mid season

State Of The Bruins At Mid Season

So far this season has been up and down for the Bruins. They have battled a tremendous amount of adversity and most recently lost Tuukka Rask to a concussion. Despite the injuries, they would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. With the first half of the season over, the Bruins are in a good position as they make their playoff push. They still have to improve offensively, but there were many positives to take from the first half.

Due to numerous injuries, the Bruins depth has been tested. As a result, their young players have been forced to replace key pieces such as Charlie McAvoy. One player in particular who has stepped up is Matt Grzyelcyk. The BU product has excelled in multiple roles for the Bruins, and already tied a career-high with 12 assists. In a blueline that has dealt with numerous injuries, he has only missed three games. Grzelcyk, however, is not the only defenseman that has shined.

Mid season
Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/ Getty Images

Youth And Veterans Stepping Up

Just like last season, the Bruins have relied on their youth. So far this season both Connor Clifton and Jeremy Lauzon have made their NHL debuts. They both played significant minutes during their brief call-ups and surpassed all expectations. The young defenseman showed that they could handle a top-six role in the NHL. With the trade deadline looming they could be interesting trade chips or key pieces to the Bruins future.

While the Bruins young players have excelled, so have the veterans. David Krejci has appeared to have found the fountain of youth. In 49 games he already has 40 points, after recording just 44 last season. He is on pace to surpass forty assists for the first time since 2015-2016. He has carried this team at times when scoring has been scarce. Despite Krejci’s efforts, and the Bruins top lines’ dominance, the Bruins offensive struggles must be addressed in the second half.

This season the Bruins scoring issues can be linked to multiple sophomore slumps. After recording 47 points last season Danton Heinen, has only 13 in the first half. Anders Bjork was supposed to be a key contributor and now is out for the rest of the season. As a result, the Bruins have had to rely on players such as Colby Cave who failed to spark the offense. They do however have many options in the trade market.

Due to their offensive struggles, the Bruins have been popular in the rumor mill. Some players they have been linked to are Wayne Simmonds, Charlie Coyle, and Brayden Schenn. If the Bruins are to make a deep playoff run, improving the offense will be key. They already have a deep defensive core and a rising superstar in David Pastrnak. Their goalie tandem has also been better than many expected.

With one half in the books, the Bruins have reasons to be hopeful in the second half. If they can improve the offense, then this team could be dangerous in the playoffs. They have the depth to make a move, and their scouts have been busy. They will look to start the second half in dominant style next Tuesday against Winnipeg.

Under the Radar Players for Super Bowl LIII

The Rams and Patriots are advancing to the Super Bowl. And while there’s been a lot of talk about the well-known stars for their respective teams, there are some under-the-radar NFL players to watch during the title game. 

Clearly a lot of the attention will be on Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Jared Goff, and Sean McVay. However, football is the ultimate team sport and many players who aren’t household names will have a major impact in determining which team gets to hold the Lombardi trophy.

If you are going to bet on the Super Bowl it’s important to make an informed decision. That means knowing both the stars for each team as well as the lesser known players on defense and special teams. Betting on the Super Bowl gets larger every year and there are plenty of sports books that are available to place a wager with. Just like you need to be informed about the players, you should know the site you are betting with and which sports books are offering the best deals. Reputable sites like betbrain offer great deals to fans interested in betting on the Super Bowl and other big sporting events.

C.J. Anderson, running back, Rams

Things couldn’t have worked out better for Anderson this season. After getting cut by the Broncos, Panthers and Raiders, the veteran running back has burst on the scene with the Rams, rushing for over 400 yards in the last three games. He and Todd Gurley punished the Cowboys in the Divisional Round, win thanks in large part to a dominant performance up front by LA’s offensive line.

Anderson led the way with 123 yards and two touchdowns against a Dallas defense that ranked fifth against the run during the regular season. Yards on the ground will be harder to come by against the Patriots run defense, but Anderson should continue to have success running behind an offensive line that has been owning the trenches.

James White, running back, Patriots

The Patriots have quite the duo at running back in White and rookie Sony Michel. The latter has shown to be most effective on the ground, with 931 rushing yards on the year. White, on the other hand, is the better receiver of the two, with 87 catches. Only Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley had more receptions at the running back position this season.

