Tag Archives: NHL Hockey

Goalie

New goaltender coming to Boston?

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Don Sweeney Announced that the Boston Bruins will be diving into the goalie free agent market come Monday. What does this mean for Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak?

Changing of the guard?

NHL free agency opens on Monday. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney has already confirmed that the Bruins will be active come Monday. One surprising note that Sweeney mentioned was that the Bruins will be active in the goalie market. Some fans immediately jumped to conclusions that Tuukka Rask and or Jaroslav Halak might be on the move. Rest assured, that isn’t the case.

If its not broken, don’t fix it.

Last year the Bruins goaltending tandem was one of if not the best in the NHL. While there is the never ending debate surrounding Tuukka Rask, this move will hardly effect him. After one of the better years of his career and a stellar postseason performance, Rask is still the guy for the Bruins. That turns the attention to Jaroslav Halak. While some might think that Halak is just a backup goalie, he’s much more than that. Now Halak might be the backup for Tuukka Rask, but that doesn’t mean Halak isn’t good enough to start elsewhere.

Amongst the best

Last season was one of the better seasons throughout the career of Jaroslav Halak. Despite being the Boston Bruins backup goaltender, Halak made his mark. Halak had one more shutout than Tuukka Rask despite playing in six less games, but still played in enough games to qualify for rankings in the league leaders. Again, playing in six less games than Tuukka Rask, but the numbers are impressive nonetheless. Halak ranked seventh in goals against average (GAA), and ninth in save percentage (Sv%). Both ranked higher than Tuukka Rask. Halak has one more year on his contract and has definitely earned the right to play out his deal in Boston. The only way this isn’t the case is of the Bruins decide to trade him at the trade deadline because they don’t think they’ll make the playoffs. I highly doubt that’ll be case.

What’s the big idea?

When the Bruins address the goalie situation in free agency, its likely gonna be the Providence Bruins that it effects the most. A starting goaltender for Providence is most likely what Don Sweeney will be looking for come Monday. Zane McIntyre is currently the Providence Bruins starting goalie. Despite a pretty good year last year, McIntyre looks like he’s the odd man out in the Bruins goalie race. McIntyre’s contract expired this season, making him a free agent. A free agent that likely doesn’t come back to the Bruins organization next season.

Inside options? Not quite yet.

Dan Vladar is a 22 year old goalie who sat below McIntyre on the Providence depth chart last year. Vladar managed a .500 record and only allowed 2.73 goals per game. He will likely share time with whoever the Bruins sign next season in Providence. Kyle Keyser is another very intruiging goalie prospect that the Bruins have. Keyser is 20 and he played most of last season with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL. Keyser played in 47 games with Oshawa, only allowing 2.75 goals per game and held down a solid .915 save percentage. The general consensus is that Keyser isn’t quite ready for a full time role in Providence yet. Injuries could play a big role in Keyser moving up however.

As we’ve now looked at all of the options within the Bruins organization we know that one will likely be out. My thinking is that Don Sweeney is going to be looking to bring in a veteran who can help the young Vladar and Keyser and set them on the right track to the NHL.

Bruins Vs. Blues | Stanley Cup Game 5 Preview

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Two steps forward, one step back. That’s how the Stanley Cup Finals have gone for the Boston Bruins. They won Game 1 with a four-unanswered-goal comeback, taking it 4-2. They dominated Game 3 scoring four power play goals and winning 7-2. Unfortunately, Game 4 played similarly to Game 2. The Bruins couldn’t maintain the puck in the offensive zone, couldn’t keep it out of their own, and committed far too many turnovers. They lost Game 2 in overtime 3-2, then lost Game 4 by a score of 4-2. Both losses also came with injuries to the Bruins defense. In Game 2 Matt Grzelcyk was hit by Oskar Sundqvist and hasn’t played since due to a concussion. In Game 4 Zdeno Chara deflected the puck into his face and it’s reported that he has a broken jaw.

Tie Breaker

Tied at 2, the series is now a best-of-three. Game 5 is in Boston, as well as Game 7 if necessary. The Bruins will look to utilize the home crowd and light up the scoreboard early. They’ll need to establish and maintain offensive zone time and shoot at the net every chance they get. In both losses the Bruins had significantly fewer shots on goal than the Blues. Tuukka Rask has been amazing throughout the playoffs, but he’s going to need more offensive help to win the Stanley Cup.

