Author Archives: @bruinsmaniac

About @bruinsmaniac

Originally from NB. Currently living in AB. Avid sports fan.

The Top 5 Boston Bruins Rookie Seasons

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Here are five Bruins who had a great rookie season in no particular order. Before you start yelling at your screen and saying how crazy I am, remember that these are rookie seasons!

Sergei Samsonov

Sergei Samsonov was drafted eighth overall in the 1997 NHL entry draft. He had legs like tree trunks and the ability to change directions in the blink of an eye. When the Boston Bruins traded Glen Wesley to the Hartford Whalers in August of 1994, they received three first round draft picks. These were first overall picks for 1995, 1996 and 1997. The latter pick turned out to be for Samsonov.

In his rookie season with the Bruins he racked up twenty-two goals and forty-seven points in eighty-one games. Bruins fans thought the duo of Samsonov and Jumbo Joe would be a saving grace.  He went on to play six and a half more seasons with the black and gold. His best point total came in the 2000-2001 season, scoring seventy-five points in eighty-two games. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in March of 2006 for a few rolls of tape and a second round pick, which was used to acquire Milan Lucic.

Bobby Orr

I have to be careful with what I say about this legend to avoid upsetting the hockey purists out there.

Mr. Orr signed with the Boston Bruins for the 1966-1967 season. This was his first year as a professional. There are many debates pertaining to his salary that year, but he was the highest paid player in league history.

For his first preseason the Bruins tried Orr out at center and he wore the number 27. When the regular season rolled around the team offered him number 5, but he chose the famous number 4 and was placed in his natural spot on the blue line. Orr played his first regular season game in October of 1966 against the Detroit Red Wings, finishing with one assist.

Orr had one of the best seasons by a defenseman in his first year, scoring thirteen goals and forty-one points in sixty-one games. That year he won the Calder Memorial trophy as the league’s top rookie and was named NHL’s second all-star team.

There is not enough room to list all of the achievements that Bobby Orr accumulated over his career, but here are a few of the highlights. He won the Art Ross trophy twice and the James Norris trophy a whopping eight times. He went to the NHL All-Star game eight times and was named the MVP of the game in 1972. Orr hoisted the Stanley Cup twice in 1970 and 1972, along with the Conn Smythe in both of those years.

Many argue that he is the greatest player ever to dawn an NHL sweater, and with numbers like these you can see why. 657 games played. 270 goals. 645 assists. 915 points. 953 penalty mins and an astonishing +597!

Joe Juneau

The best rocket scientist to play in the NHL. Joe Juneau received a degree in aeronautical engineering in three years, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

The Bruins drafted Juneau in the fourth round in the 1988 NHL entry draft. However, he did not suit up for the big club until 1992. Ask Harry Sinden and he’ll tell you all about it!

His best season in the NHL was his rookie season, where he racked up one hundred and two points in eighty-four games. He gathered seventy assists that season, setting a NHL record by a rookie. A mark which still stands. Juneau won the Calder Memorial trophy that year for the best overall rookie. Some will say his linemates that year should have accepted the award with him. The powerful line consisted of Adam Oates centering Cam Neely and Joe Juneau.

During his fifteen year NHL career Juneau never played a game in the minors and retired as a member of the Montreal Canadiens in 2004. He finished his career with 572 points in 828 games.

Andrew Raycroft

After being drafted in the fifth round 135th overall in 1998, Andrew Raycroft was a real long shot to make a name for himself in the NHL. Let alone win Rookie of the Year.

Raycroft played his first full NHL season with the Bruins in 2003-2004 with a stingy record of twenty-nine wins in fifty-seven games. He had a GAA of 2.05 and .926 SV% and three shut-outs.

Never finding his groove again after that, Andrew was traded to the Leafs during the offseason of 2006 for some no-name Finnish prospect Tuukka Rask. Even if the trade never materialized, it was later revealed that Raycroft would have been released from his contract and made him available to the Leafs without any compensation whatsoever! Sorry Leafs fans.

