Don’t Forget About Danton Heinen

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The Fountain of Youth

One of the main stories of the 2017-18 season has been the success of this year’s rookie class. Highlighted by Matt Barzal, Brock Boeser, Clayton Keller, and Bruins’ own Charlie McAvoy, it’s clear that the Calder race is in full effect. Anybody in the hockey world would tell you that one of those four players is bound to win the award.

But let’s not forget about Danton Heinen. This guy is the unsung hero of the Boston Bruins yet caught in the shadow of this year’s rookie class. Heinen played for two years at the University of Denver after being selected by the B’s in the fourth round of the 2014 Draft. After putting up 93 points in just two seasons, he decided to turn pro. Following a solid 2016-17 season in Providence, Heinen was one of the last players cut at this years training camp. Subsequently he responded by racking up eight points in Providence’s first four games, and quickly got the call.

Heinen’s Effect

Since then, Heinen has made a home for himself in the NHL. He has notched 31 points through 40 games. Initially, coach Bruce Cassidy called Heinen up in hopes of him adding tenacity to the lineup. He said that he saw a “willingness to stay in the battle” that Heinen didn’t have in his earlier years as a prospect. He continued to mention it was particularly his “growth when it comes to winning pucks” that caught the eye of the coaching staff. This was originally the aspect of Heinen’s game that took the most criticism, even being pointed out by TSN.ca.

But his improvement in this area is what ultimately convinced the coaching staff that he was capable of playing a bottom six role in the NHL. And clearly he hasn’t wasted the opportunity to prove his worth. He’s developed his game even further.  Whether it was thanks to supplements like clenbuterol, or a great exercise regimen, he is now playing left wing on the third line with veterans Riley Nash and David Backes. In addition to the stat line, Heinen has also improved his game in the D-zone. This is evident in his +10 rating at the midway point of the season. 

Unfortunately for Heinen, the ridiculous numbers that have been put up by Matt Barzal (16-33-49) and Brock Boeser (22-19-41) put the Calder trophy out of reach. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s gone above and beyond for the B’s this season. He and Charlie McAvoy are currently leading the youth movement that has propelled the Bruins all season. Time will tell if Heinen can continue to keep his play at such a high level. 

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Cover photo courtesy of chowderandchampions.com.

Winter Weekend: The Special Surprises

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Winter Weekend 2018 was one for the books. The event was full of surprises for both the fans and the team. Here is a look at the incredible weekend:

Town Hall Review

Winter Weekend all started with an introduction of the 2018 team. From the shock of Andrew Benintendi’s new hair to new manager Alex Cora, everyone was smiling and cheering. Seven thousand people filled the theatre to catch a glimpse of what the players who will call Fenway their home this year. The players left and out came the owners, managers, and also a few special guests.

Red Sox Nation held back nothing when it came to bringing up the situation with J.D Martinez to Dave Dombrowski. In response he made sure to voice that winter is not over and that there are still over one hundred free agents available.

“You have to remember as a club, the number of good players that are on this team.”
-Dave Dombrowski

Town Hall Surprises 

Dombrowski expressed the fact that the Red Sox are already a strong team that can excel this season. Afterward David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez made a dazzling entrance.

Then my time to ask a question came. I became close with Tom Caron over the past year and he had a surprise up his sleeve. He shared with the theatre that I was a cancer survivor and recently had surgery, along with the fact that I was a die-hard Sox fan. Next thing I knew, I was called up onto the stage and was immediately wrapped in Big Papi’s arms. After that I proceeded to hug Alex Cora, Pedro Martinez, Sam Kennedy, Dave Dombrowski, and Tom Werner. They all shared their congratulations and best wishes. The rest of the night carried on with the two comedic special guests to light up Town Hall.

 

Saturday: Surprises, Autographs, and Fun 

Everyone that was present at Town Hall quickly learned about my story along with my Twitter handle. So did Andrew Benintendi, my favorite player on the team. A member of the front office gave my family and I a special pass to meet Benintendi later on that afternoon. The morning first started out with meeting Brock Holt and Luis Tiant. One half of the Flow Bros and a legend. The day then proceeded with an interview on NESN about my experience at Town Hall. The ballroom was full of activities for young and old fans. They were having a blast with current and former players attending the event received interviews from Tom Caron.