In the Divisional Round win against the Chargers, White finished with a game-high 15 catches on 17 targets. In what should be a pass-heavy approach against the Rams, White appears set for another heavy workload in the game.

Aqib Talib, cornerback, Rams

The last time the Rams and Saints met, Thomas went off on the LA secondary, catching 12 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown. However, it’s important to note that Talib missed that game with an ankle injury. With Talib back for the rematch against New England, it will be far more difficult for Thomas to potentially explode for another big game. And if the Rams can keep him in check, it’ll put a lot of pressure on the rest of the Patriots receiving corps.

Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver, Patriots

After watching Julian Edelman pick apart the Chiefs’s secondary, it’s safe to say the Rams defense will be devoting a lot of attention to the Patriots’ scrappy veteran receiver. That could create some opportunities for other players to step up.

One player in particular is Phillip Dorsett, who saw a lot of targets the first four weeks of the season when Edelman was suspended. It’s also worth mentioning that Dorsett’s snap counts have increased since Josh Gordon’s departure from the team last month.

If L.A. succeeds in taking away Edelman, look for Dorsett to step up for New England in an increased role.  

Cory Littleton, linebacker, Rams

Littleton was voted to the Pro Bowl this season as a special-teamer, but he’s also been one of LA’s best players on defense. His 90 solo tackles ranked eighth in the NFL, and he led all linebackers with 13 passes defended.

In addition to Thomas, the Patriots have a running back in Sony Michel, who’s just as lethal catching passes out of the backfield as he is running the ball. As the Rams’ best coverage linebacker, Littleton will often be matched up with Michel on Sunday, and it will be his job to limit the damage done by the Patirots’ dynamic running back.

Dont’a Hightower, linebacker, Patriots

One of the more intriguing matchups this Sunday will be Jard Goff going up against the Patriots defense. The Patriots are well known for having creative gameplans on defense, and Hightower is one player in particular who they like to move around. It will be interesting to see what New England throws at Goff in the Super Bowl

How Did it Happen? Patriots are Atlanta Bound

At almost every turn this regular season, the Patriots found themselves doubted. Constantly counted out and disregarded, teams went to play them with a higher level of confidence than years prior. Now, they head to Atlanta where they are currently three point favorites against the Los Angeles Rams. 

Gameplan

Yesterday was a marvelous performance and featured phenomenal execution. The gameplan on offense was really no secret. The plan going in was to establish the run game, create unpredictability in the playcall, and most of all dominate the time of possession to keep the ball out of the hands of Mahomes. 

Coaching 

The coaching was stupendous however not flawless. Some questionable playcalls and decisions almost cost them the game on both sides of the ball, but that happens in the NFL. On the flip side, the coaching staff for Kansas City appeared blatantly unprepared for this game. The Patriots game plan came as no surprise to even some of the most casual fans, yet Kansas City struggled to stop the run on almost every try early in the game. Virtually every run in the first and second quarter broke for nice gains into the second and third levels of the defense. 

Defensive Line

The Chiefs failures to stop the run early on killed their chances to get anything going in the first half. Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs might want to look at the tape from this game and look at how one dimensional their offense became. The depleted running attack forced Mahomes to throw. Andy Reid and the staff did him no favors by calling almost exclusively medium to long ball plays. This only made the job easier for Patriots pass rush, who was steamrolling an offensive line, going after a quarterback holding onto the ball for too long. Trey Flowers and the crew had big games attacking a offensive line that was pretty solid this season.

Long Drives 

The long, sustained drives that the Patriots put together early in the game were just pure football art. The mix of run and pass had the defense guessing wrong almost every time in the first and second quarter and allowed for the Patriots to hold the Chiefs offense to zero points in the first half. Complementary football at it’s finest.

Tommy Boy 

Also, of course, how can anyone forget? Tom Brady. How does Brady continue to put together these wins late in the game, seemingly by himself. Sure the offensive line was spectacular and Edelman and Gronk played big roles in the final two drives, but Brady put on a clinic by marching down the field twice to go ahead on both occasions. Name another quarterback who deserves to even be mentioned in the same sentence as him. It might take a while. 

