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Frozen Thoughts: the State of the NHL and the Bruins

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

Don’t Go Away Mad IT, Just Go Away.

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Enough already. Every time someone puts a keyboard or microphone near Isaiah Thomas’ face he reminds us more and more of his namesake. We hated that IT.

Our IT was great last year. Huge in the playoffs. We were sad when he left. No more. Kyrie Irving is a better player than Thomas. It’s not even debatable.

He’s also, apparently, a lot more grown up.

Le Divorce

Fandom, especially in Boston, is like a marriage. We love our teams and players until we don’t. And then, like a divorce, we tend to hate their very existence. Sure, there have been some amicable splits. We love Ray Bourque, despite leaving to lift Lord Stanley in Colorado. And, other than that bastard Johnny Damon who went to New York, we don’t hate anyone of the 2004 Red Sox players who went elsewhere. They drink for free forevah!

Thomas came to Boston a pretty average NBA player. He spent three seasons in Sacramento (2011-2014) and had a cup of coffee in Phoenix in (2014-2015). In those three and a half years he averaged just over 15 points, 4.5 assistants, and less than a steal per game. He was 37% from the 3-point line and 44% from the field. He was a nice player.

In two and a half years in Boston he became a star – averaging over 24 points, 6 assists, and 1 steal a game. He was a giant in the playoffs. Boston loved IT. Many of us still do, despite how difficult he is making it.

The Trade

Source: NBC Sports

Channeling his inner Hoodie, Danny Ainge capitalized on Thomas’s breakout year and post season and packaged him in a deal for Kyrie Irving in August. Beyond the machinations of compensatory picks due to Thomas’s health and the emotional outcry by Boston fans who loved IT’s play and heart, the initial reaction was that maybe the Celtics were giving up too much for Irving. Kyrie certainly didn’t take long to dispel those fears.

As much as we loved Thomas, Boston fans, more than most others, understand that even star players come and go. At some point everyone leaves – they are traded, released, or retire. We don’t like it when it happens to a popular player and important piece to our success.

The key for fans, lest we lose faith in the organization, is that these moves need to improve the team. And, over the course of the last two decades, we’ve come to understand that, just maybe, the coach and GM know a little more about the game and the organization than we do.

Theo dumped Nomar – who was the franchise’s most popular player for a decade. We don’t win the 2004 World Series without that deal.

Belichick dumps everyone at some point. There is no Patriots Dynasty without his cold calculus.

Ainge traded Paul Pierce, an all-time Celtic great, and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn in 2013 over the outrage of all of New England. That deal, in hindsight, continues to be regarded as one of the greatest in history. Theo, Bill, and Danny know how to build winning franchises.

The Tantrum

The problem with the IT-Irving trade is simply this: Thomas can’t move on. Rather than thank Ainge and the Celtics organization for the opportunity they gave him – and he capitalized on – to become a star, he’s pouted and cried about how he was treated.

Source: Twitter

Thomas is not a child, despite how he’s behaved since the trade. From snide tweets responding to Boston’s growing appreciation for Irving to criticizing Ainge and the Celtics’ medical staff, it’s been a four-month sulk that would shame even the most melodramatic teenage girl upset over being dumped for the prettier cheerleader.

Thomas contents that he’s moved on. He claims that the drama of the trade is only being kept alive by media. But his actions betray his words.

The week before Christmas, IT dropped the ultimate self-pity party. He posted a fourteen-minute video on The Players Tribune detailing the day he learned of the trade and his FaceTime exchange with his kids about having to move to Cleveland. It is a touching video. It is clear how disappointed IT is about leaving the Celtics and uprooting his family to move to Cleveland.

Time to Move On

That is totally understandable. Anyone who’s ever been to Cleveland would be devastated about moving there. But this, IT, is the life you chose. You are not a rookie. You’ve been through this before.

Thomas needs to stop acting like the original Isiah Thomas – one of history’s greatest and most unlikable whiners – and act like the guy who capitalized on his trade to Boston. Ainge and the Celtics gave you an opportunity to be a star and you took it. They traded you for a better player because that’s what organizations are supposed to do to improve their teams. You have a new opportunity in Cleveland with perhaps the greatest player in league history – grow up and take it.

