Tag Archives: #BruinsNation #DonSweeney

Making The Case: Heinen, Prospects On The Trade Block

The Bruins may have missed out on the John Tavares sweepstakes, but they boast one of the deepest rosters in the NHL. In recent years, highly rated prospects such as Ryan Donato, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, and others have made their NHL debuts in Boston. As the Bruins roster for next season takes shape, many Bruins prospects will be looking to make their mark. There is not enough space for all of them, leaving Don Sweeney in a tough spot that many general managers wouldn’t mind being in. As the offseason progress, Sweeney may use some of these prospects to improve the roster.

Young Players To Deal

As the Bruins look to improve their roster, one player they should consider is Danton Heinen. He is coming off a solid rookie season in which he had 16 goals and 31 assists. He was very effective on the powerplay, as he had 12 points on the man advantage. Heinen is a good playe,r but his skill set is not overwhelming. If the Bruins were to deal him, they have prospects in Providence who could step up and fill the void. Three centers in particular who have high potential are Ryan Fitzgerald, Trent Frederic, and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson. The Bruins could also look to move one of these three depending on what trades come along.

Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Bruins Prospects To Deal

Unlike Heinen, Peter Cehlarik has yet to stick on the Bruins roster. Over the last two seasons, the Bruins prospect has appeared in 17 games for Boston. In his limited time, he has scored one goal and recorded three assists. Cehlarik is one of the Bruins highly touted young players but depth has prevented him from gaining a permanent spot. Involving him in a trade package would be beneficial for the Bruins; he has yet to make a significant impact but still holds some value on the trade market.

Jeremy Lauzon, the twenty-one year old defenseman, is one of the most highly touted prospects in the Bruins system. He was selected by Boston in the second round of the 2015 NHL draft. He was seen as a puck moving defenseman, which would be a perfect fit for the Bruins roster. In 52 games for Providence last year, he had only one goal and six assists. While he still needs to improve his overall game, he is still one of the Bruins top prospects. The Bruins also have Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril in Providence, meaning the Bruins could deal from a position of strength.

Photo by : Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

How Sweeney Will Handle These Prospects

So far this offseason, it seems as if general manager Don Sweeney is preparing for a deal. The Bruins will have 11 defenseman competing for six spots, among whom are Lauzon and Vaakanainen. If the Bruins want to acquire an impact piece, many of their young prospects could entice other teams into a blockbuster agreement. The offseason is young and these three Bruins prospects, among others, are likely to be in another organization by the time season begins.

Follow me for more ( @JamieGatlin1217) and look out for next week’s Making The Case

Boston Bruins- the Grizz Is Back

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Late Friday Night, the Boston Bruins announced that they signed restricted free agent Matt Grzelcyk to a two-year deal worth $2.8 million. The Charlestown native will be signed through the 2019-202 season.

BY THE NUMBERS

This past season, the 24-year-old defenseman had quite the season, if not impressive for a rookie. As one of the many first-year players that made an impact, Grzelcyk tallied up three goals and 12 assists over 61 games. During the Stanley Cup playoff run, he had one assist. At just 5’9″, 174 lbs, the defenseman looks to add some strength to his game:

“Getting in the weight room is obviously huge for me, like it is every offseason,” Grzelcyk said. “I think just quite a bit of confidence going into next year, and trying to earn a spot again, that hasn’t changed.”

A third-round pick for the Bruins in 2012, Grzelcyk spent his first season in Providence. In this past season, “Grizz” played alongside veteran defenseman Kevin Miller, adding some much-needed depth on the blue line. During the regular season, he logged 16:44 ice time minutes; in the playoffs, he averaged 15:56 minutes on ice. Grzelcyk also scored his first NHL goal this past season.