Andrew Raycroft announced his retirement from professional hockey in April 2014 after spending a few years around the European leagues. He now volunteers as an assistant coach for Connecticut Huskies.

Raymond Bourque

Now this piece might sound biased, but Ray Bourque is my all-time favorite hockey player. But that does not take away from the fact that he had an amazing rookie season.

With the eighth pick in the 1979 NHL entry draft the Boston Bruins selected Raymond Bourque. The club received that pick in a trade with the LA Kings. Boston sent goaltender Ron Grahame to LA in exchange for the eighth pick. Ironically enough, Ron’s son John became teammates with Bourque.

Bourque played his first game against the Winnipeg Jets in 1979, where he also scored his first NHL goal. From his first game Bourque showed that he would be one of the best NHL defenseman ever! During his rookie campaign he tallied sixty-five points which was a record by an NHL rookie d-man at that time. The sixty-five points and his steady play was more than enough to win the Calder Memorial trophy.

When Rick Middleton retired in 1988, Bourque was named the sole captain of the Boston Bruins, and kept that title for his entire Bruins career. With that distinction he surpassed Alex Delvecchio as the longest-serving NHL team captain, a mark which has been broken by Steve Yzerman.

Bourque went on to play twenty-one solid and steady years for the Bruins. Ray won the Norris trophy five times and became the sixth defenseman in history to score thirty goals in a season. He won the King Clancy Memorial and Lester Patrick trophy once and was named an NHL first team all-star thirteen times. Bourque is eighth all-time (fourth among defenseman) in games played with 1612. Bourque also holds the record for shots on goal in one game with nineteen! Also he is first in career points and goals by a defenseman. I could go on and on.

Honourable Mentions

Here are a few guys that could have also been in the top five:

  • Frank Brimsek
  • Dereck Sanderson
  • Brad Marchand
  • Tiny Thompson
  • Brad Boyes

The New Wave

Will this year see another Bruin name etched on the Calder trophy? With rookies like Danton Heinen, Charlie McAvoy, and Jake DeBrusk it is a distinct possibility. So far this all-star trio are really helping the Bruins to a great season. A great playoff run is looking better each game.

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

Boston Bruins 4th Line: #1 in the #4 Business?

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Too Good to Break Up

After an another impressive win by the Boston Bruins, one line really stood out. The 4th line consisting of Tim Schaller, Noel Acciari and Sean Kuraly are really starting to make a name for themselves!

4 points by the 4th line, on night where they played a team that boasted a home record of 12-3-3, is pretty darn good! This line plays the wear-you-down drag-’em-out type of hockey we have been looking for. They have been called the lunch-pail gang but they are starting prove their worth.

All three guys were in the double digits for time on ice and also had some penalty kill time, which shows that the confidence Cassidy has in these guys is growing. Not since the Thornton-Campbell-Paille line, that helped hoist the cup in 2011, have we seen a coach with this much faith in his 4th line. Whispers from all around the media water cooler are calling our current grind line one of the best in the league.

Looking Ahead

Our next three games are no cake-walks. The Bruins host the Panthers and the Hurricanes before heading to Pittsburgh on Sunday, January 7. None of these three teams will be easy to beat. Only the Pens have a losing record in their last 10 games, BUT they are the 2 time defending champs. We will definitely have to bring our A-game.

Adam McQuaid is soon ready to return and management needs to figure out that mess. David Krecji is back and healthy which saw Bjork watching the game from the cheap seats. Having a healthy team is a great problem to have but figuring out where to put them is not.

Tuukka Rask is playing as if his life depended on it, which is an awesome sight. So far this season over 25 games Rask has a 2.13 GAA along with .923 SV%. Rask was also named first star of the month with a record of 9-0-1 with 1.22 GAA and .955 SV%. Even Anton Khudobin has a winning record over 14 games. 2.47 GAA and .923 SV% are pretty good numbers when you spend 3/4 of your time on bench. Needless to say he has been there when we needed him.