Benintendi Time

The time for one of the biggest surprises of the weekend quickly approached. We were up next to meet Andrew Benintendi and Ben Taylor. I walked up to him and he smiled while I introduced myself and told him I was the cancer survivor from Town Hall. While I was in the middle of asking if he could sign my jersey he dashed around the table to give me a huge hug. I was in complete shock, and so was my family. Andrew quickly pulled out his phone and asked for a picture. As some may know, in 2013 Benintendi’s mother battled breast cancer, so he was very aware of my situation. Throughout that time everyone yelled, “It’s Benny biceps. She did it. She met him”. It felt like I was dreaming during the whole experience. To this day I’m still in shock because it felt so unreal.

Ortiz and Pedro Are at It Again

David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez are always a hit at Town Hall. In similar fashion they stole the show again during each of their panels. The two sat on stage and cracked each other up. They are truly best friends and it also shows. Finally, we ended the day with “The Teammates for Life” panel, which featured David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Tim Wakefield, and Pedro Martinez. They discussed the bond they have created through the organization. It was absolutely hilarious. They shared stories and laughed for an hour.

Unfortunately the evening came to an end to mark the conclusion of Winter Weekend 2018. It’s safe to say that Sox Nation are now excited for the season to begin.  

Photo and Video Credits

Red Sox Organization

NESN

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XL

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The Super Bowl is just 12 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 12 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006. The game pitted the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. 

Seattle Seahawks 12 Years Ago

Rob Tringali

The Seahawks had reached a crossroads under head coach Mike Holmgren. Holmgren won the Super Bowl with Green Bay in 1996, but struggled to duplicate that success with the Hawks. In 2005, he put it altogether for one of the best seasons in franchise history. There were led on offense by quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander. Seattle finished #1 in points scored. Alexander had one of the best seasons at the running back position in the history of football rushing for 1880 yards and scoring 28 total touchdowns.  

After a week 4 overtime loss at Washington left the Seahawks at 2-2, they put together an 11-game winning streak. The defense featured an exciting young linebacker named Lofa Tatupu. Tatupu made the Pro Bowl, then played great in two playoff victories over the Redskins and Panthers respectively. Seattle overwhelmed Carolina limiting them to 18 minutes TOP, causing four turnovers and allowing only one third down conversion. The Seahawks qualified for their first ever Super Bowl. 

Pittsburgh Steelers 12 Years Ago

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Their opponent was no stranger to the Super Bowl. The Steelers won four World Championships in the 1970’s under Chuck Noll. They made another Super Bowl appearance in 1995 with Bill Cowher calling the shots.  

The 2004 Steelers finished with a phenomenal 15-1 record but were defeated at home in the AFC championship game by the eventual Super Bowl winning Patriots. They came back in ’05 with high expectations but slumped during the midseason and fell behind the Bengals in the AFC North division. Pittsburgh’s strength was defense. Their most exciting player in ’05 was safety Troy Polamalu. Polamalu combined tremendous range on the back end with excellent run stopping ability. 

On offense, Pittsburgh featured #39 Willie Parker. Parker rushed for over 1200 yards and was supplemented by the power running game of veteran Jerome Bettis, otherwise known as “The Bus.” At wide receiver, the Steelers utilized possession men Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward.

Six Seed to Super Bowl 

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In the playoffs, Pittsburgh had to take the long route to the Super Bowl. As the #6 seed, they started by traveling to Cincinnati. The Bengals jumped out to a 17-7 lead. However, Carson Palmer got knocked out of the game with a knee injury. Consequently, the Steelers made the most of the opportunity knocking out their division rivals.

One week later, Pittsburgh was a big underdog against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. However, the Steelers dominated the first three quarters. The Colts woke up in the fourth and cut the lead to 21-18 with time running out. The Steelers were about to put the ball game away when Jerome Bettis fumbled at the Colts’ one. Nick Harper picked it up for Indy and had a great opportunity to return it all the way…until QB Ben Roethlisberger saved the day with a shoestring tackle. The Colts missed a game-tying field goal attempt and Pittsburgh dodged a huge bullet. 