First @NHL goal for Boston-area kid, Matt Grzelcyk! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/b8Xovq9KNO

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) November 24, 2017

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Boston’s playoff run has been talked about, analyzed and dissected. No matter which way you look at it, this Bruins team will be quite the force this coming season. For Matt Grzelcyk, the Tampa series was one to reflect on, particularly the third game. For the defenseman, an unfortunate puck “hop” led to an opening goal by Tampa Bay. Grzelyck had the puck at his feet, however, because of that hop, he found himself spinning back towards the blue line. The puck, still bouncing, was fed to Tampa’s Ondrej Palat who was able to beat Rask on his high blocker side, sending it into the back of the net. A rough start in a tough series, but Grizz made no excuses:

“Yeah, just trying to gap up, [and] the puck kind of felt like it backspun on me on the ice. I thought it maybe went behind me. I just took my eye off the puck I guess and they capitalized because they’re a good team..Obviously not the way you want to start the game and that was just tough bouncing back after that.’’

NEW SEASON, NEW START

As GM Don Sweeney continues to make some key decisions affecting the Bruins roster, there’s was that question: would he bring back Grzelcyk? After all, he was going to be an RFA at the end of the season. Then came the good news: the Bruins re-signed Grzelcyk for two more years. Boston is continuing its focus on the youth movement by keeping Grizz. It’s always good to see a Boston native play for their home team, and fans alike see #48 at the Garden for a little longer.

Welcome back, Kid

TRADE RUMORS-BOSTON BRUINS

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GETTING A HEAD START

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

OPEN MARKET

For the Bruins, getting the higher draft pick position back will be difficult. Another question facing Boston: who should they keep? One name that’s being brought up is Rick Nash. He missed the last 12 regular season games and in the playoff run, recorded three goals and two assists on 39 shots. With limited internal options, Sweeney looks to re-sign Nash, perhaps on a deal that would be cap friendly:

“ Rick indicated when he came to Boston that he was excited about the opportunity. He wants to win… wants an opportunity to win. He felt badly and certainly he’s not responsible for this, because he got injured. It took away a little juice from him..I think..from a size and puck protection standpoint, he gave us something that was maybe missing in that regard.”

ELSEWHERE

Austin Czarnik, who spent most of his career in AHL with Providence , is starting to look elsewhere. But the Bruins are still open in talks with the young center.

“ We certainly haven’t closed the door. I don’t think he has as well, but I would be surprise if he doesn’t get to at least see what may present itself as options for him”

And there’s the sticky situation with RFA’s Matt Grzelcyk and Sean Kuraly. Sweeney and the Bruins will try to avoid arbitration with the two players, who have had a pretty gritty 2017-2018 season.

WHAT’S UP WITH TOREY KRUG

There ‘s no question that Krug is a pretty good defenseman. He may be small in stature at 5”9, but STATS don’t lie. 52 goals in 398 games with 183 assists garnering a total of 235 career points. If the rumors are true, the Oilers are looking to trade Oscar Klefbom who, (when healthy) can add some much-needed even strength. Again, if you look at numbers, Klefbom has played 255 games and posted 24 goals garnering 94 points. Klefbom’s defense abilities and puck read were problematic this year so I’m not entirely convinced trading Krug for Klefbom would a great add to the Bruins roster. Now if the Bruins can somehow secure Carolina’s Noah Hanifin, that could potentially beef up their defense-something that Boston needs.

ALL ABOUT DEFENSE

At 6’3 , 205lbs, Boston Native Noah Hanifin would add the extra height for the Bruins defense. He had his best season in Carolina last year, scoring 10 goals with 22 assists. But if you’re going to go after top-notch talent, you ‘re going to have to give up something and for the Bruins that means letting some of their young talent go elsewhere. Right now, Boston has an enviable system where they have a flourishing amount of players coming up. But would that also include letting go of someone like Krug to sweeten the deal?

FROM NHL TO KHL BACK TO NHL

Lastly, another huge rumor involving the Bruins is the possible signing of left winger Ilya Kovalchuk. The 35 year old Russian native has spent a handful of years in the KHL and is looking to make the jump back in the NHL. recently, he has had talks with the San Jose Sharks and the LA Kings. Although, no one is expecting him to play the same way when he was with New Jersey, he did garner 63 points in 53 games, along with potting 31 goals. And at 6’3, 230 pounds, he could be the BIG body that the Krecji/DeBrusk line need. He can certainly work the net and skate well, but would signing a 35-year-old be worth it? If it was a short-term type of deal, it could be worth pursuing, but we’ll have to wait until July 1^st when he becomes available.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The bar is set pretty high for the 2018-2019 season and the Bruins need to make decisions. In a perfect setting, Boston would sign every single player they have, but as the story goes, it’s just not the reality. Every hockey analyst will be watching the NHL draft in Dallas next week and the Black and Gold will be looking making some important moves.

