Bruins Rumors and News

NEW SITE LOCATION

2009-08-08T17:18:00.001-04:00

Official New Location

2009-08-06T23:55:00.002-04:00

Please check us out at our new location!!

I hope the new format is much easier to follow and we will be able to update it easier. Thank you for following us on blogger and we hope this transition to a new format isn't much trouble. We would like as much feedback as possible. The new domain is www.bruinsrumors.wordpress.com

-Matt and Pekese

Bruinsrumors

2009-08-06T17:21:00.004-04:00

Okay, I feel like I have not been clear, so let me try and make things such.

I am managing two blog right now, Bruinsrumors and The Boston Sports Blog. I am not getting rid of Bruinsrumors, it will still be here. The Boston Sports Blog is an experiment and it just like Bruinsrumors, with the same hockey info, except with all 4 major boston sports teams. For those who are not interested in that, Bruinsrumors will contain only Bruins and hockey posts, so everyone is happy.

I moved Bruinsrumors over to Wordpress because it has a better presentation and for those who were getting upset with the lack up sidebar updates, wordpress should fix that. The new Bruinsrumors location, same site as this, just better presentation is www.bruinsrumors.wordpress.com.

The Boston Spots Blog, for those interested in not just the Bruins, is www.thebostonsportsblog.wordpress.com

If The Boston Sports Blog fails, I will just manage this blog. If everyone HATES the wordpress version, I will come back to use this one on blogger.

If you are still confused, or have any concerns, shoot me an email at bruinsrumors@yahoo.com, or leave a comment.

-Matt

Bruins Tickets go on Sale August 20th

2009-08-05T20:40:00.001-04:00

The Boston Bruins have announced that individual tickets for the 2009-2010 season go on sale August 20th, at 10:00 am. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.

Tickets range from $10.00 to $298.50. For more information visit bostonbruins.com.

Bruinsrumors new location?

2009-08-05T19:27:00.003-04:00

Ok, now based on comments I decided to keep Bruinsrumors alive, while continuing to post at The Boston Sports Blog. Now, as I have said before blogger is very limited compared to wordpress. So I made a new blog, still called bruinsrumors, except the new URL is www.bruinsrumors.wordpress.com. Now please check it out, send me some feedback via email. bruinsrumors@yahoo.com. I am trying to make it more interactive and easier to update. Thanks.

-Matt

Olympics Preview : Canada and Czech

2009-08-05T09:40:00.003-04:00

Here are potential lineups for team Canada and Czech. Milan Lucic has been invited to camp but his chances of making the team are slim. It would be great to see Lucic in his hometown of Vancouver representing his country, but he is young and team Canada is stacked with allstars. I hope I'm wrong, but I am leaving him off my roster, for now. Additionally, Marc Savard was not invited to Team Canada's camp. While that does not mean he will not make the team, it is a sign that GM Steve Yzerman is not considering him at this time. If an injury to a center arises, I fully expect Savard to get strong consideration for a spot. However, since Team Canada has so many centers, I put three of them on the wings, assuming Yzerman will choose the best players rather than the best lineup. It will be interesting to see how Team Canada is actually selected. I also did not include Scott Niedemrmayer because he may retire this season and therefore would not take part in the Olympics. Team Czech does not have the depth that Canada, Russia, or the U.S. rosters have, but they cannot be counted out because they have some very good players especially on their top lines. David Krejci is centering the first line, while Robert Lang is not included on this team because of his injury/retirement status for the upcoming season.

Team Canada
Lecavalier-Crosby-Iginla
Heatley-Thornton-Carter
Gagne-Getzlaf-Nash
Toews-Staal-Doan

Extra: Morrow, Richards, Marleau

Pronger-Seabrook
Bouwmeester-Weber
Keith-Burns

Extra: Campbell, Boyle, Phaneuf

Brodeur
Luongo
Ward

Team Czech
Elias-Krecji-Jagr
Havlat-Prospal-Hejduk
Michalek-Frolik-Hemsky
Sykora-Plekanec-Kotalik

Extra: Erat, Hudler

Kaberle-Kubina
Kuba-Zidlicky
Klesla-Michalek

Extra: Spacek, Roszival

Vokoun
Hnilicka

New Blog!!!!

2009-08-04T19:28:00.005-04:00

Okay, so I have been spending the past few weeks trying to decide what to do with the blog. I really love it, but I wanted something with more flexibility. I also am a huge Celtics, Sox and Patriots fan as well, and I love to talk about not just the Bruins but every team. I thought it would be an interesting concept to have what we had at Bruinsrumors for all the 4 major sports teams in New England.

I know many of you here are just hockey fans, but this new blog will not change the content. There will still be as many if not more pieces on the Bruins and NHL as were here. The layout is a little more professional and the content will have more links. There is also an easier way to update stuff like the sidebar and there is now the option of pages which makes it more website like. I note, I am not going to stop Bruinsrumors. I'm simply trying something new and if everyone hates it, then I will come back to this site. I would like as much feedback as possible.

The site is The Boston Sports Blog. There is also a cool embedded chat which I thought was really neat.

Edit: I didn't say this, but I am still going to post some things here, so it's not like this site is gone as of now. Basically, Bruinsrumors and everything here will be at The Boston Sports Blog, it will just also have the other teams as well.

Olympic Preview : Sweden, Russia, Finland

2009-08-03T09:51:00.003-04:00

With not too much happening in the hockey world, here is another Olympics preview. I posted the possible lines for team USA last week. Here are possible lines for team Sweden, Russia, and Finland. Later in the week I'll have a post for team Canada.

Team Sweden
Zetterberg-Backstrom-Franzen
D. Sedin – H. Sedin – Alfredsson
Eriksson-Sundin-Holmstrom
Huselius-Pahlsson-Samuelsson
Extra: Berglund

Lidstrom-Kronwall
Ohlund-Edler
Enstrom-Johnsson
Extra: Hedman

Lundqvist
Holmqvist

Team Russia
Ovechkin-Datysuk-Semin
Kovalchuk-Malkin-Kovalev
Frolov-Fedorov-Zherdev
Radulov-Kozlov-Zaripov
Extra: Afinogenov

Gonchar-Volchenkov
Kalinin-Markov
Grebeshkov-Zubov

Extra: Tyutin, Vishnevski

Nabokov
Bryzgalov

Team Finland
Miettinen-Jokinen-Selanne
Hagman-Koivu-Lehtinen
Koivu-Filppula-Peltonen
Ruutu-Jokinen-Bergenheim

Pitkanen-Salo
Lydman-Timonen
Vaananen-Kukkonen

Extra: Niinimaa

Backstrom
Kiprusoff

Axelsson's tenure officially ends today

2009-07-27T08:53:00.013-04:00

According to report out of Sweden, P.J. Axelsson has officially signed a four year deal with the Frölunda Indians of the Swedish hockey league, Elitserien. Axelsson will play for former NHL player Ulf Dahlén , the current coach of Frölunda. Axelsson had been the longest active Bruin dating back to the 1997-1998 season. Originally drafted in 1995 with the 177th pick, Axelsson recorded 103 goals and 184 assists in 797 games over his 11 seasons with the Bruins. In 54 career playoff games Axelsson recorded 4 goals and 3 assists.

Thanks to P.J. for all he did for this organization. It was often overlooked at times especially the past 2 seasons where he struggled offensively. He always played hard and can still be considered one of the best penalty killers in the league. Axelsson's departure is likely due to a number of reasons. Chiarelli wants to get bigger, faster, and tougher to play against. While Axelsson is a pest for opposing players, his speed has been on a decline the past few seasons and his size makes him a question in Chiarelli's new philosophy. With the resigning of Byron Bitz and the addition of Steve Begin, both making less then a million, there wasn't much room left for the reliable Swede, especially at a salary similar to what he was making. His smart decision making, pk skills, and his ability to break up plays in the neutral zone will be missed but at the same time it shows the organization is moving forward and following through on their approach .

Bruins Recent Moves

2009-07-25T17:07:00.002-04:00

The Bruins made a few moves this weekend.

Bruins traded Aaron Ward to Carolina for Patrick Eaves and a 4th round pick. Placed Eaves on waivers and will buy him out.

I thought Ference would be the odd man out, but Chiarelli likes him for some reason. Ward was making 2.5 million vs. Ference's 1.4, so that comes into play. The Bruins wanted a puck moving guy and decided to get rid of Ward and sign Morris. I thought Ward would net more of a return, but I thought it was nice of Chiarelli to deal him to Carolina where he lives. We saved 2.2 million in cap space with this move. I hate having dead money on the payroll, as we have about 2 million this season, and Eaves' contract will be on us for 4 more seasons at around 200k per. Ward has also been injury prone of late, but he was great in his own zone and good at blocking shots. The 4th round pick is not really much. Could we have gotten something better from somewhere else? Possibly, but it was not too bad.

Bruins signed Derek Morris to a 1 year, 3.3 million dollar deal.

At first when we traded Ward, I thought we were going to sign Sergei Zubov to a deal under 1.1 million and sign Kessel, but I was wrong. I had a feeling the Bruins were going to go after Morris and he is a good puck moving player. His point total has dwindled, but he did play in Phoenix, which isn't a great team. If he can regain his form, he will be a steal. I thought this was too much money because it's now late July, so you think you could get a discount, but I like the addition of Morris and I think he will help the PP and transition game which is so vital to this team.

Derek Morris to the Bruins?

2009-07-24T19:02:00.007-04:00

According to James Murphy of NESN, the Bruins are close to signing defenseman Derek Morris. Morris is a righthanded defenseman who played for Phoenix last season before being traded to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline. More details to come....

UPDATE: TSN has confirmed that Derek Morris has signed with the Bruins. The deal is one year with a cap hit on $3.3 million. The Bruins now have $1,304,167 in cap space available. Another contract must be moved to fit Phil Kessel in without exceeding the cap. Moving Kobasew's contract alone will give the Bruins $3,637,500 which probably will not be enough to get Kessel signed. A player(Savard, Bergeron, Ryder?) with a larger salary may be headed out if the Bruins are serious about signing Kessel long-term.

Aaron Ward traded back to Carolina

2009-07-24T11:47:00.014-04:00

Aaron Ward has been traded back to the Carolina Hurricanes for Patrick Eaves and a fourth round draft pick. Ward has a cap hit of $2.5 million for this upcoming season. Eaves has a cap hit of $1.4 million for this season and next. After acquiring Eaves, the Bruins have then placed him on waivers in attempts to buy out the right winger. If Eaves clears waivers and is officially bought out, the Bruins will carry a $258,333 cap hit for his buyout for the 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 seasons. Since Eaves contract has escalating salaries, the Bruins actually get an additional 41,000 added onto their 2010-2011 cap total. This move is obviously a salary dump by the Bruins and frees up to $2.241,667 million, which could possibly be used to get Phil Kessel signed. The Bruins now have $4,604,167 million in cap space for the 2009-2010 season.

UPDATE: In a conference call this afternoon, Peter Chiarelli said he is expecting to add another defenseman to the current group. He did not specify whether that defenseman would come via trade or free agency.

2010 Olympics Preview : Team USA

2009-07-22T00:29:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know its a while away but it should be interesting to see who makes the final cut for team USA. So far there have been 31 skaters and 3 goaltenders invited to camp. Here is what I would like to see from team USA:

Forwards
Parise-Statsny-Kessel
Booth-Drury-Kane
Ryan-Gomez-Gionta
Brown-Kesler-Langebrunner

Extras - Pominville and Modano

Defensemen
Suter-Rakalski
Whitney-Johnson
Martin-Komisarek

Extras - Ballard and Carle

Goaltenders
Thomas
Miller
DiPietro

Bill Guerin, Keith Tkachuk, and Brian Rolston were all not invited to camp. That does not mean they will not make the roster, but it appears team USA is looking for a younger, quicker lineup to better compete in the uptempo Olympic style of play. Also on my roster but not invited to camp are Ballard, Corvo, and Dipietro.