Chris Amendola

It was encouraging to see Chris Hogan make some of the plays he did late in the game, which only inspires hope for Patriots fans that he can take on the Patriots’ Playoff Amendola role. 

Offensive Line and Running Game

The offensive line as mentioned before was marvelous. They did a great job, paving the way for Michel, White, and Burkhead to run where they wanted at will. The question remains to be asked of where this offensive line and team would be without re-hiring Dante Scarnecchia back in 2016. 

Roberts and Kyle Van Noy 

The last real encouraging performance was the performance of Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts. Two frequently unappreciated linebackers went and put together some nice plays and tackles to make things difficult for Mahomes and company. Van Noy’s performance was especially impressive and very encouraging going into the Super Bowl against a very good running game.  

Stage set in Atlanta

Now, Brady and company will head off to Super Bowl 53 in a highly anticipated matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams. Hopefully, the Patriots can follow the pattern of the Red Sox and themselves, who both beat LA teams earlier this year (Dodgers and Chargers). Regardless of the outcome of this Super Bowl bout, it is hard to see the Patriots going down without a fight. 

Tune in: Sunday, February 3rd, 2019 

6:30PM 

Mercedes-Benz Stadium 

#BEATLA

With the game on the line like it or not Brady is the one you want under center

Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl again

The Patriots are headed to another Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years. Tom Brady is the only quarterback ever to make good receivers great in big spots. Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett, who have been absent all season, were great when it mattered the most. That offensive line was also exceptional in protecting Brady throughout the game. Then Brady found Edelman on those third downs in overtime to keep the drive alive, were was Edelman elite and clutch again.

Brady’s swagger is hated around the country, except for Patriot fans. He takes what people say and uses it as motivation. He even said he’s the baddest mother (bleeper) on the planet. He’s earned the right to be cocky, going to the Super Bowl for the 9th time in his career. He went to Kraft and said drafting him was the best decision this organization has ever made as soon he was drafted. Boy was Brady right.

Whether it’s 17-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI with just over a minute left, down 28-3 to the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, or the back and forth game in this years AFC Championship. There’s no other quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady. However, Patrick Mahomes is second. The kid has talent and will have a great career in the NFL.

Brady’s calmness with the game on the line is something you might never see again

Brady’s calmness in the pocket with the game on the line is insane. The pressure doesn’t phase him, and puts it in the guys minds to take it one play at a time. Belichick wouldn’t want to have any other quarterback than Tom Brady. Brady wouldn’t want to have any other coach than Bill Belichick.

The Patriots are the Yankees of football, and Brady is the Derek Jeter of the Patriots. If you want to say Bill Belichick is the Joe Torre of football you can. He puts a team together every year to make a run for a championship. Everybody hates them because they always find ways to win every single year. Sorry America Brady, Gronkowski, and the Patriots are still here.

The Patriots Odds of Winning the Super Bowl  

Football is a popular sport and the Super Bowl is one of the most anticipated sports events in the United States. When you want to bet on your favorite team, it is important to evaluate the odds of the team making it to the Super Bowl. As a Patriots fan, you may want to believe that your team will make it to the Super Bowl and win, but you also want to pay attention to estimates based on team performance and statistics to determine if you are making a good bet.

Basics of Estimating the Odds

Super Bowl betting odds give you an idea of where to place your bet. The odds are calculated from the statistical performance of the team throughout the season. At the beginning of the football season, you can expect limited details about the odds. As the teams play more games, the odds adjust based on their performance and skill during the games.

While the odds calculate the statistical probability of your team winning, you should be aware that they also consider the way others are placing their bets. Sports betting odds may adjust the numbers slightly due to interest in a particular team or a high rate of bets for the team. When you are considering a bet on the Patriots, you want to look into their previous games and the games of the other team to determine their chance of winning and moving into the Super Bowl.

