Author: @pastagrl88

NHL Concussions Part 2: Close To Home

NHL Concussions Part 2: Close To Home

Posted by | Aug 13, 2018 | ,

CONCUSSIONS? In a deposition given in 2015, Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs denied knowing or ever hearing about CTE.  Jacobs was asked if he knew that CTE was diagnosed posthumously in brains of former hockey players. His answer: “I don’t think so, I don’t know.” CTE was discovered in former players Rick Martin, Reggie Fleming, Bob Probert and Steven Montador at the time of his deposition. Years prior to the Jacobs interview,  the NFL settled a $765 million concussion lawsuit, with CTE being thrust into the limelight.  In testimonies obtained by TSN.ca owners, like Jacobs, claim ignorance about CTE, yet are against...

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RED ICE- Concussions in the NHL (@pastagrl88)

RED ICE- Concussions in the NHL (@pastagrl88)

Posted by | Jul 24, 2018 | ,

“I think the NHL has misread its hand. This is not going away. This is much bigger than they hoped. I don’t want money at all. I just want research and funding and for them to have neurologists for teams”-former Bruin player Nick Boynton in an exclusive interview with TSN. On July 13th, Judge Susan Nelson denied the request of 150+ players in bringing a class action lawsuit against the NHL. Players have also asked the league to provide medical care in detecting symptoms consisting with Alzheimers, depression, dementia etc. Judge Nelson stated that there’s needs to be “substantial proof”...

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The Best Free Agent Signings in Bruins History

The Best Free Agent Signings in Bruins History

Posted by | Jun 25, 2018 | ,

Throughout their rich history, the Bruins made some great additions through free agency. Below, we present our picks for the Bruins’ top 12 best free agents signings. James Gaitlin (@JamieGatlin1217)’s Picks:   Torey Krug Boston gave Krug a contract after he went undrafted in 2012. Since then, the Michigan State product has improved his defensive game and excelled offensively. Krug has scored 52 goals and 183 assists for Boston. He has been a weapon on the power play as 20 of his 52 goals have come on the man advantage. He helped the Bruins advance to the Stanley Cup finals in...

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NHL Draft 2018

NHL Draft 2018

Posted by | Jun 23, 2018 | ,

WELCOME TO BOSTON Today was day two of the 2018 NHL Draft, and the Bruins made some pretty decent picks. After coming out empty-handed in a “painful” first round, Boston wasted no time in selecting some new faces. With the 57th pick, the Bruins selected Sweden’s Axel Andersson. Next, Jakub Lauko from the Czech Republic was selected. The Bruins’ third pick is American Curtis Hall. Canadian Dustyn McFaul was selected for the 181th pick, and Russian Pavel Shen was their final pick. SWEDEN 18 year old Axel Andersson was Bruins’ first pick in the second round. At 6’0″ and 183lbs, this blue line defenseman...

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David Pastrnak Tops Czech Awards

David Pastrnak Tops Czech Awards

Posted by | Jun 21, 2018 | ,

For the second consecutive year, Boston Bruins right winger David Pastrnak was awarded the Golden Hockey Stick Award for top Czech Player of the Year.  Fellow countryman David Krejci ended up in third place. GOLDEN STATS The 22 year old ended the 2017-2018 regular season with 80 points in 82 games. For the playoffs, Pastrnak burst out quickly—in just 12 games he garnered 20 points.  In Game 2 of the Toronto series, Boston saw Pastrnak score a hat trick along with three assists, for a total of six points.  “Pasta” beat a record previously held by Wayne Gretzky as the...

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Boston Bruins- the Grizz Is Back

Boston Bruins- the Grizz Is Back

Posted by | Jun 16, 2018 | ,

Late Friday Night, the Boston Bruins announced that they signed restricted free agent Matt Grzelcyk to a two-year deal worth $2.8 million. The Charlestown native will be signed through the 2019-202 season. BY THE NUMBERS This past season, the 24-year-old defenseman had quite the season, if not impressive for a rookie. As one of the many first-year players that made an impact, Grzelcyk tallied up three goals and 12 assists over 61 games. During the Stanley Cup playoff run, he had one assist. At just 5’9″, 174 lbs, the defenseman looks to add some strength to his game: “Getting in the weight...

