Tim Thomas, the Vezina?

Journey-man, career back-up at best, a poor man's Dom Hasek. These were a few of the terms used to describe Bruins goalie Tim Thomas throughout his career. However, All-Star wasn't a term ever used, until the 2007-08 season. Thomas built off this success in 2008-09, getting named to yet another All-Star Game and essentially winning the game for the East. Now, with 7 games remaining in the regular season, the question is: Is Tim Thomas really the Vezina trophy front runner?

Most Bruins fans say yes, but some of them probably also feel that the rules of the NHL should be re-worked so that Milan Lucic wins the Art Ross Trophy. With Martin Brodeur not playing nearly enough games to be in the running, Thomas is by far the clear cut favorite in the Eastern Conference. One could make the argument for the Rangers goalie and King of Sweden Henrik Lundqvist but his stats pale in comparison to Thomas. In fact, there's no goalie in the Eastern Conference or NHL for that matter that can post stats that look better than Ole' Reliable Tim Thomas' do.

For those who do not know, the Vezina works on a 5-3-1 point system. The G.M's of all 30 NHL clubs meet and vote for 1st place (5 points), 2nd place (3 points) and 3rd place (1 point). With the Boston Bruins success this season, surely it would be a Bruin, right?

However, the biggest factor working against Thomas winning the Vezina Trophy is his games played. Often, in order to be in contention for the Vezina Trophy a goalie must play over 55 games. This of course causes problems for Thomas' chances as he split time with goalie Manny Fernandez almost 50-50 for the first 2 months of the NHL season. Thomas is currently at 50 games played, with 7 remaining. With the Bruins clinched for a division title and playoff spot, it's possible and likely that Thomas won't play 5 out of the next 7 games, putting him at the 55 game mark.

Number 30's biggest competitor may reside in the Western Conference, Miikka Kiprusoff. The Flames goaltender is currently leading the NHL in wins with 43 and has played in 70 of the Flames games. This of course gives him an edge over Thomas, but if you look beyond the wins the real Vezina resides in Boston. That being said, you can't ignore Timmy's numbers. He's number one in the NHL for GAA (2.13) and SV% (.931).

Thomas is currently selling the doubters following two incredibly strong performances. Last Sunday, the Bruins netminder held the at-the-time 2nd place in the East New Jersey Devils to 1 goal on 42 shots. His encore was in fact, even better as last night Thomas held the Philadelphia Flyers to 3 goals on 48 shots. In the past two games, Tim Thomas has a .957 SV%. That's what I'd call Vezina worthy.

Although Kiprusoff has been a busy camper for the Calgary Flames, I would not put him in as the Vezina Trophy winner. Evgeni Nabokov has been another intriguing option but the fact that he plays in such a mediocre division is a minus for him. Although Lundqvist's stats are promising, the fact is he's just been too inconsistent to bring home the hardware. This leaves just one, the 34 year old goaltender, son of a Michigan blue-collar family and once NHL-never-was Tim Thomas.

Eastern Conference Deadline Deal Reviews

Alright, this is seriously pretty lame. I'm going through grand withdrawals without any hockey involving the Bruins since Sunday. The good news is that this gave me a chance to review some of how the deadline deals are working out for the teams that were busy on March 4th. I think it's fair to say we start locally within the Northeast Division and stay in the Eastern Conference.

The Northeast Division

The Mark Recchi Deal

- This is the definition of a rental. The 41 year old veteran is on what many consider his final run for another championship. In 9 games with Boston he's produced 6 points (4 goals 2 assists) and is proving to be a viable weapon for the Bruins 3rd line with Kobasew and Bergeron. In Tampa, Matt Lashoff is experiencing success in just a few games with the Lightning. He's registered 4 assists in 5 games. The other P-Bruin the Bolts acquired in the deal Martins Karsums hasn't found the same success Lashoff has, registering only 2 points in 10 games.