Washington Troubles Continue for the Bruins

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Well this news certainly will not shock anybody: the Boston Bruins lost to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. The Bruins have now dropped 12 straight games against the Capitals, and do not have any more regular season games scheduled with them this year. A blessing in disguise if you ask me, because it seems like no matter how well they play the Bruins just cannot overcome the Caps. Coming into D.C the Bruins had won five games in a row and eight out of the last 10. All of the sudden the Bruins had some adversity to overcome. Lets take a look back at last nights 4-3 loss and highlight the areas where the Bruins fell short.

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Bruce Cassidy

There has not been much to complain about this season regarding Bruce Cassidy. Overall he as done a fabulous job. But last night in Washington Cassidy really had egg on his face. Starting in the overtime period where Cassidy thought it was a better idea to put Carlo on the ice in a 3-3 situation than Krug. Cassidy explained that he was sending a message to the veteran defenseman. But overtime against the team that owns you is not the time to bench your most talented offensive defenseman.

Another major blunder by Cassidy was not challenging Lars Eller’s goal that made it 2-1 Boston. When on replay it was very clearly offside. But later on in the game Cassidy did decide to challenge Brett Connolly’s game tying goal that had no chance of being overturned. At that point it’s hard not to wonder if Cassidy was more focused on saving face than actually objectively viewing the play. Especially considering that one of Cassidy’s reasons for not challenging the first goal was because he did not want to risk the two-minute minor in that situation. Which only makes him challenging the game tying goal that much worse, thankfully the Bruins killed the penalty and were able to get one point.

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Anders Bjork

This decision may be even more frustrating than the whole challenge situation. Cassidy has been rather harsh on Bjork all season, and that trend continued against Washington. Bjork had only 6:53 TOI against Washington and seemed to be in the doghouse once again. Cassidy explained that Bjork was not sharp without the puck and was off his defensive angles. This is true, as Bjork has a tendency to be rather ineffective physically in the defensive zone. However the Bruins need to make a choice on Bjork. Either let him work through his deficiencies at the NHL level or send him down to Providence. Bjork is not going to improve by playing not even seven minutes a night at the NHL level. A Providence stint would allow him to play 20 minutes a night and focus on his positioning without the puck.

The Bruins have some big roster decisions coming up, and right now Bjork is the odd man out. Krejci is set to return to the lineup soon as well as Chelarik. While the Bruins have made it public that Bjork has earned his roster spot their hand may be forced. Sweeney and Cassidy have some big decisions to make for the surprisingly good Bruins team now lets see if they can make the right one.

Young Bruins Team Poised for Deep Postseason Run

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The Boston Bruins are red-hot coming out of the Christmas break, and that may be overstating it. The Bruins absolutely ran over the competition throughout this week. They outscored opposing teams by a combined 15-4 score and won all four games. Two of the games came against a pair of the NHL’s best teams: the Jets and Blue Jackets. The other two were easy lay-ups against Detroit and Buffalo. All in all as a fan of this team you should be ecstatic about the direction this team is headed in. But how far can this young Bruins team really go in the playoffs?

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Offense

Offensively the Bruins are not the most dangerous team in the league. However they still have quite a few players who can put the puck in the net. Brad Marchand has rapidly developed into one of the best players in the entire National Hockey League. His offensive ability has shined the past two seasons playing beside the best two-way center in the NHL in Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron/Marchand/Pastranak is one of the most dangerous line combos in the NHL, possessing great chemistry and skill to provide the Bruins with a consistent source of offensive production every single game.

With Krejci out, another intriguing line combo that Cassidy has begun deploying is the Debrusk/Spooner/Bjork line. All three players are young skilled offensive players who play with a ton of speed and creativity. If this line can develop any sort of chemistry on the ice then the potential for this offensive line is certainly there. This also allows Backes to play on the third line with Heinen and Nash. This makes the Bruins a hard team to play against, especially when all three lines are rolling. Along with the fact that the Bruins can use a more physical fourth line in the Schaller/Kurally/Acciari. Because of the offensive production from the top three lines.

While on the face this lineup does not seem to be that potent. It is very well-balanced and if managed correctly could be a good offensive unit in the post season.

