Tag Archives: NHL

BSE Week in Review

Hey Boston Sports Extra Fans! The writing crew came through this week and worked off the post-Thanksgiving pounds, so you didn’t have to. There are many new original articles by our fantastic writers. Support and spread this Week in Review around and comment on the articles.

@PatriotExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/12/five-forgotten-classics-bills-patriots-rivalry

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/12/brady-better-eli-period

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/will-garoppolo-return-new-england-patriots

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/patriots-fans-nothing-worry-last-month-season

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/jardines-means-will-beat-bills

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/inactive-mike-gillislee

@CelticsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/12/will-celtics-go-streaking

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/kyrie-irving-boston-may-win

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/boston-celtics-ups-downs-week-6

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/celtics-offense-catches-fire-blowout-win-orlando

@BruinsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/12/charlie-mcavoy-gone-beyond

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/rasks-rough-start-costing-bruins

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/jake-debrusk-future-nhl-superstar

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/short-term-solution-bruins-season

@RedSox News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/12/five-forgotten-classics-bills-patriots-rivalry

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/trade-jackie-bradley-jr

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/greatest-left-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/hof-case-moose-schill

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/greatest-shortstops-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/roger-clemens-make-hall-fame

News from around the Sports World

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/12/rising-ashes-josh-gordons-return-gridiron

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/roger-goodell-fickle-father-nfl-football

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/barry-bonds-needs-hall-fame

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/unlikely-best-afc-west-emerging

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/analyzing-cfb-contenders-chances

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/eli-mannings-career

Charlie Mcavoy Has Gone Above and Beyond

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Entering the NHL season expectations for the 19-year-old defenseman were set pretty high. So high that at one point it started to seem unrealistic. But so far McAvoy has shocked everyone with his skill and makeup. Through 23 games this season, McAvoy has not only been excellent on the offensive end with 3 goals and 10 assists. He’s also been quite stout defensively during a time when Boston needed him most.

Offensively

The former 1st round pick has always had the skill set to be a productive two-way defenseman. But some scouts were optimistic about it translating to the NHL level. So far McAvoy has shown that his offense is no fluke. Bruins fans have been out of their seats with this kid’s skill set. He has excellent skating ability, great vision through all three zones, and as fabulous hands as Jonathan Quick. Cory Schneider got to witness that first hand.

But what has been most impressive about his offensive game is his intelligence. While McAvoy has the talent that many could only dream about, he has shown an excellent level of discipline for a 19-year-old rookie. He has shown great timing on when to pinch down the boards and make a play. He also has the awareness to give up on the risky play that could hurt them defensively. Something that he was doing earlier on, credit to the coaching staff for developing him thus far. At times its hard to remember McAvoy is a defenseman because of how gifted he is offensively.

Defensively

With the non-stop ravishing of injuries the Bruins have faced this season, it’s been hard to find a player who has played every night. But McAvoy has and Cassidy has leaned on him as a result. The rookie is currently averaging 23:42 TOI, and played 28:11 against the Lightning in the Bruins’ 3-2 win at the Garden. That ranks 26th in the NHL, at the age of 19 lets not forget. The rookie has made his mistakes, which is expected when your out there in high pressure situations. McAvoy has shown the ability to learn from them and rapidly improve on the defensive end.

Physicality

Whats been most impressive is his physicality up and down the ice. McAvoy lines up players coming through the neutral zone showing a willingness to defend the blue line. Also his toughness has been eye-opening for spectators. McAvoy has also been on the receiving end of quite a few collisions too. But every time he pops back up and even got into it with Lucic. This kid has the heart and the guts to play a physical game, and the talent to go end to end.

Bruins fans: get ready because this type of player doesn’t come around often. At the young age of 19 its hard not to get excited about the future with Charlie McAvoy leading the way.

Rask’s Rough Start Costing the Bruins

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Goaltender Change in Boston?

So far this season the Bruins have been inconsistent. That doesn’t come as a surprise to many due to the youth of this team. The Bruins had won four straight, their longest winning streak of the season until Sunday’s loss to Edmonton. The surprising thing is the main reason behind their longest winning streak of the season is due to their backup goalie, Anton Khudobin. The Bruins’ number one goaltender Tuukka Rask has gotten off to a rough start. If he does not improve his play, then there could be a new number one goaltender in Boston.