In my humble opinion it is a great time to be a fan of the Boston Bruins. We are getting back to being the team nobody wants to play and for good reason. With a game in hand over the Tampa Bay Lightning, we are just 10 points out of first in the division. It is a good feeling when you see any one of the lines on the ice and not get nervous! 2018 is off to a great start and I am pumped for each and every upcoming game.

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

Backes on Track: An Overview of David Backes’s Career

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The Signing

When I heard that the Boston Bruins signed David Backes to a 5 year deal on July 1 2016 I was jumping for joy! The Big Boy Backes was just the power forward we have been looking for since the departure of Lucic. That one still bugs me! Standing 6′ 3″ and tipping the scales at 225 pounds, David Backes would be the prototypical Bruin.

The Rookie

The St Louis Blues drafted David Backes 62nd overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He went back to play for Minnesota State for three seasons where he put up some decent numbers. He amassed 119 PTS and 212 PIMS in only 115 games! Not too shabby, eh? He had a brief stint in the AHL with the Peoria Rivermen before joining the St Louis Blues for the 2006-2007 season. His best production season with the Blues was the 2010-2011 season where he netted 62 points in 82 games. On Sept 09 2011 he was named the 20th captain of the Blues, taking the reigns from Eric Brewer who was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. While he may not be an offensive juggernaut, he is a mean two-way power forward who can score when called upon.

The Man

Off the ice Backes is a big gentle bear. David and his wife Kelly are quite involved in animal rescue efforts and pet adoption drives. He has a huge passion for animals which goes all the way back to his childhood where always had pets around. David received his private pilots license in 2012. He is also a graduate of Minnesota State University.

Getty Images

David made his international debut in 2007 where he was named to the US national team for the IIHF World Championships. He was named to the team for next two years and played in the bronze medal game in 2009, losing to Sweden 4-2. The national team came calling again but this time on the Olympic platform. With a goal and 2 assists he helped the team get to the gold medal game, falling to team Canada 3-2 in OT. Again in 2014 he suited up for team USA in the Olympics. This time there would be no medals, but he did help out with 4 PTS in 6 games.

The Legend?

Now with the Bruins he his quickly making a name for himself. Last season with the B’s he had 38 PTS and 69 PIMS in 74 games. Now this season is a bit of a different story. He went under the knife in November to remove a portion of his colon due to diverticulitis. Much to the joy of his teammates Backes has made a full recovery! So far this season he has 15 points in 20 games. David Backes was just named the NHL’s 3rd star this week with 6 points in 3 games all while playing on the 3rd line! With his help the Bruins have been steam rolling along. They are currently sitting 2nd in the division with a 7-1-2 record over the last 10 games. Yee Haw!

This is exactly what a young Bruins team needs right now. The former captain who, while still in his prime, is showing tons of leadership on a very young and talented team. They are playing with a ton of confidence and looking to make some noise in the playoffs. The problem I see moving forward is how to make room for everyone in the line-up once all the injuries have healed. The young call-ups are starting to look like seasoned veterans which is definitely not a bad thing.

The Bottom Line

Was signing Big Boy Backes to 5 years for 30 mil a good move for the Bruins? ABSOLUTELY!!! He is fearless power forward with some all-star skill. He is giving coach Cassidy some needed options on the 3rd line. Playing alongside Riley Nash and Danton Heinen, they are giving the top 2 lines much-needed rest and security. It nice to know that you can send out the 3rd line and not have to worry about defensive breakdowns. With this line it is the complete opposite. They look like a top line every time they step on the ice! Let’s hope 2018 will continue to be kind to this Bruins team as they make a mad dash for the finish line.

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

Frozen Thoughts: the State of the NHL and the Bruins

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Frozen Thoughts…

Greetings from Northern Alberta.  As I write this the temperature outside is -36°C.  Brrr.