For more info, follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrll88

Bruins Prospects to Watch out For

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The 2018 season is over and the Boston Bruins are finally resting amid all the injuries they were playing with, GM Don Sweeney and Co. have been busy looking to make much-needed changes to the team‘s roster.

With rumors swirling about possible trades with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Bruins will be looking to help bolster their defense. The most exciting thing about this recent team was the important impact that the young prospects had. Even though the season ended shortly and, let’s be honest –exceeded everyone’s expectations, there’s no question that Sweeney and Neely will be faced with some tough decisions. They’ve made it no secret that they would love to keep everybody, however it’s just not reality. There’s a lot of young talent that’s being developed in Providence and they’ll be looking to earn a spot on the Bruins team. Let’s take a look at a few prospects that could very well shine through next season.

Photo courtesy of Ted Fitzgerald-Boston Herald

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins already have a promising group of young guys already in the lineup. Young superstars such as Jake Debrusk , Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk, Sean Kuraly, Ryan Donato, Brandon Carlo and, even though he’s not a first-year guy David Pastrnak, who had a breakthrough season. As Don Sweeney looks make some moves on who stays, there are quite a few prospects looking to break through and earn a spot on the Bruins’ roster.

RYAN DONATO

As the Bruins were poised to make a postseason run, they received great news. 22 year old Boston-native Ryan Donato would sign an entry-level contract with the Black and Gold. In his debut for the Bruins, he scored his first NHL goal. In the regular season, he ended with a respectable nine points in the 12 games he played. Donato knows how to score: he posted 26 goals and 43 points in 29 games for the Harvard Crimson. A natural scorer, he potted five goals in six games while competing in the 2018 Olympics for the U.S.. This young star will be looking to make a huge impact in the 2018-2019 season.

ANDERS BJORK

One player that’s started the beginning of this past season on the first line with Bergeron and Marchand is 21 year old Anders Bjork. He posted 12 points, and was sent back to Providence before having season ending shoulder surgery. With the successful pairing of Pastrnak /Krejci at the recent IIHF tournament , will we see a repeat of Bjork on the first line? For this writer, it probably would not be a bad idea see how Bjork does in training camp first and if need be, send the young winger back down to Providence. Will be interesting to see if Coach Cassidy will break up the first line and insert Bjork alongside with Bergeron.

TRENT FREDERIC

The young prospect is making a name for himself as an all-around player; the 20 year old can score. For the Wisconsin Badgers, he posted 65 points and 66 games and the recent World Junior Championship against the Czech Republic, Frederick potted four goals in a 9-3 victory. He can handle the puck and find passing lanes, making him a threat offensively.

JAKOB FORSBACKA KARLSSON

Selected in 2015 by the Bruins, the Swedish Center skated alongside McAvoy at BU. Playing for the Providence Bruins, JFK potted 32 points in 58 games. As he gains more consistency in his play, JFK will be an effective center offensively. He plays with intensity, turning plays into scoring chances. As the young 21 year old continues to develop, there could a real chance he would get the call and replace Riley Nash when he becomes a free agent this July.

IN THE NAME OF DEFENSE

JEREMY LAUZON

In an effort in bolstering their defense, the Bruins will be looking at 21 year old Jeremy Lauzon. What the Bruins need is someone that can not only defend but move the puck. But if you look at his recent record in Providence last season in 52 games he only managed one goal and six assists. A slow start, but if he wants to play for the Black and Gold, he’ll need to work on more with the coaches as he continues to develop.

URHO VAAKANAINEN

Another defensive prospect is 19 year old Urho Vaakanainen. Drafted in the 2017, he’s been playing solid in the Finnish League, garnering 11 points in 43 games. The young Finn isn’t a splashy player, however he’s a safe bet; calm and steady with a few years of playing pro under his belt. As the Bruins defense make necessary transitions, you’ll need a composed player like Vaakanainen, especially on the blue line.