Photo Credit: Fluto Shinzawa

Rask’s Rough Start

On Sunday night Rask had an opportunity to make his case and he didn’t capitalize. With the play of Khudobin, some have started to say Rask may lose his job. Rask has often been criticized heavily in Boston and this year his numbers don’t help his case. After Sunday’s game Rask now has just three wins and nine losses in twelve starts this season. He is giving up almost three goals a game and has yet to record a shootout. Last year he recorded a career high of eight. So far this season he ranks near the bottom in most goaltender statistics while Khudobin ranks near the top. It is not impossible for Rask to get on a role and carry this team, but time may be running out.

Photo Credit: Harry How/ Reuters

Youth Movement

The Bruins have many young players on their roster. So far this season these players have at times made mistakes in front of Rask leading to goals. Rask has carried the Bruins in the past by stealing games. This year he hasn’t come up with those big saves nearly as much. That is where Khudobin has excelled and is why the Bruins have won with him in net. if Tuukka can start to make the difficult saves than his results may change and the Bruins could rise in the standings.

Photo Credit: Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP

Moving Forward

This season is Bruce Cassidy’s first full season as the Bruins head coach. Early he’s made it clear that paychecks don’t matter but performance will dictate who plays. If Rask wants to remain the starter then he will have to play better. Rask has been the Bruins number one goaltender for the past six years. He’s won a Vezina and almost carried the Bruins to a championship in 2011. Rask has been one of the best goaltenders in the league at times throughout his career. With his job on the line it’s time for Rask to remind people of the player he is.

Jake Debrusk: Future NHL Superstar

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Every time a team rebuilds fans search for players to latch onto. Most fans and writers have been drawn to the fabulous talent of Charlie McAvoy. Rightfully so though, because McAvoy is a special player. But another young prospect on this team with exceptional talent has been flying under the radar. Jake Debrusk has been highly touted since being drafted number 14th overall in the 2015 NHL draft. For the first time Debrusk has flashed the talent that scouts have been raving about since his youth hockey days.

Backstory

Jake Debrusk has always had the heart and passion for the game. But early on in his hockey journey he lacked a scoring touch to go along with his determination. Jake Debrusk is the son of former New York Ranger Louie Debrusk. He has always been viewed as the guy who will do the dirty work in the corners. Through the early stages of his development this was crucial for him because his exceptional goal scoring ability was still developing. He is not a physical hockey player, only being 6 feet tall and weighing in at 188 pounds. However, he does have the grit and determination to do whatever it takes to get high percentage shots. This eventually got him drafted by the Swift Current in the 7th round (137th overall) in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft.

Breakout

In 2013-2014 the hard-working mentality of Debrusk helped him lead all Swift Current rookie forwards in goals (15) and assists (24) through 72 games. Debrusk’s speed and shot began to develop to catch pace with his exceptional hockey IQ. However, it was not until the 2014-2015 season that Debrusk flashed his full potential. The young left winger opened the eyes of scouts everywhere, scoring 42 goals and adding 39 assist to account for 81 points, which ranked 4th in the WHL among left wingers. Debrusk showed that scoring ability that so many scouts around the league had been waiting for making him a highly touted prospect. In his final two regular season games he propelled the Broncos to a playoff spot scoring 7 points, 3 goals and 4 assist.

Adversity

After the winger’s stellar season he rapidly rose draft boards across the league. Many projected that he would be a late first round pick. The Boston Bruins thought highly of the Edmonton native, drafting him with the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft. However it was not all smooth sailing. Debrusk’s pro career started off on the wrong foot. The ex-Bronco failed a conditioning test only a few months after the 2015 draft. On top of that the young sniper’s WHL season was a bumpy one. With injuries plaguing Debrusk causing him to play only 24 games for the Broncos. The once potential NHL superstar was rapidly losing stock as each day passed.