I read one of Don Cherry’s books a few years ago and I remember him saying this book has no order. It is written like his thoughts and that is probably how this article will be. I, like Don, am not very politically correct but I will try to contain myself.

These are my thoughts on the current state of the NHL and the Boston Bruins in particular:

Protection

Number one thing on my mind is how the injuries keep piling up. My solution is bring back the enforcer role or get rid of the instigator rule. I believe the on ice presence of a guy like Shawn Thornton will deter guys from taking cheap shots or liberties with stars or even any top line guy. I am not a big fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but I applaud them for signing Ryan Reaves. That guy is a tank and he would and should put the fear of God into opposing players! I have been saying for a while now that the Bruins need someone like that. Look at the injuries we are having. Not saying that some policing would have prevented them all, but it would not hurt. One of my previous articles talks about how we can use McQuaid back in the line-up for this purpose.

Expansion

My next beef with the NHL is their decision to put the next possible expansion team in Seattle. I am not against that decision completely, but Quebec has been ready and waiting for a while now. They built a first-rate arena which some would say is better than some of the current league arenas. Now I know what you’re thinking: they already had a team and they couldn’t support it. But look at Winnipeg, they are doing better than ever! In fact, they are doing better than the Panthers, Coyotes and the Hurricanes. I believe that Quebec can do the same.  

Bettman is definitely not a fan favorite but he has done good things for the league. However, I think he leans more towards the US market than he does Canada. Just my opinion. I am sure Seattle can support a team, but maybe the league should think about relocating one of the aforementioned teams to Seattle instead of expansion. That being said, LET’S GET QUEBEC A TEAM! I miss that Quebec rivalry.

I want the teams to go back to wearing white at home. Dark on the road. That’s it. Next…

Collision

This is a touchy subject, but I am going to open this can of worms. I was taught from age 4 to keep your head up! In fact, when my dad sends me a card or a note his closing remarks to this day are “Keep Your Head Up Kid”. If a player is skating up the ice with his head down, then he should be fair game. Now I’m not saying get him with a cheap shot, but a player should be to step up and lay the body. If you can picture a guy skating up the ice his head is further out than the rest of his body. So now it would stand to reason that his head would get hit first. That’s a penalty in the new NHL. I completely disagree.

It’s the same if Chara steps up on a guy elbows down. The receiving player will get hit in the head just because of the sheer size difference. Now is this the fault of Chara? No. Look, it is a very fast and physical game. Guys will get hurt no matter how hard the league tries to stop the injuries.

These players are paid a ton of money to play a game where every game could be their last. They know the risks and they make the decision to lace up their skates and get out there and do it! Now I do not want to see anyone get hurt, but it happens. It will always happen. Concussions will happen. Some players are more prone to concussion than others. It’s just how our bodies are different. I still watch hockey every chance I get, but the way the league is changing bugs me. You can see players going in for the big hit and then backing off for fear of getting a penalty. ‘Nuff said on that.

Confusion

What to do with Krug. Personally I like the guy. He is a fast, puck moving defenseman with a dandy shot from the point. His defensive game has been lacking a bit though. He is in the 2nd year of a two year contract worth 5.25 mil/season. That is a boat load of money for someone you can not trust to put on the ice during a 3 on 3 OT. He never set foot on the ice in OT, which leads me to think, have the coaching staff lost faith in him? For example, his ice-time during that game was 18:14. Rookie sensation Charlie McAvoy had 20:48. Even league wide unknown d-man, Matt Grzelcyk had 17:22 TOI. Grzelcyk is quickly becoming a staple on the point for the Bruins.

Was the benching of Krug in OT a message to him and the rest of the defensive corp? Time will tell. I think Krug is just in slump and needs a push to get back to where he was.

Conclusion

Hopefully the next time we meet it will be a bit warmer. Hopefully the Bruins can keep their winning ways and stay injury free. It’s gonna be fun seeing what this young, fearless team can do in the post season!