Salary Cap Update

2009-07-20T23:51:00.007-04:00

Below is an update of where the Bruins stand in regards to the salary cap. Johnny Boychuk is included because he has a one way contract, meaning he will be on the opening day roster. Vladmir Sobotoka is not included because he has a two way contract and can be optioned back to Providence once the team is fully healthy.

Lucic (850K)-Savard ($5million)- Kessel (RFA)
Wheeler (875K) - Krejci (3.75 million) - Ryder ($4 million)
Sturm ($3.5million) - Bergeron ($4.75 million) - Kobasew ($2.33)
Recchi ($1 million) -Begin (850K) - Thornton (517K)
extra - Bitz (688K)

Forwards under contract - 12
Forward total cap number - $28.11 million

Chara ($7.5 million) - Ward ($2.5 million)
Hunwick ($1.45 million) - Wideman ($3.875 million)
Stuart ($1.5 million) - Ference ($1.4 million)
extra - Boychuk (500K)

Defensemen under contract - 7
Defensemen total cap number - $18.225 million

Tim Thomas ($5 million)
Tuuka Rask (850K)
Goaltenders under contract - 2
Goaltenders total cap number - $5.850 million

Total of player salaries - $52.185
Glen Murray Buyout - $1.383 million
Peter Schaeffer Buyout - 567K
Buyout Total - $1.95 million
Overall cap hit - $54.135 million

Cap Space Available - $2.665 million

Hunwick Resigns

2009-07-20T15:36:00.003-04:00

The Bruins have announced that Matt Hunwick has signed a two year contract extension. Hunwick had an arbitration hearing scheduled for July 24th. Under Chiarelli, only one member of the Bruins has gone through arbitration. That member was David Tanabe, but the Bruins declined to sign the arbitration offer, making him a free agent.

UPDATE: The Boston Herald is reporting Hunwick's contract will pay him $1.35 million the first season and $1.55 million in the second year. The cap hit for both seasons will be $1.45 million.

NHL 10 Bruins Player Ratings

2009-07-18T12:29:00.002-04:00

Note: These are not the true ratings, just my opinion.

For those video game fanatics (like me) out there, what would you rate the Bruins players? In recent games, I feel that some of the ratings are too low (Dennis Wideman being in the high 70s). I also am not a fan of the high 90s ratings, as players in the 90s should be elite. Having Mats Sundin be a 91 or whatever is stupid. Zdeno Chara is rated a 92 for this years game according to some screenshots of the game, and is the 5th highest ranked player in the game. Based on that, these would be my ratings plus potential for some of the younger guys.

Zdeno Chara........92

Tim Thomas.........91

Marc Savard........90

David Krejci.......86........A+

Phil Kessel........86........A

Dennis Wideman.....85

Marco Sturm........85

Michael Ryder......84

Milan Lucic........84........A

Blake Wheeler......84........A

Patrice Bergeron...83........B+

Mark Recchi........83

Chuck Kobasew......82

Mark Stuart........81

Aaron Ward.........80

Andrew Ference.....80

Matt Hunwick.......79........B+

Tuukka Rask........79........A+

Johnny Boychuk.....78........B-

Byron Bitz.........77........B-

Steve Begin........76

Shawn Thornton.....75

The 66% Rule

2009-07-17T21:36:00.005-04:00

This is an expanded explanation and reasoning behind the imposed new rule. I have changed it from what I said the rule should be before.

If I could make one change to the structure of the NHL salary cap, it would be the 66% rule.

The 66% rule is the following:

Any player that was drafted by the current team he plays for without having switched teams prior (example Glen Murray, he was drafted by Boston, left to Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, and then was later traded to Boston. Under the rule, he would not be subject to the 66% rule) or has played in fewer than 2 full NHL seasons, or 100 NHL games will have only 2/3 or 66% of their cap hit count against a teams salary cap. Players who are signed out of college and not drafted are subject to this rule as are as are European players who are not subject to entry level deals and have not played in the NHL for 2 full seasons or 100 NHL games. Entry level deals are not subject to the 66% rule. When a player under the 66% rule is traded, his full cap hit is used for the new team unless he is still subject to the rules above.

Examples:

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, drafted 1st overall by Pittsburgh. Cap hit: 8,700,00. Since he was drafted by Pittsburgh and is subject to the 66% rule, his cap hit would be 5,800,000.

Jack Johnson, Los Angeles Kings, drafted 3rd overall by Carolina. Cap Hit: 1,475,000. He did not play for Carolina, and was traded to Los Angeles, so he is subject to the 66% rule and his cap hit would be 983,000.

Jeff Finger, Toronto Maple Leafs, drafted 240th overall by Colorado. Cap hit, 3,500,000. He played one full season in Colorado before signing with Toronto. He is subject to the 66% rule and his cap hit would be 2,333,333.

The point of the rule is to put emphasis on retaining your own players, and stop teams from buying players. It also does not punish and prevent teams for having and keeping their own talent. It also allows for teams to acquire young talent that has not played a lot for a team and develop them and make them into a star player. It would also allow players to make more money by staying with their team, sort of like the NBA structure. It would not prevent players for making more money and it does not restrict their movement, as it is just an incentive for them to stay but teams would have a lot of cap space so they could still move teams.

In essence, the point of the rule is to allow teams to retain their players while still having the flexibility to sign UFA's.

How would you change the cap?

2009-07-16T21:53:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking and while I am all for a salary cap, I think it sucks for teams when they draft a lot of talent and then lose it because of cap issues. If I could change a thing to the cap, it would be this.

Players either drafted or acquired before playing two full seasons in the NHL may be signed to contracts, at which 50% of the deal would count against the cap.

What this would do is allow teams to sign their own players for market value, and make staying with the team who drafted you more appealing.

The counter would be that more cap space means UFA's get more money, but it is also true that less free agents would make it to the market.

For example, take Phil Kessel. Drafted by Boston, so if we signed to a 4 year, 20 million dollar deal, his cap hit would be only 2 million, not 4 like if he was a UFA and signed with another team.

Also, take Roberto Luongo. Drafted by the Islanders, but traded to Florida after a half a season, under my rule, he would still be able to sign a deal that counted only as 50% of the cap hit.

2009-2010 Schedule

2009-07-15T15:35:00.002-04:00

Here is the Bruins 2009-2010 schedule.

Notable games

October 1st, 2009 - Opening night against the Washington Capitals.
October 1st, 2009 - October 12th, 2009 - 5 game homestand to begin the season.
October 3rd, 2009 - Carolina Hurricanes will be at the garden for the second game on the season
November 3rd, 2009 - At Detroit
November 5th, 2009 - First meeting against Montreal.
November 10th, 2009 - Bruins host the Stanley Cup champs.
January 1st, 2010 - Winter Classic at Fenway vs. Philadephilia.
January 14th, 2010 - Bruins play the Sharks in San Jose.
March 6th, 2010 - March 16th, 2010 - 7 game road trip in only 10 days, the longest road trip of the season. Islanders, Penguins, Maple Leafs, Flyers, Canadiens, Devils, and Hurricanes will be the opponents.
April 10, 2010 - Bruins finish off the season in Washington against the Capitals.

Bruins move to FM

2009-07-14T15:35:00.003-04:00

Here is a press release regarding next seasons radio contract:

The Boston Bruins announced today that they have reached an
agreement on terms to extend their contract with CBS RADIO Boston, which has been the radio home of the Bruins since the 1995-96 NHL season.

Additionally, CBS RADIO Boston announced today the arrival of “98.5
The Sports Hub,” which will debut on Thursday, August 13 at 98.5 on
the FM radio dial. This new FM sports station - the only FM station of
its kind in the Boston marketplace - will serve as the radio home of the Boston Bruins beginning in the 2009-10 season and the New England Patriots of the NFL beginning with their 2009 season.

“This is an exciting day for not just Bruins fans, but for fans of
all of Boston’s sports teams,” said Bruins Principal Charlie Jacobs.
“For the first time in Boston, listeners will have an all-sports
station on the FM dial which will be the home of the Bruins and the New England Patriots. CBS RADIO Boston has truly been a great partner of the Bruins over the last 14 years and we are thrilled to continue thispartnership with them as they launch their new Sports Hub venture.”

Does Boston Have the Best Forward Group in the League?

2009-07-14T13:10:00.002-04:00

Notice How I said group. The argument can be made that the Boston Bruins are the most deep team in the league regarding forwards. The top teams are San Jose, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, and Philadelphia.

San Jose: Thornton, Marleau and Setoguchi are obviously a very good top 3, and followed by Pavelski, Clowe and Michalek is a good top 6, but after that, Cheechoo is the only scoring threat on the 3rd line. San Jose isn't necessarily that deep.

Detroit: They really took a huge hit this season, loosing Hudler and Hossa. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Holmstrom, Cleary and Filppula are a decent top 6, but Detroit has lost a lot of depth over the past few seasons. Their top 3 scorers in Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Franzen are up there as the best in the league, and they did lead the league in goals. Offense isn't going to be a problem in Detroit with their top firepower, but the 3rd and 4th lines are no longer the scoring threat they once were in Detroit.

Washington: My issue with Washington is that if you take away their top player, Ovechkin, they are nowhere near the team they are. Their top of Ovechkin, Backstrom and Semin is highly talented, but they aren't that deep a team. Nylander is done, Knuble will help add depth. Fleischmann, Brooks Laich and newly signed Brendan Morrison are solid depth as well. Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Knuble, Fleischmann, Laich, Nylander is solid, but again, the 3rd and 4th lines aren't scary at all, and the 2nd line is shaky with Nylander pivoting that line. Majority of the offense comes from the first line and again, I wouldn't say there team is much deeper than most.

Philadelphia: Philadelphia had one the deepest forward core last season with Carter, Richards, Briere, Knuble, Lupol, Harntell, Giroux, Gagne, and Upshall. A very deep top 9 with a lot of talent. They lost Knuble, Upshall and Lupol over the past year, so they essentially lost a 3rd of their top talent and did not replace them. Again, they have one of the best top 6 in the league, but they are not as deep anymore.

Pittsburgh: If we are talking top end talent, the Penguins easily win. They have two of the best players in the league, Malkin and Crosby. They have a great core in Malkin, Crosby, and Staal, followed by winger Chris Kunitz. Guerin is a nice addition as well. Their other forwards Fedetenko, Talbot, Dupuis and Kennedy are nothing special, and aside from their top 5, no one really is a huge threat. Granted, they don't need a lot of depth because their top two guys carry the team.

Chicago: The closest competitor to the Bruins, they have more top end talent than Boston and are almost as deep. Hossa, Toews, Kane, Versteeg, Ladd, Madden, Sharp, Bolland and Byfuglien. A very solid top 9. I would be open for the argument that Chicago has more talent and depth than Boston.

Boston: They do not have the sexy names as some other teams do, but they have Savard, Sturm, Lucic, Recchi, Kessel, Wheeler, Krejci, Bergeron, Kobasew, and Ryder who are all capable of 20 goals. Thats 10 of your 12 forwards who can score 20. When Mark Recchi, who had 20+ goals and 60+ points is on your 4th line, you know you have depth.

Bruins Projected Stats

2009-07-13T20:15:00.004-04:00

Excpecting that Hunwick and Kessel re-sign...

