nokelainen to the Anaheim Ducks for Steve Montador.

Great deal by the Bruins.  No it wasn't Pronger, Morris or Kaberle, but Montador is a tough customer.  He leads the Anaheim Ducks in PIM with 125, and he is a +14 on a defensively struggled Ducks team.  Montador has 4 goals and 16 assists for 20 points, making him the 3rd highest scoring Bruins defenseman behind Chara and Wideman.  Montador can play some wing as well and is a definite upgrade over Shane Hnidy and Matt Hunwick.  

Nokie was a decent checking line/4th line player, but his offense was going nowhere and he did not have a spot on the roster.  We also save 850k off the cap next season.  Montador makes 900k this season.

Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums to Tampa Bay for Mark Recchi and a 2010 2nd round pick.

Recchi is the left-handed shot PC has been searching for since Sturm went down.  Recchi is having a solid season in Tampa Bay, even though he is 41.  He has 32 assists and 13 goals for 45 points.  Now, I know some people have issues with Lashoff going, but honestly he was the 22nd overall pick, and he wasn't showing much.  Hunwick is better than him and he did not have a spot on the team, not to mention his contract was up.  Karsums is nothing more than a 3rd line winger who did not have a spot on the team.  Karums for Recchi and Lashoff for a 2nd rounder that could be anywhere from 32-40.  

Bruins acquire Recchi

More details later...

Nokie to Ana for Montador

Details later....

Leopold Gone

Another defenseman gone as the Flames acquired Jordan Leopold from the Avs for a 2nd round pick and 2 prospects.

It seems like Morris is the only viable option left we are rumored after with Eric Cole seeming to be the main target.  Tkachuk could still be in play if a deal falls through.  

I'm going to go into the Chat on the right if anyone cares to join.

Trade Deadline Noon Update

Peterri Nokelainen is not at Bruins practice today. The Bruins say he may be involved in a deal. Mark Recchi and Derek Morris are two names that continue to be linked with the Bruins. More to come...

Around the league
-Jordan Leopold back to Calgary for Lawrence Nycholat and a pick.
-Antoinne Vermette to Columbus for Pascal Leclaire and a 2nd round pick
-Filip Kuba resigned with the Ottawa Senators. 3 years $3.75 million per year.
-Tim Connolly resigned with Buffalo. 2 years $4.5 million per year.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Time to Panic?

I don't know.  This team has played like crap since the new year, and it seems they have lost their edge a little.

I'm not saying this because they lost against Philly, but they blew leads to New Jersey and St. Louis and they haven't been playing with the lead lately.  The offense has gone down hill and the days when we could role 4 consistent lines seems to be over.  

I really think the offense is a bigger issue than the defense.

We need some bigger bodies ala Eric Cole or Keith Tkachuk or even Chris Neill. 

Bergeron for Pronger?

This thing won't die, the most recent rumor out there is that Patrice Bergeron would be the center piece in a deal for Pronger along with a pick and prospect.

I'm going to say, I am in favor of this potential deal.  Pronger has 1 more year at 6.25 million and Bergeron has 2 more years at 4.75 million dollars.  I LOVE Bergy, and he is just regaining his form, having said that, I think Bergeron is obviously our number 3 center with the emergence of David Krejci.  Many people think Bergeron will be traded just to re-sign Kessel and Krejci, so why not make the move for a top 5 defenseman in the league?  

Now, I'm not saying deal Bergeron, Stuart, Colborne and a 1st.  No way in hell.  But Bergeron, Nokie/Sobotka, and a 1st for Pronger and Moen, then I would do it.  

I'm torn, but in the long run, defense is more important than offense.  Of course if you trade Bergeron you definitely need to pick up a Cole/Tkachuk type player as the offense would be very week.  Maybe Satan off waivers?

Would Miroslav Satan fit?

Miroslav Satan has been placed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Satan, primarily playing on a line centered by Sidney Crosby, totalled 17 goals and 19 assists with a +3 rating. If Satan is not claimed by any other team the Bruins could pick him up without sacrificing any other players, picks, or prospects. So the question is, would you pick him up??

Adding Satan would give the Bruins part of what they are looking for. He is a left handed shot who has scoring ability. He could work on the powerplay and be a third line left wing for Bergeron. However, Satan, who is listed at 6'2" 193, plays with very little emotion and brings no grit or toughness.

Adding Satan would give the Bruins that lefthanded shooter they need without sacrificing anything. This could then allow them to focus primarily on a defensive acquisitions, such as Derek Morris. The real question is, does the front office look at the third line left wing position as a weakness on this team? Do they feel Axelsson is hurting this team by playing on a scoring line and on the powerplay? We will know tomorrow and if so, then they make take a shot at Satan.