JAKUB ZBORIL

And lastly another star in the making is 21 year old Czech Jakub Zboril. Drafted in 2015, Zboril plays a solid game; his first season with the Providence Bruins posted 19 points and 68 games. Not the biggest body on ice (6 feet , 201lbs), however, he plays smart especially in the neutral zone. A two-way defenseman, Zboril will need to work hard and gain more experience playing professionally. He’ll be one to watch.

FINAL THOUGHTS

With harsh realities facing the management in regards to who stays and who goes (those Krug rumors won’t go away), every one will be gunning for a spot on the Bruins team. With recent trades that didn’t exactly pan out, Sweeney will have his work cut out for him; the lackluster performance of Rick Nash hasn’t gone unnoticed. The bar is set even higher for next season. The Bruins will need to keep some veterans to help the upcoming prospects. And let’s not forget, they need to make room to keep the young talent. In 2020, many will become restricted free agents. With tough decisions lingering on their minds, there’s no doubt the new season will bring new excitement as the Bruins work hard in their quest for the Stanley Cup.

Follow Liz Rizzo St Pierre on Twitter @pastagrl88

It’s Crunch Time for the Bruins

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As teams continue to put pressure on the Boston Bruins, can the Black and Gold continue to tough it out?

I’ll be first to admit, I wasn’t sure if the Boston Bruins really needed to make a trade. But I had to take a hard look at their recent playing effort. The one thing about this team, which has been an issue these past few years, is the depth of their defense. As the trade deadline nears, most teams are looking to rebuild and that means making some changes. Recent rumbles throughout league would have the possibility of Jake DeBrusk going to Rangers in exchange for Ryan McDonough.

Yes, the Bruins need a top D-man, and Chara won’t be around forever. And yes, Carlo should be better than he is. Lacking that depth is being exposed in their recent road trip. We knew this was going to be tough test of just how good this team is and after a pretty bad showing against Vancouver, reality was starting to set in. If they want to be in the playoffs, they would have to play smarter, faster, and tougher.

Staff photo by John Wilcox/The Boston Herald

Quick Change

After losing 6-1 against a low standing Vancouver team, the Boston Bruins had to bounce back. A win against Calgary gave another shot of confidence that the team needed. The Bruins went back to the basics while working on what needed to be polished. Tuesday’s night game against the Oilers was another test. Edmonton hasn’t been playing great this year, yet somehow managed to find their pucks behind the Bruins’ net. A quick look at some stats and you’ll see that Boston plays under .500 when they are two goals behind. The black and gold found themselves in a hole, which they had to dig themselves out of. Something had to change and with a stroke of genius, Coach Bruce Cassidy led the charge. With the third period getting underway, the Bruins were set to make a dramatic comeback. And they did. David Krejci skated alongside David Backes and Danton Heinen. Backes retrieved the puck from Edmonton, passed to Heinen which set up Krejci to score the winning goal. Because of the stellar comeback win for the Bruins, the question of whether the B’s can play gritty was answered.

Production

The thing about this year’s Boston Bruins team is the production from their lines, particularly the 4^th line. While the 1^st line of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak has produced huge numbers for the team- let’s take a look at the 4^th line. With Tim Schaller, Noel Acciari, Sean Kuraly, this line has been very productive for this team. Cassidy put that line out in the crucial minutes of the third period and sure enough, that move worked. The Bruins scored. In a bold move, Cassidy switched up his center and Riley Nash played alongside Jake DeBrusk and Ryan Spooner. After some great puck movement, Charlie McAvoy’s shot hit off Nash, who beautifully back passed to Matt Grzelcyk and the Bruins tied the game.

Photo Credit/Getty Images

Coach Cassidy had this to say about the fourth line:

“Offensively, they’ve done a real good job chipping in.They’re over 20 goals even strength as a line. That’s pretty good for a fourth line that doesn’t see any power-play time. It was a big one by Noel tonight, typical goals. Again for Noel, going to the net, willing to pay the price, be around there. Very, very happy for those guys …I think they’re well liked by the group, so when they give you energy, it just gets the whole team going [and] they’ve done it more than once for us this year.”