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Providence Bruins- Getting to Know Connor Clifton

Providence Bruins- Getting to Know Connor Clifton

Posted by | Jun 16, 2018 | ,

In the leading months the NHL regular season, the Bruins have been positioning themselves into becoming a dominant force in 2018. And to become a contender, you have to not only look at your current roster, but also develop your AHL prospects. In a league where every player is competing for a spot in the big leagues, how do you make a big enough impact for the NHL to take notice? For New Jersey native Connor Clifton, making that impact has been an improving steady climb. BACKGROUND The 23-year-old defenseman recently played for the Quinnipiac University Bobcats. Drafted in 2013...

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TRADE RUMORS-BOSTON BRUINS

TRADE RUMORS-BOSTON BRUINS

Posted by | Jun 13, 2018 | ,

GETTING A HEAD START After the recent NHL combine that’s was held in Buffalo, NY, many prospective draft picks were closely monitored. The Boston Bruins interviewed close to 80 potential players,  but one thing has been lurking on GM Don Sweeney’s mind:  to get the first round pick back.  As we near the June 22nd NHL draft day,  there’s been  a lot of rumblings throughout the organization on possible trades for the upcoming season. Let’s take a closer look at some of those rumors. OPEN MARKET For the Bruins, getting the higher draft pick position back will be difficult. Another question facing Boston:...

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Bruins Prospects to Watch out For

Bruins Prospects to Watch out For

Posted by | May 26, 2018 | ,

The 2018 season is over and the Boston Bruins are finally resting amid all the injuries they were playing with, GM Don Sweeney and Co. have been busy looking to make much-needed changes to the team‘s roster. With rumors swirling about possible trades with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Bruins will be looking to help bolster their defense. The most exciting thing about this recent team was the important impact that the young prospects had. Even though the season ended shortly and, let’s be honest –exceeded everyone’s expectations, there’s no question that Sweeney and Neely will be faced with some...

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Bruins Players Shine Overseas at the 2018 IIHF

Bruins Players Shine Overseas at the 2018 IIHF

Posted by | May 15, 2018 | ,

HEADING TO THE WORLDS As the annual break up day came to a close, a quick decision was made by some of the Bruins players to opt to continue to play overseas. Czech mates David Pastrnak and David Krejci  continued on and represent their home country of the Czech Republic; a few days later Charlie McAvoy flew over to Copenhagen, Denmark to represent the USA in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). They say no rest for the weary, and not even jet lag would keep both Krejci and Pastrnak from dazzling at a recent game against Russia. Charlie McAvoy represented the...

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Looking Ahead for the Boston Bruins

Looking Ahead for the Boston Bruins

Posted by | May 12, 2018 |

TOUGH ENDING FOR THIS SPECIAL TEAM It’s been a few days since the second round exit of the Bostons Bruins, and things are settling down. As with any team that has been eliminated, everyone has their take on what happened: what went wrong, and was it all on Rask?, Marchand’s “lick gate” antics, what can be improved, lack of defense, etc. When it comes right down to it, Tampa was faster and better at clearing the zone. The Bruins couldn’t adjust and found themselves playing from behind. The officiating was extremely frustrating (to put it nicely), but there’s no question;...

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Stanley Cup Round 2- Bruins Meet Tampa

Stanley Cup Round 2- Bruins Meet Tampa

Posted by | Apr 29, 2018 |

WELCOME TO ROUND 2 TAMPA- Boy, it was a hot one Saturday afternoon. The race to clinch the Atlantic Division bounced back and forth between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. Throughout the regular season Tampa came out and dominated, leaving very little room for any other team to overtake first place. But when it comes to the playoffs, all bets are off and regular season stats go out the window. For the Boston Bruins, they have managed to once again get into the minds of the Lightning, as they clobbered their way to a 6-2 victory. A...