Player...........G....A....PTS

Marc Savard.....23...78.....101

David Krejci....27...61.....88

Patrice Bergeron23...42.....65

Dennis Wideman..19...45.....65

Phil Kessel.....41...23.....64

Michael Ryder...31...30.....61

Zdeno Chara.....18...40.....58

Marco Sturm.....29...22.....51

Blake Wheeler...27...23.....50

Mark Recchi.....21...25.....46

Milan Lucic.....23...20.....43

Chuck Kobasew...21...21.....42

Matt Hunwick....10...24.....34

Andrew Ference...3...24.....27

Mark Stuart......6...20.....26

Aaron Ward.......3...18.....21

Byron Bitz.......9...10.....19

Shawn Thornon....7...7......14

Steve Begin......5...4.......9

Johnny Boychuk...2...5.......7

Worst Contracts in the NHL

2009-07-12T15:46:00.003-04:00

Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres, 7 years, 50 million (7.143 per). Now this is not a knock on Thomas Vanek, who is a great player and is going to be one of the best scorers in the league for some time. This has to do more with Buffalo and their mismanagement as an organization. Vanek had just finished his 2nd pro season, at the age of 23, and potted 43 goals, 84 points and led the league with a +47. Now, at this point, Vanek definitely deserved a raise from his rookie deal, but to go from a base salary of under 1 million dollars to 7+ million is ridiculous. Not to say that he will never deserve that deal, but aside from his 2nd season, he has had back to back 64 point seasons, not really worth the money. Had Buffalo taken care of its assets, there would be no offer sheet from the Oilers and no mega contract. Buffalo had also lost Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, so they were forced to match Vanek's offer or the fanbase would have revolted.

Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks, 12 years, 62.8 million (5.233 per). Again, this is not a knock on Marian Hossa, but with Chicago's youth movement and a lot of expiring rookie deals, Hossa takes up some unnecessary cap space. Hossa is 30, and while it is unlikely he will play until he is 42, even when he becomes a 38 year old, he isn't going to be worth that money. The cap is also going to come down, and have an untradable asset is never a good thing. While his cap hit for his production is low now, further down the road it could become a hinderance.

Brian Campbell, Chicago Blackhawks, 8 years, 57.12 million dollars (7.14 per). This deal was made because Chicago felt pressured to make a big splash. Campbell will be 37 when his deal expires, and like Hossa, is an untradable piece. Again, with Chicago's youth movement, they may lose some of those pieces because of an overpaid Campbell. This deal was also unnecessary because Chicago already had Cam Barker, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith and Brent Sopel to round out the top 4. It wasn't like the defense was awful. Now Chicago has been trying to unload Campbell to no avail.

Dustin Penner, Edmonton Oilers, 5 years, 21.25 million (4.25 per). While his cap hit is not too bad, his production has been awful since coming over from Anaheim via offer sheet. The physical winger has been subject to trade rumors and his production has not improved as expected since being acquired.

Ryan Smyth, Colorado Avalanche/Los Angeles Kings, 5 years, 31.25 million (6.25 per). This deal has to do with the name. Smyth was that sexy free agent name that got the big bucks to sign in Colorado. For his career, Smyth has been a 50-60 point player, not really worth elite talent money. In his first season in Colorado, he was injured, and last season he had only 59 points. In a move to free up cap space, he was dealt to Los Angeles this offseason.

Michal Handzus, Los Angeles Kings, 4 years, 16 million (4 per). Handzus has never been the same since his injury in Chicago, and Los Angeles signed him to be the number two center. While he has played in every game the past two seasons, his totals have been 25 goals, and 38 assists in 164 games. Not the production they were expecting. His contract runs for two more seasons.

Scott Gomez, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, 7 years, 51.5 million (7.357 per). Gomez, like Campbell, was the sexy free agent on the market. New York, as always, wanted to make a splash and dolled out huge money for Gomez. Gomez has been overrated his entire career. Many view him as an elite player, yet he puts up 2nd line numbers. He has scored 20 goals only once in his career, and his numbers have not improved since his rookie campaign. Gomez is an ideal number two center, who gets around the high teens in goals and around 40-50 assists. The Rangers tried to trade him for a season, and were finally able to unload him to the Canadiens.

Brian Gionta, Montreal Canadiens, 5 years, 25 million (5 per). Gionta is a decent player, but he is on the decline. Since his 48 goal season a few years back, his goal total has decreased every season. He is now a 20 goal scorer. He is extremely small, at 5-7, and doesn't really bring much to the table other than scoring. 20 goal scorers are not that hard to find in the league, so spending 5 million on a guy like Gionta makes no sense. Montreal felt pressured to make big moves like acquiring Gomez because they underperformed last season.

Brian Rolston, New Jersey Devils, 5 years, 25.25 million dollars (5.062 per). Rolston had been coming off very good seasons in Minnesota, but he was 35. While would any sane GM give a guy who is 35 years old a 5 year deal worth that much money? Rolston was injured for a good portion of the season, and if he retires, his cap hit will remain on the payroll. Not a smart move for a team that always seems to have cap issues.

Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders, 15 years, 67.5 million (4.5 per). I guess Charles Wang wasn't as nuts as we thought, as he set the trend for extremely long contracts. DiPietro has the talent to be one of the best goalies in the league, and his cap his is reasonable, but he cannot stay healthy. All his injuries could end up derailing his career, leaving the Islanders stuck with an untradable contract. Because of his injuries, the Islanders had to go out and sign an aging Dwayne Roloson.

Chris Drury, New York Rangers, 6 years, 42.3 million (7.05 per). Pretty much the same deal as Gomez. Drury is a good player, but a 2nd liner at best. He was overhyped going into the offseason and the Rangers spent huge money on him. Like Gomez, the Rangers tried to trade him but failed in doing so. Drury is a 20-30 goal scorer who will net between 50-65 points a season. He is not worth that money.

Wade Redden, New York Rangers, 6 years, 39 million (6.5 per). After losing Chara to Boston, Redden was supposed to take over the reigns as the best defender in Ottawa, but his production fell, and he went from being one of the best defenseman in the NHL to just another guy. He somehow got a raise from his previous contract, and the Rangers signed him to a long term deal that expires when he is 38. Low and behold, his production slipped even more, and the Rangers are thinking of sending him to the AHL for cap relief.

Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers, 5 years, 37.5 million (7.5 per). If Gaborik is healthy, he may earn his money, but that is a big if. After unloading Gomez's deal, the Rangers blew a load on Gaborik, hoping that he can stay healthy. Like I said, if he is healthy, then it could be a reasonable deal, but his injury history proves otherwise.

Michael Rozsvial, New York Rangers, 4 years, 20 million (5 per). The Rangers paid big money to keep their offensive defenseman in New York, but his production has slipped the past two seasons, and it is not evident he wasn't worth the money for his production. Like the other big contracts in New York, the Rangers tried to move him to no avail.

Daniel Briere, Philadelphia Flyers, 8 years, 52 million (6.5 per). Philadelphia made this move because they finished as one of the worst teams in the league. Briere was a sexy name and they bit. Briere had come off a 95 point season, but Buffalo's offense was ridiculous that season and every had good numbers. Briere played well that season, but he was injured last year and Philadelphia has tried to move him. It's not that Briere isn't a good player, but Philadelphia did not need him, and now they have cap issues. Briere will also be in his late 30s by the end of the deal, and his cap hit will be high. No team is going to take that and Philly was run into more cap issues.

Chris Pronger, Philadelphia Flyers, 7 years, 34.5 million (4.921 per). A bargain cap hit for the first few years, but when Pronger is 38+ making that money, it could cause cap issues for Philadelphia. The deal also expires when he is 42, and even if he retires, the money will stay on the cap.

Michael Nylander, Washington Capitals, 4 years, 19.5 million (4.875). Nylander was supposed to be the 2nd center on the team. He went from being a point per game player on the Rangers, to under .5 points per game. He will also be 38 when the deal expires. Injuries has been an issue for him as well, losing half his first season in Washington.

Honorable Mentions:

Johan Franzen, Detroit Red Wings, 11 years, 43.5 million (3.955 per).

Jason Blake, Toronto Maple Leafs, 5 years, 20 million (4 per).

Jeff Finger, Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 years, 14 million (3.5 per).

Ed Jovanovski, Phoenix Coyotes, 5 years, 32.5 million (6.45 per).

Danius Zubrus, New Jersey Devils, 7 years, 23.8 million (3.4 per).

Roman Hamrlik, Montreal Canadiens, 5 years, 22 million (5.5 per).

Did Montreal really improve that much?

2009-07-10T18:21:00.003-04:00

The Montreal Canadiens had a very disappointing 100th season by many standards. After the 2007-2008 season, the Habs were supposed wins Lords Stanley Cup. The Habs spent this season reassembling a team by signing and trading for major players. But with these additions came subtractions. Gone are star wingers Alexei Kovalev and Alex Tanguay, captan Saku Koivu, deadline acquisition Mathieu Schneider, centers Robert Lang and Chris Higgins, and arguably their best stay at home defenseman in Mike Komisarek. In are forwards Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, and Travis Moen and defenders Jaroslav Spacek, Hal Gill and Paul Mara.

Over the past few seasons, this team has lost the likes of Mike Ribeiro, Sheldon Souray, Marek Streit, Michael Ryder, Cristobal Huet, Craig Rivet, and Mikhail Grabovski.

Well many people will point and say I'm biased because I am a Bruins fan, if you take a close look at the moves, you should see that this team is not that much better than they were last year. Had this team just added instead of subtracting and adding, you could argue they are much better. But based on what moves they made, they aren't much closer to the Cup than they were last season.

Acquired Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt, and Mike Busto from the New York Rangers for Chris Higgins, Doug Janek, Paul Valentenko, and Ryan McDonagh. Essentially, this trade breaks down Chris Higgins for Scott Gomez. Montreal needed to make a splash and did so in acquiring Gomez. While Gomez is a good player, he is definitely not an elite player and his contract is awful. Having a cap hit of 7.357 for the next 5 seasons is going to be an issue, especially when the cap figure drops. Gomez has scored 20 goals once in his career, and has not really played much better statistically since his rookie year. He is good for between 60-70 points, high teens in goals and mid 50s for assists. For his price tag, he is not worth it. If the Habs were going to spend that money on a player, why not a Hossa, or Gaborik. Spending 13% of your cap on Gomez is not wise. Gomez likely replaces Saku Koivu. Koivu signed a 1 year, 3.25 million dollar deal with the Anaheim Ducks. Last season, Gomez had 16 goals and 42 assists for 58 points in 77 games. Koivu's numbers were 16 goals, 34 assists in only 65 games. Is Gomez really worth 4 million dollars more than Koivu? The counter argument would be Gomez has played in defensive oriented teams like the Devils and Rangers, so his offensive numbers would improve in Montreal. Maybe, but there is no way anyone should be that excited over this move.

Signed Mike Cammalleri to a 5 year, 30 million dollar deal. Cammelleri replaces Alexei Kovalev as the teams top sniper/scorer. Cammalleri was one of the top players on the market, and this is Montreal's best move of the offseason. Cammallier is only 26, entering the prime of his career. Aside from a down year with the Kings in 07-08, he is an point per game player. While he lacks size, he is a 40 goal scorer and will definitely help Montreal's offense. 6 million a year is a little high, but that is market value for a guy like him. Would you pay a little more for a Hossa or Gaborik? Maybe, but Cammalleri is younger and his health isn't an issue like Gaborik. I would like this deal even more if they had not already had 7+ million committed to Gomez. One could argue that while Cammalleri puts up better numbers, Kovalev is a more skilled player with more game breaking potential. Kovalev signed a 2 year, 10 million dollar deal with the Senators. Kovalev is also 35 while Cammalleri is 9 years younger. There is a slight upgrade at this position statistically, but the point could be made that Kovalev is the better player.

Signed Brian Gionta to a 5 year, 25 million dollar deal. This is one of the worst signings a team has done this offseason. Gionta is good for around 20 goals and 55 points. While he did have a 48 goal season a few years back, don't expect that again anytime soon, as half the goals were on the powerplay. A place of concern is his size, at only 5-7, and that a third of his career goals have come on the man advantage, but has improved even strength scoring, with only 3 of his 20 goals coming on the PP last season. In a tough division with physical teams like Toronto and Boston, it may be tough for the small Gionta to score. Gionta is also 30, and a small guy like him may not hold up going down the road. This deal reminds me a little of the Jason Blake deal in Toronto and we all know how that one turned out.

