Marchand Signs

Despite what seemed like red flags popping up during the Marchand contract talks, the two sides have finally reached an agreement. Marchand signed a 2 year contract, worth 2.5 million per year. This bit of news finally puts to bed the last of the big question marks of the off-season. With training camp opening shortly, the Bruins should be in great shape to compete again, and Marchand will be a big part of it.

Tragedy in the Hockey World

It’s been a rough summer for hockey as we’ve already had the tragic passing of three NHL’ers. Wade Belak, Derek Boogaard, and Rick Rypien all passed away far too young and with too much left to offer this world.

Now, this morning, KHL team Lokomotiv was departing aboard a plane just outside of Yaroslavl, Russia when tragedy struck again. Shortly after takeoff the plane experienced some kind of issue and crashed into the Volga River. On board was the entire Lokomotiv roster, including many NHL alum’s.

The biggest name among them was Pavol Dmitra, but also lost were former NHLer’s Ruslan Salei, Josef Vasicek, and Karlis Straskins. All told, 41 of the 45 people aboard perished.

This tragedy leaves the hockey world in shock and sadness. All we can do now is hope comfort will come to the family and friends of those who lost their lives today.

[Yahoo! Sports Page Story]

Savard Out for 11-12′

In an unfortunate twist, it seems that Bruins center Marc Savard will not be ready to play this season after suffering a season ending concussion 7 months ago. This news means that we’ve likely seen the last for the fiesty but productive center man, as 98.5 The Sports Hub was reporting that it’s likely Savard will retire from hockey. Whether this news is accurate or not, the news of his shut down is saddening.

Prior to his concussion at the hands of Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke, Savard was a point a game player on the Bruins top line. Following the first concussion, Savard was a shell of himself. Eventually a Matt Hunwick check ended last season prematurely for Savard. I know as a Bruins fan I’m pulling for Savard to recover and get one last crack at playing for the cup, but the prognosis is certainly grim.

The Wait Continues

It seems the wait will go on, as the two sides have still not come to terms on a contract for cult hero Brad Marchand. Normally this wouldn’t seem all that disconcerting, as many rookies hold out for contracts they don’t nearly deserve, but this situation is quite different. I’m sure that as fans and armchair GM’s, we’ve prognosticated what should and will be done, and we’ve all got our own opinion as to why it hasn’t happened yet. But how likely are these scenarios?

The most likely explaination is that the two sides are slowly working the other until one is forced to give some kind of consession. From the Bruins front office’s point of view, Marchand is an exciting player, whose age and relative inexperience weighs heavier than his home town fan-following. From agent Wade Arnott’s point of view, Marchand is an exciting player whose burgeoning skills and ability to produce in the clutch will be a boon to the Bruins, or to any other team willing to pay him what he’s worth.

The question is what is he REALLY worth, and who stands to lose the most during the prolonged discussions? We all have our own opinions on whether he’s worth this amount or that amount, but in the end, there’s not much of a market for early 20’s pests who can score goals in a Stanley Cup Finals game seven victory… it’s just unprecedented.

Which is why as a fan, I can’t see why Boston doesn’t just swallow the pill and overpay. Even if you are overpaying for what you get from him statistically, the amount you get from jersey sales alone must be worth the risk. Besides, if he’s only as good as he was last year, wouldn’t you rather him playing for you than against you?

Fantasy Hockey

It’s been brutally slow on the Bruins News, and I’d rather not post needlessly, which is why I’ve been away for a bit. That being said, I know there’s some die-hard and knowledgeable hockey fans here (most of us are anyways). To those of you who play fantasy hockey, I was interested in running a little bragging rights BR&N fantasy league. If you’re interested, let me know in comments, if I get more than 10, the first 10 to respond will get precedent.

 

A Little Laugh

Unrelated to the Bruins I know, but I figured a laugh wouldn’t hurt anyone.

With EA Sports NHL 2012 slated to be released in just over a month (I’m a huge NHL video game nerd…) I thought it’d be fun to revisit the greatest NHL video game commercial of all time.

NHL Rankings?