Expectations for the Patriots

The odds of the Patriots winning the Super Bowl are not ideal. While the team does have a chance to move into the Super Bowl, they are not the team with the highest expectation of winning the game. Estimations put the odds between 7-2 or 8-1, depending on the method of calculation. They are one of the four teams expected to move into the Championship round; however, the chance of winning the Super Bowl is around 22 percent. They are not the favorite to win based on their past performance for the season.

Betting on the Super Bowl

When you are ready to bet on the Super Bowl, you want to look into all of the teams. The favorite team is not always the team that wins the game, so you want to pay attention to all of the teams with a chance of playing in the Super Bowl and their current team dynamics. The Patriots are one of the teams that may move into the Super Bowl, but they are going into the Championship as the underdog. If you are considering a bet on the team, then be aware that they have a lower chance of winning the game when compared to other teams.

Anticipation for the Super Bowl continues to build as teams are narrowed down based on their previous games. While you do want to pay attention to the Patriots, they do not have the best odds of winning in the Super Bowl. Consider the favorite team or consider hedging your bets to limit the risk of losses when you want to put a bet on the Patriots.

Wanted: Patriots Coaches on the Carousel

Storied franchises like the New England Patriots have a distinct aroma as opposed to the wretched stench of perennial losers like Arizona, Tampa Bay, Oakland, and Detroit. And because the wafting scent of winning is an aphrodisiac to owners who want what Robert Kraft has, the natural inclination is to reach out and poach someone. Once the regular season draws to a close the hunt is on for those teams that need not concern themselves with the postseason. Yes, the losers are looking to become winners and anyone even remotely associated with a Super Bowl contending club is fair game. Therefore, it is not surprising that Bill Belichick may be seeing the last of his subordinates once the Patriots’ championship aspirations are realized or not.

Where coaches like Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels or default defensive coordinator Brian Flores will land is anyone’s guess. However, there are online sportsbooks taking action on just such an occurrence. If you’ve ever wondered how to bet on sports, you might find intriguing proposition wagers like odds on who will be the Jets’ next head coach.

Right now, both McDaniels and Flores are prepping their charges for a date at the Razor against the highest AFC seed emerging from wildcard weekend. But undoubtedly the background noise they are hearing is a cacophony of NFL CEO’s, GM’s, and assorted executive management types baying at the moon, not to mention the duo’s agents, for an appointment – a little sit-down if you will – to discuss the allure of a long, prosperous future in the desert with the Arizona Cardinals or a trip to the Queen City to wax prosaic on the football wonderland that is Cincinnati. We may chuckle at the thought of leaving a rabid hotbed of football heaven here in New England but then again, we’re not being offered oodles of cash to take the money and run.

Regardless of who abandons ship and where they go, Bill Belichick will fill the void and the next man up will be as good as the last man gone. It’s not supposed to work that way of course but it does in Bill’s world. When asked about the prospects of some of his staff being courted for any number of the eight coaching vacancies available, Belichick replied, “I’m really focused right now on getting our team ready for the next game, and try to prepare us for a week from Sunday. Whatever else is happening is happening. Not really much I can do about it. Doesn’t really affect me. So, you should talk to those teams to see what they’re doing. I don’t really know.”

It was a typical Belichickian response which basically avoided the answering the actual question, gave a cursory enough response to let the reporter know that he wasn’t going to get a bone on this day, and essentially ended the discussion. Belichick has it down to a science yet reporters have a job to do and the Patriots’ head coach is expert at deflecting, avoiding, and turning any query into an awkward intrusion. But the fact remains that the Patriots could very well be seeking a new offensive coordinator of their own once their season is done, hopefully after hoisting another Lombardi Trophy on high, and may also be in search of a defensive coordinator that may demand he’s actually given the title of, well ya know, defensive coordinator. Only time will tell but for right now, New England has the guys that everyone else wants in yet another championship run.

The Patriots Will Electrify the Bolts on Sunday

Pats fans will tell anyone who will listen that Tom Brady and company will beat any and all comers no matter the team, the year, or the prevailing circumstances surrounding such an occasion. It’s just what fans in New England do because they’ve been right so more often than not, over the past two decades. The Patriots’ string of success is unparalleled and when football fans talk about dynasties, no longer will Pittsburgh, Dallas, Green Bay, Denver, and San Francisco be debated as to which one has had greater success. It’s all just a moot point as New England has had a death grip on the AFC East forever and has participated in a record 10 Super Bowls, eight of which under the command of the legendary Tom Brady.