Bruins pushing for Pronger?

The rumors won't die.  Recent rumors are still there that the Bruins are pushing hard for Chris Pronger.  

I don't see the Bruins dealing Kessel, especially for Pronger.  I know he is an elite guy, but he is 34, and trading a 21 year old, no matter how inconsistent he may be at times, makes no sense.

I don't think it will take Kessel to land Pronger, as the rumors of TJ Oshie for him were squashed, and you can debate if Kessel is better than Oshie.  San Jose believes it will take Cheechoo, Erhoff and a 1st.  Pipedream. 

I think Murray is going to try and deal Pronger, and is going to try and get the most he can, but if you are trading your best scorer, it should be for a signed Bouwmeester, or a younger stud.  

Kessel is 21!!  He is on pace for 35 or so goals, and I don't think he is going to command the 5 million dollar salary people thought he would when he was on pace for 50.  We are talking Cheechoo money here, 3 million per.  

Colborne, 1st, Stuart, Sobotka and a conditional 3rd is what I'm willing to trade.  

How to make this work?  We can trade MFMF to Detroit or somewhere for a pick.  Think of it this way, would you rather help Detroit get by San Jose, or have San Jose beat Detroit.  Because I'd much rather play Detroit and San Jose.

Will Pronger be in black and gold?  I don't know, but if he is traded I think Boston is the leading spot, we have the assets, we have the need and desire.

Monday, March 02, 2009

Bruins Trade Deadline Deals

2003

-Acquired Brad Boyes and Andy Delmore from the San Jose Sharks for Jeff Jillson.
-Acquired Sergei Gonchar from the Washington Capitals for Shaonne Morrisonn, 1st round pick (Jeff Schultz), and a 2nd round pick (Michail Yunkov).
-Acquired Michael Nylander from the Washington Capitals for a 2nd round pick (Francois Bouchard), and a 4th round pick (Patrick McNeill).

2005

-Traded Sergei Samsonov to the Edmonton Oilers for Yan Stastny, Marty Reasoner, and a 2nd round pick (Milan Lucic).

2006

-Traded Paul Mara to the New York Rangers for Aaron Ward
-Traded Brad Boyes to the St. Louis Blue for Dennis Wideman

2007

NO MOVES

As you can see, the Bruins have not made a buyers move since 2003.  The Samsonov deal was a sellers move and the two deals in '06 were somewhat lateral.  2007 was disappointing as some of the prices were low, and a body could have helped us against Montreal, but we were only fighting for 8th so it did not make sense to deal any assets that would help us in the future. 

Another thing to note is how the draft picks did not really pan out for any of the teams aside from maybe Jeff Schultz, who is in Minnesota now.  Lucic was our pick, but none of the picks we dealt have come to bite us in the ass.  Obviously with this deadline, no one wants to see Kessel, Krejci, Bergeron, Wheeler or Rask go for obvious reasons, which is why guys like Jordan Leopold, Eric Cole, Derek Morris and Keith Tkachuk make the most sense for the club rather than Chris Pronger or Tomas Kaberele.

Cross Havelid off the list- Traded to Devils

One of the Bruins defensive targets, Niclas Haviled, has been traded to the Eastern Conference foe New Jersey Devils for Annsi Salmela.  

The Bruins now are pressured more to make a move, especially when Salmela was the 18th ranked prospect in the Devils organization.  The Bruins equivalent, Mikko Lehtonen.  

Now, I'm not saying we needed Haviled, and I don't think he was the target we were after, but the Bruins cannot stand pat because I guarantee Washington will make a move as well.  With Havelid gone, Morris and Leopold remain options and Kaberle and Pronger remain the big fish.  


Your Deadline Day

With the trading deadline 2 days away, what would you do if you were PC?  Go home run with Pronger? Or go with a guy like Morris or Leopold?

Here is my ideal day...

Bruins acquire Keith Tkachuk from St. Louis for a 3rd round pick and Denis Reul.

Bruins acquire Tomas Kaberle from the Maple Leafs for Joe Colborne, 1st round pick and Petteri Nokelainen.

Lucic-Savard-Kessel
Wheeler-Krejci-Ryder
Tkachuk-Bergeron-Kobasew
Axelsson-Yelle-Thornton

Chara-Kaberle
Wideman-Ward
Ference-Stuart

Thomas
MFMF

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Bruins Rumors Roundup

As of yesterday afternoon, it was rumored the Bruins and Anaheim Ducks had a deal in place that would send D Chris Pronger and winger Travis Moen to the Hub for Mark Stuart, Joe Colborne, a 1st round pick and possibly a roster player.