The doldrums of summer… a hockey waste land where hockey fans pull out hair and taking up smoking. It’s a time when hockey news slows and speculation run rampant. But for fans of the game, there’s always something to keep us entertained. Recently, Sam McCaig, who has written for Hockey News, TSN and Yahoo!, posted his rankings for each position in the NHL.

The link is here if you’d like to check it out.

This may not be significant to most of you, but for me, and my Bruins pride, I like to peruse these lists and bitch and moan about how this player or that player got overlooked or underrated. I can’t really do that with this list.

Quickly, here’s how the Bruins ranked.

Tim Thomas, who had to overcome being benched last season, was ranked #1 overall among NHL goalies. It’s decidedly satisfying to see a guy who at some points didn’t even have the support of his home fans finish the season so strongly that he would be ranked this highly. As Bruins fans, we see it, but it’s nice that the opinion runs wider than just us.

Zdeno Chara, after failing to overcome Niklas Lindstroms monstrous star in the Norris Trophy voting, nabs the top spot among D-men. This is only surprising because for a long time, Chara has had to deal with the weight of his potential. He may still have some detractors, but there’s very few, and the argument for him not being the best in the league is a thin one.  And if it wasn’t enough that he was ranked highest, at least 3 or 4 times players were compared to being “hopefully” their teams Chara.

When we get to forwards it gets murky.

Patrice Bergeron was ranked 18th, and far to low for my liking. I understand that the Center position is deep, but for anyone to rank Mikko Koivu or Jeff Carter higher than Bergy is out of their minds.

At Right wing, Nathan Horton gets the nod at 19th among Right Wingers, and a few spots AHEAD of Phil Kessel. This was another satisfying moment reading these rankings.  I had a few points of contention here though, as he was ranked BEHIND Chris Stewart, Claude Giroux, and Ales Hemsky.  They’re great players for sure, but none of those guys are as complete as Horton.

Left Wing was where I was surprised the most. It seems the lore of Milan Lucic has escaped the streets of Boston and worked it’s way into the imagination of the NHL. First, here’s a list of players Lucic was ranked HIGHER than: Taylor Hall, Simon Gagne, Cammalleri, Tomas Vanek, and Brendan Morrow.  Whether you believe one 30 goal season and a disappearing act in the playoffs warrants it or not, Lucic was ranked 6th among Left Wingers.

Now, I implore you to not read too deeply into any of this. It’s just one hockey writers rankings, and we can and will find many faults with lists like these. The reason I visited this was to give us an idea of where the hockey world sees our team and our top players. Every month we tick through into the season, this list would change, but for now, the Bruins look to be at the top of the hockey world again.

Where Are We Now

** HEADS UP ** I just want to let you guys know I’m taking off for vacation for the next five days. So if there are no posts until Sunday, fear not, for I will be back.

Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll toss you guys one last bone until I’m back.

With the offseason creeping slowly towards a close and with camps and preseason seemingly right around the corner, it’s fair to look at how our team progressed or digressed in the offseason.  Assuming that Marchand resigns (and I’m confident he will), this team remains relatively unchanged aside from the departure of Ryder and Kaberle.  I, like many of you, think this team is better off standing pat. Regardless of any moves that may or may not be coming, we can assume this team will compete for glory yet again.

But what about the other teams in the East. There’s been a good amount of movement as teams posture to improve on their 2010-2011 seasons. Buffalo looks very different with Tim Connolly running for the hills and Christian Erhoff and Ville Leino donning the slug jersey. Montreal, as we’ve been accustomed too, made a few moves, losing Halpern, Pouliot and Hamerlick and adding Erik Cole and a few other role players. Toronto doesn’t even look like the same team, and Ottawa… well I don’t think we have too much to worry about there.

I believe this Bruins team will be a better team in all aspects of the game. They’re power play can only continue to improve, their PK and 5 on 5 game will be as good if not better, and in overtime, this team finally has confidence. I full expect them to finish first in the Northeast, and challenge Washington and Pittsburgh for the title in the Eastern Conference.

I’d like to know where we all stand on this though. Did they make the right moves? Would you have liked to see some more action on the front ends parts? Will anyone compete with Boston for the Northeast title? And how will Boston stack up against the other East powerhouses.