This year has been a struggle with TB12 looking too much like Matthew Stafford and not enough like Tom Brady. Rob Gronkowski has not been the one-man wrecking crew that has made him the most feared tight end in league history nor does this edition of the Patriots boast a speed merchant that can stretch the field and open up the middle for incomparable slot receivers like Julian Edelman. Josh Gordon was looking to be that guy but alas, no more. If we take a look at how some of the best online sportsbooks in the business view this divisional round matchup against the Chargers, the first thing we do is click on over to Sportsbook Review, where you can get all the lines from all the major books and even read a Sportsbetting.ag review where you can look at feedback from actual Sportsbetting.ag customers telling you of their experiences in terms of depositing, betting options, customer service, and most importantly how quickly they get paid when they want to cash out their winnings.

Sportsbetting.ag, like many of the other premier online sportsbooks, is hanging the Pats as four-point home favorites over the San Angeles Chargers this coming Sunday afternoon. We have even spied a few 3 ½ point spreads as of this writing so if you’re inclined to bet New England, make sure you have more than a couple of outs to get the best line possible. Who knows where this line will be shortly before kickoff but we believe that as good as the Chargers have been on the road this season (8-1 straight up and against the spread), the Patriots have been even better at home with a perfect 8-0 straight up mark and 6-2 ATS (Against The Spread). What many have not realized is that the Patriots’ defense is quietly rounding into one of the best units in all of football. In five of the New England’s last six games, the defense has surrendered 17 points or less and that should give anyone who plans on betting the Bolts cause for pause.

Although this is clearly not the most prolific Patriots’ offense in recent memory, the key to their success has always been the tactical machinations of Bill Belichick executed immaculately by Tom Brady. While the Patriots have had two weeks to heal, watch film, and prepare for their LA adversaries, the Chargers were getting hammered by a thuggish Raven’s defense. Sure, the Bolts came away victorious but every game has a price to pay and now Los Angeles will have had to fly across country three times within a week’s time. The average person drags their weary body, clumsy luggage, and a healthy dose of jet lag to the hotel after a cross-country sojourn. Imagine doing this three times, then having to knuckle up against the most feared home team in the world of professional football, and in front of a national audience no less?

No, Phillip Rivers is not up to the task of defeating Tom Brady because history tells us that he has failed to do so on seven prior occasions, including twice in the postseason. How the Pats will do after they electrify the Bolts at the Razor is anyone’s guess but as they say, if you’ve got a hunch, bet a bunch. And if you do decide to wager, check out the Sportsbetting.ag review found only at Sportsbook Review.

Breaking the barrier between natural and artificial surfaces when creating synthetic ice-rinks

Ice or polymer ice – skaters can now choose between skating on a real surface or artificial surface to enjoy the sport. It no more requires freezing water to set up a holiday skating rink as you can use synthetic ice instead. Water and electricity which are so essential for producing ice are absent when you install synthetic ice-rinks because the ice like effects are available from a plastic surface that allows skaters to glide smoothly across it. The feeling of gliding on traditional ice remains almost the same when moving across plastic material that has the resilience and strength just like ice. Besides, the plastic surface is as much frictionless as natural ice which does not allow skaters to feel any difference when they perform on an artificial surface.

Matching with the natural feeling

To create the feeling of natural ice, manufacturers use high-quality polymer or HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) with high molecular weight and embed special lubricant in it. The lubricant that remains mixed with plastic gradually oozes out from the surface thereby producing a slippery effect that matches with the natural ice surface. It ensures that the gliding ability of plastic ice surface is almost 90% of natural ice. As a result, when skaters perform on the artificial surface, they can do all kinds of maneuver and movements just as they would do on natural ice and this gives them great pleasure.

Skating on artificial ice

When you skate on natural ice, the friction of the skate blades melts the ice under it due to the heat generated from the friction, and as a result, you glide upon a thin film of water. When doing the same on a synthetic or artificial surface, it causes friction and heat in the same way, but instead of producing water, it spreads the lubricant across the surface that facilitates gliding. The lubricant already injected into the plastic material releases across the surface on applying pressure to the plastic surface by the blades of the skates.  