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Defense

Unlike the offense for the Bruins there is much less certainty on the back end. McAvoy is an all around stud in all three zones but is still only 20 years young, and has a lot of responsibility on him this time around. While Chara is still an excellent defender he is 40 years old. The games this season begin to mount the question of his durability. If you actually take a deeper look at the defense core there is no real proven reliable players. Krug and Carlo are widely inconsistent, and McQuaid and Miller cannot seem to stay on the ice for more than a handful of games. So other than McAvoy and a 40-year-old Chara the defense of the Bruins is rather lackluster.

An opposing team could take advantage of the inexperience and inconsistently of the Bruins’ back end throughout a seven game series. Ultimately that could be their downfall at end of the day against a high-octane offense such as the Tampa Bay Lighting. At the end of the day these Bruins could potentially compete for the Eastern Conference championship. Maybe even the Stanley Cup final as long as they maintain this level of play. This team has shown time and time again that they cannot be counted out of any game.

Bruins Youth Will Soon Deliver Championship to Boston

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Youth Movement Key to Championship

Like all of the Boston sports teams the Bruins have many young exciting players. After years of talk of what these players were doing in Providence they are finally getting a shot. The Bruins’ youth includes Charlie McAvoy, who has drawn comparisons to Bobby Orr, Jake Debrusk, who could be a thirty-goal scorer, and Danton Heinen, who is putting up the quietest breakout rookie season in the league. The Bruins have also received contributions from rookies Matt Gryelzk and Anders Bjork. After a slow start the Bruins have won thirteen of their last seventeen games. This has shown the potential this team has as these young players mature.

Photo Credit: Boston Bruins

Veterans Mixing with the Kids

The Bruins not only have many talented rookies but a core of talented veterans as well. They have two of the most talented goal scorers in the league in Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak under control for the next five years. Patrice Bergeron continues to be one of the best two-way forwards in the league and he is under control for the next five years. The mix of these veterans and rookies has made this team harder to play. They are grinding out games like they did 2011 when they won a championship. The reason why the Bruins will be good for the foreseeable future is because of this mix of players under club control for a long time.

Photo Credit: Matt West

The General Manager

The Bruins named Don Sweeney General Manager in 2015. Since then he’s shown two skills critical to sustained success for the franchise. He’s been able to sign key players to team friendly long-term deals and he’s done very well developing players. He has not made many successful trades, but he hasn’t sacrificed the future of the franchise just to make a deal. Every year Sweeney has been the General Manger he’s improved which is critical going forward.

Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara

Prediction

The Bruins may not win a championship this year but they will make a deep postseason run. That experience will be critical for the young players and will make them better going forward. It will also make these players hungrier next year and Lord Stanley will return to Boston in the next three years giving the Bruins two championships this decade.

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!

Patriots Fans Embrace the Hate

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Like the children of overly strict parents, America hates the New England Patriots and their fans. We’re your daddy. Sure, occasionally you get one over on us – or two in Eli Manning’s case – but for the better part of seventeen years we’ve spanked you and sent you to your rooms crying.

Make no mistake, it’s not enough for us to simply lift Lombardi’s. No, we want to make you angry. We relish your resentful jealousy. We bathe in the salty tears of your disappointment. The fires of your hate keep us warm in the cold New England winters.

Tears of the Vanquished

The truly great thing about being a Patriots fan is this: it doesn’t matter who we beat, the whole country loses their minds about it. Those of us who are old enough to remember watching Steve Grogan or Tony Eason know that we need to cherish every victory; we haven’t always been so fortunate. But some victories are sweeter than others.

Beating the Steelers – as we do with simply absurd frequency – always satisfies the soul more than a normal win. To do it in Pittsburgh, after a textbook Brady 4^th quarter drive and an end zone interception rivaled only by Malcolm Butler’s Super Bowl clinching INT over Seattle – makes it even more special.

But the greatest part, it’s what gets us up early to troll the internet, listen to sports talk radio or, God forbid, turn on ESPN is getting to hear the incessant whining. From the Pittsburgh locker room, the legions of Steelers fans, and the incalculable throngs of Patriot haters from Buffalo to Denver – the chorus of complaints is music to our ears.

New England: Not Arrogant, Just Better Than You

Pittsburgh was the better team for much of last night’s game. What was billed as the game of the year lived up to the hype. For once, Tomlin’s squad wasn’t steamrolled. They moved the ball well, dominated possession, and got pressure on Brady. The Steelers did almost everything they needed to win. They should have won.