Let us know in the comments!

** PS ** I will be on here on my phone, so I can participate somewhat.  See you guys in 5!

“Why they ain’t signed Marchemont”

If you’re like me, and you spend more than your fair share of time perusing the major sports sites reporting hockey, then you’ve no doubt read the well circulate quote from Brad Marchand.

“They know I want to be here. I know they want me here.”

The statement as a whole, which he was quoted as saying at the Stanley Cup DVD Premier, smells of confidence, whether genuine or manufactured. But despite this, we’re left wondering what in the world is taking so long? After all, he did have a phenomenal playoffs, outscoring a slew of recognized superstars with 11 goals in 25, including outscoring both Daniel Sedin (9) and Ryan Kesler (7), who both played the same amount of games. When playoff performances are judged at a premium, it’s rather perplexing when a deal is prolonged such as this.

But is it?

It’s difficult for the average fan to put in perspective how much of your time disappears after you win the Stanley Cup. I, like you, have never known the sweet taste of drinking from the glorious challis. Yet, if one were to think on it, the Bruins haven’t stopped going. Since winning the cup, the Boston Bruins players and brass have been spotted everywhere. From local appearances, Foxwoods, and several hometown visits, it’s not hard to imagine a distinct lack of time.

With all of that said, is it any real surprise that the two sides, which both sound confident a deal is forthcoming, haven’t had the time to really sit down and discuss what Brad Marchand’s really worth? I imagine as the furvor around the cup victory continues to dwindle, the amount of time The Bruins and Brad Marchands camps spend on this will increase exponentially.

In the words of Marchand himself, we can probably expect “getting something done in the next week or two.”

Do Bad Trades Still Work?

Looking back at the Kaberle deal, it’s easy to say we got the short end of the stick. With what we gave up to get him (1st round pick, 2nd round pick, Joe Colborne) it seems in hindsight we may have been better off keeping our capital and going on without Kaberle. Still, the fact remains that the Bruins went on to finish the season 14-6-4 and in case you’ve been living under a rock, they won the Stanley Cup.

So how much does a trade affect the team mentally?

I’ve always contended that when ownership shows a commitment to winning, the team follows suit. If you’re in the locker room, wondering what you have to do to bring home the trophy, doesn’t a deal like the Kaberle one instill confidence that you’ve got what it takes to make a serious run?

Before the trade, our power play was dismal at best… after? It was a disaster. But you saw how guys like Milan Lucic (30 goals in the regular season), rookie Brad Marchand (21 goals and 41 points in 77 games) and leaders like Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara taking over games, responded.

I also contend that giving up draft picks is a much more sound philosophy than trading away prospects, yet is it worth it to watch those picks and prospects develop in another system for a crack at the cup?  If we’d finished the season and got beat by Montreal or Philly, I may have said yes.  It was a steep price for a player who gave little contribution to the overall success we had. But the fact remains, we persevered through the inept power play and often shoddy defense from a certain “short term solution” to win it all.

I pose a question. How important are trades like this to the team psyche, and can ownership and front offices affect a team merely by making a big trade, even when on paper, it doesn’t work out?

Passing of the Torch

Lost in the continued coverage of the Stanley Cup victory is the fact that with the retirement of Mark Recchi, the assistant captaincy remains in limbo. With a team chopped down the middle with veteran leadership and rising stars, it should be interesting to see with whom the “A” lands.

The obvious choice, in my mind, and that of many fans, would be to hand the “A” to a guy like Andrew Ference. Despite nagging injury issues, Ference has managed to endear himself to his fellow teammates, and has made a name for himself as a guy who will stand up for anyone on the ice. His vocal leadership and ability to keep his head in the game will translate well along side the stoic leadership of Captain Zdeno Chara and the other assistant Captain Patrice Bergeron.

The issue is far from over here though. Kelly and Peverley have both been mentioned around internet forums, and guys like Milan Lucic can make a strong case, but it remains to be seen whom this team will look towards for leadership in this coming season.

I know you’re probably sick of polls, so this will be the last one for a while.