The use of lubricants fused in plastic has done away with the use of silicone lubricants on the plastic surface that used to wear away quickly due to rubbing by the skates thereby increasing friction and making it very hard to move across the surface. The new type of lubricant does not have any sticky properties thereby enhancing the ability to glide smoothly.

Synthetic surfaces are ideal for training

To perform movements on synthetic surfaces skaters must give more effort because no matter how well the surface lubrication might be, the friction will be more than on natural ice surface. That is one of the reasons for preferring to use synthetic surfaces for training so that once skaters do well on it; they would adjust more quickly to natural surfaces and be able to perform better.  

When playing hockey on an artificial surface it is possible to perform all maneuvers like start, stop, crossover, jumps and toe kicks. The hockey puck will glide on an artificial surface with the same speed as it would do on natural ice.

A Cheaper Closing Option

As the Red Sox struggle to avoid massive penalties from the luxury tax, the question of who will be the team’s closer remains. Many of the top free agent relief pitchers have already been signed. Craig Kimbrel is still on the market, but the contract he would command would be much larger than the Red Sox will go. Ideally, the Red Sox could find a cheap closing option to avoid even stiffer penalties than they already face.

The Early Years

Greg Holland was once one of the most dominant late-inning bullpen options in the game. His rookie season of 2011 he went 5-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. The next season he went 7-4 and saved 16 games as he morphed into the closer’s role in Kansas City.

Over the next two seasons, Holland was as good as anyone. Between 2013 and 2014 he saved 93 games. He had a 1.32 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over that two year stretch and struck out 13.4 batters per nine innings. The results were staggering.

Holland faded a bit in 2015 but still put up serviceable numbers. It was then revealed that he needed Tommy John Surgery, which may have explained some of his drop-off in production.

Post Tommy John Surgery

The days of Holland being one of the best closer’s in baseball may be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a good one. Fresh off his Tommy John Surgery and missing the entire 2016 season, Holland signed with the Colorado Rockies. Probably not the best place to sign for someone coming off an arm surgery. Nevertheless, Holland was an All-Star for them.

In 2017, Holland led the National League with 41 games saved. He had a solid 1.15 WHIP and 11 strike outs per nine innings. Not quite what he was in his best years, but certainly effective. His ERA of 3.61 doesn’t tell the whole story. At the end of July, after four months of pitching, Holland had a 1.64 ERA. Opponents were batting just .169 against him with a .268 on-base percentage and .262 slugging percentage. His numbers weren’t far off from his dominant seasons.

Holland was far more hittable from that point forward, but you must remember, he hadn’t pitched in over a year following surgery. On top of that, he was pitching in Coors Field and the high altitude of Denver, Colorado. The high altitude has been known to put extra stress on a pitcher’s arm. He likely was just running out of a gas.

The Ups and Downs of 2018

2018 tells the story of why Holland can likely be had on the cheap. He turned down the Rockies contract offer and hit the open market. Many players remained unsigned late into the offseason, and it seemed to affect the pitcher’s the most. Holland did not sign until March 31st, missing the entire Spring Training. This likely threw him out of whack and had a huge detriment on his pitching.

Holland was a total disaster for the Cardinals. Over 25 innings he walked as many batters as he struck out (22). He was extremely hittable, allowing 12.2 hits per nine innings. His previous career high since his 15-game stint in 2010 was under eight hits per nine. His ERA and WHIP were unsightly, at 7.92 and 2.24. Nothing went right in St. Louis. As a result, he was ultimately released on August 1st.

When the Nationals picked him up on the cheap later that month, they got the Holland of old. In 24 appearances in DC, Holland allowed just two runs on nine hits. He was 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 10.5 strike outs per nine innings. Those results are much more what people had come to expect from Greg Holland. Leading us into this offseason, where he comes off a mixed bag of a season.