The Montador Deal

- Steve Montador's biggest battle since being the Bruins has been the flu. He's found himself watching the game from the Press Box as of late due to Matt Hunwick's recent hot streak. In Montador's 5 games with the Bruins he has just 1 assist and a +1, which really isn't a knock to a guy who had 20 points in 65 games. Meanwhile, Petteri Nokelainen has been stellar for the Anaheim Ducks, scoring 3 goals in 9 games with the Ducks and a +3.

The Tellqvist Deal

- When Ryan Miller went down, it's safe to say the Buffalo Sabres post season hopes did as well. In the absence of Miller, the team needed another goalie to plug in. They did so by acquiring Mikael Tellqvist from the Phoenix Coyotes for a 4th round draft pick. Tellqvist has gone 1-1-0 for the Sabres with a 3.18 GAA. He'll probably be placed on waivers as Ryan Miller is returning very soon and veteran Jocelyn Thibault being a more suitable back-up.

The Moore Deal

- On March 4th, the Maple Leafs traded Dominic Moore to Buffalo for a 2nd round draft pick. Moore, an Ontario native was having a career year with the Leafs, scoring 41 (12G 29A) points in 63 games. However, Moore has struggled fitting into the Sabres offense in a lesser role, scoring in just 2 of his 9 games with the Sabres.

The Leclaire Deal

- The Ottawa Senators goaltending woes have seemingly just grown larger and larger. First, hot head Ray Emery jets off to Russia to essentially fight trainers over the off-season. Then Martin Gerber falls apart and ends up in Binghamton. Alex Auld, the NHL's journeyman who continues to put up solid numbers begins to shine for the Sens, then gets apparently over-worked too early and collapses. Leaving Brian Elliot to man the ship. The Senators addressed their goaltending future by trading Antoine Vermette for Blue Jackets goalie Pascal Leclaire. Leclaire's ankle surgery forced him to be shelfed for the rest of the season, but the 26 year old netminder posted solid numbers in 2007-08 for the Jackets, recording 9 shutouts and a 24-17-6 record.

The Gerber Waiver Deal

- The Switzerland native goaltender was a mainstay in between the Senator pipes, that was until he found himself on waivers and in Binghamton of the AHL. That was until the Maple Leafs claimed Gerber off re-entry waivers. Since then he's posting a 4-3-0 record with a 2.89 GAA. Gerber's currently serving a 3 game suspension for shoving a referee.

The Atlantic Division

The Havelid Deal

- This wasn't technically a deadline day deal, but it's a deal nevertheless. I thought this was one of the biggest steals of the Deadline Week, as the Devils gave up just Anssi Salmela for the 35 year old Havelid. Salmela has done well with the Thrashers, registering 3 points in just 7 games with Atlanta, the same amount he scored in 17 games with New Jersey.

The Antropov Deal

- On March 4th, there was perhaps no bigger winner in the Eastern Conference than the New York Rangers. Their biggest splash was landing Toronto Maple Leafs 6'6 forward Nik Antropov. Antropov has proved to be no slouch for the Blueshirts, scoring 5 goals and earning 4 assists in his 11 games as a Ranger.

The Morris Deal

- During the Coyotes fire-sale, Derek Morris' name was thrown around in almost every proposed deal. Once again, the Rangers landed a big name on the market. The price for Morris however, was very high as the Rangers gave up Dmitri Kalinin, Petr Prucha and Nigel Dawes. In 11 games with the Coyotes Petr Prucha has scored 1 goal and has 5 assists while Kalinin has posted 4 points in 11 games and Dawes has produced 2 points in 9 games. Meanwhile, in the city that never sleeps Morris' has registered 4 points in 11 games with a +3.

The Guerin Deal

- Billy Guerin, one of the NHL's few remaining pre-lockout power forwards. When the Penguins acquired him it was official, the Pittsburgh Penguins were a team that will return to being a dangerous offensive minded team. The Penguins only lost a conditional draft pick and Guerin has been simply on fire for the Pens. He's scored 3 goals and has 10 points in 10 games for the Penguins and since his acquisition the Penguins are 7-1-2.