McWho?

The Bruins have signed up and comer Poopy McGee to an entry level contract….

Finally, some news!

It’s been a few days since anything of consiquence has happened in the Bruins world. But today the Bruins announced that Adam McQuaid, or Darth Quaider for you who aren’t fans of brevity (The Dude abides…) to a 3 year contract extension through the 2014-15′ season. McQuaid built up a cult following through solid defensive play, and the ability to personify what the Bruins were about as they marched to the cup.

McQuaid looks to build off his first full NHL season by bettering the 3-12-15 line he put up through 67 games. The Quaider also spent 96 minutes in the box (many of the 5 minute fighting variety) and lead all NHL rookies with a plus 30, also 5th in the league.

The Bruins also signed Craig Cunningham to an entry level contract, and signed Zach McKelvie to a 1 year deal.

Slowing Down

The unprecedented frenzy that kicked off the recent free agency period has seemingly fizzled into a vat of simmering rumors and speculation. As the smoke clears, the Bruins team is much in tact and very little has changed aside the obvious departures of Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle.  It’s a reasonable expectation that Joe Corvo, who the Bruins acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for a 4th round pick, will step in and play solid minutes. Still, the departure of Michael Ryder leaves a hole up front, and it remains to be seen if the signing of Benoit Pouliot was a mere depth move.

With as many talented prospects signed down in Providence, there’s really no rush to anoint any one player, even Pouliot, as the heir apparent. A team returning as many skaters as this one has, will likely require very little tinkering, so they’ll let the young guys duke it out for the spot.

With any position battle in any sports, the media likes to hype a few guys more than others. In this case, I’ve seen a few names pop up over the last few days. Jordan Caron is at the top of that list, and guys like Ryan Spooner, Jared Knight, and Max Suave have had their due. With the addition of the 24 year old Pouliot, it’s likely to come down to this short list of players who vie for the final roster spot.

My head says it’s Pouliot’s job to lose, and only because they went out and asked him to sign on, but consider the leash short.  Right on his heels is Jordan Caron, who had some moments, and a decided chemistry on a line with Bergeron in his limited NHL ice time.  In the end, the Bruins won’t look much different, but the mystery will be fun to watch unfold.

 

Get Their Man

The Bruins and Carolina hooked up over the weekend as the Bruins shed themselves of the media headache that had become of Tomas Kaberle and traded for Joe Corvo to replace him. It should be noted that the Bruins acquiring Corvo was mutually beneficial because it cleared up the necessary cap space for the Hurricanes to sign Kaberle.

Both players are nearly identical from a physical standpoint. Corvo is 6’1″ 205 pounds, and Kaberle is 6’1″ 214lbs. But, and it’s a big one, Corvo’s blend of offense and physicality will mesh well with this group in Boston, and Kaberle’s run and gun style of defense will also fit the transition game down in Carolina.

Most importantly though, the move clears up both a question mark on the blue line, and a little bit of cap space. Corvo’s hit is 2.5 million and he becomes an UFA at the end of this coming season.

It seems PC may still have some tricks up his sleeve.

Fresh Start

It’s a curious thing when the free agent market explodes, and an even more curious one, when it seems that the well has been tapped.  No, I don’t mean there’s no one left to sign, I just mean many of the “sure thing” guys we as fans set our hopes on have been signed.  Simon Gagne, the Bruin Killer, has shopped off to Hollywood, signing a 7 million dollar deal over two years. Tim Connolly is a Leaf, Brad Richards is a Ranger. Even Tomas Vokoun has found a home in Washington, where he’ll have a chance to do some damage for the first time in a long time.

Gagne in LA, Connolly a Leaf, Richards a Ranger. Even Tomas Vokoun has found a new home between the pipes in Washington.  It seems that the free agent frenzy has reached a fever pitch, one that even Peter Chiarelli has to admit has left few options to replace what this team has lost already.

As you all know from numerous comment debates,  I think Kaberle will resign with the Bruins. I think this for a few reasons. First and foremost, all of the other viable options to replace him have been signed. I’ll list the options here that remain.