Signed Jaroslav Spacek to a 3 year, 11.5 million dollar deal. He is replacing the role of Mathieu Schneider. With a cap hit of only 3.83 million, it isn't a bad deal. Spacek will help the powerplay and is good for around 40 points. He is probably the same level as Schneider at this point in his career. Spacek is 34 though, so a 3 year deal for a player that old is never a good idea. Health has also been an issue with Spacek, prior to last year he played in 60, 65, 76, and 58 games. Can't say I love the deal, but I can't say I hate it either.

Signed Hal Gill to a 2 year, 4.5 million dollar deal. Big Hal will help the defensive game a lot. While the "moving pylon" as he was known in Boston is slow, he has been affective in shutting down top forwards like Jaromir Jagr. His size will help neutralize the size of Chara in Boston. Gill has virtually no offensive game. It's a short term deal, so you can't be too upset with the term. Gill is here to replace the presence of Mike Komisarek though, and Gill is not nearly as talented. This move clearly does not improve the team.

Signed Paul Mara to a 1 year, 1.675 million dollar deal. Mara is a nice depth signing that I like. He will also help the PP along with Spacek. Mara's offensive game has dwindled since he left Phoenix, but he is still a big guy who can help add depth to the PP. Nothing wrong with this 1 year deal.

Signed Travis Moen to a 3 year, 4.5 million dollar deal. This deal helps Montreal get some toughness. I'm not sure what this means for Georges Laraque, but Moen help Anaheim win the Cup. Moen isn't much of a scorer, but he is a nitty gritty player who will replace Steve Begin who was traded to Dallas last season. His cap hit is a little high for what he brings to the table, but Montreal needed toughness and addressed that with Moen.

One thing to note is that Bob Gainey has not learned from his mistakes, and in 5 years, Gomez, Gionta and Cammalleri will all be UFA's, so the Habs can rebuild again.

Overall, it's Cammalleri for Kovalev, Gill for Komisarek, Gomez for Koivu, Spacek for Schneider, Mara for Dandenault/depth, Moen for Begin/Laraque, Gionta for Tanguay. No one to replace Higgins or Lang.

The defense did not improve, losing Komisarek. Well it may be deeper, they did not address the loss of Komisarek. The offense is about the same, and may have less depth than last season.

While Montreal fans may be excited for the coming season, all I have to say is don't get to ahead of yourself and buyer beware.

Soderberg, Alexandrov News

2009-07-09T00:42:00.006-04:00

According to Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald, Carl Soderberg will be in training camp in September. Here is the text from his article:

While Swedish winger Carl Soderberg is not at this week’s development camp, Chiarelli said the organization probably has convinced the reluctant 23-year-old to come to training camp in September and try to make the team.

“It’s been communicated to him that there could be a chance for him to play (for the Bruins), with (Phil) Kessel and (David) Krejci both possibly not being ready at the start of the season,” Chiarelli said. “It’s a chance for him to come over and do something.”

The GM said Soderberg, who has been unwilling to play for Providence, might be OK with a brief stint with the AHL team if he felt he was close to making the parent club. . . .

Spindly Russian defenseman Yuri Alexandrov, the Bruins’ second-round pick in 2006, is getting his first taste of the organization this week. He will return to Russia this season but is likely to be signed by the B’s in the future.

Soderberg will finally make an appearance for the Bruins. However, he has stated this before and then no shows. Soderberg could be a solid 3rd line center or wing if Krejci and Kessel do miss time to start the season. As for Alexandrov, who I have heard looks impressive in development camp, another year in Russia may do him good. He has to add size and become more physical to make it in the NHL.

Northeast Division: Free Agent Update

2009-07-06T16:36:00.004-04:00

The Ottawa Senators have signed Alexei Kovalev to a 2 year $10 million dollar contract. Interesting move especially with the Senators only having around $2 million in cap space available. Danny Heatley may in fact end up in Edmonton after all.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have also signed Francois Beauchemin to a three year $11.4 million deal. Beauchemin's deal is similar to the one Wideman signed a season ago, with a cap hit around $3.8 million. In addition to Beauchemi, the Maple Leafs previously inked Mike Komisarek and Colton Orr.

Hunwick Files for Arbitration

2009-07-05T21:53:00.003-04:00

Bruins young defenseman Matt Hunwick has filed for arbitration today.

As expected, Matt Hunwick filed for arbitration by today's 5 p.m. deadline. Hunwick was one of 20 restricted free agents to file for arbitration. Hunwick is expected to come to an agreement prior to his hearing.

"Still negotiating with B's," agent Peter Fish wrote in an e-mail to colleague Kevin Dupont. "It will work out."

Last season, Dennis Wideman was the only Bruin to file for arbitration. Wideman agreed to an extension prior to his hearing.

It is good a deal looks like will get done, I'm going to assume he gets around 1-1.15 million on a one year deal and maybe more if it is a long term deal.

Transaction recap

2009-07-05T18:40:00.004-04:00

I just returned from my vacation and am pleased with what the Bruins have accomplished.

Mark Recchi - 1 year $1 million. Excellent deal for the Bruins by bringing back leadership and experience to a young team. Recchi gives them versatility with the ability to play both wings as well as the powerplay. If Krejci or Kessel do indeed miss the first month of next season, Recchi can slot in on any of the top three lines. Once they return he could skate on the fourth line. However, Recchi's resigning may be an indication that another forward may be moved, especially since the Bruins still have yet to sign Kessel. I wouldn't be surprised if Sturm or Kobasew are being shopped. If one of the forwards are moved then he easily slides into a top 9 forward role with a potential fourth line of Thornton-Begin-Bitz. Vladmir Sobotka is also an option on that line. Recchi's signing also is an indication that P.J. Axelsson's tenure in Boston is most likely over.

Steve Begin - 1 year $850k. Begin basically replaces Stephane Yelle. Begin is a faster, younger, gritter and more versatile forward than Yelle. The Bruins may suffer in the faceoff circle and if so look for Sobotka to challenge him for the fourth line center spot.

Byron Bitz - 2 years $687,500. Glad to see Bitz back at short money. Bitz is a solid fourth liner with the ability to get to the net and cause traffic in front. He could possibly be slotted into a third line position if Krejci and Kessel are out for an extended amount of time, but look for him to battle Sobotka for the final roster spot on most nights.

Johnny Boychuk - 1 year $500k. The Bruins are finally starting to give younger players a look on the blueline. Hunwick and Boychuk give them youth and puck moving capabilities. If it were Boychuk or Hnidy, I would prefer to go with the young more offensive minded defenseman, so I am pleased with this signing. Boychuk gives the Bruins depth and will probably slot in the 6th or 7th defense role on most nights. I still feel like a forward will be moved for another defenseman so Boychuk's chances may be limited.

Free agents remaining - Phil Kessel, Matt Hunwick
Matt Hunwick and the Bruins are not too far apart on negotiations so that signing should be done soon. If it isn't that case will go to arbitration. As for Phil Kessel, I still feel he will be back with this team and a forward will be moved to fit his salary in. I doubt Kessel will receive any offer sheets so the longer this thing gets dragged out the better it is for the Bruins.

Current Lineup

2009-07-02T23:13:00.004-04:00

If all RFA's sign and no more moves...

Lucic-Savard-Kessel

Sturm-Bergeron-Kobasew

Wheeler-Krejci-Ryder

Recchi-Begin-Thornton

Bitz

Chara-Ward

Wideman-Stuart

Hunwick-Ference

Boychuk

Thomas

Rask

Bruins Moves

2009-07-02T22:53:00.002-04:00

Was in Vermont all week with no internet...

Bruins sign C Steve Begin to a 1 year, 850k deal.

Begin replaces Yelle as the 4th line center. Begin is more physical than Yelle, although Yelle is a more skilled player and good on the PK. Begin is a banger, and it is always good to have an ex-Hab on the team. He has played for Julien before, which has been a plus i.e Michael Ryder. Some people may have wanted Sobotka to have this role, but I think Begin will really help solidify the 4th line with Thornton and Bitz.

Bruins sign D Johnny Boychuk to a 1 year, one way deal.

Boychuk will likely replace Hnidy/Montador as the 7th defenseman. Boychuk was outstanding in Providence, winning the Eddie Shore Award, and hopefully his offense can translate to the next level. I was a little surprise to see him get a one way deal, but I like his potential.

Bruins re-sign Byron Bitz to a 2 year, 1,375,000 deal (687,500 per).

Lower cap hit than most thought, I like the deal. Bitz is a banger and can cause turnovers on the forecheck. He really adds a physical presence to the lineup and can play on the top lines and play a Lucic type role. It's good to have Bitz back in the fold, he deserves a spot on the team.

Bruins re-sign Mark Recchi to a 1 year, 1 million dollar deal.

My favorite move. I really wanted to have Recchi back as he adds a lot of depth. Even if he wasn't originally in the Bruins plans, this deal is so cheap you have to take it. It is a complete bargain for his numbers. It's good to re-sign a deadline acquisition, as it shows that players want to play here, and it makes the Karsums, Lashoff deal that much better as Recchi isn't just a 3 month rental.

Kaberle Rumors

2009-06-26T11:28:00.002-04:00

The latest rumor from TSN had the Boston Bruins offering Phil Kessel to Toronto for Tomas Kaberle AND the 7th overall pick. Eklund has now reported that Kessel for Kaberele straight up is not enough. Conflicting...but I take McKenzie's word of Eklund's any day of the week.

I don't want to trade Kessel, as his potential is very high, but the first offer is one of the better ones I have seen. Kaberle has a very affordable contract for the next two seasons at 4.25 per and is one of the best puck movers in the game. The 7th overall pick could land us talent close to Phil, but we would not see that player for a few seasons, which is important since we would not have to pay him.

Kaberle Boston bound?

2009-06-25T22:36:00.003-04:00

Reports out of Canada are that Brian Burke has received an offer for defenseman Tomas Kaberle. The proposal would send a player and a pick to Toronto for Kaberle. Kevin Paul Dupont of the Globe believes the Bruins could possibly be that team. GM Peter Chiarelli wants to address the defense, especially by trying to add another puck moving defenseman. If the Bruins are indeed offering a player it would have to be a high salary player since Kaberle has a $4.25 million dollar cap hit next season. If Kessel's name is being dangled, then that would be a very steep price to pay for an inconsistent defenseman in the final year of a contract.

Apologies in advance

2009-06-25T13:20:00.004-04:00

I would like to apologize to everyone who visits this site on a daily basis. I have to go on a business trip and will be leaving Friday morning and will not return until the following Saturday evening. Therefore, I will not be able to update this blog until I return. Unfortunately, this trip comes at the worst time of the year, where there is potential to be a lot of important moves made by the Bruins. As you all know the draft in Friday and Saturday and the following Wednesday free agency begins. The Bruins have a number of possibilities, all which seem to revolve around Phil Kessel. They could trade his rights to move up in the draft, sign and trade him for a player, or simply sign him to a long term contract. There is also the possibility that another team signs him to an offer sheet, while the Bruins have said repeatedly that they will match any offer. Hopefully one of the other bloggers will update the moves the Bruins make but that is unlikely, so once again I apology and will speak you to all in about a week.

Chiarelli looking to move up

2009-06-23T18:55:00.008-04:00

Peter Chiarelli stated today that he would like to move up in Friday's NHL entry draft. The Bruins currently sit at number 25. Here is what Chiarelli said earlier,

''Our guys have an eye on one player, I don't know if we'll get him.''

The New Jersey Devils (23) and the Washington Capitals (24) pick right before the Bruins in this draft. It is unlikely Chiarelli can strike a deal with either one of those teams and would probably prefer to pick before the number 2 and 3 seeds respectively. The Flames at 20 and Flyers at 21 seem like potential trade partners.

Winter Classic : Bruins to host Flyers??