Perseverance

Debrusk took the same approach off the ice as he would on the ice, grinding out every shift. Despite the sobering start to his pro career, the rookie continued to push through and thrived in the AHL. Posting impressive numbers across the board with 19 goals, 40 points, and a +11 rating. His hardworking nature and exceptional sniping ability had transferred to the pro game better than anyone believed it would. The wing once thought to be bust all of the sudden was the next great forward in the Bruins’ farm system.

Entering the season Debrusk was put into a top 6 role by Bruce Cassidy due to his exceptional scoring ability. After a rather pedestrian start the rookie looked tepid at times. In the past few weeks Debrusk has shown why he was such a highly touted prospect. Using both his speed and strength along the puck to create prime scoring chances for him and his line mates. Debrusk has always head the work ethic and the brain to play at the NHL level. But now with his rapidly improved offensive game, the sky is the limit for number 74.

Short Term Solution for the Bruins’ Season

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So far the Bruins’ season has been full of questions with few solutions. The Big Bad Bruins for better or worse have been the team’s identity. Well at least it was until recently. This year’s Bruins team lacks a definitive identity. They are not skilled enough to play up-tempo, eye-popping hockey. But the Bruins are also not tough and gritty enough to grind out close games on a consistent game to game bases. So far this hockey team has won games in different ways, but as we have seen they’re very inconsistent.

Weakness

Watching the games outside of Pastranak, Marchand, and maybe Krug or McCavoy, this team is not built to play fire wagon hockey. The recent success that the Bruins have come across has been a result of pure effort. Cassidy needs to keep the pedal to the medal in order to keep the arrow pointing up. Sunday night’s 4-2 loss to the Oilers showed exactly what happens when the Bruins try to play a more finesse style of hockey.

This loss to the Oilers is a painful one to swallow. The Bruins coughed up what should have been a guaranteed two points against a widely underwhelming Oilers team. Edmonton came into the TD Garden concluding a terrible five game road trip, and having lost four out of their last five games. While Boston was playing their best stretch of hockey this season, after winning an emotional matinee matchup against the Penguins. But the Bruins got away from their game and as a result ended up playing the Oilers game.

Grit

Now when the Bruins have been good this year it’s not because of the talent level. It’s because the Bruins have played with fire, and grit that has worn down less prepared teams. That type of wear-you-down hockey is what the Bruins need to continue to pursue if this season is the main priority. Too often the Bruins try to make the extra pass in the offensive zone, or on the breakout. As a result the bigger, faster, and more talented teams have been able to dictate the terms against Boston.

So how can the Bruins make this season interesting? By embracing the physical, gritty style of hockey that has been the key to the Bruins success as an organization. Rather than trying to wow the crowd through the neutral zone, start dumping the puck into the corners and make the other team work. Also, the Bruins have to suffocate the neutral zone much more than they are currently doing. Quicker teams have been able to gather great speed off the rush which has led to prime scoring chances.

While up tempo hockey is exciting, it has gotten the Bruins in trouble. Slow it down, finish checks, and make the other team outwork you. That’s the key to the Bruins having any substantial success this season.

Bruins Defense in Their Own Zone Needs to Improve Quickly

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The Bruins have been a bit of a roller-coaster as of late. From losing four games in a row, then winning two out of three games on their California road trip. They have been hit hard by injuries all over the roster but no position has taken a bigger hit then the center position. Bergeron, Backes, Spooner, and Krejci have all missed time at one point or another this season. Along with the rotating players on the back end with McQuaid out for a long stretch, and Krug now is missing time. The defense in their own zone has been sub-par to say the least. But even with the Bruins beginning to get players back from injuries the team defense continues to be repulsive at times.

Youth

This is the easiest route to go down considering that the Bruins have been throwing out an AHL lineup the past month. But being young does not provide an excuse for frankly being lazy at points. The Bruins’ young defense man have been lackadaisical at times this year, allowing easy tip-ins or one timers from the slot/high slot on a simple man coverage scheme. Cassidy has not instituted a complex defensive system at all. Most of it is a simple zone keeping the puck rotating along the boards and out of the danger areas, or a man to man coverage. Yet somehow the Bruins’ defensemen continue to lose track of their responsibility and have allowed some retched goals through the first quarter of this season.