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They didn’t win for a number of reasons. First, obviously, Big Ben went bust and threw a terrible pick. Second, obviously, Jesse James dropped what should have been the game winning touchdown. And third, inexplicably, they decided not to double Gronk at any point on New England’s final drive or two-point conversion.

Pittsburgh was the better team until it actually mattered. Then, as usual, they got out played.

The Catch That Wasn’t

Like everyone watching the game live, I thought James caught the ball, broke the plane, and maintained possession. That’s because the live shot was from the backside of the play and a million feet away. The second America saw the replay it was clear the ball not only moved, but touched the ground.

It doesn’t matter if he broke the plane. It doesn’t matter that he wasn’t touched by a defender. He didn’t maintain control through the ground. As famed Patriot-hater Tony Dungy said on Football Night In America, “this is absolutely the right call based on the rule”.

There isn’t a league official or football analyst who thinks that Jesse James caught that ball by the letter of the rule. Not one. It’s clear that he lost possession as he went to the ground. We can argue about the ridiculous nature of the rule all we want, but from Calvin Jonson to Dez Bryant to Adam Thielen last week, that’s always been an incomplete pass.

The Glory of Twitter

The greatest aspect of not just this win, but how this win was achieved, has to be the reaction across the Twittersphere. Pittsburgh’s Scott Kacsmar (@FO_ScottKacsmar) spent hours criticizing the rule and then shifted his attention to how weak the AFC East is. Ironic that this comes for a guy whose team plays the Browns and Bengals twice a year.

My personal favorite comes from Buffalo’s Sal Maiorana (@salmaiorana). You know, Buffalo – home of the “Bills Mafia” and epicenter of drunken tailgate videos and Super Bowl runner-ups. Inside of twenty minutes, Sal made my night almost as much as the Patriots. He called it “one of the worst calls you’ll ever see” and proclaimed he loved it “when the most entitled fan base in the universe revels in its good fortune with the very arrogance that [we] loathe most about them”. Music to my ears.

That someone is so obsessed with New England that they dedicate their lives to crying about games their team wasn’t even in is glorious. Sal, buddy, you complete me. I take so much joy in your suffering I can’t even explain it. When, not if, Brady wins his sixth Super Bowl we’ll have Bob Kraft fly you in for the party. It’s the only way you’ll get that close to a Lombardi.

Is Erik Karlsson The Player The Bruins Have Been Waiting For?

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While The Ottawa Senators have been rebuilding their team, Erik Karlsson has been very public about his contract status with the team. Karlsson, widely perceived as the best defenseman in the NHL, wants to be paid like it. However, the Senators have been hesitant to pay the 2 time Norris winner, and 4 time all star. Rumors have been flying about Karlsson’s future with the Senators. He is set to hit the market in the summer of 2019. Should the emerging Bruins make an effort to land the superstar defenseman in a trade?

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Price

The price to land a player of Erik Karlsson’s caliber is bound to be high. With a year and a half left on his contract, the Bruins may have leverage in trade talks. Ottawa would obviously want a young defenseman in return, to secure the backend for years to come. For most, Carlo is the name that would come to mind. However, the young defenseman is dealing with issues handling the puck in his own zone. Thus, his trade value is not at a high at the moment. It will take more than that to persuade the Senators to move on from the face of their franchise. Adding a Schaller or reluctantly, Heinen, to sweating the deal for the Senators, could potentially get it done.

Consequences

The real question becomes, are the Bruins willing to depart from two highly touted prospects for one plus year of Erik Karlsson? Karlsson has made it very clear he is going to the market, and getting paid. Even if the Bruins move on from Carlo, and another player, they are going to have to bid on Erik Karlsson, just like the every other team. Are the Bruins ready to move on from Carlo already? Only a year ago he was the most promising defenseman in the Bruins organization.

If Karlsson decides to move on after his contract is up, the Bruins will have set themselves back in the rebuilding stage, and will remain in the same position they are in now. On the face, trading for a player with Karlsson’s capabilities seems like a no brainer, but this could be one of the biggest choices Sweeney has to make.