In the AFC championship game, the Steelers played a very good road playoff game at Denver. Roethlisberger threw for 275 yards and the Steelers were +4 in turnover differential. The almost perfect performance propelled Pittsburgh to their first Super Bowl in ten years.

Bad Night for Seahawks and Refs

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The biggest news story heading into this game was: Jerome Bettis announced his retirement and would be playing his last game in his home town of Detroit. This was one Super Bowl game that lacked rhythm and overall excellence. Roethlisberger, for example, played terribly. But, he was saved by two long scoring plays. Parker dashed for a 75-yard run and Randle El hit Ward on a 43-yard touchdown pass.  

Seattle was sloppy. Likewise, they committed a number of controversial penalties. Their only highlights came late in third quarter with a thrilling interception by Kelly Herndon followed by a touchdown reception by tight end Jerramy Stevens. Ironically, the lone touchdown-scorer Stevens dropped a bunch of passes on the evening. 

So, the good news about this game was: Coach Cowher and future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis each earned their only Super Bowl ring. Cowher coached one more year before giving way to Mike Tomlin. The Seahawks achieved their Super Bowl championship eight years later under Pete Carrol. 

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the great Peyton Manning’s first Super Bowl championship!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

The Worst Designated Hitters in Red Sox History

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The designated hitter has been around for 45 seasons so far. David Ortiz was the Red Sox main DH for 14 seasons, nearly one-third of that time. There are only three other players who were the Red Sox main DH for more than just two seasons, Reggie Jefferson, Carl Yastrzemski and Cecil Cooper. So, for the final position of this series of articles, I dig to the bottom of the barrel to find the worst Red Sox designated hitters of all-time.

Jeremy Giambi

Prior to the 2003 season, the Red Sox signed Yankee star Jason Giambi’s younger, less famous brother, for two million dollars. Like his brother, Jeremy walked a lot, but he didn’t hit as well or for as much power. He didn’t really seem any better than David Ortiz at the start of the year, but he had first shot at the starting job at designated hitter versus righties. For some reason, he had a pretty long leash. The Red Sox started Giambi most days through the end of May despite him not doing much of anything.

Giambi ended up playing in 50 games for the Red Sox, batting .197 with five home runs and a .696 OPS. This stellar performance was good enough to keep David Ortiz on the bench for almost the first two months of the year. Ortiz went on to become an MVP candidate that season anyways. Giambi was relegated to mostly a pinch-hitting role after May and did not play at all after August 1st. Not only was his play terrible, his presence kept a budding superstar on the bench for far too long.

http://www.athletespeakers.com/speaker/jeremy-giambi/

Bob Bailey

Bob Bailey had a long career, playing in parts of 17 seasons from 1962-78. Bailey hit 20 home runs three times, topping out at 28 in 1970 with the Expos. By the time he came to Boston however, it was at the end of his career. They acquired him late in the 1977 season, then tried to make him their designated hitter in 1978. He only ended up playing 34 games at DH, Jim Rice was used more that season at the “position.” Rice played mostly left, but on days he was at DH Yaz would play left. On other days Yaz was at first base as the Red Sox tried to find a rotation that worked.

As for Bailey, he batted just .188 as a member of the Red Sox, homering four times and driving in nine runners. Two of his at-bats came at the end of the 1977 season, for the Red Sox 1978 season he batted .191 with a .679 OPS. Maybe that season would have turned out better had the Red Sox never had Bailey on the team.

Sam Horn

I like Sam Horn, so it saddens me to include him here. However, he was a bust after 1987. Horn was a big man, standing at 6’5″, and had a lot of power. In 1987, he hit 30 home runs for the Pawtucket Red Sox, posting a 1.037 OPS. After being called up by the Red Sox, he continued his tear, homering in each of his first two games and five of his first eight. By season’s end, Horn had homered 14 times while hitting for a .278 average over 158 at-bats with the Sox. His .589 slugging percentage and .945 OPS as a rookie gave great hope for the future. On the season, combined between the two levels he had homered 44 times.