When the Bruins’ youth has been able to execute the scheme properly, they are still getting beat to the spot and allowing wide open shots on net. Maybe it’s because they played against AHL talent only a couple weeks ago, or that they lack the physical talent to deal with big talented NHL forwards. Either way The lack of grit on the back-end has been a problem all year and continues to haunt the Bruins in tight games. While the last two games have shown improvement, the Bruins the youth on the back-end to develop some grit real quick. After all the first quarter of the NHL season is the easiest, as the games begin to rack up all the sudden the hits come harder and your feet feel heavier. Let’s see if the youth on this team is ready to handle that.

Veterans

Defensive errors have been to common on this Bruins team. It seems like every game a player is making a wild pass through the center of the ice, or a bad timed pinch up the board that have led to breakaways and odd man rushes going the other way. Even the inability to clear the puck when the Bruins have plenty of open ice in front of them, rather they get overwhelmed in their own zones way to often making for grinding shifts on the players, and a lot of high quality scoring chances for the opponent. The inability to make the simple plays that NHL teams should do in their sleep fall on the veterans.

Chara mainly on the back-end should be telling the young kids make the simple play and get back on defense. Someone needs to take control of the game and slow it down, and Chara needs to be that guy. Do not let the veteran forwards off the hook either. They need to realize that when you have a bunch of young kids on defense do not get caught behind the net. Too many times in the past month the Bruins’ forwards had a tendency to migrate toward the puck rather than playing zones. While it makes for a less entertaining game playing conservative is what the Bruins need to learn to do and quick.

Now with Thanksgiving right around the corner it’s go time. This is when the playoff teams separate themselves. Let’s see what the Bruins got.

Anton Khudobin Is Carrying the Boston Bruins

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Finally it seems like Bruce Cassidy had the guts to make the move Bruins fans have been begging for. Khudobin may have saved the Bruins season from completely going down the drain. Riding a four game losing streak on the second night of a back-to-back against a team with the second best record in the Western Conference. The Bruins were underdogs to say the least. But like he has done since March of last year Khudobin stepped up and delivered in a way Rask has not. Khudobin made 27 saves on 28 shots, with a brilliant .964 save percentage. He then followed that up with an even better performance against the San Jose Sharks stopping 36 out of 37 shots leading the Bruins to back to back wins, and 4 out of 6 points on their California road swing.

Goaltending Change

After the Bruins improbable win against the Kings, Bruce Cassidy came out after the game and stated the Khudobin would be the starter for the time being. Granted Cassidy made no long term commitments after the San Jose game, but it’s expected that Khudobin will continue to get the call in goal over Tuukka Rask. Tuukka also spoke about the decision giving credit to Khudobin and publicly agreeing with Cassidy’s decision. Cassidy really had no other choice at this point. Tuukka has been retched this season, and Khudobin just cannot seem to lose.

Khudobin’s Numbers

The stat that shows the impact that Khudobin has had on this team the best is the team’s record in games that he has gotten the start in net. In games Khudobin started this season the Bruins have not lost a game in regulation. Khudobin secured points in all of his starts on the way to a 5-0-2 record. Currently Khudobin has a .935 save percentage, and 2.17 goals allowed on average. On top of that he has won games the Bruins had no business winning. His .935 save percentage is third best in the NHL and he is also tied for sixth in the NHL in GAA.

Long Term

Is Khudobin going to continue this production? Most likely not, considering Anton has spent the majority of his career as a back up and never started more than 36 games in a season. But Cassidy and the Bruins need to ride the hot hand of Khudobin if they care about this season. However, the Bruins cannot get too comfortable with him in net. As quickly as he became a top ten goalie in the NHL he could fall off a cliff. That’s what backups do: they can get insanely hot for as much as an entire season. However in the end they usually average out. So for Cassidy the long term solution is still getting Rask back at the top of his game. Maybe benching him for a month will be the kick in the ass he needs.

One thing is for certain Anton Khudobin has been the MVP for the Bruins this season. With the non-stop injuries ravishing the NHL roster Khudobin has been a calming force for the young kids. Especially with players getting closer to a return to the lineup, namely Marchand and Spooner. The Bruins are going to continue to lean heavily on Khudobin to carry this team throughout. Now let’s see if the feel good story of an overachieving backup can last.