This is a deal that makes sense for both teams, but it seems as of last night, the Ducks are looking for more and the Bruins are out of the running.  Could this be a bluff by Murray? Who knows.  The rumored deal is a fair deal.  First off, when trading top notch players like Pronger, a team NEVER gets full value.  Let's look at past big trades with franchise type guys or the top deadline player.

San Jose acquired Brian Campbell and a 7th round pick from the Sabres for Steve Bernier and a 1st round pick.  Bernier was a young prospect, career high 30 point season before being traded.  

Penguins acquired Marian Hossa from the Thrashers for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a 1st round pick.  Christensen was a 3rd/4th liner, Armstrong was a Kobasew-like player and Esposito was a young unproven prospect with high upside.

Stars acquired Brad Richards from the Lightning for Mike Smith, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern and a 4th round pick.

Sharks acquired Joe Thornton from the Bruins for Brad Stuart, Wayne Primeau and a Marco Sturm.

Canucks acquired Roberto Luongo and Lukas Krajicek from the Panthers for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alex Auld.

Coyotes acquired Olli Jokinen from the Panthers for Nick Boynton, Keith Ballard and a 2nd round pick.

As you can see, only Thornton, Luongo, Jokinen and Richards were not UFA's, but Hossa and Campbell were young when they were traded.  Luongo, Thornton, Jokinen and Richards were also under 30 when they were dealt.  Pronger is 34.  

There are also rumors of Phil Kessel, 21, going to Anaheim in a deal for Pronger.  This talk has no validity to it.  No player of Kessel's caliber has been traded in any of the deals above for a superstar player, let alone a 34 year old.  Also, when Pronger was traded after the lockout and the following season, he did not net a player of Kessel's caliber.

Edmonton acquired Pronger from St. Louis for Eric Brewer, Jeff Woywitka, and Doug Lynch.
Anaheim acquired Pronger from Edmonton for Joffrey Lupol, Ladislav Smid, 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, and a conditional 1st.

These deals were 3 and 4 years ago, so now you are looking at an older Pronger with a bigger cap hit and only 1 year left on his deal rather than the 4 or 5 when he was traded.  

Colborne is a high end prospect who is raw, but could end up being a very special player in this league.  Stuart is a top 4 physical defenseman who is very responsible defensively and young.  The roster player could be anyone from Sobotka, Nokelainen to Kobasew.
 
But any talk of Wheeler, Krejci, Kessel, Bergeron or Lucic is absurd.  That is WAY to high of an asking price for a 34 year old with one year left on his deal and has yet to net a player CLOSE to that caliber in previous trades.

Now if the Pronger rumors do not come true, look for the Bruins to shift their attention to Tomas Kaberle of the Maple Leafs.  Rumors ran crazy last night as Brian Burke was in Boston watching the Caps-Bruins game.  The Bruins have reportedly offered Joe Colborne, a 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick for Kaberle.  

Another interesting name out there is Niclas Haviled, who can supposedly be had for a pick.  

Derek Morris is on the verge of being traded according to numerous outlets, and could be had for a pick.  The Bruins have shown interest, but Morris may want to stay West.

Jordan Leopold is a name to keep a tab on, the Bruins have shown interest in the Avs defender.

On an offensive note, the big names out there for the Bruins are Keith Tkachuk, Erik Cole, and Bill Guerin.

According to many sources, Guerin has been traded to a team in the Eastern Conference, but a cap situation is holding up the deal.  Washington, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Boston, Montreal and Pittsburgh are the rumored destinations, but it seems like Washington, Boston, Philly and Jersey have denied interest.

With St. Louis's recent playoff surge, rumors are Tkachuk will NOT be dealt.  This could be a bluff to try and heat up the market for Tkachuk as there isn't a huge interest in him.  Tkachuk has said he would like to play in Boston, but Boston has not shown a ton of interest, with Erik Cole seeming to be their top target.

Cole has had an off season in Edmonton, and could be had for a pick and prospect.  

Rumors a plenty....

I'm Back

After a long long break from the blog due to numerous reasons, I'm back.

I'm sorry for not being here during the season, one for the memories, but to copy a phrase from Bill Belichik, "it is what it is."  

No better time to come back than the trade deadline...rumors galore!

-Matt

NHL Network free for a week


The NHL Network will be free this entire week starting March 2nd. This is great news especially with the trading deadline coming on Wednesday. They will be running shows all day recapping trades as they happen.
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