Horn never regained that stroke, and was a total disaster in the Red Sox organization the next two seasons before moving on. In 1988, Horn batted .148 with two homers over 61 at-bats for the big league club. Sent to Pawtucket where he had homered 30 times the year before, Horn batted just .233 with 10 home runs. The next season he struggled again, batting .232 with eight home runs in AAA. In 54 at-bats in Boston, Horn again batted .148. This time, he did not hit any home runs.

Over parts of three seasons with the Red Sox, Horn did hit 16 home runs in only 273 at-bats, but he only hit .233. With his limited defense, Horn had to really mash the ball to find playing time. Horn hit a career high 23 home runs with Baltimore in 1991 and finished his Major League career averaging 26 home runs per 162 games played. In 1993, Horn homered 38 times in AAA Charlotte and batted .455 with four home runs for the Indians in September.

Dishonorable Mention:

Jack Clark, Jim Leyritz

Feature picture from DailySportX.com

 

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXIX

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The Super Bowl is just 13 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 13 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

Jacksonville hosted Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005. The game pitted the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles against the defending World Champion New England Patriots. The Patriots looked to become the first time to repeat since the Dallas Cowboys 11 years earlier.

New England Patriots 13 Years Ago

The Patriots made a significant change on offense during the offseason adding the powerful running back Corey Dillon. In 2004, Dillon rushed for a career-high 1635 yards. Consequently, the ’04 Patriots were the best of their teams to date.

On opening night, they dispatched their rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, yet again 27-24. When they defeated the Seahawks in the sixth game, New England recorded an NFL record 21st consecutive win overall. The following week, they were plastered on Halloween by Pittsburgh to end the run. But, they would store that performance in their memory banks.

Patriots Swagger

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In the playoffs, the Patriots would get another crack at the Colts and Steelers. Many pundits felt this could be the season Peyton Manning’s would conquer New England. It was not to be. The Patriots’ defense did something that had not occurred all season. They stonewalled Indianapolis’ top-ranked offense. In an absolute statement, the Pats embarrassed the Colts 20-3. In the following game, the Patriots would get their revenge on Pittsburgh.

The Patriots jumped all over the Steelers from the get-go at Heinz Field. The 15-1 Steelers led by rookie sensation Ben Roethlisberger were behind the eight-ball all night. They had no answer for the third-year wide receiver out of Louisville, Deion Branch. Branch went for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. The dagger was Rodney Harrison’s 87-yard interception return before the break. That score gave New England a 24-3 lead en route to the 41-27 victory.

Philadelphia Eagles 13 Years Ago

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The 2004 Eagles were in the midst of their best stretch of football in franchise history. They were coming off three consecutive losses in the NFC championship game and clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a 13-1 start to the season. The Eagles had three Pro Bowl players on offense including QB Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook and All-Pro WR Terrell Owens. On defense, the Eagles were led by the fantastic Brian Dawkins and their stellar secondary.

In the playoffs, the Eagles proved way too strong for Minnesota and Atlanta despite Owens being out with a severe ankle injury. The Eagles held Mike Vick to just 136 yards passing and 26 rushing. Philly went 7 for 14 on third down conversions and that proved to be the difference as Atlanta just could not possess the ball enough for Vick to make something happen. Therefore, the Eagles advanced to their second Super Bowl!

Competitive First Half

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The first half of Super Bowl XXXIX was very interesting and competitive. The Patriots registered 27 yards and 4 punts to start the game. Philadelphia did slightly better when it came to moving the chains, but consecutive drives ended in turnovers. Likewise, Brady fumbled near the goal-line for a critical Patriots’ turnover. Both teams scored touchdowns on their final drives of the first half. The Eagles scored on a pass down the middle to tight end L.J. Smith. New England countered with a brilliant drive consisting of several screen passes. Brady made a magnificent pass to David Givens for the tying score just before the break.

Eagles Exhaustion

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New England took their first drive of the second half right down the field as well. Brady consistently hit Branch to get into the red zone on both of their second half touchdown drives. Mike Vrabel put the Patriots up 14-7. Philadelphia answered with a Westbrook score and the game went into the fourth tied at 14. The Patriots proved too tough in the final frame.