Brian McCabe
Brent Sopel
Steve Eminger
Shane O’brien

What do these guys have in common? They’re low to bottom pair D men, with little upside.  This is not the case with Tomas Kaberle. Sure, he didn’t play lights out, and at times looked down right Widemanian. That being said, he has a lot of offensive skill, and seemed to find a place on this team late in the playoff push.  With a full off season under his belt, and a renewed faith in himself and his team, I predict a return to the numbers that pushed PC to make a move for him in the first place.

With the resources expended to retain his services (1st and 2nd round picks plus Joe Colbourne [former first round pick]) it’s a safe bet PC doesn’t want to let him walk without making an offer.  With the cap play we have now that Ryder is out of the equation, it’d be foolish to not take a one or two year flyer on a guy who’s played at an elite offensive level for many years.

Now, I may be wrong, and with the emergence of young guys like Steven Kampfer on the horizon, there are still in-house options. Regardless of what happens, it’s this flexibility that makes me smile when I think of our beloved Bruins future.

Bruins By Numbers

Boston Bruins. A team synonymous with the ever cliché “blue collar” label. Yet this can not be said more accurately about a bunch of guys than it can about the Bruins. Sure, as fans who watch night in and night out, we can try and quantify a guy like Patrice Bergeron’s intangibles, but the truth is this: this team cares little for personal accolades, as long as the big Cup is ours.

Lets take a peak at those numbers that put us in position to win the Cup.

Wins: 46
This ranks us 9^th in the NHL, yet only 8 behind the Presidents Trophy winner Canucks. Our point total actually ranks higher, tied with Tampa for 7^th at 103.

Wins in Regulation: 43
I didn’t calculate every teams WIR, but I did a rough estimate of the league, and Boston finished 3 regulation wins behind Vancouver (46). Philly (41), San Jose (38) and Nashville (36) round out the top 5. Granted, the Bruins 3-11 overtime mark spoke of their futility of scoring 4-4, but that’s a discussion for a different day.

Shootout Record: 2-6
I’ll keep this section short because of my abhorrent disdain for these stupid 1 vs. 1 competition, but it’s telling that 6 of 11 overtime loses came in a shootout. Seeing how this team persivered during the playoffs in overtime, I dare say they’d have fared better with say, 10 minutes of OT and no stinking shootout.

Let me reiterate here that we all know our team has some of the most talented and hard working NHLers there is, but lets not forget when the final tally is in, you’ve usually got to skip ahead a page or two to find Bruins players on stats sheets. This particular aberration is something we’ve seen for years out of the Claude Julien system, yet they seem to hover near the top of the league in scoring. This is based on having the burden fall to many skilled and veteran players. The lack of ego’s on this team is surprising of a North American professional sport.

Goals: 244 (Ranks them 5^th in the league and only 14 behind the Canucks)

5 on 5 goals: 177 (You’re probably sick of hearing it, but the Bruins were the best 5v5 team in the NHL)

Empty Net Goals: 12 (You may be thinking who the hell cares but in all actuality, the majority of these goals don’t mean much aside from a notch on the score sheet. The B’s ranked 4^th)

5 on 4 goals: 36 (This number sucks as a fan. You want the 5^th best team in the league to score better than 14% of it’s goals on the power play. Heck, they scored 9 short handed goals… and 12 empty netters… that’s a total of 21 goals… only 15 less than when they had A MAN ADVANTAGE).

I digress. This years Bruins team was one of exceptions. With only 2 players in the top 50 in scoring (Lucic and Krejci tied with about a million guys at 40^th with 62 points) it’s a wonder this team put up as many goals as they did. Granted, this team runs like a roller coaster, with huge weeks and then a stretch where they disappear.

To me, though, the most important stats are the defensive statistics. All teams with depth like the Bruins are going to score, but it takes a special team to put up the defensive numbers they put up year in and year out. They only allowed 2.30 goals against per game this year. Good for 2^nd. This system becomes more evident when you look back a few years. 2009-10, 2.33 goals against (2^nd in the league). 2008-09, 2.32 goals against (1^st in the league). These numbers speak for themselves, but without defensive commitment right from the top of the lineup to your 7^th defense man, teams like the Bruins don’t exist.