 

Keep Your Head Up

The Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry

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The Beginning

Bruins versus Canadiens. The greatest rivalry in all of hockey. I say it’s the greatest in all sports. Some will argue that the rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees holds the title, but I disagree. It all began December 8 1924. A 4-3 come-from-behind win for the Canadiens. Pffft. Now you might ask: what makes a rivalry? Well let me tell ya!

These two teams have met a total of 915 times. The all time record is 466–338–103–8 (MTL). Yuck. They have met in the playoffs 34 times. They have faced each other nine times in Game 7 of the playoffs. That’s more than any other two NHL teams. I’d say that’s enough for a rivalry!

Through the Ages

On the night of March 13 1955 in Boston, Maurice Richard got into a stick swing altercation with Bruins’ defenseman Hal Laycoe. Both ended up bloody. Boston Police tried to go to the Canadiens dressing room and arrest Richard. After all said and done Richard got a match penalty and an automatic $100 fine. Laycoe got a 5 min major and a 10 min misconduct, which came with a $25 fine for the high stick. This is what started the Richard Riot. Clarence Campbell called a meeting on March 16 and suspended Richard for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. The longest ever in Campbell’s 31 years as President! Habs fans were calling for his head issuing death threats to Campbell. The suspension cost ‘Rocket’ the scoring title that year.  Yup, there were some unhappy people in Montreal!

Between 1965 and 1979 the Bruins and Canadiens made up 16 of a possible 30 Stanley Cup finals. They went head-to-head in 1977 and 1978 Stanley Cup finals. Montreal won 4-0 (1977) and 4-2 (1978). In 1979 they met in the semi finals. I really hate reliving this next part. In Game 7 the Bruins were winning with 4 mins left when they got the infamous penalty for too many men on the ice.  Then came the non-call for offside. In the end that marked the last game with Mr. Don Cherry behind the bench.

Heating It Up

Let’s jump ahead to the 90’s. The Bruins knocked out the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs in 1994 in seven games. You might remember this series. Patrick Roy was diagnosed with appendicitis and missed Game 3. He convinced doctors to let him play in Game 4. Canadiens fans will argue that made the difference in the series. Any excuse will do I guess!

In 2000 and 2001 both teams missed the playoffs. Then in 2002 and 2004 the Canadiens defeated the Bruins in the first round both times. In the 2004 playoffs the Bruins held a 3-1 series lead with the Canadiens coming from behind to win. That was the first time the Canadiens had won a series when trailing 3-1!

During the summer of 2007 the Bruins hired former Habs coach Claude Julien. That year the Canadiens won every meeting between the two teams. During that regular season Steve Begin crosschecked Marc Savard from behind resulting in a broken bone in the back.

Now you all should remember the 2010-2011 season. Montreal won four of six meetings that year. Feb 9 had a brawl with two all-star goalies squaring off at center ice. The bigger Carey Price manhandled the hot-headed Tim Thomas. Now this next one is a real sore spot for Canadiens fans. March 8 of the same season the Canadiens won the game 4-1 but this is the game where the mighty Chara rode Pacioretty into the turnbuckle. His head hit one of the metal uprights and he was knocked unconscious. Chara wasn’t fined or suspended for the hit but received an interference major and a game misconduct. Habs players and fans wanted a suspension and the Montreal police even conducted a criminal investigation into the hit.

The Cup

Again they met in the first round of the playoffs that season. The Bruins lost the first two games at home after finally winning the series in 7 games on a 2nd OT goal by Nathon Horton. The Bruins became the first team to win a 7 game series without scoring a power-play goal. During Game 4 of the series the rivalry got heated up just a bit more if that’s even possible. Hometown favorite Andrew Ferrence made the famous obscene gesture to the Canadiens fans and was fined $2500 by the league. No suspension. And in Game 6 Milan Lucic got a 5 min major and a game misconduct for boarding hit on Jaroslav Spacek.

This was season was my absolute favorite! The Bruins made it to Stanley Cup finals defeating the Canucks in 7 games! First time I got to see them hoist the cup. They won it all in 1972. I was born in 1973. It was the first time the Bruins beat the Habs on route to a cup win since 1929.