The Carcillo Deal

- Just what the Flyers needed right? Another goon capable of killing someone out on the ice. They got just that in their trade for Phoenix LW Daniel Carcillo. The Flyers lost more than they gained in this trade if you ask me as they traded Scottie Upshall and a 2nd round pick for Carcillo. Since becoming a Flyer, Carcillo has registered 46 PIM in 11 games.

The Southeast Division

The Cole Deal

- I think it's safe to make it fact: Erik Cole can only do good when he's in a Hurricanes jersey. The 'Canes made this deal happen by trading Justin Williams to Los Angeles for Patrick O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan was then traded to Edmonton for Cole. Cole struggled for the Edmonton Oilers this year, but seems to have found his game with the Hurricanes, scoring 10 points in 11 games for Paul Maurice's 'Canes.

The Eminger Deal

- Rarely is a significant deal made within a division. This is still true. The Panthers went out and tried bolstering their playoff chances with a trade for Lightning defensemen Steve Eminger. Eminger has done literally nothing in a Panthers uniform as he's point-less in 8 games with a -1. The Lightning received Noah Welch and a 3rd round draft pick in return and Welch has done even less than Eminger has in his 9 games with the Bolts.

10 Players The Bruins Need To Get Hot

As the Bruins continue to struggle to find their pre-All-Star Break form, it makes us wonder what the heck is going wrong? We all know the special teams haven't been there, and the late game lapses are reason for concern. Even in the Bruins recent wins over the Sens and Islanders, they were on the defense clinging to their leads as the opposition were incredibly aggressive on the attack as time winded down, leaving Bruin fans holding their breath. These are the ten players I believe the Bruins need to get hot and/or return to form to be successful.

10) Shawn Thornton - This may seem a little different telling a 4th line winger to get hot, but it's true. Shawn Thornton has been a physical presence on the Bruins roster since his arrival. As of late however, teams are taking their liberties with the Bruins star players. It's time for Thornton to return to the raw and aggressive tenacity to intimidate the Bruins opponents.

9) Andrew Ference - Before fracturing his tibia in the Bruins 6-1 romp of the Canadiens in November, Boston Bruins defensemen Andrew Ference was off to a career year. He had 7 assists and a +9 in 16 games. Since returning in late January, Ference has been out of sync greatly. He's struggled defensively, posting a -3 with 8 assists and 16 penalty minutes in 25 games in 2009. His improvement is necessary for the success of the Boston defense as a whole.

8) Patrice Bergeron - Deja vu struck the TD Banknorth Garden on December 20th 2008 when Patrice Bergeron went down on a Dennis Seidenberg hit. After missing 37 days with a concussion, number 37 was ready to return. Since returning, Bergeron has posted a -2 with 3 goals and 12 assists. Granted the goals and assists are there for a 3rd line center and Bergeron has been playing better on the powerplay, but his shot selection and looks must improve. His .033 shooting percentage is unacceptable, especially for a guy who plays the point on the powerplay.

7) Michael Ryder - The Bruins big off-season signing has been spectacular this season. However, the B's sniper has had some trouble finding the back of the net. He's scored just 2 goals on 19 shots in his past 10 games. There's no doubting a healthy and effecient Ryder gives the Bruins a dangerous weapon on the wing and powerplay.

6) Blake Wheeler - We all saw this coming, didn't we? A rookie coming straight into the NHL from the NCAA, at some point he'd cool down, right? Compare a 40 game season to an 82 game one, and there's bound to be a few cold spots in there. Wheeler's struggled heavily to put the puck in the net in 2009, netting just 5 goals in 34 games. Compared to his 13 goals in 37 games in 2008 this was quite a drop off. If the 22 year old winger out of Minnesota can get going on the top line with Savard and Kessel, good things are bound to happen.