Now, there’s plenty of other information out there we can draw upon to make the same point. We all know the Bruins are a great hockey team. For a period now, they’re the best of the bet. This being said, we can already see NHL teams posturing for free agency, and with our shorten off season well under way, we’re not as far off from the 2011-12 season as we may think.

With the large majority of this team returning next year, and the ability they have to plug guys in for the few free agents they have, it’s not hard to see them replicating a season similar to last, and making another run at the cup.

Instead of telling you what I think the Bruins will look like come next season, I’d invite you all to discuss in the comments how you think this team stacks up next season, and can they continue their run of dominance with such little fan fare at the “elite player” level?

Let us know!

Who Is On the Bruins List?

Just some names the Bruins are probably looking at.

Simon Gagne
Marek Svatos
Tomas Kaberle
Ian White
Anton Babchuk
Nicolas Bergfors
Jamie Langenbrunner

I would expect 1-2 of those guys to be Bruins in the next day or two.

Bruins Sign Former Hab Benoit Pouliot to 1 year Deal

The Bruins have signed former 4th overall pick Benoit Pouliot to a 1 year deal worth 1.1 million.  He is nothing more than a body at this point.  He will probably be the 12/13th forward with Paille and Thornton.  It’s a low risk, high reward signing.  He could turn out to be a 20 goal scorer, or he could continue to be a 10-20-30 guy.  This is not the guy to replace Recchi or Ryder, so no need to freak out if you are against the signing.   It’s the equivalent to signing Cam Barker, or Nikolai Zherdev.  Pouliot has talent, it’s just up to him if he is going to put it together.

Could Bruins Make a Play for Jagr?

Tomorrow is July 1st, the free agent frenzy.  Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle will test the market, although there remains a decent chance one of them is back on a 1-2 year deal.  GM Peter Chiarelli has cap space (around 10 million), and has only two holes to fill.  He is wary that the cap will go down next season, when the new CBA is made, so he is going to stay away from long term deals, especially in this weak UFA market where demand is way higher than supply, and the talent level is mediocre at best (Ehrhoff 10 years, 40 million, barf).

But what about Jaromir Jagr?  The 39 year old winger would be a perfect fit for the Bruins.  He has Stanley Cup experience, as does the rest of this team.  He would be on a 1 year deal at under 4.5 million.  He would help improve the PP and fit into the top 6 role, maybe on Bergeron’s line.  He could still probably put up 60-70 points on a team with some skill.  I mean he had 71 points with the Ranger his last season, on a team with no talent really.

Would you take a chance on him?

Potential Free Agent Targets

The Bruins come off the Cup win with only two three key unrestricted free agents, Mark Recchi, Michael Ryder and Tomas Kaberle.  Recchi has already retired, and it seems unlikely Michael Ryder is back unless he takes a 1 year deal at around 2-2.5 million.  GM Peter Chiarelli has had some negotiations with Kaberle’s agent, but it seems he may wait to see what shakes out in the free agent market before committing to a deal.  Let’s take a look up some options for the Bruins.

Simon Gagne – Bruins fans have been wanting this guy for a few years, one because he has killed us in the playoffs, and two, he has a natural goal scoring touch.  He isn’t likely to be back in Tampa Bay, and the former 40 goal scorer has had his share of head injuries the past few years.  He is 31, and hasn’t played more than 63 games in the past two seasons.  When healthy, he can be a 30 goal scorer.  He would fit nicely on the 2nd line with Bergeron and Marchand, or even the 3rd line with Seguin and Peverley/Kelly.  He could get a 2 year deal at around 3 million per season.

Brooks Laich – Laich is a center who can also play wing.  He is a consistent 50 point/20 goal guy.  He is entering the prime of his career and is only 28. He will likely command around 3.5-4 million per season, which may be a little rich for the Bruins considering they have a ton of forward vying for roster spots.  He isn’t the dynamic forward they may be looking for, but he fits the mold of what the Bruins like.  He is the type of free agent, especially in a weak market, that will likely be overpaid.