Boston Bruins David Krecji scores game winning goal

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Looking Ahead

March is going to be a tough month for the Bruins. After finishing their Canadian road trip, they’ll be back home for the next five games. With the newly acquired Rangers defenseman Nick Holden, the Bruins are looking to add some jolt to their defense. The black and gold will need to work on their back-end, make smart trades (if needed) and keep pushing. Cassidy will have to switch up lines and the young guns will need to play through their growing pains. Boston hasn’t exactly made the greatest decisions when it comes to making trades however, fans will have to trust the process. This could possibly mean losing a young player and that can be hard to swallow, given the amount of talent this team has and the chemistry they’ve built.

Final Thoughts

The Boston Bruins need to stick to the basics, drive hard to net and continue to get pucks in. Other teams will be gunning for a spot in the playoffs and the pressure will be on. One thing is for sure, this team is and has been exciting to watch. Because of the comeback win in Edmonton, this team continues to prove once again just how special they are. Cassidy keeps making the right calls, the team has found their stride and Holden is someone we could use. If everything falls into place, the Bruins will get far into the playoffs. Finally, does this team need another player like a McDonough or even a Lucic? From this writer’s perspective, Boston doesn’t really need to make another trade, but I’ll leave that to the experts.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrll88

From Russia With Love- Anton Khudobin

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

ENTER THE DOBINATOR

Despite the loss on Tuesday night, Anton Khudobin has been on fire lately. Up until Tuesday’s game, Khudobin has not lost in regulation and is currently boasting a .924 save percentage (eighth on the leaderboard). The 31 year old Kazakhstan goalie has also done something equally impressive: giving competition to the Bruins’ number one goalie, Tuukka Rask. By mid-November, Boston started to get their team healthy again. Anton Khudobin was given the chance to finally play between the pipes. The Bruins enjoyed a four game winning streak and with Khudobin in net helped bolster the confidence of team. As for the fans, they got to see a goalie who was excited to play some good hockey. It was hard not to to notice how Anton’s energetic enthusiasm translated in his style of play. As Coach Bruce Cassidy puts it:

“Doby is always going to have a bit of energy, for lack of a better word, in there and more movement than most. You know, he’s not your typical technically robotic goaltender…”

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

For Tuukka Rask, watching Khudobin play those games has earned top praise from the Bruins goalie early on in the season, especially when Rask was struggling early on.

“Doby played a heck of a game. The results have been there. I haven’t been able to get wins in the past three starts. So it’s understandable. Obviously, we look at every game whether it’s a win or loss and take the positives and learn from the negatives.”

BEING THANKFUL

For a young Anton Khudobin, playing hockey was always the one thing he wanted to do. Playing for the home town team, the coach decided to move to a different city, far from Kazakhstan where the Khudobin’s lived. This meant leaving their life, giving up everything so that their son could play. Khudobin played for the Russian National team which beat the United States in the final. For the young goalie, the dream of playing in the NHL soon came true. After being drafted to the Minnesota Wild and playing for a Canadian Junior team, he came to Bruins in 2011. He became a free agent and ended up playing for the Hurricanes and the Ducks before returning to Boston.

With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, there’s a question on whether or not the Bruins resign Khudobin. No matter what happens, there’s no question about Anton’s love for playing and winning at the sport.

“The ‘W’ is always great. No matter what the score, whether it’s 8-6 or 9-7. If you win then you win. Nobody talks about losers. Everybody talks about winners, right?” … if you win, then you’re on the horse, and if you don’t then you’re under it. It’s great to get one …and so now hopefully it’s not going to roll like it did last year.”

Gear up Anton, you may get a cup soon enough.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrl88

Don Sweeney Defined by Moves He Never Made

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It’s hard to criticize a team with a 29-10-8 record, but Don Sweeney has left room for improvement. The Boston Bruins have been a winning machine as of late going 14-0-4 heading into Tuesday’s match-up against the Anaheim Ducks. That is the team’s longest point streak since 1968-1969. Yet even the recent run of success cannot hide what could potentially be an all time mistake by Bruins GM Don Sweeney.