(Associated Press)

Utilizing the Power Play

The Bruins haven’t been as productive during 5-on-5 play lately, so the key will be drawing penalties. They’ve been lethal on the power play and that can jump-start the full-strength offense. The Blues have been physical with several borderline (and a few egregious) hits, so getting a few calls should be inevitable. If the Bruins can capitalize on those chances and get something going, maintain puck possession, and cut down on turnovers, they’ll have a great chance of winning.

Defensive Woes

The defensive situation is a big question. Matt Grzelcyk was at practice on Wednesday, which is good news. But he was wearing the red, “no-contact”, jersey. So whether or not he plays in Game 5 remains to be seen. Chara is another question mark. There still hasn’t been any official word on him or his availability, but he wasn’t at practice on Wednesday. He’s consistently led the Bruins in ice time, so if he can’t play that leaves the Bruins with a large defensive hole. The current speculation is that Coach Bruce Cassidy will dress seven defensemen, instead of the usual five, to fill that void.

(Photo by Billy Hurst)

The Bruins had to win Game 3, and to do so they would have to play their best game of the season. They did. This time even more is on the line and they’ll have to play just as tough. They can’t allow the Blues to win Game 5 in Boston and go back to St. Louis to potentially win it all. Game 5 is an absolute must-win for the Bruins, and they’ll need all four lines showing up in force to do so. The series, the season, and the Stanley Cup is on the line.

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Eliminate Blue Jackets: Heading Into ECF

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The stage was set for Game 6 in Columbus and the Boston Bruins came out victorious, denying the Blue Jackets a Game 7 back in Boston. The battle in the net had emerged as the story throughout the series, and both Tuukka Rask and Sergei Bobrovsky played outstanding. Last night, Rask earned a shutout against the Blue Jackets 3-0, and led the Bruins to the Eastern Conference Finals—their first since 2013.

TUUKKA TIME

Rask made 39 saves last night in the shutout, as the Bruins won their third straight game in a best of seven games.  He is the third goaltender in Bruins history to record two-series clinching shutouts.

The Bruins scored first when Sean Kuraly netted one past Sergei Bobrovsky in the first period, however it was ruled as goaltender interference. David Krejci then scored at 12:13 of the second, officially getting the Bruins on board. Both Rask and Bobrovsky made it a tight game, keeping it a 1-0 game until the third when Marcus Johannson scored, making it 2-0. David Backes added more cushion as he extended the Bruins lead 3-0 later in the third.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: Boston.com)

MISSING THE NET

Columbus had plenty of opportunities to sneak one past Rask, however, only managing to hit the post and crossbar multiple times as they peppered the Bruins net. Despite having four power-plays, Columbus was unable to capitalize, despite coming into the series with the best power-play in the playoffs.

“You’ve got to create your own luck, obviously, but it would have been nice to see at least one of those go in. I think if one of those goes in it’s a whole different ballgame just because of the momentum you create of just getting one past him. We peppered him…Just disappointing…I thought we played really well tonight, just didn’t get a result. It’s frustrating for a game where I really thought, I wasn’t planning on sitting here talking to you guys about this. Don’t really have much to go on tonight, just one of those games. We had chances, just didn’t bury them.”

Columbus Captain Nick Foligno

COMING TO AN END

Columbus’s Seth Jones saw his effort diminish, as Rask made a stop which saw the goaltender’s mask fly off. Zach Werenski also made an attempt, but saw that attempt hit the left post. Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in net. This was the Blue Jackets fourth time being eliminated at home in a qualifying game during the Playoffs. Columbus certainly had great looks during the series, but Boston surged back and was the better team in the end.

“We want to create the storm. We’re not interested in weathering any storm. We wanted to go out there and be aggressive and let them know we’re here to play be assertive, and I thought we did a pretty good job of that.” 

Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy

The Boston Bruins will be back on home ice as they face the Carolina Hurricanes, a date which has not been announced yet. Charlie McAvoy will reportedly have a hearing on the the illegal check in last night’s win.