5) Marc Savard - This year, there's been no debate as the role as Boston's top center has been filled by Marc Savard. He's the team leader for both points and assists, but has seen his plus minus dip lower since February. Since February 1st against Montreal, Savard is a -5. Along with a rumored wimp out against Penguins captain Sidney Crosby when challenged to a fight, the production of Marc Savard as the team's number one center and powerplay threat must resume.

4) Dennis Wideman - At one point this year, debates were beginning of who was better on the powerplay, Zdeno Chara or Dennis Wideman? Well, I think it's safe to say Chara's the better powerplay defensemen. Wideman, has scored only 19 points (4 G 15 A) in 35 games in 2009. His production from the blue line has slowed down and his effectiveness on the powerplay is disappearing, as he's registered just 2 powerplay points (both assists) in 22 games since February. Without the success of the powerplay, the Bruins struggle, and that's been shown.

3) Milan Lucic - Now, rarely is someone critical of the 20 year old from Vancouver, but I think it's time someone is. He's practically a cult hero in the city of Boston, but where's his production gone? He's almost been a total non-factor out there in his last 25 games. Lucic is a -4 with just 3 goals and 8 assists. He's not dropping the gloves nearly as much as he should to let these type of stats show, getting in just 2 fights in those 25 games.

2) David Krejci - Boston's best kept secret, David Krejci. Has he been figured out? Bruins fans hope not. His drop in production since 2009 could be attributed to the struggles of linemates Blake Wheeler and Michael Ryder or it could be that teams are now aware of how dangerous these guys really are. Either way, if the 23 year old Czech can start dishing out the puck with such skill as he's shown, the Bruins could run with 3 deep lines of forwards.

1) Phil Kessel - All right, everyone probably thinks I like to pick on Kessel. But it's true, Phil Kessel needs to heat it up for the Bruins to succeed. He's been given the reins as the Bruins number one offensive weapon, and it's time to show it. The 2009 Phil Kessel has been half the player of the 2008 Phil Kessel. He's scored just 7 goals in his past 29 games with a +1. Compared to his 24 goals in the previous 37 games, the dip is unacceptable to the Bruins offense. Maybe it was his 'bout with mono that hit him hard, but it's time to light the lamp Phil.

Tuukka Goes Bonkos

And we all thought Tim Thomas had the worst temper. Last night following a 1-0 shootout loss to the Albany River Rats, Providence Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask showed his displeasure with the ruling of two questionable goals. He slammed his stick off the boards and proceeded to whip his stick across the ice, almost hitting teammate and everyone's favorite AHL name to say: Wacey Rabbit.




I can see why Tuukka's mad, I mean you stand on your head for 3 periods and an OT and then this debacle happens. The first goal scored against Tuukka is clearly not a goal. You cannot stop movement and shoot, the shootout is a continuously forward motion towards the net. On the 2nd goal, it's a little bit harder to tell whether Tuukka has a point of the puck hitting the crossbar but the ricochet of the puck outwards tells us that it may have been the case.

Ideal Match-ups: Western Conference

In the Western Conference, the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks have already clinched playoff spots and are certain to have the 1 and 2 seeds. This leaves 6 playoff spots remaining for essentially 10 teams in the mix. Consider Chicago and Vancouver locked in for spots, leaving 4 spots to 8 teams. Here's my ideal match ups for the West Conference.

Detroit Red Wings (1 seed) vs. St. Louis Blues (8 seed) - This has been a very one-sided rivalry as of late with the Red Wings dominance over the Central Division along with the rest of the NHL. However, the Blues have been playing great after standing pat at the trading deadline. The history of these teams provide a great stories for a great match-up as the Blues and Red Wings have faced off in the past 28 years more than any other teams besides the Bruins vs. Habs (go figure, right?). Prediction: Red Wings win in 7.