2015 NHL Draft

Hours before the 2015 NHL Draft the Boston Bruins held the 13th, 14th, and 15th overall picks. These picks were acquired by trading away Milan Lucic and Martin Jones to the Kings and Sharks respectively. Everyone covering the team was adamant that Sweeney had plans to move multiple, if not all, of those picks. It turned out Sweeney planned to move up in the draft to take defenseman Noah Hannifin out of Boston College. However, due to lack of execution and a last-minute change of mind Sweeney’s plan fell through.

As a result Sweeney decided to use all three of those draft picks due to the dismay of Bruins fans. Don Sweeney selected defenseman Jacob Zboril, left wing Jake Debrusk, and right wing Zachary Senyshyn. Only Jake Debrusk has made an impact at the NHL level. In a solid rookie campaign so far he has posted 11 goals and 25 points. Meanwhile Zboril and Senyshyn have not been able to get a sniff at the NHL level. Senyshyn has had struggles even cracking the Providence lineup. The Bruins’ entire rebuild has and will continue to be centered around that draft. If only one of those picks turns into a real player then Sweeney is going to feel the heat for it.

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Matthew Barzal

The bigger story from that draft is what could have been. At 16th overall the New York Islanders selected center Matthew Barzal out of the WHL. If you do not know who that is, Barzal is currently leading all rookies in scoring and is in contention for the Calder Trophy. Barzal has been opening eyes around the league scoring 51 points in 52 games and is on pace to finish with 84 points. Barzal also currently has more points than anyone on the Bruins team to add some salt to an already sensitive wound. With Bergeon, and Krejci both on the wrong side of thirty it would have been nice to have an elite offensive center in the Bruins organization. Instead Sweeney decided to reach for Zboril and Senyshyn, who have provided nothing for the Bruins.

Brock Boeser

Another member of the 2015 Draft who is tearing up the league is Brock Boeser. He went 23rd overall to the Vancouver Canucks out of the USHL. Boeser just made a name for himself nationally at the NHL All Star game by winning the MVP over some of the league’s best players. True hockey fans have known who Boeser is for months. The rookie right wing has been lighting the lamp all over the ice with 28 goals and 48 points. The shot this kid has is absolutely insane. He can pick a corner from any spot on the ice. While the Bruins have some good offensive players none of them have the potential that Boeser has. He may have the highest offensive potential of any rookie in the NHL. The scary part is the rookie can only get better going forward which should have Bruins fans furious.

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What Could Have Been

Think about it like this: if Sweeney was a better evaluator the Bruins could have had a line of Debrusk/Barzal/Boeser. Anyone who would not want to see that is insane. Maybe Zboril and Senyshyn will turn into legit players, or maybe they will not. But Barzal and Boeser have already proven they are going to be superstars. While the Bruins are a good team they could have been a great team. The two picks that never happened could define Sweeney’s legacy when it’s all said and done.

Cover image courtesy of CBS Boston.

Changing of the Guards

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SHOWDOWN IN MONTREAL

The Boston Bruins face a tough schedule heading into to the second half of the season. There’s no doubt that there will be a lot of emotion on the ice in Wednesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins and Canadiens hold what is considered to be one of the NHL’s greatest rivalries. This also marks the first time that coach Claude Julien will return to Boston to face his former team. For the past decade, Julien sat behind the Bruins bench and coached a team that made two Stanley Cup appearances in 2011 and 2013. To say Julien didn’t have an impact on the Bruins organization would be foolish. Coming into the first of many meetings between the two clubs, there’s a level of respect from both the players and Coach Bruce Cassidy. For some, like Patrice Bergeron, playing against his former mentor will carry some extra emotion:

” It’s going to be special. He’s been great for my career and for the organization. It’s going to be a special moment”

“..There’s a mutual respect for the player-coach relationship that they have..”