Should The Bruins Tank The Rest of The Season?

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Okay, it’s time to take a serious look at the Boston Bruins. After getting completely outworked in Anaheim the Bruins currently have a 7-7-4 record, which ranks 26th in the NHL. The Bruins have lost 4 out of 5 games and both Brad Marchand and budding rookie Anders Bjork have been placed on injured reserve. Now the question becomes what do the Bruins do from here?

Push for a Playoff Spot

Now the Bruins as an organization have always made it quite clear that they want to be in the playoffs no matter what. It’s quite clear that was the goal entering this season before the injury bug ravished the roster. But even with the absurd amount of injuries, the Bruins could, and probably will, make a push for a playoff spot. This is mainly because the Bruins want to sell tickets and keep the TV ratings up.

The Bruins are attempting to rebuild on the fly while remaining relevant in the mind of sports fans. As a result, the Bruins have enough talent on the team, if they can get a few bodies back to make a push. A hot month or two could put the Bruins right back into the thick of things. There is value in making the playoffs for the Bruins this season. Its always good to get the young kids some experience in prime time.

Tank

Bruins fans are going to have a hard time swallowing this pill. But the best option for the Bruins is to tank. Let’s be realistic, the Bruins at full strength are a fringe playoff team. Let alone with half the roster out, the Bruins have dug themselves into a to steep a hole to make up. Now it’s time for Sweeney to make the tough call for the better of the team. It’s been proving on multiple occasions that building on the fly in the NHL is extremely difficult. On top of that Sweeney has done nothing to inspire confidence that he can build a capable team.

For Bruins fans on the fence about tanking, would you rather be the Maple Leafs or the Bruins right now? Its obviously the Maple Leafs for one reason: Austin Matthews. How did the Maple Leafs get him? Oh yeah, by tanking. That’s what makes the future bright for the Maple Leafs. While the Bruins have talent coming through the system, they don’t have a stud forward, especially at the center position. Brady Tkachuk is a 6-3, 194 pound center coming out of Boston College that the Bruins should target in the draft. He is ranked as the best center in the draft and the second best forward behind Andrei Svenchnikov.

Verdict

The Bruins need to tank and go get themselves a stud in the draft. Tkachuk is a gritty young center who has the mental makeup to play and thrive at the NHL level, and is expected to go fourth or fifth in the draft. Now Sweeney needs to realize his goal should be getting Tkachuk or maybe even Rasmus Dahlin, the highly touted defenseman. That’s why the Bruins need to sell off pieces such as Riley Nash, Zdeno Chara, Adam Mcquaid, and David Krejci (if anyone will take him). Go full tank mode get a stud forward into the system, allow the young players to grow at the NHL level and plan for the next three years not just this season.

This is a crucial time for the Sweeney/Neely era. Selling pieces off will put them under fire but holding onto them may cost a shot at a potential stud.

Bruins Journey Through California

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Holding a three game losing streak, things don’t get easier for Boston as they begin their California road trip. The Bruins kick off their trip tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, who they have yet to play this season. Following Wednesday’s visit to Anaheim, the Bruins rematch with Los Angeles on Thursday, and San Jose Saturday. The Bruins finds themselves at a crucial point of the season, slipping away from the leaders of the league.

BRUINS VS DUCKS

Perhaps the easiest test of the trip for Boston, Anaheim currently sits in sixth place of the Pacific Division, ahead of only Edmonton and Arizona. Like the Bruins, the Ducks have had their share of struggles lately, dropping five of their last six. Along with that, Ducks’ stars Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler have missed some time due to injury, forcing exploration into their depth charts. Boston knows this story too well. They will play without Brad Marchand and Anders Bjork, just to name a few. This opening match of Boston’s California trip is by far the most crucial. If the B’s can break their losing streak with a big win, it can perhaps translate into momentum against one of the best teams in the league. If Boston fails to snap their losing streak, struggles will only plunge deeper for a deflated Bruins squad.