Current Day

The Bruins fired Julien. The Habs rehired Julien. Bruins have a rookie coach. Habs are having trouble getting above .500 hockey. Bruins are having injury troubles. And they will meet for the first time this season on Jan 13 2018. Me and a friend have some wobbly pops on the line for this meeting. This is a much-anticipated meeting. It always is. Am I looking forward to this game? YES!  My best friend is a Habs fan and we usually don’t speak to each other for at least a couple of days after games. I have lost $100 to my brother betting on the Bruins against the Habs. It never ends and I can’t wait!

Until next time….Keep Your Head Up

 

 

 

Ice Wars: The Return of Darth Quaider

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October 19, 2017

The last game Adam McQuaid played in before going down with an injury.

What looked like a routine block shot turned out to be a broken leg. Thanks Canucks. Now anyone who knows me knows that I dislike the Canucks. Even being a Canadian I have a couple of teams north of the border that I will not cheer for.

I am originally from New Brunswick, so anytime a player from the east coast is in the NHL, especially in the Bruins line-up, he draws my attention. Brad Marchand is the best player to come out of Nova Scotia! Now Quaider (as he is known to teammates) is from PEI and plays for the Bruins. He is a defenseman, which is my favorite position, and one of my favorite players on the team. He plays with grit and stands up for teammates. And he is a pretty good defenseman. He has an average TOI of 14:42 this season, with 16:20 for his career.

Now if you ask me, that is enough to help take some of the work load off Chara, who turns 41 in March. He needs all the help that he can get. Father time is catching up with Chara. He is not quite the presence he once was, but I still would not want to meet him in the corner! If we make the playoffs, which I am saying we will, we are going to need a rested Chara. That is where the return of McQuaid will be a huge help. I am tired of seeing the Bruins limp into the playoffs.

Back in Action

McQuaid was a game-time decision on December 23 against the Red Wings. Guess the powers-that-be decided he needs the Christmas beak. The next game is on December 27 against the Senators. That is a division rival! I for one would love to see him in the lineup for that one. He is definitely the on-ice presence we need to help keep some of the top line guys safe. No more injuries please. Man, it’s been a tough start-injury-wise. Luckily some of the young studs have stepped up.

That leads to the next dilemma. Who do we send down to make room for McQuaid? That young baby face guy… What’s his name? Oh yeah… Charlie McAvoy. NOPE!!! Carlo or Miller? No and no.  Krug? Well if you ask the masses they might say dump him. I read a post on Twitter this morning that said he is an absolute joke of a defenseman. Too small. Blah blah blah. Personally I like the guy. Yeah he is a bit small to defend some of the bigger guys, but he is quick and can move the puck up the ice fast. And speed is the name of today’s game. And he has a laser from the point.

The obvious choice for me is Matt Grzelcyk. So far this year with the big team he has played in 16 games. 3 points and a plus 7. Not bad for a young d-man. But we need to make room. We need the physical play that Darth Quaider can bring. Ask anyone, one big hit can turn the momentum of a game. And that’s what he can do for team riddled with injuries.

That Guy from PEI

Now the stats of McQuaid are nothing to write home about, but I say leave the blue line scoring to Krug and that youngster McAvoy. But he will definitely be a welcome addition. I for one am excited to see the team injury-free and a team that nobody wants to play. I still think the team needs a tough guy up front. But for right now the lineup that we have is great. A healthy lineup. Oh yeah, there is still that Krejci guy. He was placed on IR and can sure use the break to get rested up. Who makes room for him? That’s for another day.

Adam McQuaid; he’s an easterner. He’s that guy from PEI. Tough as nails. Mean as a junkyard dog. Plays with intensity. Puts fear into forwards heading into his zone. Super nice guy. What does his return mean? Everything to a team that looks playoff bound!

Until next time…. Keep Your Head Up!