2009-06-22T23:35:00.008-04:00

According to Joe Haggerty of WEEI.com and the Boston Metro, the Bruins New Years Day opponent may be the Philadelphia Flyers instead of the Washington Capitals. Here is the link to Haggerty's article

Yuri Alexandrov to attend development camp

2009-06-21T19:19:00.006-04:00

Yuri Alexandrov will be attending Bruins development camp which runs from July 6th through July 12th. Alexandrov was the Bruins second round (#37 overall) selection in the 2006 entry draft. The young Russian defenseman, who is listed at 6'1 and 170 pounds, has a shot to make the team this fall. Here is his profile from hockeysfuture.com:

Talent Analysis
Scout 2: A dependable defenseman…shoots left…doesn’t have many weak spots…main area of improvement is his body mass and strength– he is very light…good top speed… skates well backwards …a technically sound skater…a strong leader (1988 born national team’s captain)...aggressive – likes to hit, likes the physical aspect of the game…a capable power play quarterback…dangerous as both a shooter and a passer…shot – not bad, good strong shot…solid first pass out of the zone…controls the puck well, modern two way defenseman…gets ice time in Cherepovets – not much, but consistently gets ice time.

Future
Alexandrov has the potential to develop into a reliable defenseman, capable of quarterbacking the power play. The Bruins were unable to come to terms on a contract with Alexandrov, so it is unclear when, or if he will make is debut in North America. He is expected to play in the RSL for at least one more season in 2008-09.

Alexandrov gives the Bruins another puckmoving option on the backend. His numbers are not very impressive but he does stand a chance to stick as a 6th or 7th defenseman on this team. If one of the veterans (Ward, Ference) are moved look for Alexandrov to get a long look in camp. If Alexandrov doesn't make the Bruins roster, expect him to return to the KHL. Now the question is, will Carl Soderberg ( St. Louis 2004 second round pick, acquired for Hannu Toivonen) be the next to come?

Glen Murray loses hearing

2009-06-18T16:49:00.002-04:00

After what seems months of wondering what was happening with Glen Murray's contract situation, arbitrators officially ruled against Murray and he will not be awarded the remainder of his contract. This however, is a bad thing for the Bruins cap situation, as his $1.383 million dollar buyout will continue to count against the 2009-2010 cap total.

Chiarelli's contract extended

2009-06-15T17:07:00.003-04:00

The Boston Bruins have announced that GM Peter Chiarelli has signed a contract extension. Chiarelli was in the final season of a four year contract. More details to follow on the length of the contract after the Jacobs address the media tomorrow.

UPDATE: Chiarelli's contract is a four year extension, keeping the GM in Boston through the 2013-2014 season.

Draft Update

2009-06-15T09:58:00.007-04:00

With the NHL Draft less than two weeks away, here is a breakdown of the picks the Bruins have available.

First Round - As Assigned - 25th pick overall
Second Round - No Pick (Traded to N.Y. Islanders for Petteri Nokelainen)
Third Round - As Assigned - 86th pick overall
Fourth Round - No Pick (Traded to Minnesota with Petr Kalus for Manny Fernandez)
Fifth Round - No Pick (Traded to Phoenix with Nate DiCasmirro for Alex Auld)
Sixth Round - As Assigned
Seven Round - As Assigned

Conditional Pick

The Bruins also will receive a pick from the Philadelphia Flyers. On October 13, 2008 the Bruins traded Andrew Alberts to the Flyers for Ned Lukacevic and a conditional pick. If Andrew Alberts resigns before the draft it will be a third round pick (pick 81). If Alberts does not resign before the draft it will be a fourth round pick (pick 112).

Notable picks at number 25 in recent drafts:
2006 - Patrick Berglund - St. Louis Blues
2005 - Andrew Colgiano - Edmonton Oilers
2003 - Anthony Stewart - Florida Panthers
2002 - Cam Ward - Carolina Hurricanes
1997 - Brendan Morrow - Dallas Stars
1990 - Chris Simon - Philadephia Flyers

David Krejci Resigned

2009-06-02T17:52:00.004-04:00

The Boston Bruins have announced that David Krejci has been resigned to a three year contract. The cap hit will be $3.75 million annually. His salaries will be $3.5 million in 2009-10, $3.75 million in 2010-11, and $4 million in 2011-12.

Excellent contract for both the Bruins and the player. A three year contract at a relatively low cap hit for a point-per-game player enables the Bruins to now focus on resigning other key members of the organization. For Krejci, signing this contract enables him to prove his worth and cash in on a huge contract after three seasons. One interesting thing to note is once Krejci's three year contract expires, he will be 26 years old, meaning he will still be a restricted free agent.

Salary Cap Update

2009-05-20T11:31:00.005-04:00

Peter Chiarelli did an interview today on WEEI's "Dale and Holley Show". They asked Chiarelli a question regarding the cap and rookie bonuses that I was very curious about myself. In sum, rookie bonuses count towards the cap number but the league is giving teams "bonus cushions" allowing teams to exceed the cap total by that amount. If the bonuses are reached by the player then they count against the cap for that year. If there is no cap room available it counts against the next year cap. Unlike this season where the entire cap number, including bonuses would count against the cap without bonus cushion clauses allowing them to excede the cap.

So for example, Blake Wheeler's cap hit is $2.825 million. Last season that would have counted all against the cap. This upcoming season, since his base salary is only $875,000, it gives the Bruins an additional $1.95 million to spend. If Wheeler does in fact reach those bonuses, then at the end of the season they affect the cap.

Additionally, the same rules apply to all other rookies who have rookie bonuses in their contracts. Therefore the Bruins will be given an additional $2.35 million from Tuuka Rask's contract and $.075 from Vladmir Sobotoka's contract, assuming both are on the team next season.

Here is a quick update looking at next season cap total:
Lucic (850K)-Savard ($5million)- Kessel (RFA)
Wheeler (875K) - Krejci (RFA) - Ryder ($4 million)
Sturm ($3.5million) - Bergeron ($4.75 million) - Kobasew ($2.2million)
Sobotka (625K)- Bitz (RFA) - Thornton (517K)

Forwards under contract - 9
Forwards needed to sign - 3 (Krejci, Kessel, Bitz all RFA)
Forward total cap number - $22.317 million

Chara ($7.5 million) - Ward ($2.5 million)
Ference ($1.4 million) - Wideman ($3.875 million)
Stuart ($1.5 million) - Hunwick (RFA)

Defensemen under contract - 5
Defensemen needed to sign - 1
Defensemen total cap number - $16.775 million

Tim Thomas ($5 million)
Tuuka Rask (850K)
Goaltenders under contract - 2
Goaltenders total cap number - $5.850 million

Total cap number - $44.942 milliom

Assuming the cap will be around $55 million, that leaves the Bruins with $10 million to spend on Krejci, Kessel, Hunwick, and Bitz. So this allows the Bruins to keep Rask to be Thomas' backup next season, without his entire cap hit affecting the cap. Assuming he is the backup and Thomas receives the bulk of the playing time, the bonuses in his contract would be virtually impossible to trigger.

Note: Glen Murray's buyout is still on the books for $1.383 million next season. Murray has gone through the first two steps of his appeal. Assuming the NHL rules in favor of Murray then his buyout cap number comes off the books. The expected decision is due in July.

No Bitz for Baby B's

2009-05-20T10:30:00.001-04:00

The Providence Journal is reporting that rookie Byron Bitz will not rejoin Providence for their playoff run. Bitz suffered a rib injury in the second round of the NHL playoffs against Carolina. The injury is more serious then originally suspected, so Providence will not get the big winger back for their playoff push.

Kessel, Krejci to have surgery

2009-05-18T11:21:00.007-04:00

Boston.com is reporting that both Phil Kessel and David Krejci will require surgery.

Phil Kessel will have surgery on a torn rotator cuff and labrum on Thursday. Kessel is believed to have suffered the injury against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday March 10th. Kessel was hit late in that game by Jan Hejda but did not miss substantial time following the injury. Kessel may miss up to 6 months

David Krejci is expected to have hip surgery next month. Krejci showed no signs of any injury throughout the course of the season. Krejci will miss 4-6 months.

Wow, now this is a surprise. It shows the guts the Bruins played with this postseason. Mark Recchi was battling with kidney stones throughout the course of the playoffs. Recchi had surgery the day before game 7. Recchi also is believed to suffered a rib injury during the playoffs. Chuck Kobasew was also playing with broken rips, which he suffered in game one of round two.

Post Season Grades : Defensemen

2009-05-17T15:08:00.010-04:00

Here are my grades for the Bruins defenseman this postseason. Grades are based on expectations and performances over the course of both playoff rounds.

Zdeno Chara - B+
11 games, 1 goal and 3 assists +1
After shutting down Alexei Kovalev and the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, Chara didn't have similar results against Eric Staal and the Hurricanes. Chara was dominate for the majority of the postseason but two bad games really hurt the Bruins.

Shane Hnidy - B-
7 games, 0 goals 1 assist - 1
Hnidy was forced into duty once Andrew Ference went down. The quick forwards of the Hurricane really exposed Hnidy for what he really is, a 7th defenseman. A few bad turnovers and breakout passes and his lack of mobility hurt the Bruins at times, but overall he played steady and wasn't beat on too many occasions.

Steve Montador - C-
11 games, 1 goal 2 assists +5
Montador had to step in and play big minutes once Andrew Ference went down. Mondator provided the Bruins with steady defense at times but his ill-advised pinching often created odd man rushes against and resulted in Samsonov's goal in game 7. He didn't provide anything on the powerplay and probably scared everyone in the building everytime he stepped on the ice.

Mark Stuart - B+
11 games, 0 goals 1 assist +5
Stuart showed up big this postseason with his steady, shutdown defensive abilities. He has been underrated all season long because of his lack of offensive production. Stuart deserves more credit then he gets especially with his outlet passes.

Aaron Ward - B-
11 games, 1 goal 0 assists + 4
Ward played great in a shutdown role along side Chara early, but struggled against Eric Staal and the quick Hurricane forwards. The weakness with Chara and Ward paired together was their lack of mobility and ability to transition the puck for quick breakouts.

Dennis Wideman - C+
11 games, 0 goals 7 assists +3
Wideman partnered with Montador to be the shakiest defensive combinations on the back end. Wideman played well at times but his consistency was not there. Had many bad turnovers throughout the playoffs. When the Bruins needed Wideman to step it up and run the powerplay, he simply did not come through in the clutch.

Game 7 Lineups

2009-05-14T19:59:00.002-04:00

No changes for the Bruins. Savard back in there as expected. For the Canes, Frantisek Kaberle is in for Anton Babchuk. Babchuk is one of their best offensive defensemen and has a cannon on the powerplay. During the regular season he totalled 16 goals and 19 assists with a +13. During the playoffs he has 1 assist and a -3 in 13 games.

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

Chara-Ward
Montador-Wideman
Stuart-Hnidy

Whitney-Staal-Cole
Samsonov-Jokinen-Ruutu
Larose-Cullen-Walker
Bayda-Brind'Amour-Eaves

Gleason-Corvo
Pitkanen-Seidenberg
Wallin-Kaberle

Chiarelli interview: "Ward Good to Go"

2009-05-12T10:56:00.008-04:00

Aaron Ward, who was sucker punched by Carolina forward Scott Walker, will play tonight according to Peter Chiarelli in an interview with Dale and Holley this morning. Chiarelli stated Ward had a previous injury to his orbital bone but will play tonight. Chiarelli also stated Zdeno Chara, who suffered a slash to the back of the ankle, will be fine but is sporting a bad bruise. Walker will not be suspended as the NHL rescinded his suspension but he will be fined $2,500. To hear the interview go to WEEI's webpage and click on the Audio on Demand page.

Blake Wheeler is expected to be a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Wheeler will sit in favor of Shawn Thornton and Byron Bitz. Bitz is expected to take his spot on the second line. With Wheeler's absence in game five, the Bruins went to five forwards instead of six during the penalty kill.