These last forty games are crucial for the Boston Bruins as they continue to push for a playoff spot. As for Montreal, a time for desperation calls for desperate play. Under Claude Julien, the Canadiens have been playing inconsistent and lackluster. They currently have a 2% chance of a clinching a playoff spot. There’s no question that the recent surge of young players has propelled the Bruins into second place with a +30 in the Atlantic division. Under Cassidy, there’s a great chance that the black and gold will emerge as one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup. In this week’s match-up against the Habs, all eyes will be on the bench as one curiosity arises. Just how would this young Bruins team be under Julien? Also, would he be able to put all his trust into a first-year player?

OLD SCHOOL

In the last few years, the NHL has morphed into a game more focused on speed and less on strength. Things change and to be competitive means adjusting to a different style. For the upper brass management (as well as fans), Claude Julien just wasn’t able to adapt productively. With personnel changes and the league’s expansion, the Bruins were two steps behind. Consequently rumors of tension between some players and Julien began to surface.

Both the media and Bruins fans were starting to believe this “myth” that Julien simply didn’t like the young players. It didn’t help that player Ryan Spooner made a remark that Claude didn’t like him. There were even whispers that Tuukka Rask didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Claude. If you take a look at the stats and what some of the young players had to say about Claude, you get a different story. Julien helped develop a lot of players such as Milan Lucic Patrice Bergeron, Dougie Hamilton, David Pastrnak, and Ryan Spooner. The difference between Cassidy and Julien is the way he developed them; you had to earn your ice time. The old school thought would have Julien put more pressure and trust onto a veteran rather than a first-year player.

So just how was Claude with his young players? If you break down some numbers of those coached by Julien, they aren’t as bad as many fans would remember. And keep in mind, many of these players were under the age of twenty-two. In his rookie year, Brad Marchand scored twenty goals. Pastrnak also scored twenty-two goals at the age of twenty years old. Also, as a 19-year-old, Tyler Seguin scored twenty-nine goals, and 22-year-old Milan Lucic netted thirty. Many of these players credit Julien for helping them develop their playing style. A young David Pastrnak had a breakout year while playing under Julien in 2016. At one point he was second in the league behind Sidney Crosby in goal scoring and garnered high praise from Claude:

“He’s been our best forward since the beginning of the year. He’s coming into his own..”

Interestingly enough, a lot of these young players worked closely with former Providence head coach Bruce Cassidy. For David Pastrnak, it was Cassidy and assistant coach Jay Pandolfo who worked closely with the young Czech forward for three years. As a side note, Claude Julien coached in the AHL and was even a successful Junior coach.

While Julien and Cassidy may have similar backgrounds, their approach in working with young talent has produced different results. For Julien, limiting playing time for a young player was part of the learning curve and development process. However, Cassidy had a different plan; speed drills, picking up the pace and attacking the net more on the offensive end. As the NHL began to change and after the Bruins missed the playoffs in 2015 while under Julien, both general manager Don Sweeney and President of the Boston Bruins Cam Neely knew that it was time to move on and hire a new voice.

CHANGING OF THE GUARDS

The firing of the long-tenured coach drew a mixed response from players and the organization as well as hardcore fans. Many of whom immediately called for the firing of Neely and Sweeney. By the time Julien was let go from the Boston Bruins, the team record of 26-23 left them with little chance of clinching a playoff spot in the 2016-2017 season. As the interim head coach, Cassidy had his work cut out for him. At that point in the season, the Bruins were one point outside the Eastern Conference With a quick change-up in styles, the black and gold managed to clinch a spot. Cassidy’s playing style was what the Bruins needed as they headed into a playoff series against the Ottawa Senators.

Fans got the see a first glimpse of an astounding performance by first-year player Sean Kuraly and newly signed prospect Charlie McAvoy. Those who were unsure of how this team would be without Claude got to see a new resilient team that didn’t give up easily. In a hard-fought series, the Bruins made it difficult for the Senators to earn a spot in the playoffs. Even though the Boston lost, there was no question that given the short amount of time that Cassidy had coached the team there was something special about the upcoming group of “young guns”.

BUTCH CASSIDY AND HIS SUNDANCE KIDS

Bruce Cassidy had to deal with an onslaught of injuries affecting the team at the beginning of the season. With a tough task ahead of him, Cassidy continued to put trust in his young players while looking to his veterans for guidance. Sure, there have been a few hiccups and learning opportunities on the bench. However, the Bruins had managed to stay afloat in the standings. As the team started to become healthy, things started to rapidly change. For fans, one of the biggest stories in the NHL is how the recent youth movement propelled the Bruins into playoff contention.