Greg Holland of the Washington Nationals pitches in the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on August 17, 2018(Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Conclusion

Is Holland going to be one of the best closers in all of baseball? No, probably not. But he was still an All-Star and led the league in saves just two years ago. After not having a normal offseason, and no spring training last year, he did not have a peak performance. However, with a change of scenery, he looked like the Greg Holland he used to be. Therefore, it would seem likely that if he were to sign a contract earlier in the offseason this year, that team would likely be getting a good pitcher for the back end of their bullpen.

Currently, the Red Sox don’t have anyone with closing experience on their roster. The top candidates on the roster to close at the moment appear to be either Matt Barnes or Ryan Brasier. Barnes has been a relatively effective setup man, but he isn’t one of the best in the game. Brasier on the other hand has very little experience, and was on the verge of retirement last offseason. The Red Sox could use a guy with experience on the team, and Holland could maybe be just as good as Craig Kimbrel was last year for far less money.

Holland is likely searching for a one-year deal to restore his value. He will want to have a good season and enter free agency again next offseason coming off a good year, looking for one final big payday. The Red Sox should jump.

Featured picture from Royalsreview.com

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers

Game Preview: Bruins vs Rangers

The Boston Bruins will be facing the New York Rangers tonight at the TD Garden in their last game before the NHL All-Star break. After the game, Boston players will have the next eight days off (except for David Pastrnak).

After a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues this past Thursday night on home ice, the Bruins will be looking to get one more win and perhaps take over the second spot in the Atlantic Division. The B’s are on the heals of Toronto and with a win tonight, goaltender Tuukka Rask will be looking to make Bruins history as he would become the winningest goalie in franchise history.

Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask
(Photo Credits:: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)

HOT IN THE NET

Currently Rask is on a hot streak with a 6-0-1 record and has a seven-game point streak. After having a tough start to the season, Rask has slowly surged back to reclaim the number one goalie spot. While there will always be naysayers in regards to the goalie situation in Boston, the Bruins really have had two great goalies on their roster. Despite his recent slump, Jaroslav Halak has certainly provided much needed help in net as Rask worked to get his groove back.

RETURN TO THE GARDEN

Former bruins D-Man Adam McQuiad
(Photo Credits: Getty Images)

For tonight’s game against the Blues, expect Rask to get the start in net. The Bruins are now 10-4-1 in their last 15 games played. In the first meeting between these two teams, fans will see the return of former Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid, who had been in Boston throughout his career up until last season when he was traded to New York. Tonight will mark his 486th NHL career game and first against the B’s.

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Another little side note: David Quinn, a native of Rhode Island, coached Charlie McAvoy at Boston University for two years. Quinn was a Terrier for three years before becoming the assistant coach and eventually becoming head coach in 2013. This past Spring, he stepped down to become the new head coach for the Rangers and will be returning to his old stomping grounds at the TD Garden. For McAvoy, tonight’s game will a special one:

“Couple guys who I’m really excited to see. Both guys are great friends of mine. (Quinn) he really molded me pretty well, allowed me to grow up while I was at school there, taught me a lot of life lessons on the ice…I’m thankful for the things that he taught me.

Charlie McAvoy
Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers
(Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

BROADWAY BLUES

New York will be coming off winning their last two game straight and beat Chicago this past Thursday 4-3. Their record is 20-20-7 while Boston is at 27-16-5. With the recent win over the Blackhawks, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is now tied for 6th place for the NHL’s all-time wins (445). Forward Chris Kreider leads the team with 22 goals. Mika Zibanejad leads the team with 42 points and has 27 assists. The Ranger top line of Kreider, Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello have a combined 13 points in their last few games. They are 7-1 against the Bruins and have outscored them 26-12.

Here were this morning’s rushes for the Boston Bruins:

For the New York Rangers, here are there projected lines:

KREIDER-ZIBANEJAD-ZUCCARELLO

CHYTIL- STROME- FAST

VESEY- NIEVES- NAMESTNIKOV

MCLEOD- HOWDEN- BUCHNEVICH

STALL-DEANGELO

SKJEI- MCQUIAD

LINDGREN- SHATTENKIRK

LUNDQVIST

MAZANEC

WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:00 pm on NHLN, NESN, MSG