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Benefits

Adding Karlsson to this team instantly makes them a cup contender. This is how scary good Erik Karlsson is already. Bruins fans got to see this last year, when the Senators knocked the Bruins out of the playoffs. The elite puck movement ability this stud defenseman possesses, adds another element to a team’s offense. He has excellent long range passing, and stretches opposing teams out. This opens up more ice through the neutral zone, and limits the fore-check. Karlsson is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL. He is able to consistently carry the puck up ice, creating odd man rushes.

One of the knocks on the superstar has been his lackluster performance in his own zone, he currently has a -16 rating on the season. However, playing over 26:00 minutes a night, for 7 straight seasons, can have an effect on a player’s rating. Especially when Karlsson is tasked with being the Senators best offensive player, as well as their best defensive player. The offensive ability that Karlsson has, makes up for any deficiencies on the defensive end.

Verdict

If the price was Carlo, and a lower level player like a Beleskey or Acciari, Sweeney should have made that deal yesterday. However, if the price is Carlo, and a Debrusk or Bjork, the deal becomes harder to swallow. Adding Karlsson to this team could affect the franchise for a decade, good or bad. If Sweeney could get a wink and a nod from Karlsson’s side that he will resign or negotiate, the Bruins could get Karlsson long term. No price is too high.

Who Will Win a Championship First: the Boston Celtics or Boston Bruins

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On the surface it may seem as if the Boston Celtics are miles ahead of the Boston Bruins. At least in terms of contending for a championship. However the gap between the two franchises is not as great as it may appear. While the Celtics have a promising young pair in Brown and Tatum, the Bruins have their own franchise player in Charlie McAvoy and plenty of young promising players. Now which franchise will be able to piece it all together first and bring another title to the city of champions?

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Boston Celtics

Let’s start with the talk of the town, the Boston Celtics.

The green won the hearts and minds of the city with their impressive 16 game win streak. They have kept that level of dominance up on way to a 24-6 record. While most people point to Kyrie Irving when mentioning the success of the Boston Celtics, the thing that makes them a championship threat is their young talent. Both of the Celtics’ number three overall picks Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have flashed excellence in different ways. Tatum has been the more impressive and consistent of the two, averaging 13.8 PPG 5.6 RPG and 1.3 APG. The most exciting thing about the small forwards game is his poise and ability to make opposing teams pay when they leave him open behind the ark.

Brown on the other hand has always been a fantastic athlete. Now he is starting to learn how to use his athleticism. Brown has the length to be an elite defender and if he can develop a more consistent outside shot could be an absolute force on the offensive end. Along with having two superstars signed in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward and a very talented big man in Al Horford. It seems like only a matter of time before the green bring home banner number 18.

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Boston Bruins

Only a few months ago many (including myself) thought that the Bruins should tank the season. But after a couple of adversity filled months all of a sudden the black and gold are showing they will not be slept on. Somehow even with the insane amount of injuries this team suffered they have fought their way into third in the Atlantic division. On top of that the Bruins have played the least amount of games in the division. Many may be thinking that the recent run of success by the Bruins is just a fluke. But that is not the case at all; similar to the Celtics the Bruins have a great mix of veteran and young talent up and down the roster.

Everyone knows about the future star of the Boston Bruins Charlie McAvoy. His importance to this franchise cannot be stated enough. McAvoy is the key to everything how good the young defenseman becomes will determine if the Bruins are able to win their second cup this decade. On top of that the promising young forwards Bjork, Debrusk, and Pastrank provide some creativity and skill on the offensive end. While Bergeron and Marchand continue to be the best one-two punches in the NHL. With Backes providing some much-needed snarl to the lineup. Along with Tuukka Rask being a solid enough backstop out of nowhere this Bruins team is starting to demand attention. Not just for this year but for years to come.

Verdict

Yes the Celtics are closer to a title and have a great future. However the Boston Bruins will win a title before the Celtics do. This is more of a reflection on the NBA then it is on the Celtics. LeBron and the Warriors have at least three more years of dominance in the NBA. While the Celtics are talented and promising they need a few more years to develop and for James to age. The Bruins on the other hand have the luxury of playing in the NHL where all you have to do is make the playoffs and you have a shot. Mark it up now your 2019 Stanley Cup Champions will be the Boston Bruins.