Seeing this team jump twenty spots in the standings, one would have to think again how this team would fare Julien. In my opinion he would have a hard time extending his leash, continue his dump and chase game, with little emphasis on speed- a strategy that would not work for this year’s Bruins team. In order to be competitive in this sport you have to be willing to change. One look at the standings in the Atlantic Division, it’s not hard to tell which team will rise up to the top. Under Julien, the once powerful Canadiens are looking to miss the playoffs this year. With their recent 4-3 loss to the Bruins, Montreal continues to sputter down in the division, while the Bruins continue to shut down their opponents.

It’s clear Cassidy is the perfect fit for this young Boston team. He is currently 42-18-8 with the Bruins, keeping the focus on speed and puck control. Don Sweeney’s plan has come to full fruition. Signing young prospects, developing them in Providence and hiring a young coach that isn’t afraid to take chances. Sometimes change is good, and as the Bruins continue to be tested and pushed in the second half of the season, Cassidy and his Sundance Kids will no doubt be fighting to the end.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88

The Top 5 Boston Bruins Rookie Seasons

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

Sergei Samsonov

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

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

Bobby Orr

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joe Juneau

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

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

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

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

Andrew Raycroft

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

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

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

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

Raymond Bourque

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

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

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions

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

Frank Brimsek
Dereck Sanderson
Brad Marchand
Tiny Thompson
Brad Boyes

The New Wave

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

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

Does Sweeney Deserve More Credit Than He Gets?

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The past few years Don Sweeney has been under fire by most Bruins fans. Justifiably so however. Most of his NHL moves have been downright wretched. But with the Bruins roster starting to get healthy and the mixture of veterans and young talent coming together, suddenly the Bruins’ roster looks better than expected. Sweeney, however, has not received much credit for his roster building. But should he?

Drafting

The key development for the Boston Bruins this season has been the growth of young talent. While Sweeney can’t get credit for drafting all of the impressive rookies, he has played a major role in it. After all, he drafted arguably the two most important young kids on the Bruins in Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. On top of that, he also brought in Jake Debrusk who has shown NHL level goal-scoring ability. Looking up and down the roster, Sweeney’s fingerprints are abundant.

Even the players he has not drafted, he deserves credit for developing. That includes Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, and even David Pastranak to an extent. Sweeney has successfully replenished the once-depleted Bruins farm system and fans are starting to see the results.

Veteran Pieces

It has not been all perfect at the NHL level for Sweeney by any stretch of the imagination. But even with some horrible blunders, somehow the Bruins have a very good mixture of veteran talent. Sweeney does deserve credit for the moves that have gone his way. Signing 32-year-old David Backes to a five-year, $30M contract is a questionable move at best. But Backes has made an impact playing in a lesser role on the Bruins, and has provided a physical veteran presence for a rather finesee Bruins team.

The extensions that Sweeney has orchestrated with his star players have proven more important than his signings. Both Marchand and Pastranak, the most talented offensive players on the team, have signed under-market deals. Not giving in during the Pastranak negotiations may have been his best NHL move and deserves plenty of praise.

Fails

While Sweeney has made some solid moves, his bad ones tend to stand out more. Such as singing a third pairing defenseman in Torey Krug to a five-year, $21M contract with an AAV of $5.25M. Additionally, he signed Matt Beleskey to a five-year $19M dealt, with an AAV of $3.8M. And he kept Kevin Millar, who cannot stay healthy over a young, promising offensive defenseman in Colin Millar. Even more atrocious? Sweeney’s trade of a second-, third-, fourth-, and multiple fifth-round picks for Lee Stepniak and John-Michael Liles. Sweeney has racked up some major fails, however none have them have crippled the Bruins, unlike the previous regime had a tendency to do.

Overall, Sweeney has been below average to downright bad at the NHL level. But it is starting to look like he has a couple of major hits from the draft to his credit. When the Bruins win their next Stanley Cup, the young talent on this team will be front and center.