With the score 24-14, the Eagles used too much clock on their final scoring drive. After they did not recover the onside kick, they were forced to use their timeouts. They did not get the ball back until there were just seconds to play and they were stuck at their own goal-line. Rodney Harrison intercepted McNabb to seal the deal.

The Patriots were officially a dynasty as of February 2005. But, they had much, much more things in store under Coach Belichick. The Eagles, on the other hand, never captured a World Championship under Andy Reid. In fact, 2017 was the best Eagles’ squad since Super Bowl XXXIX. With Carson Wentz at quarterback, the future looks bright!

 

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

Swihart

2018 Outlook for Blake Swihart

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Early Days

Blake Swihart was once a prominent prospect for the Red Sox. He made his MLB debut in 2015 and was seen as the catcher of the future. Fast-forward three years later and he is now at a crossroad. The once top prospect has dealt with numerous injuries. With the emergence of Christian Vazquez, it looks as if Swihart may no longer be the catcher of the future. This Spring Training is crucial for him as he has no options left and must prove himself to earn a spot.

Swihart

Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

How Swihart Got to This Point

In the minor leagues Swihart had more upside due to his offensive ability. Vazquez did not have much offensive upside but received comparisons to Yadier Molina due to his defense. In 2015 Swihart made his debut and impressed with the bat. Despite his offense he struggled defensively. In Spring Training of 2016, the Red Sox tried to utilize his athleticism in the outfield. On June 4th, 2016, he crashed into the outfield wall, badly injuring his ankle. Since then he has struggled to be the player that made him the Red Sox’s top prospect.

Swihart

Photo Credit: AP Photo/ Patrick Semansky

What Now for Swihart?

For Swihart his chances of being the starting catcher may be gone. This is due to the injuries he has suffered and Vazquez’s breakout season. Last year Vazquez showed that he could hit MLB pitching, something people doubted before. The Sox have tried Swihart at different positions such as third and first base. His best option may be using his athleticism to become a super utility player. This would create more depth for the Red Sox and give him more trade value. The team has been hesitant to trade him because of his potential. If the right deal comes along however the Red Sox will not hesitate.

Swihart

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson

Outlook for 2018

This year will be very important for the once top prospect. He must show that he can stay healthy and still be a good hitter. If he can do that than the Red Sox will try to get his bat in the lineup. With all the injuries he has suffered Swihart would be a great comeback story for the 2018 season. The Red Sox haven’t give up on him yet and he will be more determined than ever.

Looking to the Future

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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 on the young prospects that are coming up the pipes. The P-Bruins have a healthy blend of rookies and those that have already played a few games for the Bruins. Down in Providence, the key focus has always been on the development of young players, paving the way for many future superstars so that they earn that spot on the Bruins roster. Former coach of the P-Bruins, Bruce Cassidy recently stated:

“We look at the growth of our players here I think it speaks for itself, the growth of Danton and Jake down there last year I understand that JFK and Zach are playing well down there right now too”.


And for some players, Providence is the place to regain confidence as they look to develop their play. Playing in the AHL is exactly what Anders Bjork needed when his game play started to suffer in the NHL. The young Michigan native had three goals and six assists while playing his first sixteen games for the Boston Bruins. Bjork was reassigned to Providence after taking a tough ice hit that sidelined him. In his first three games in the AHL he netted two goals and had two assists. Let’s take a look at some of the players making noise in their rookie year.

HOT TAKES

It’s all about speed and youth when it comes to competing at a high level. The truth is not every player will end up playing for the Bruins, nor will they stay in Providence. Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, or JFK, has been making a name for himself. A former player for the BU Terriers, he made a brief debut with the Bruins against Washington last season, playing a little over eight minutes on the ice. The 24-year-old rookie has been racking up some impressive points for the P-Bruins:  25 points in 39 games.

First linesman Kenny Agostino, along with Austin Czarnik, lead the P-Bruins in points. Czarnik so far has tallied up 34 points in his last 33 games as he heads to the AHL All Star Classic. Right wing  Jordan Szwarz is equally impressive. He recorded 24 points in 24 games for the AHL and garnered 3 assists in the ten games he played for in Boston. Rookie Zach Senyshyn has amounted 17 points with 11 assists in the 38 games he has played so far.