Ville Leino – The late blooming Ville Leino.  Stay away from him.  He gives me that Radim Vrbata vide.  He had one great season and that great playoffs two years ago, but he is going get a deal at around 4-4.5 million. Remember, he was playing on a high scoring Flyers team with a bunch of guys who could score.  He will get a 4-5 year deal at around 4.5 million.  Too rich for the Bruins.

Niclas Bergfors – He will be a UFA after Florida non-tenders him.  He is only 24 and the former first round pick scored 21 two years ago.  He may be worth a shot at around a million bucks.  Could play in the third line and managed a +2 in 20 games with Florida.

Joni Pitkanen – Pitkanen will command around 5 million bucks, but unlike Kaberle is only 27 and plays huge minutes (25 a night).  He has some offensive pop, but not the same kind of playmaker Kabs is.  He is a guy who could fit the Bruins well.

James Wisniewski – Wisniewski is also 27 and had a monster season for the Habs and Islanders.  He will likely get around 4.5-5 million as well.  He has only surpassed 30 points once in his career, last year, which may be a turn off (one year wonder vibe).  He also isn’t a goal scorer, even with his big shot (only 10 goals once in his career).  Defenseman tend to be later bloomers though, so this could have been his break-out season.

Christian Ehrhoff – Only 28, Ehrhoff has been a 40+ point guy the past three seasons.  He can powerplay a PP and logs some big minutes.  He is soft though, as we saw in the Vancouver series.  I don’t think he is the first choice for the Bruins, and he could command up to 5.5 million on the open market.

Kevin Bieska – The 30 year old has a huge injury history, stay away.  He will likely re-sign in Vancouver, and hasn’t been healthy much in his career.  Will get around 4 million per.

Sami Salo – See Bieska, except 36.

 

Prospect Cupboard Looks Pretty Full

Not too often a team that just want a Stanley Cup has the prospect pool that the Bruins do.

They have to blue chip prospects in Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton.  Jordan Caron is NHL ready right now, as is Steven Kampfer and possibly Matt Bartkowski.  Zach Hamill, Ryan Spooner and Jared Knight are all going to contend for an NHL roster spot this camp.  Did I mention Yuri Alexandrov yet?  And to add this on top of a team that has only 3 players over the age of 30 in Marc Savard, Tim Thomas and Zdeno Chara.

The Bruins could not make one move this offseason and still improve the team just based on experience.  They have the team built now and for the future, which is very hard to do in the NHL salary cap era (see Chicago).

Site News…Sort of

As you all know, these blogs are for fun and for us to get our voices out.  I’ve had a hiatus for pretty much all year.  It’s been a long year, had to deal with a lot of stuff so I just haven’t really had time to work on the site.  Obviously it’s no fun for you guys when the site lacks posts, so I apologize for that.  I know many of you use the comments section to post to each other.  With that being said, I’m hoping to revamp the blog a little bit but adding a writer or two if anyone is interested, shoot me an email.

Bruins Draft Dougie Hamilton at 9

Forget all the pre-draft talk of Ryan Murphy.  The Bruins selected defenseman Dougie Hamilton ninth overall tonight out of the OHL.  Hamilton is a 6-5 beast who is still growing and was the 2nd ranked defender behind Swedish native Adam Larsson.  Hamilton gives the Bruins a much needed blue chip prospect on the backend.

For a few minutes, it seemed that hulking forward Sean Couturier could slide down to the ninth spot, but Philly, in need of some forwards after trading Mike Richards and Jeff Carter yesterday, snagged him.  Ryan Murphy ended up going to Carolina a few picks later.

Few thought Hamilton would be there at nine, well maybe no one.  There were some rumors of the ninth pick going to Nashville for Ryan Ellis, last years 11th overall pick, but those rumors proved to be false.

Hamilton was the guy the Bruins really wanted (aside from Larsson) and it was a surprise he made it to them.  Hamilton will most likely spend another year in the OHL, but as Chiarelli said, anything is possible.

The final tally on the Kessel trade is Phil Kessel for Tyler Seguin, Jared Knight, and Dougie Hamilton.

Bring on Vancouver