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Jake DeBrusk: A Star Is Born

Jake DeBrusk: A Star Is Born

Posted by | Apr 26, 2018 | ,

IT’S DO OR DIE The stage was set for Game 7 in one of the most anticipated series in the playoffs. After 60 minutes of play, the Boston Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in a dramatic 7-4 win last night at TD Garden. In a hard-fought game with missed scoring chances, rough net minding in a back and forth game, a young superstar helped his team punch their ticket to round two.  In his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs,  scoring two goals and playing a solid game throughout the series,  Jake DeBrusk came through—big time. HOT...

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David Pastrňák Is Making It Look Easy

David Pastrňák Is Making It Look Easy

Posted by | Apr 16, 2018 | ,

The young Czech right wing is quickly living up to his superstar role The Bruins knew Toronto would come out swinging after suffering a 5-1 loss last Thursday night at the Garden. As the story goes for this Boston team, the Bruins do not give up, nor will they let how they ended their regular season dictate their gameplay against a tough Maple Leafs team. The playoffs is a whole new beast and, so far, the Black and Gold have come out in full force with a quick 2-0 lead in the series. The Leafs had the Bruins’ number all...

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No Jack Adams for Bruce Cassidy?

No Jack Adams for Bruce Cassidy?

Posted by | Apr 4, 2018 | ,

With little talk about being coach of the year, Coach Bruce Cassidy has helped rebuild the Boston Bruins. When General Manager Don Sweeney announced last April that Bruce Cassidy would the 28th head coach of the Boston Bruins, there was hope and excitement about the new direction this team was taking. Amid the plethora of young players coming in and the return of seasoned veterans, you could see that the Bruins were going to be contenders. Then came the injuries. OVERCOMING SOME ODDS The B’s went through their ups and downs through the beginning of the season. Without making excuses,...

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David Pastrňák- Playing with Flash and Grit

David Pastrňák- Playing with Flash and Grit

Posted by | Mar 22, 2018 | ,

Young, talented, and fast, the 21-year-old right winger is making some important plays as the Bruins look to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs The story has been writing itself for this year’s Boston Bruins. From a rocky start to becoming a dangerous team to play against, there’s no question that this team is special. From the explosion of youth to the “never give up” attitude this team has developed, there’s one particular line that’s leading the team. Prior to losing Patrice Bergeron, the first line consisted of Bergeron,  Brad Marchand and a young Czech player named  David...

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Jake DeBrusk- Playing Where It Counts

Jake DeBrusk- Playing Where It Counts

Posted by | Mar 13, 2018 | ,

Bad timing always seems to befall teams, especially during the most important part of the season. For the Bruins, it’s something that they’ve become somewhat experts on. With their roster being filled with many first-year guys, you knew that this team would be going through some growing pains. As the team would experience one injury after another, it seemed Boston couldn’t catch a break. ENTER DEBRUSK The Bruins not only had those nagging injuries to deal with. On top of this, they were trying to find their style and voice on the ice. Early on there was a concern...

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Czech This Out- the Bruins Are Back in Fighting Form

Czech This Out- the Bruins Are Back in Fighting Form

Posted by | Mar 2, 2018 | ,

Last night’s blowout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins cements the Bruins spot in the playoffs with some help from fellow Czech Mates. At the end of 40 minutes, the horn sounded and the Boston Bruins were up 8-3 against two-time Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins. 8-3. At the end of the second period. Let that sink in. WILD NIGHT AT THE GARDEN The air was electrifying last night at the Garden and the Bruins exploded, defeating the Penguins 8-4. Boston was ready to play and they played hard, leaving Pittsburgh floundering on the ice. With last night’s lopsided win, it may be time to...