The Bruins have not recalled any defensemen from Providence, providing further evidence that both defensemen will be 100% to go tonight.

UPDATE: Aaron Ward made it through the entire practice without a visor.

Keys to Game 4

2009-05-07T17:32:00.004-04:00

The last two games could possibly be the worst the Bruins have played all season. This team looked like the team we saw go on a terrible skid after the lose to the San Jose Sharks back in February. Here are some of my keys to game 4

Play 60 minutes of hockey.
In game two the Bruins completely outplayed the Canes in the third period. The problem was that they got beat in the first two periods. The Bruins need to play a complete game of hockey without taking periods off.

Get the powerplay going.
The powerplay has been so predictable that the Bruins can't even set up in the offensive zone. Changing up the personal or atleast changing the approach is a must. The Bruins continue to rely heavily on the first unit to create offense. Therefore, putting Krejci or Kessel out with that unit may should be considered. If the Bruins continue to want to roll both units, the second unit should get more time.

Get a clean breakout.
The most important aspect of creating offense, the breakout. The Bruins were the best 5 on 5 team during the regular season. Why? Because of the transition game. The problem here is without Hunwick the Bruins lack secondary puck movers on the blueline after Wideman. Hunwick's absence really hurts this team especially against a fast group of forwards that the Canes have.

Traffic in front.
The Bruins simply need to get more bodies in front of Cam Ward. All of the goals that have been scored have occurred because traffic in front. The Bruins have plenty of big bodies, but they lack the willingness to get to the net. Lucic and Wheeler must live at the top of the crease like Recchi does. Ward is so good right now thats the only shot they have at beating him.

Injury Updates

2009-05-03T11:07:00.005-04:00

Phil Kessel has a swollen elbow and missed practice yesterday. He will be available tonight. Here's what Claude Julien said yesterday

“When he fell yesterday, he banged his elbow. It’s not a big deal. It’s a little swollen this morning, so we just kept him off. He’ll be 100 percent tomorrow,”

Notes from Kevin Paul Dupont's Sunday Column.
Matt Hunwick is still recovering from spleen surgery. He has lost around 10 pounds but if the Bruins advance to the finals, Hunwick has a shot at playing.

Marco Sturm has also been working out but the chance of Sturm returning for the playoffs are about 1%.

Phil Kessel's injury didn't look promising when it originally occurred. Kessel was obviously in pain but stayed in the play and helped generate Savard's first goal. Hopefully, no further issues arise. Great news on both Sturm and Hunwick. If Hunwick could return for the finals (hoping the Bruins make it that far), his puck moving ability would be extremely important in a series against Detroit. As for Sturm, I will be excited to see him back next season especially with the progression of the younger players.

Finally some hockey

2009-04-30T22:18:00.004-04:00

After waiting around for what seems like weeks, we finally get to see the Bruins play in the second round of the playoffs. Here are the projected lineups for both teams:

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

Chara-Ward
Ference-Wideman
Stuart-Mondator

Andrew Ference is probable to play. Claude Julien stated in practice today that Ference will only skate if he is 100% healthy. He has practiced regularly since the Canadiens series ended, so expect him in. Byron Bitz and Shane Hnidy are the expected scratches. Here's how the Bruins lined up on the powerplay during practices throughout the week layoff:

Ryder-Savard-Recchi-Wideman-Chara
Kessel-Krejci-Kobasew-Ference-Bergeron

Here are the lines Carolina used during the first round of the playoffs against New Jersey:

Whitney-Staal-Larose
Ruutu-Cullen-Cole
Samsonov-Brind'Amour-Eaves
Bayda-Jokinen-Walker

Gleason-Corvo
Pitkanen-Babchuk
Seidenberg-Wallin

The powerplay units the Canes used at practice today are listed below. Matt Cullen may see time at a point position. Jokinen also rotated in on the second unit.

Whitney-Staal-Ruutu-Babchuk-Corvo
Samsonov-Brind'Amour-Cole-Pitkanen-Seidenberg

Boston Bruins (1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6) 2nd Round Preview

2009-04-29T20:22:00.002-04:00

The Eastern Conference's best team will take on the 6th seeded Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the playoffs. The Hurricanes have a deep team than can role four lines, and an average defense that has some offensive minded players. The Bruins boast the East's best offense and defense. Carolina will try and continue their streak of upsets after beating the New Jersey Devils in a dramatic seven game series.

Records:

Boston....................53-19-10, 116 points

Carolina................45-39-7, 97 points

Boston Home.......29-6-6

Carolina Home....26-14-1

Boston Away........19-6-6

Boston vs Conf....44-13-7

Carolina vs Conf.37-22-5

Bos vs Car...........4-0-0

Car vs Bos...........0-4-0

Goals:

Boston Goals For.............274

Carolina Goals For..........239

Boston Goals Against......196

Carolina Goals Against...226

Boston Goal Diff.............+70

Carolina Goal Diff..........+13

Boston GPG.....................3.92

Carolina GPG..................2.88

Boston GAPG..................2.32

Carolina GAPG...............2.70

Bos Goals vs. Car............18

Car Goals vs. Bos............6

Special Teams:

Boston PP %.........23.6%

Carolina PP%.......18.7%

Boston PK%..........82.4%

Carolina PK%.......80.4%

Leading Scorers:

Boston Forwards:

Marc Savard.......25......63......88

David Krejci.......22......51.......73

Mark Recchi.......23......38.......61

Phil Kessel..........36......24......60

Michael Ryder...27.......26......53

Blake Wheeler...21.......24......45

Chuck Kobasew.21.......21......42

Milan Lucic........17.......24......41

Patrice Berg.........8......31.......39

Boston Defensemen:

Zdeno Chara...........17.....33.....50

Dennis Wideman..13.....37.....50

Carolina Forwards:

Ray Whitney...........24.......53.....77

Eric Staal.................40.......35.....75

Tuomo Ruutu..........26.......28....54

Rod Brind'Amour...16.......31.....51

Sergei Samsonov.....16......32....48

Matt Cullen..............22......21.....43

Erik Cole..................18.......24.....42

Carolina Defensemen:

Joe Corvo.............14........24.....38

Anton Babchuk...16.........19......35

Joni Pitkanen.......7..........26....33

Dennis Seid.........5..........25.....30

Goatending:

Boston:

Tim Thomas........36-11-7.......2.10........933%

Carolina:

Cam Ward...........39-23-5.....2.44........916%

Offense:

Boston had seven 20 goal scorers this season, and two more with 17. The Bruins have one of the most deep offensive teams in the league, and ranked first in goals in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins top guns may be young, but they passed their first test in the first round. When 20 goal scorer Blake Wheeler is on your 4th line, you know the team is deep. The Bruins are not just a finess sniping team, but a very physical team with guys like Milan Lucic and Shawn Thornton. Carolina also is a very deep team, 3 solid scoring lines. Ray Whitney has been a Bruin killer of the past few seasons, and top gun Eric Staal is always a threat. The 'Canes are not a very physical team, which could hurt them. Boston just has too much depth, and with Carolina coming off a 7 game series, fatigue could be an issue.

Edge: Boston

Defense:

The Bruins have the best defensive team in the NHL with Norris finalist Zdeno Chara. Dennis Wideman is one of the best puck movers in the game and the Bruins have a very solid transition game. Although they give up a lot of shots, they are from the outside and not very risky. The Hurricanes have an underrated defense, but it is very offensive minded. The Dmen jump up on the play a lot and 4 of their top 6 had 30+ points. Joe Corvo is a very good transition player and Anton Babchuk has a cannon for a shot. The Bruins play a much better team defense, and you can't not give the nod to the best defense in the league.

Edge: Boston

Goaltending:

Tim Thomas led the league in GAA and SV%. Although he has not played much in the playoffs, he played very good against Montreal, so the inexperience factor has to be thrown out the window a little. Cam Ward has a Cup under his belt, but he has played a lot of games so fatigue could be an issue. Ward has impressive numbers, but if Thomas plays the way he has, the advantage has to be for Thomas.

Edge: Boston

Prediction:

Boston in 6

Second Round Determined

2009-04-28T22:24:00.007-04:00

The Carolina Hurricanes advanced to the second round of the playoffs by beating the New Jersey Devils 4-3 tonight. Since the New York Rangers lost to Washington the Bruins will play the sixth seeded Hurricanes. The Bruins won the regular season matchup 4-0-0 led by David Krejci (3 goals 4 assists +7) and Blake Wheeler (3 goals 2 assists +5). Reports are that game one is Friday night at 7:00, with game two Sunday.

Offense
The Bruins were second in the league with 274 goals for while the Hurricanes ranked fifteen in the league with 239 goals. The Bruins clearly have a deeper lineup with the ability to roll four lines for the majority of any game. Three of the Bruins four lines have the ability to score. For the Hurricanes they have two solid lines that can score, led by superstar Eric Staal.

Advantage: Boston

Defense
The Hurricane have an underrated group of defenseman led by veteran Joe Corvo. Four of their defenseman collected more than 30 points during the regular season. The Bruins will need Zdeno Chara to shut down the Whitney-Staal-Ruutu trio. Overall fairly even here, although since the Bruins have Chara they get the edge.

Advantage: Boston

Goaltending
Cam Ward carried the Hurricanes a few years back when they won the cup. During the regular season he posted a record of 39-23-5 with a 2.44 GAA and a .916 save percentage. Ward has the experience and has done it in the past, but the Bruins have the Vezina winner.

Advantage: Even

Special Teams
Bruins powerplay - 4th, Bruins penalty kill - 12th
Hurricanes powerplay - 17th, Hurricanes penalty kill - 19th

Advantage: Bruins

Will the Bruins long lay off hurt them in the second round? It is possible, but the Bruins have more depth and balance than the Hurricanes. If Chara shuts down the Staal line, the Bruins take this series easily.

East
Prediction: Bruins in 6

(4) Pittsburgh over (2) Washington in six games.

West
(2) Detroit over (8) Anaheim in five games.
(4) Chicago over Vancouver in six games.
Round One Prediction Record 7-1

Thomas a finalist for Vezina

2009-04-27T16:01:00.002-04:00

The NHL has announced that Tim Thomas, Steve Mason, and Niklas Backstrom are the three finalists for the Vezina trophy. The award is voted on by the 30 GMs across the league. Although all are worthy and have put up great numbers, Thomas should be the favorite to win this award. Mason, a rookie goaltender, helped lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history.

Here are their stats:
Tim Thomas - 36-11-7, .933 Save Percentage, 2.10 GAA
Steve Mason - 33-20-7, .916 Save Percentage, 2.29 GAA
Niklas Backstrom - 37-24-8, .923 Save Percentage, 2.33 GAA

Second Round Opponent

2009-04-26T20:47:00.004-04:00

With both the Washington-New York and Carolina-New Jersey series extending to seven games, it leaves the Bruins three possible second round opponents. Pittsburgh, Carolina, and New York are the teams that the Bruins could see depending upon what happens Tuesday night (both game sevens Tuesday 7 PM).

The Bruins play Pittsburgh if:

New Jersey and Washington win

The Bruins play Carolina if:

Washington and Carolina win

The Bruins play New York if:

New York wins (winner of NJ-Carolina would have no affect)

The Rangers have played two terrible games and have let Washington back into the series. The Bruins match up best against New York, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose to Washington leaving the Bruins either Carolina or Pittsburgh. The Penguins would be the tougher of the two opponents especially with the way Marc-Andre Fluery played in round one.

Lucic suspension unfair

2009-04-20T12:09:00.002-04:00

I'm going to try and not be a homer, but I think majority of people who are fans of the game (minus Habs fans) do not think that suspension was justified.

First, Carcillo's suspension I don't agree with other than his reputation and the Flyers team, so the NHL was making a point, fine.

Cammalleri should have been suspended since he did the same exact thing based on Carcillo's suspension, but he was not.