Boston Bruins

Game 5 | Round 2: Boston Bruins vs Blue Jackets

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TD GARDEN, BOSTON–The Boston Bruins head home after a wildly frustrating game in Columbus that saw the Black and Gold winning 4-1, tying the series at two-a-piece. Tonight, the Jackets will be looking to take the series lead after a shaky Game 4.

FIRST LINE SPARK

Patrice Bergeron scored off of two power-play goals with an assist from David Pastrnak (who started things off scoring minutes into the first period). Ohio’s own Sean Kuraly scored in the third to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead. Columbus lone goal of the night came after a controversial play that saw the puck hitting the protective net. It was ruled that it was continuous play, with Artemi Panarin scoring.

HOT BETWEEN THE PIPES

Despite a love/hate relationship from the Boston Media, goaltender Tuukka Rask has been outstanding in this series, while Sergei Bobrovsky has been incredible in net for the Blue Jackets. Solving the Bobrovsky equation has been a sticky point for the Bruins team, however with the 4-1 win the Boston Bruins have shifted the momentum. Rask has two wins with a 1.80 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Bobrovsky has a .934 save percentage with a 2.23 goals against average.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: JAMIE SABAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)

The Blue Jackets were hit with multiple penalties in Game 4 and will be looking to keep out of the box:

“We let our emotions get the best of us last game. We took a lot of dumb penalties. They’re going to try to get in our heads but we need to keep our composure.”

Columbus Forward Cam Atkinson

Both the goaltending and special teams have dominated the series so far, and both teams will be looking to take the lead. Boston has the advantage in the 5-on-5 offense, however, both teams need to up their game. The Bruins top line was key in Game 4 and will need to continue to overcome their postseason struggles.

“Hopefully that fuels them to get going and you keep it up…when your best players are your best players, we’re generally going to be a tougher team to beat.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

UPDATES

It was announced that Noel Acciari is a game-time decision. Chris Wagner may possibly play if Acciari can not.

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:15 PM, TD Garden, Boston

WHERE TO WATCH: NBC

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers

Bruins Tame Panthers In Wild Win

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As Boston tied the game late in the third and with six seconds left, Saint Patrice would score the winning goal as the Bruins beat the Panthers 4-3, extending their game-point streak to 18 games (the second-longest in Bruins history).

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers
(Photo Credits: Joe Mariski)

FALLING BEHIND AND GETTING BACK UP

After a scoreless first, Florida got on board in the second when Alexander Barkov scored on a power play at 2:48 in the second, with Brandon Carlo being called on a tripping penalty. Boston was once again down a player as Captain Zdeno Chara received a delay of game penalty. Unfortunately, Florida took advantage as Jonathan Huberdeau scored, making it 2-0.

Boston would get on board when David Krejci scored off a feed from Danton Heinen at 10: 29, making it 2-1 in the second. With the third underway, the Bruins once again found themselves in the penalty box, however Patrice Bergeron would net a short-handed goal, tieing the game at 2-2.

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers
(Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

MOOUNTING A COMEBACK

With a Bruins mounting a comeback, Florida would momentarily throw a wrench into their plans when Jonathan Buberdeau found his puck in the back of the net, making the score 3-2 Florida. As minutes started winding down in the third period, Florida would be down a player. Matt Grzelcyk would tie the game at 19:23 on the power-play. In stunning fashion, Patrice Bergeron would net the winning goal seconds later, making the final score 4-3 and handing Florida their sixth straight loss.

Tuukka Rask made 22 saves in net, while Roberto Luongo made 24 saves for Florida. The Bruins are now 41-17-9 and are still second in the Atlantic Divison and in the league. With the loss, Florida is now 28-27-12. Boston will face the Ottawa Senators this Saturday at the TD Garden.

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Boston Bruins

Bergeron Returns in Dramatic Fashion; Bruins defeat Preds 5-2

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MISTER 300

It was an afternoon to remember, as Bruins fans received an early Christmas present when Coach Bruce Cassidy announced Patrice Bergeron would return to the lineup.  Number 37 had been out since November 16th after sustaining a rib and sternoclavicular injury in a game against Dallas.  Without missing a beat, in typical Bruins fashion, Bergeron reminded fans and the NHL exactly why he is one of the greatest premier two-way forwards as he notched his 300th NHL goal.  He is now 17 games away from reaching his 1,000th game played.  Bergeron is now the sixth player in Bruins history to score 300 goals.  He joins an elite group alongside Cam Neely, Ray Bourque, Rick Middleton, Phil Esposito, and Johnny Bucyk.