The Providence Bruins are sprinkled with young talent that have already made their first NHL appearance. Matt Grzelcyk highlights the list, earning fourteen minutes of ice time a game. There is no doubt the 23-year-old Charlestown native has been making his mark for the Bruins defensive blue line. Grzelcyk and fellow BU alum Charlie McAvoy reunited after Adam McQuaid was injured. Also like every line on the current Bruins roster, they continue to play on their toes.

PROSPECTS EVERYWHERE

As we look to Providence in developing the next wave of Bruins superstars, other upcoming prospects are showing their skills elsewhere. In his first few games playing for University of Maine,  Bruins prospect Jeremy Swayman has posted an impressive record. He is 5-0 for the University of Maine and 8-3 in the NCAA. The first year goalie also recently won a bronze medal at the World Juniors and ranks fifth in the nation in save percentage. He recently recorded his first career shutout winning 3-0 against Boston University.

19-year-old Urho Vaakanainen is another key player to keep an eye on. The Finnish defenseman is quickly progressing into a skilled player. He is playing for SaiPa in the Finnish Liiga to ready himself to debut for the Bruins next season.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This has been an impressive year for the Bruins and as one continues to watch the progression of the many young prospects this team is currently developing, a thought remains. Out of all the talented players this organization has who will be the next Bruins superstar? The future is shining bright for the black and gold.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrl88

Boston Bruins Are Legit Cup Contenders

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Tonight at the Bell Centre the Boston Bruins will go for their third win in eight days against their bitter rival, the Montreal Canadiens. After stomping the Islanders 5-2, the Bruins continued their recent tear across the NHL. Currently the Bruins have earned points in fifteen contests (11-0-4). In the past 27 games for the Bruins they are a league best 20-3-4. This has propelled them within five points of the Tampa Bay Lighting, with still a game in hand. The question surrounding this team has been what is their ceiling this year. This team is loaded with young talent and if Sweeney plays his card right they could contend for the next three to five years.

Embed from Getty Images

Longevity

The Boston Bruins currently have six players in their starting lineup under the age of twenty-five, and five players under the age of twenty-two. The young talent up and down the Bruins organization is breathtaking to put it lightly. On top of the young players making a difference at the NHL level the Bruins have plenty of players in their system who they believe can become legit NHL players. Namely Zach Senyshyn, Anders Bjork, Peter Cehlarik, and Austin Czarnik. If it was not for the plethora of young talent already making an impact at the NHL level then at least two of these kids could be on the NHL roster.

At this point Sweeney has all the leverage in the world. It’s really hard to see how he could screw this up. All he has to do is hold onto his young pieces and let it lay out. Up to now that has worked quite well for the B’s.

Embed from Getty Images

Cup Potential

The Bruins have as good a chance to win the Cup this year as any team in the league. They also may be the team best suited to contend for the next half decade. With the foundation of Charlie McAvoy, Patrice Bergeron is showing he still has plenty left in the tank with two hat tricks in the last couple weeks. The Bruins have a strong core up the middle, not to mention the abundance of offensive talent on the wings.

The Bruin’s offensive talent alone isn’t the driving force of their success. It is the coaching and defensive effort of the team. As of today the Bruins are second in the NHL in goals allowed per game. Goals are hard to come by against the Bruins but they become noticeably harder as the game progresses. The Bruins have allowed thirty-three goals in the third period this season, which is the lowest amount of any period they play. So not only can the Bruins defend, they can slam the door on an opponent when it matters most.

Adversity

When it comes to adversity this team continues to be excellent under Bruce Cassidy. When leading after two periods the Bruins have not lost in regulation securing 42 out of 44 possible points (20-0-2). Also when tied after the second period the Bruins only have one regulation loss (5-1-3). These are all the signs of a legit Stanley Cup team. If the opponent leaves the door open the Bruins are going to cash in. The grind of the 82 game schedule may be a bit much for the young players and the old Zdeno Chara. However do not be surprised if the Bruins are the one hoisting the Stanley Cup in mid June.