Now Game 1 in Montreal, I don't think Lapierre should have been suspended for attacking Kessel, nothing major happened and it was just some stupid rough stuff at the end of the game.

Kostopolous should have been suspended for clearly going after Hunwick's head. Although he did not connect, the intent was there.

I also do not think Komisarek should have been suspended UNLESS it was clear if he was eye gouging, which I honestly could not tell.

On the Lucic play, Schneider was spearing and jabbing him, he was engaged with Lucic and then Lapierre skated over and Lucic punched him in the head, which happens. Nothing major and the stick didn't hit Lapierre or else he would have been injured. Also to note, this play was much less damaging than when Lucic pulled down Komisarek from behind, which he did not get suspended for. This is a joke suspension, IMO.

Hunwick Hospitalized

2009-04-18T13:02:00.005-04:00

Matt Hunwick was rushed to the hospital today by ambulance in what is believed to be a spleen injury. No official word from the Bruins yet on the status of his injury. With Hunwick out, Shane Hnidy will be inserted into the lineup. In addition to Hunwick's absence, Andrew Ference will also miss game 2 . The Bruins now have 4 right handed shooting defensemen and only 2 lefthanded shooting defensemen. It will be interesting to see how Julien matches them up, especially with arguably the best two puck moving defenseman on the team out with injuries. Possible pairings:

Chara-Ward
Wideman-Hnidy
Stuart-Montador

Final Tuneup

2009-04-15T11:56:00.003-04:00

Today is the last practice before the playoffs begin. Here is how they lined up today

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

Blake Wheeler skated on the fourth line during practice. Could this be an indicator that Wheeler gets the Phil Kessel treatment from last playoffs? I certainly hope not.

The powerplays:
Ryder-Savard-Recchi-Wideman-Hunwick
Kessel-Krejci-Kobasew-Bergeron-Chara

Andrew Ference still has yet to skate since suffering an undisclosed injury. He is doubtful for tomorrow's game. "He continues to be day-to-day guys," said B's head coach Claude Julien, Tuesday. "That’s his situation and as long as you don’t see him on the ice, that means he’s not ready to come back.

"I think when you see him on the ice for the first time it’ll be a good sign."

Bruins-Habs Preview

2009-04-14T21:24:00.002-04:00

Boston Bruins

53-19-10, 116 pts (2nd)
29-6-6 HOME (2nd)
24-13-4 AWAY (2nd)
274 GF (2nd)
196 GA (1st)
3.29 GPG (2nd)
2.32 GAG (1st)
23.6% PP (4th)
82.4% PK (11th)
1.42 5v5 GF/A (1st)
30.3 SPG (11th)
30.8 SAPG (21st)
313 PP OPP (27th)
74 PPG (7th)
7 SHGA (7th)
54 PPGA (3rd)
306 TS (27th)
8 SHG (6th)

Montreal Canadiens
41-30-11, 93 points
24-10-7 HOME (12th)
17-20-4 AWAY (19th)
249 GF (12th)
247 GA (21st)
2.95 GPG (12th)
2.93 GAPG (19th)
19.2 % PP (13th)
82.4% PK (11th)
0.96 5v5 GF/A (17th)
30.0 SPG (13th)
31.7 SAPG (24th)
374 PP OPP (2nd)
72 PPG (7th)
11 SHGA (9th)
65 PPGA (10th)
370 TS (6th)
10 SHG (4th)

Boston was 5-0-1 vs. Montreal, while Montreal was 1-3-2 vs. Boston.

For the second straight time, the first and eighth seeds meet, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens, but this year with a twist. On the Habs 100th year anniversary, the Bruins and Canadiens switched roles. After Montreal dominated Boston going 8-0-0 in the regular season, the 8th seeded Boston Bruins took the Habs to a game 7, in which they lost 5-0. But that game gave them the strength to compete the best season an Eastern Conference team has seen since the Conference's were realigned. The Boston Bruins are the number one seed, while the Habs are the 8th. Will history repeat itself like it 2002, or will the Bruins finally make it past the 1st round for the first time since 1999?

Offense
The Bruins had the best offense in the East, and 2nd in the NHL behind the Detroit Red Wings. The Bruins have seven 20 goal scorers (Kessel, Savard, Ryder, Krejci, Recchi, Wheeler and Kobasew), and 13 players with 20+ points. The Bruins have some of the strongest depth at center in the league with Marc Savard, David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron up the middle. The Bruins can constantly roll out four lines and tire down opponents, which is why they had the best 3rd period goal differential in the league this season. When the Bruins offense has been on, they have been nearly unstoppable. The Bruins also boast the best 5 v 5 goal ratio in the league, and if the Bruins can stay out of the penalty box, they should be able to score more than Montreal.

Montreal has had an up and down season with their offense, averaging around 3 goals per game. They have only two 20 goal scorers, but 15 players with 20 or more points, showing their depth. Montreal does not have a clear superstar on offense, aside from Alex Kovalev, who can be one of the best in the world when he wants to be. Montreal's offense flows through the power play. If Montreal's power play fails, so does their offense. Montreal also feeds off the home crowd, so when they score, they tend to score in bunches.

Edge: Boston

Defense
Boston allowed the fewest goals in the NHL this season thanks to Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez and their stellar defense. The Bruins have two Norris Candidates in Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman, and also have some depth incase of injury with Steve Montador and Shane Hnidy. The Bruins are very good at clogging up the neutral zone and layering their defense. Although they tend be outshot, many of those shots are from outside and to the sides. The Bruins defense is also very good at moving the puck up and the transition game. The Bruins sometimes struggle with an aggressive forecheck.

Montreal's defense has been average this season, with injuries really hurting them. Andrei Markov may miss part of not all of the first round, which is a huge blow for the Norris candidate. Mike Komisarek, Roman Hamrlik and banged up Matheiu Schneider will anchor the Habs blueline. Unfortunately for the Habs, guys like O'Byrne, and Gorges, Bouillon, Dandenault, and Brisebois may not be enough to stop the Bruins offense. If Markov can return, that'll be a huge boost for the Canadiens.

Edge: Boston

Goaltending
The Boston Bruins have one of the best goalies in the NHL and a Vezina finalist in Tim Thomas. Thomas led the league in SV. % and GAA, while backup Manny Fernandez is one of the best backups in the league if Thomas were to go down. Although Thomas has only one series of playoff experience, he played very well against the Habs, and if he can stay on his game, he is nearly impossible to beat.

The Habs have young goalie phenom Carey Price. Price has had an up and down season, and has been a very emotional player on the ice which has hurt him at times. He was replaced by Jaroslav Halak in last seasons playoffs, which is not a good sign. If Price is on, he can be one of the top 10 goalies in the league, but if he is off, he can be just plain awful. Halak is a decent backup, but if Price goes down, Habs fans can't be too confident in Halak.

Edge: Boston

Prediction: Boston in 5

Anything can happen, as seen in last years playoffs series, but this Boston team is so much better than Montreal this season than Montreal was to Boston last year. This Habs teams has been very dysfunctional at times this season and unless all of their parts come together and they get 6 PP's per game, I don't see how they can win the series. The Bruins have much better goaltending, offense, and defense than the Habs. Stat wise, the Bruins are an elite team while the Habs are middle of the pact. Barring a complete choke, the Bruins should come out on top.

Bergeron, Axelsson practice; Ference still out

2009-04-14T15:26:00.004-04:00

Patrice Bergeron was back on the ice for the first time since taking a shot off the foot last Thursday against Montreal. He will be ready to go game one. P.J. Axelsson skated on the first line today in practice and is also ready to go. Andrew Ference did not practice because of an undisclosed injury. Ference is not expected to be ready for the series opener.

Playoff Predictions

2009-04-12T20:40:00.004-04:00

(1) Bruins over (8) Canadiens in six games
(2) Capitals over (7) Rangers in five games
(6) Hurricanes over (3) Devils in seven games
(4) Penguins over (5) Flyers in six games

(1) Sharks over (8) Ducks in five games
(2) Redwings over (7) Blue Jackets in six games
(3) Canucks over (6) Blues in six games
(4) Blackhawks (5) Flames in seven games

Fenway to host Winter Classic

2009-04-09T08:55:00.004-04:00

The Herald is reporting that Fenway Park will be the next home for the Winter Classic. It will be interesting to see who the opponent will be but the Canadiens and Rangers are the top choices. To read the entire article, check it out here, http://www.bostonherald.com/track/inside_track/view.bg?articleid=1164490&srvc=home&position=also

Wideman, Ference, Axelsson out against Ottawa; Manny in net

2009-04-06T14:44:00.005-04:00

Dennis Wideman, Andrew Ference, and P.J. Axelsson are all out against Ottawa tomorrow. Wideman took a shot to the midsection against the Rangers but finished the game. Axelsson's injury is unknown. The injuries to Wideman and Axelsson are probably not too serious and may be a way to get them some rest before the playoffs. Andrew Ference on the other hand, suffered an injury on Saturday and did not return. His injury is believed to be more serious and Julien said Ference may be "week-to-week".

"Probably the worst of the bunch will be Andrew Ference. He's getting evaluated further today, so we can know the severity of the injury. A lot of the guys that aren't playing it's really just maintenance. There's nothing serious there." Julien said after practice today.

Aaron Ward, Phil Kessel, and Shawn Thornton all skated in practice and will make the trip to Ottawa. Manny Fernandez will start in goal tomorrow.

Expected lineup:

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

Chara-Ward
Hunwick-Montador
Stuart-Hnidy

Fernandez

Play GM for a day

2009-04-04T08:36:00.007-04:00

RFA- David Krejci, Phil Kessel, Byron Bitz
UFA- Stephane Yelle, PJ Axelsson

David Krejci
This season: 22 goals and 50 assists for 72 points.
Comparable player Patrice Bergeron: average output in 2 seasons prior to signing contract 27 goals 45 assists for 72 points.
Sign David Krejci to a 5 year $23.75 million contract (exactly the same as Bergeron's)

Phil Kessel
Expected stats: 71 games with 33 goals and 24 assists for 58 points. Kessel's average output in 2 seasns prior to this - 76 games with 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points.
Comparable player Corey Perry: Season prior to signing contract 29 goals 25 assists for 54 points in only 70 games. Average output in 2 seasons prior to that 69 games with 15 goals 20 assists for 35 points.
Breakdown: Kessel and Perry have almost identical numbers across the board, even games played. Although they are different types of players, judging on production only I would sign him to an almost identical contract. 5 years $25 million.

Byron Bitz
Sign Bitz to a 2 year 1.50 million dollar deal. Cap hit on 750 K per season.
Give Axelsson and Yelle thank you cards and allow both to walk after the season. There is simply no room for aging veterans unless they except veteran minimum deals, meaning Yelle would have a greater shot at returning then Axelsson. So go with either Yelle or Sobtoka here for the fourth line. Cap hit for both players 750K.

Marc Savard - 5.0
Phil Kessel - 5.0
David Krejci - 4.75
Patrice Bergeron - 4.75
Michael Ryder - 4.0
Marco Sturm - 3.5
Blake Wheeler - 2.825
Chuck Kobasew - 2.2
Milan Lucic - 0.850
Byron Bitz - 0.750
Yelle/Sobotoka - 0.750
Shawn Thornton - 0.517

Forwards under contract - 12

RFA- Matt Hunwick
UFA- Shane Hnidy, Steve Mondator

Resign Matt Hunwick to a similar deal Mark Stuart signed. 2 years $2.6 million for a cap hit of $1.3 million.
Resign Shane Hnidy for the same deal he has now, 757K.
Trade Aaron Ward's and his $2.5 million cap hit.

Zdeno Chara - 7.5
Dennis Wideman - 3.875
Andrew Ference - 1.4
Mark Stuart - 1.3
Matt Hunwick - 1.3
Shane Hnidy - 0.757

UFA - Manny Fernandez

Keep Tuuka Rask in Providence for one more season. His cap hit is too large to have on the roster. After next season Rask is a RFA and his cap hit would probably be cut in half.
Sign a veteran backup along the lines of Alex Auld, Ty Conklin, Dan Cloutier etc. to a 1 year $1.033 million deal.