GAME PREVIEW

In the first period, Bergeron got the Bruins on board 1-0 when he scored at 15:10 from a Charlie McAvoy pass.  The Bruins would score another goal in the second making it 2-0, only to have it overturned when Nashville challenged for goaltender interference.  The Predators would even the score when Ryan Johansen netted a goal off a one-timer pass from Craig Smith.  However, Bergeron would bring Boston up by one when he scored his second goal of the game (and one that would be his 300th career goal).  Nashville would come back when Kyle Turris scored with a wrist shot, making it 2-2.

Boston Bruins Patrice Bergeron)

(Photo Credits: Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

LOSING THE EDGE

With a frustrated Preds team looking to make a comeback, a penalty was given to Ryan Hartman when he tripped David Pastrnak.  Bruins’ Brad Marchand took advantage, and netted a power play goal with an assist by Bergeron, making the score 3-2.  Any hopes for the Predators were quickly squashed as Pastrnak scored on a one-timer pass from Marchand for a 4-2 lead; Bergeron was also credited with an assist for the Pastrnak goal.  Adding the final nail in the coffin, Sean Kuraly potted an empty-net goal in the last few moments in the third, making the final score 5-2.

With the win, the Boston Bruins are now one point away from taking the third spot in the Atlantic Division.  Nashville has now lost four in a row, as well as losing 10 straight road games.  They are also missing some key players in their lineup, such as P.K Subban and Viktor Arvidsson.  Bruins’ Marchand and Pastrnak had two goals and two assists.  Goaltender Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves and is third in the league for goals against average at 2.19; he’s tied for first in the league with save percentage (.930) alongside Tampa Bay’s goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.  He’s also tied in second in the league for shutout wins.  The Bruins have now won three in a row, and six of their last eight games.  Boston is hoping to extend their winning streak as they travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow afternoon.

NEXT GAME: Sunday, December 23rd with puck drop at  5:00 PM

WHERE TO WATCH: NESN

 

Boston Bruins Celebrate an 8-2 win over Detroit October 13, 2018

Boston Bruins Throttle Red Wings 8-2

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The Boston Bruins were feeling good this Saturday afternoon as they won in great fashion, defeating the Detroit Red Wings 8-2.

A few of the Bruins players hit some personal career milestones. Superstar David Pastrnak had his second career-hat trick and scored his 100th career goal. David Krecji hit his 400th career assist. Both Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand tallied assists for the night, showcasing the great chemistry that the power-trio first line has.

Other lines also produced for Boston as both Jake DeBrusk, Charlie McAvoy and Anders Bjork potted goals each. A few bright spots for Detroit were goals netted by Filip Hronek and Dylan Larkin.

BREAKDOWN

In a lackluster fist period, the Bruins woke up towards the end of the first as David Pastrnak scored at 19:09, putting Boston on the board, 1-0. In the second period, Charlie McAvoy snipped a goal right off a Bergeron face-off win at 4:44. Jake Debrusk deked to slide one past Detroit’s goalie Jonathan Bernier, making the score 3-0. With four minutes left in the second, McAvoy drew a high-sticking penalty that sent Detroit’s Christoffer Ehn to the box. The power play led to Pastrnak’s second goal of the afternoon.

Bruins celebrate after left wing David Pastrnak scores his third goal during the third period of the Wings' 8-2 loss on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, in Boston.

(Photo Credits: Paul Rutherford USA TODAY sports)

With the third period underway, Detroit  scored just 21 seconds in with a power play goal by Filip Hronek. Boston answered back with a two-on-one push by Brad Marchand that had David Pastrnak score his second hat-trick of his career. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin scored a short-handed goal at 8:23 in the period, making the score 5-2.

Anders Bjork scored unassisted at 10:12, making the score 6-2. Jake DeBrusk scored off a Brandon Carlo deflection as David Krejci recorded his 400th assist of his career. With 48 seconds left in the third, Sean Kuraly found the pass from Kevan Miller and scored, ending the game with a final Score of 8-2.

Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo and Red Wings center Christoffer Ehn play for the puck during the first period on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, in Boston.

(Photo Credits: Paul Rutherford USA TODAY sports)

QUICK NOTES

Tuukka Rask made 32 saves while Jonathan Bernier made 31 saves (with 39 shots on goal)

On scoring his 100th goal:

“I don’t really think about [my success],” Pastrnak said. “I just go out there and play hockey … and enjoy every moment on the ice.”

Pastrnak joins a small group of Bruins who have made that mark the fastest, doing so in 259 games. Barry Pederson reached it in 187 games, while Dit Clapper did it in 247. Both Patrice Bergeron (3) and Brad Marchand (2) came away with a few assists in the game. Both players lead Boston in points (so far).

This games marks Boston’s fourth win in a row, while Detroit loses their fifth in a row. Wednesday we’ll see the start of a four game road trip in Canada where they will play the Calgary Flames.

 

 

2015 draft

Looking Back at the Bruins 2015 Draft

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In the 2015 NHL draft the Boston Bruins had three picks in the first round .They held the rights to the 13th,14th, and 15th overall picks. With those three picks they selected Jakob Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zach Senyshyn. DeBrusk, made his NHL debut last year and is the currently the only one of the three to have made it to the NHL. The other two are close and could contribute to the Bruins soon. They still need more time in Providence but will be given plenty of opportunities. With the NHL season approaching each will play a different role this season as they look to fulfill their draft day expectations of being a 1st round selection.

2015 Draft Picks Review

DeBrusk had an impressive rookie campaign last season. He appeared in 70 games scoring 16 goals while adding 27 assists. He was a force to be reckoned with on the powerplay where he had nine points including two goals. In the playoffs he elevated his game and was not fazed by the increased pressure. In 12 postseason games DeBrusk had 6 six goals tying him for most on the team with Bergeron and Pastrnak. With the season on the line in game 7 against Toronto he had a game to remember. DeBrusk scored the Bruins’ first goal and netted the game winner. The former first round pick was not just a fan favorite because of his performance but because of the passion he showed on the ice. It was a very promising beginning to what could be a special career.

2015 draft

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jakub Zboril

With the 13th pick in the 2015 draft the Bruins took defenseman Jakob Zboril. Unlike Debrusk, Zboril’s career has not gotten off to an easy start. At his first training camp he seemed lost and was still battling a knee injury. After a rocky start Zboril has begun to show the tools that made him a first round pick. Zboril does not have the offensive ceiling of Charlie McAvoy or Torey Krug. That being said he does possess good skating skills and is not afraid to sacrifice his body. He is also excellent on the powerplay. Despite his progress it is unlikely he will make the team out of camp as the Bruins already have eight defenseman under contract. Early on it seemed like Zboril may turn into a bust but he has silenced that notion. With Chara likely retiring sooner rather than later the Bruins will need a top defenseman alongside McAvoy and the Bruins are hoping it’s Zboril.

2015 draft

Photo Credit: Dobber Prospects

Zach Senyshyn

The Bruins took Senyshyn 15th overall with their final pick in the first round. In Senyshyn’s two years with the Sault Marie Greyhounds he had back to back 65 point seasons. In his first year in Providence last season he had only 26 points. He is known for his speed and scoring touch but was streaky last season in Providence. Even when he struggled he did not let that detract from the other areas of his game. There is a significant amount of pressure on Senyshyn as he is the centerpiece of the Dougie Hamilton trade. Like Zboril he will need another year in Providence before he is ready. Senyshyn is still adjusting to the pro game and will need to be less streaky. The talent is there and he could be a fixture on the Bruins top lines for years to come.

2015 draft

Photo Credit: Greg M. Cooper- USA Today Sports

Judging The Bruins’ 2015 Draft

With Zboril and Senyshyn likely to start this season in Providence it is still too early to judge them. DeBrusk was the exception and showed that he has the potential necessary to make a major impact moving forward. If Zboril and Senyshyn can live up to the expectations of being a first round pick then Sweeney will look like a genius. Watching these two develop this season will be a storyline to keep an eye on. They both could very well be centerpieces of the roster for years to come.

The Boston Bruins possible trades this offseason

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 22nd 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.