BRUINS VS KINGS

Just less than three weeks ago, Boston hosted Los Angeles in what turned out to be an overtime heartbreaker. Boston snagged the early lead during the first period before Tyler Taffoli ripped the equalizer for Los Angeles moments later. The second and third period were defensive jousts, eventually leading to an overtime match up at the Garden. About five minutes into overtime, Taffoli recorded his second point of the game and the game-winner for the Kings. Despite the loss, goalie Tuukka Rask had one of his best outings of the season, logging 28 saves on 30 shots. But there’s good news for Boston. Los Angeles is currently on a three game losing streak, all of which came at home. The time for Boston to play the number two team in the Western Conference is right now. The potential for the Bruins to take a huge leap following their trip to California is strong, especially if they can start off 2-0.

BRUINS VS SHARKS

A rematch with the San Jose Sharks rounds out the west coast trip. In a game where Danton Heinen reigned supreme, the Bruins edged out the Sharks with a 2-1 victory. The goaltending was sharp on both sides of the rink. However, Anton Khudobin was between the pipes for Boston. It will be interesting to see if Rask is sidelined for this matchup, given Khudobin’s exposure previously to the Sharks offense. If Rask does well early in the road trip, it’s likely he will get the nod. However, I would not be surprised to see Khudobin in net for this game, regardless of Rask’s performance. As with the other two games of this California trip, Boston must capitalize on opportunities every chance they get. Missing some key players will add to the struggles we’ve seen this year. But now is the time they truly need to be overcome.

This west-coast road trip will set the course for the Bruins’ end to November. The schedule upon their return home is hard enough in itself. If Boston takes down Anaheim tonight, maybe the ball will finally start (and continue) rolling. If they drop one to the Ducks, things will only get tougher, facing Los Angeles at home tomorrow night.

Should The Boston Bruins Trade Zdeno Chara?

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Zdeno Chara had been the heart and soul of the Boston Bruins for the past dozen years and one of the leagues best defenseman since joining the Bruins for the 2006-2007 season. This makes moving on from him all the more difficult. Chara has been a popular trade candidate when talking about who the Bruins could potentially look to deal to accumulate some more assets. While it may be hard to cope with the proposition of moving on from the captain of the Boston Bruins, it may be critical to rebuild the team.

A case for the trade

For starters, the Bruins are not that good. Granted, injuries have derailed their season. But even with their full lineup, the ceiling for this team may be a wild card spot. The captain has been the Bruins best overall defenseman through the first part of the season. But at the age of forty, he is being wasted on a middle of the pack team. Chara is currently playing out the last year of his contract. While rumors surfaced earlier in the season about a possible extension, no move has been made. Perhaps a sign that Sweeny sees the end of the line for Chara, at least in Boston.

The Bruins can cash in on Chara and his resume, the six-time all star, Norris trophy winner, and Stanley Cup Champion would be the perfect asset for a contending team. Chara could make an immediate impact on any team. Imagine having him in a shut-down role on the second pairing simply to hit the teams top line all night long. This makes him extremely valuable, especially on the upcoming west coast trip.

The kings would be a perfect fit with Doughty leading the team as the clear number one defenseman. Chara would take some of the pressure off of Doughty, and allow the Kings to balance the minutes through the playoffs. It’s not unreasonable for the Bruins to expect at least a first-round pick and a prospect in return, so the Bruins should make the deal sooner then later. Having Chara for an extra two months could be the difference between a top prospect and a mediocre one.

Just Say No

For starters, if the Bruins view themselves as legit contenders, trading Chara would be foolish. But luckily no one believes that. But the Bruins do think they can make the postseason, and the Bruins love the revenue from those home playoff games. For those who thinks that’s a non-factor you have not payed attention to the Jacobs history as owners.

On the ice, Chara provides invaluable experience for the young players, and also the leadership and accountability on and off the ice. McCavoy and Carlo have benefited from Chara’s presence. He is a pro’s pro. Shows up, grinds it out and keeps his focus on hockey. For a team with so many young players, having a steady leadership core is critical.

Verdict

The Bruins won’t be a good team this year, so keeping a forty year old is a waste. Cash in on the asset and give Chara one last chance at another Cup.