Tuuka Rask - 1.033
Tim Thomas - 5.0

Have Neely go to the Glen Murray hearing. $1.383 million comes off the books for next season. There's a 75% chance that the arbitrator will rule in favor of Murray anway.

Total Cap Hit - $55 million
Expected Cap Ceiling - $55 million

Not much space to play with but incase of injuries there is always the "emergency call up" which allows teams to go exceed the cap during the emergency period. Rookie incentive deals are also being looked at. If the NHL decides rookie salaries, not including incentives, will only count against the cap, then the Bruins save another 2 million on Wheeler's contract and it will allow Tuuka to play in the NHL next season.

Salary Cap Breakdown

2009-04-03T09:50:00.004-04:00

Forwards- 8 under contract
RFA- David Krejci, Phil Kessel, Byron Bitz
UFA- Stephane Yelle, PJ Axelsson

Marc Savard - 5.0
Patrice Bergeron - 4.75
Michael Ryder - 4.0
Marco Sturm - 3.5
Blake Wheeler - 2.825
Chuck Kobasew - 2.2
Milan Lucic - 0.850
Shawn Thornton - 0.517

Defensemen- 5 under contract
RFA- Matt Hunwick
UFA- Shane Hnidy, Steve Mondator

Zdeno Chara - 7.5
Dennis Wideman - 3.875
Aaron Ward - 2.5
Andrew Ference - 1.4
Mark Stuart - 1.3

Goaltenders- 2 under contract
UFA- Manny Fernandez

Tuuka Rask - 3.2
Tim Thomas - 5.0

Buyout - Glen Murray - 1.383

Total - $49.8 million
Expected cap ceiling- $55 million
Cap Space to sign Krejci, Kessel, Hunwick, fourth line LW and C - $5.2 million.

Not a lot of cap space whatsoever. Does Rask now become available since his cap hit is so high, especially for a backup goaltender? Are the Bruins expecting another team to sign Kessel or Krejci to an offer? Interesting questions to think about at this point. Ward may be a goner, either by buyout or trade. The Bruins will probably also need to dump a forward (Kobasew, Sturm, Bergeron, even Wheeler?)

ESPN - "Thomas signed to extension"

2009-04-03T00:01:00.004-04:00

Matthew Barnaby and John Buccigross reported on Sportcenter that Tim Thomas has signed a contract extension. The deal is expected to be announced this weekend. No further details were given.

UPDATE: Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe has confirmed Thomas and the Bruins have reached an agreement for an extension. Dupont claims the deal is similar to Martin Brodeur, arguably the best goaltender in the league. Brodeur makes $5.2 million this season.

If Dupont's report is correct then this contract my hurt the Bruins in the long run. $5 million for a goaltender who is turning 35 next week may be a bit of an over payment. Tuuka Rask is expected to be the backup next season, however his cap hit is $3.2 million due to rookie incentives. The Bruins will only have 7-8 million in cap space to sign David Krejci, Phil Kessel, and Matt Hunwick, all of whom are restricted free agents. They would also need to fill voids left by Stephane Yelle and P.J. Axelsson. If the Bruins wish to resign their key players then Chiarelli will have to move a larger salary to fit everyone under the decreasing cap. Aaron Ward ($2.5 million), Marco Sturm($3.5 million + LTC), and Patrice Bergeron($4.75 million) may be possible contracts Chiarelli looks to move. However, injury issues usually arise with those players. The best possibility may lie in Chuck Kobasew ($2.2 million), who would fetch the most in return, especially with back to back 20 goal seasons.

Thornton out vs Tampa

2009-03-31T18:38:00.008-04:00

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.

Philly Recap

2009-03-30T09:09:00.008-04:00

- 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).

Manny in net tonight

2009-03-28T18:37:00.009-04:00

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

No Kessel for the weekend

2009-03-27T13:25:00.002-04:00

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

A Statement Made

2009-03-22T18:41:00.004-04:00

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.

Yelle back tonight

2009-03-19T14:52:00.006-04:00

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.

Current Playoff Matchups

2009-03-16T11:49:00.003-04:00

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?

Kessel and Krejci to play tonight

2009-03-12T11:51:00.005-04:00

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.

OT - Guy gets the boot

2009-03-09T17:09:00.005-04:00

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.

Who wants sloppy seconds??

2009-03-07T22:04:00.006-05:00

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.

Coyotes at Bruins

2009-03-05T11:59:00.006-05:00

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.

Deadline Day Review

2009-03-04T17:48:00.005-05:00

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

2009-03-04T16:42:00.000-05:00

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?

2009-03-04T16:17:00.001-05:00

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

2009-03-04T14:59:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-04T13:27:00.001-05:00

More details later...

Nokie to Ana for Montador

2009-03-04T12:46:00.001-05:00

Details later....

Leopold Gone

2009-03-04T12:13:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-04T11:56:00.003-05:00

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.

Time to Panic?

2009-03-03T21:25:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-03T17:57:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-03T16:30:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-03-03T16:21:00.002-05:00

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.

Bruins Trade Deadline Deals

2009-03-02T21:30:00.003-05:00

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

2009-03-02T17:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-02T11:34:00.002-05:00

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

Bruins Rumors Roundup

2009-03-01T20:24:00.004-05:00

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

2009-03-01T20:21:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-01T19:52:00.004-05:00

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.

Around the League - Guerin, Morris pulled from lineups

2009-02-28T20:50:00.004-05:00

Bill Guerin of the NY Islanders and Derek Morris of the Phoenix Coyotes have both been pulled from their lineups tonight. This likely means both players are getting dealt. Would Guerin be a possibility back with the Bruins? Guerin brings veteran leadership and has an expiring contract. However, it is very unlikely the Bruins make a run at him considering his age (38), he plays right wing (the Bruins need a left wing) and a decline in his production (16 goals, -15). Pittsburgh seems like a good destination and would come relatively cheap.

Derek Morris on the other hand would look nice on the Bruins blue line. Although he does shoot righty, he would be an offensive upgrade over both Ward and Hnidy. Morris has size (6'0" 220 pounds) and can play with a mean streak. An addition on the back end would be nice, but acquiring Morris would probably be costly. The Bruins need to address their left wing position first and foremost. I wouldn't be surprised to see Morris wind up in Montreal.

Pronger to Boston???

2009-02-28T14:46:00.006-05:00

According to http://www.stanleycupofchowder.com/2009/2/28/775525/trade-deadline-update-w-ja the Bruins agreed to a trade for Chris Pronger. James Murphy is a reliable source who is a guest on NESN Sportsdesk a few times a week. Here is the release from his site. This speculation has not been finalized or confirmed by any other sources.

Just got an update on Pronger deal and it appears Pronger to the Bruins is very real and salary cap issues are the only thing holing it up right now. One interesting twist is that Phil Kessel is currently not the main Bruin going back to Anaheim. I am being told that defenseman Mark Stuart, Prospect Joe Colborne and a first round pick in 2010 would go to Anaheim in exchange for Pronger and forward Travis Moen. Both teams have apparently agreed in principle on a trade.

The deal will also not be announced or finalized until Wednesday, so that each team can iron out the cap issues and maybe make other deals to accommodate this move. Again, I can't get into specifics over the main roster player from Boston. Right now it's not Kessel but that could change, so that's why I can't say whom it is as of now with certainty. There are other teams (I'm told New Jersey, Philadelphia and Washington), still pushing hard, but Pronger to Beantown is very real!

Tune into the Inside Hockey Radio Show for more on this: 2-4 pm ET on "NHL Home Ice" XM 204 and Sirius 208, The Team 990 in Montreal, and 1120 AM WBNW in Boston. You can also listen online at Team990.com or YouCastr.com..

If you miss the show, the podcast will immediately be available at YouCastr.com and then at InsideHockey.com by Monday. And remember, to chime in you can always reach us at 1-877-645-6696 or 1-877-NHL-6696, and at radio@insidehockey.com.

- James Murphy

Three missing from practice

2009-02-27T12:24:00.005-05:00

Blake Wheeler, Milan Lucic, and Marc Savard were all missing from practice today. Lucic and Savard missed the third with upperbody injuries in last nights victory over the Ducks. Wheeler blocked a shot early in the game and limped off the ice. He played the rest of the game. Hopefully the injuries aren't serious.

UPDATE:
Marc Savard and Milan Lucic are questionable for tomorrow's game. Blake Wheeler will play tomorrow. Vladimir Sobotka has been recalled from Providence on an emergency basis.

Bruins, Avs close on a deal??

2009-02-25T09:39:00.004-05:00

The Fourth Period
It's been widely reported that the Avs are receiving interest for the likes of Ryan Smyth, Milan Hejduk, Jordan Leopold, Ian Laperriere and Ruslan Salei, to name a few.

Smyth and Hejduk have no-trade clauses in their respective contracts, but the belief is GM Francois Giguere is looking to shed some salary and could try to move either player.

The Denver Post reported this evening that the Avalanche is rumored to be close to a multi-player trade, with the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins being mentioned as a possible dance partner.

Boston, meanwhile, has reportedly spoken to the Avs about Leopold and forward Marek Svatos.

It doesn't make sense for the Bruins to go after a guy like Svatos. He's a smaller forward (5'10", 185 pounds) and shoots righty, two things the Bruins are trying to improve on. Leopold's name continues to come up and seems like a potential target. If the Bruins were to acquire Leopold it would be interesting to see what happens with current defensemen like Ference, Stuart, Hunwick and Hnidy. One of the four is likely to be sent out. The name I like is Laperierre, who is available at low cost (fourth round pick maybe?). Slot him on the fourth line with Yelle and Thornton and that is one tough line to play against come playoff time. The Bruins would still need to improve their leftwing depth which is their major weakness.

WEEI - Ryder to play tomorrow

2009-02-23T16:07:00.004-05:00

WEEI's Joe Haggerty has reported that Michael Ryder will play tomorrow. Ryder will wear either a shield or a full cage. The Bruins need Ryder back in the lineup, lets hope this jumpstarts their offense.

Time to change the powerplay

2009-02-22T13:38:00.004-05:00

With yet another awful showing from both powerplay units, the Bruins really need to address their powerplay structure. Having a successful and dangerous powerplay is essential in the playoffs and low scoring games. Right now the powerplay is way too predictable with too many players playing in roles they do not succeed in.

First unit:
Krejci-Savard-Wheeler
Chara-Wideman

For the first unit, establish one dominate unit. Usually the first unit will see the majority of powerplay time especially if they can keep the puck in the attacking zone. Get the best players out there together. Enough of the "need for two left handed shooters down low". If you don't have the personal to do so, then change it up.

Second Unit:
Kessel-Bergeron-Lucic
Ference-Hunwick

Bergeron is now used to his strength, which is playing down low. Kessel leads this team in goals and should be on the ice over Axelsson and Kobasew. Scratch Hnidy and dress Hunwick.

I know this will never happen but it would be interesting to see it tried. The current powerplay has simply looked brutal for the past ten games. The other teams around the league have figured it out and found ways to defend against it rather easily. Having a dominate powerplay can be the difference between a first round exit and the ability to advance.

Another Cole Update

2009-02-20T10:29:00.011-05:00

According to the Edmonton Sun, the Oilers are looking for someone who can "win a faceoff, kill a penalty and play alongside Ales Hemsky". Doesn't Per Johan Axelsson sound like the perfect fit for this? He fits two of the three needs the Oilers are looking for. He is great of the PK and can play opposite Hemsky on one of the top two lines. An Axelsson, Karsums/Nokelainen, and a pick for Cole swap would be an excellent deal for the Bruins. Unlikely to happen but we can all dream.

TSN also reported that a Cole-Kovalev swap could also be something the Oilers would consider doing.