DON SWEENEY SPEAKS TO MEDIA AT THE NHL COMBINE

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.”

 

RICK NASH RESIGNING W BRUINS--traded from Rangers this past season

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

Defensman Torey Krug /trade rumors

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

NOAH HANIFIN-a trade for Boston?

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

ilya kovalchuk -trade

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 1st 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

Looking Ahead for the Boston Bruins

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Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand and Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos

TOUGH ENDING FOR THIS SPECIAL TEAM

It’s been a few days since the second round exit of the Bostons Bruins, and things are settling down. As with any team that has been eliminated, everyone has their take on what happened: what went wrong, and was it all on Rask?, Marchand’s “lick gate” antics, what can be improved, lack of defense, etc. When it comes right down to it, Tampa was faster and better at clearing the zone. The Bruins couldn’t adjust and found themselves playing from behind. The officiating was extremely frustrating (to put it nicely), but there’s no question; we need better defense. Despite the loss, this team did a lot. If you think about it, they weren’t even projected to make it in, never mind being mixed in the playoff conversation. Things looked tough in the beginning of the season, but the season turned around and Boston fans got to see some really great hockey.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

Image result for boston bruins vs tampa bay lightning, charlie mcavoy

In the beginning of the 2017-2018 season, the Black and Gold knew they would be in the rebuilding phase, which is why the Bruins weren’t expected come out as they did. Boston had many first year guys, mixed with a few veterans, with no playoff experience. Let’s not forget, Bruce Cassidy was in his first full season as head coach of the Bruin. He had his work cut for him. In the preseason, the Bruins looked pretty good, but things had to improve. As the regular season rolled around, the Black and Gold had a tough start. Injures started and some of the new guys started to pick up some slack. The cohesiveness wasn’t there yet. and after a trip out west, the Bruins started winning games. They gelled. They became that special team.

MANY FIRSTS

Fans were able to witness many first NHL goals for many of the young guys- seven to be exact. The youth movement was in full swing. But injuries were plaguing this team. As we saw, the Bruins showed not only the rest of the NHL, but themselves that nothing would stop them. As one guy went down, another stepped up and every line contributed. The Bruins steamrolled through their opponents and became that team no one wanted to face. Our first line alone was one of the best in the NHL. But even in this series, they were having a hard time producing any offense, despite combining 23 points over five games.

boston bruins vs tampa bay lightning, david pastrnak

The mentality and strong resiliency did not go unnoticed by their opponents. As Jon Cooper, head coach of Tampa stated,

“All right, I’ll tell you — I guess I can say it now. Boston set the bar for us. And we played them three times late in the year, and the first two times we played them, they literally manhandled us. The scores were tight, the first one was 3-2 and then they beat us here, and it was men amongst boys. And we knew if we were going to go anywhere when we made the playoffs — or if we made the playoffs — that we had to be as good as Boston. And it happened. We beat them 4-0 (in the final regular-season meeting), and that gave us a bit of confidence. Well, it gave us a lot of confidence. But they set a bar for us to better our team. And ultimately, we carried that through into this playoffs round.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

boston bruins vs tampa bay lightning

Admittedly, it’ll be sad not to write about the Bruins doing the improbable: a team in their rebuild phase winning the cup. It’s about exciting as having a team like Vegas making into the playoffs in their inaugural year. Winning the Stanley Cup is one of the hardest trophies to win, and hockey isn’t for the weak. It’s a tough sport with tough athletes. They give their bodies for this sport, playing through a car wreck of injures. This year’s Bruins team won as a team and they lost as a team. For fans, understand this year’s Bruins were a treat. There were lots of ups/downs and Don Sweeney will no doubt look make some moves. They made it in with a bunch of young, fresh-faced players who will now have the experience needed for the new season.

CLOSING QUOTE

Captain Zdeno Chara had some great insight:

“If we’re gonna look back throughout the whole season, I think there is a lot that we can be proud of. There’s a lot that we can take from this and use as a positive. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be a playoff team. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be a 50-win team. And we were fighting for the first position in our conference.

“We went through some challenges and obstacles this season and we handled it very well. There’s a lot to be proud of and a lot to be looking forward to next season.”

For this writer, October can’t come soon enough.

To the Boston Bruins, thank you for one hell of a season.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88