 

Relax, Tom Brady Will Be Fine

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BRADY WILL BE READY TO GO SUNDAY

Tom Brady cut his hand from hitting the buckle on someone’s helmet. He has four stitches around the knuckle and should not affect him. That is according to Mike Felger, who had a source close to Brady’s injury. Brady also missed practice yesterday but was throwing the ball around today. Fans, even myself, thought the injury was fake, but the players wouldn’t put that much effort in making up a story. They are playing the Jaguars. Brady could play with one arm and still beat them.

THE PATRIOTS WILL BE FINE AND SO WILL BRADY

Let me show you how the Jaguars defense is a fraud. The Jaguars had ten-sack games against the Colts and the Texans. That’s twenty-eight sacks total in four games against those teams. That is half of the Jaguar’s season total according to Tony Massarotti. Tom Brady when asked if he was playing Sunday and with a smirk said “We’ll see” was the second most stupidest thing I heard all day.

He is obviously playing and wants people to think that he’s not. Now if Jimmy Garoppolo were here what would have his response been? He would’ve said that he was fine and that’s a fact and he’ll be ready to go Sunday. But because the backup is Hoyer he avoided the first response and said “we’ll see.” The first stupidest thing I heard all day was he is questionable to start Sunday. That is a clear note to the Jaguars that he’ll be off his game but really he won’t and will be fine on Sunday.

ROOT FOR THE PATRIOTS

If you’re a football fan you would want the Patriots to win on Sunday. Do you really want a Jaguars-Eagles or Vikings Super Bowl? It’s the biggest game of the year so be careful what you wish for. If the Patriots lose Sunday then it will be the lowest rated Super Bowl ever. Having said that the Patriots will beat the Jaguars and it really won’t be that close. Brady’s hurt yes, but he will be fine on Sunday afternoon.

Red Sox Desperate for Offseason Spark

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As a member of Red Sox nation it kills me to say, Dave what the heck are you doing with this team right now? Dave Dombrowski is a fantastic GM. I will give him this compliment seven days a week. But what is this man waiting for?

This offseason so far has been an absolute bust outside of Mitch Moreland coming home. For the past few years he has been making great moves. Bringing in Chris Sale, signing Mitch Moreland, and getting Craig Kimbrel from the Braves. There is no doubt in my mind he is capable of doing good things over time. But were at the point where we as Red Sox nation need an answer.

If this tweet is correct then my only question for Dombrowski is why? The Yankees went out and got Stanton! They also resigned our kryptonite last year: CC Sabathia. Last year against the Sox CC had a 1.04 ERA. That is unbelievable especially because the Red Sox were a top ten offense all last season. Not only that but now adding Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez’s home runs together from last season that total comes out to be 144. The Red Sox last season only hit 168. Just let that sink in.

Your 2017 World Series Champions Houston Astros. Photo credit to Ben Walker from ctvnews.ca

In case we all did not already know the Astros won the World Series last year. After beating us three games to one. Not to remind you of more pain, but the first two games of that series the Sox combined for four runs while the Astros combined for sixteen. They have their entire rotation back which includes Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchle, Gerrit Cole, Lance McCullers Jr, and finally Charlie Morton. These five players ERA’s last season were 3.36, 2.90, 4.26, 4.25, 3.62. Now at first glance these do not look that great, and I would have to say you are very much correct but when your team scores 896 runs those earned run averages are just fine! Now what do the Red Sox need to compete with the Astros and Yankees??

We need this man with these stats. Photo Credit to Arizona Diamondbacks Facebook Group

JD Martinez! This is who the Red Sox need for this upcoming season. His 2017 stat line was 45 home runs, 104 RBIs, 3.03 batting average, with a 3.76 on base percentage. This man wants 6-7 years and $200 million, and the Red Sox offer 5 years and $100 million? Dave, we are officially in desperation mode! If we want to compete he is our guy, there is no way around it. Without him Mitch Moreland is our guy. I love him more than anyone but that is terrifying to a Red Sox fan. Get me JD Martinez or you can kiss the AL East and World Series run goodbye.