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The Bruins Are Making Some Moves

The Bruins Are Making Some Moves

Posted by | Feb 25, 2018 | ,

The Bruins look to make a playoff push with the NHL trade deadline quickly approaching Early Sunday morning, Don Sweeney made his move- a somewhat aggressive one. The Boston Bruins signed Rangers Rick Nash in exchange for Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, Ryan Lindgren, a 1st round draft pick and a 7th round pick in 2019. For some fans, this move is either great or terrible and judging from comments online, fans are split. I want to hate this trade, but in truth, I think it’s smart. Believe me, I’ve haven’t always been a Sweeney fan, but you have to give him...

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It’s Crunch Time for the Bruins

It’s Crunch Time for the Bruins

Posted by | Feb 21, 2018 | ,

As teams continue to put pressure on the Boston Bruins, can the Black and Gold continue to tough it out? I’ll be first to admit, I wasn’t sure if the Boston Bruins really needed to make a trade. But I had to take a hard look at their recent playing effort. The one thing about this team, which has been an issue these past few years, is the depth of their defense. As the trade deadline nears, most teams are looking to rebuild and that means making some changes. Recent rumbles throughout league would have the possibility of Jake...

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Leading the Charge- Bruce Cassidy

Leading the Charge- Bruce Cassidy

Posted by | Feb 15, 2018 | ,

Bruce Cassidy- a New Coach for a New Era The Bruins were down 2-1 in their recent game against the Calgary Flames Tuesday night at the Garden. Boston was on a power play when forward David Pastrnak got called on a slashing penalty and with their power play cut short, the Bruins knew something had to change. For Head Coach Bruce Cassidy, that meant changing up the lines. This was a move that needed to be done. And boy, did it work. Veteran David Backes joined Bergeron and Marchand with Pastrnak playing alongside Riley Nash and Danton Heinen. For...

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Patrice Bergeron- Fire on Ice

Patrice Bergeron- Fire on Ice

Posted by | Feb 8, 2018 | ,

After losing in a recent game against Anaheim, the Bruins were looking to bounce back. In their next game, they had their chance for redemption when they faced the St Louis Blues. The Bruins are getting into the latter part of the season where every point is crucial. Boston scored three goals-all coming from key veteran players: David Krejci, David Backes, and Patrice Bergeron. In this article, we take a look at one of the league’s most humble player. THE ART OF THE DRAW If you want to win a faceoff, you put Patrice Bergeron on the ice. The...

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From Russia With Love- Anton Khudobin

From Russia With Love- Anton Khudobin

Posted by | Feb 3, 2018 | ,

Every player on every line has so far stepped up and pushed through the many injuries that have plagued this team so far this season. For once in a very long time, this Bruins team has major depth on the bench. One of the biggest surprises this season for the Bruins is their newly found tenacity amongst personnel. For one particular player, this year has proven to be his shining moment. Enter Anton Khudobin, Russia’s import to the Boston Bruins. ENTER THE DOBINATOR Despite the loss on Tuesday night, Anton Khudobin has been on fire lately. Up until Tuesday’s...

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Zdeno Chara: Big Man on Ice

Zdeno Chara: Big Man on Ice

Posted by | Jan 25, 2018 | ,

With the sudden news of young superstar Charlie McAvoy recovering from an abnormality in his heart, the Bruins will once again be playing with one man down. The big difference with this year’s Bruins team is how much depth they have on the bench. With the tremendous amount of talent being developed at the NHL and AHL level, Coach Bruce Cassidy has smartly paired up veterans alongside the first year players. One of those veterans is Captain Zdeno Chara. GUIDING LIGHT A towering force at 6”9”, Zdeno Chara has secured the admiration of both teammates and the NHL as...

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Looking to the Future

Looking to the Future

Posted by | Jan 20, 2018 | ,

  Boston, MA–The 2017-2018 Boston Bruins are playing impressive hockey lately, especially in the last two months. This is a feat that the NHL can no longer ignore; they are the real deal. They continue to pummel through their opponents to extend their streak to sixteen points against Montreal. Their surging success is quietly carrying over to their “freshman” team: the Providence Bruins. Currently in second place in the Atlantic division, P-Bruins are racking up impressive numbers. Case in point, Providence is 10-0-1 when rookie player Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson scores. Next Man Up The future of this club, or any club, relies...

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