San Jose Sharks (2 seed) vs. Dallas Stars (7 seed) - Another battle of division rivals. The Stars got off to a disastrous start, Marty Turco especially, but has turned back into All-Star form. The absence of Brendan Morrow, Brad Richards and Sergei Zubov could prove too much for the Stars too handle when it comes down to facing off against the San Jose Sharks strong defense. Prediction: Sharks win in 5.

Calgary Flames (3 seed) vs. Vancouver Canucks (6 seed) - Yet another divisional match-up in the West. The Canucks have been nearly untouchable at home and Mats Sundin is starting to play like the guy they payed 5 million dollars for. For the Flames, Olli Jokinen has been on fire since his trade to the Flames but he still has yet to play in a playoff game. Prediction: Canucks win in 7.

Chicago Blackhawks (4 seed) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (5 seed) - The hell with it, let's have 4 divisional match-ups! The battle of the emerging youth. Steve Mason and the Blue Jackets have been on fire in Columbus. Unfortunately for them, the Blackhawks are good on the road and at the United Center. Prediction: Blackhawks win in 6.

Ideal Match-ups: Eastern Conference

Currently, there's 10 teams in the race for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Unfortunately for 2 of them, there's only 8 spots. With the Bruins, Devils, Caps and Flyers virtually being locks for playing beyond April 12th that leaves 6 teams vying for 4 spots. With 27 days remaining in the NHL season and a break in action for 26 teams tonight it's a good time to see what our ideal match-ups for the 1st round will be in the East.

Boston Bruins (1 seed) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (8 seed) - This match-up would undoubtedly leave Bruins fans salivating. The Bruins swept the season series against Cam Ward and the 'Canes. This series would either give the Bruins an easy 1st round sweep or 5 game series win or could turn out to be a grueling 6 or possibly even 7 game series. Considering both teams high-powered offensive style of play this series would definitely be entertaining for a 1 vs. 8 match-up. Prediction: Bruins win in 5.

New Jersey Devils (2 seed) vs. New York Rangers (7 seed) - Why wouldn't like this? It'd be the rematch of last seasons 1st round match-up between the Rangers and Devils. All eyes would surely be on Sean Avery and Martin Broduer, who got into a battle during last years series which led to the "Avery Rule" being implemented into the NHL, disallowing players from deliberately screening the goalie away from the play. Prediction: Devils win in 7.

Washington Capitals (3 seed) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (6 seed) - A showdown of NHL cover boys: Alex Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby. The young duos of Semin and Ovechkin vs. Crosby and Malkin would definitely bring in the ratings and coverage the NHL could use to start off the playoffs. Although the Malkin vs. Ovechkin rivalry has been 'put to rest', one couldn't help but think a 7 game series would reawaken the feud. Prediction: Capitals win in 6.

Philadelphia Flyers (4 seed) vs. Montreal Canadiens (5 seed) - A rematch of last year's 2nd round match-up where the Flyers took down the Habs in 5 games. The Habs are currently in a tough spot but have been playing better under new coach and GM Bob Gainey. Prediction: Canadiens win in 6.

This would set the table for a Bruins vs. Canadiens conference semi-finals match-up and a Devils vs. Capitals semi-final. These two match-ups would certainly be two tilts for the ages. And frankly, I don't want to hazard a guess on what could happen in these series given the talent of all 4 squads.

Does Fighting Belong in the NHL?

As the NHL's 30 G.M's met in Naples, Florida this week many topics were brought up, but none bigger than the NHL's latest concern; fighting. Many questions regarding the future of dropping the gloves were addressed by the G.M's and brought to light. The main idea? Get rid of 'staged' fighting. Well what exactly is staged fighting?

A staged fight in the NHL is often when two players square off, often when the game is just underway and fight. Almost always it pins one teams enforcer versus the opponent's enforcer. These "fights" are often laughable as the combatants spend close to 20 seconds of dancing with one another like Apollo Creed and Rocky Balboa before throwing a single punch. Some of the NHL's best enforcers such as Georges Laraque, Derek Boogard and George Parros practice this on what seems to be a nightly basis. But the question is, why fight if there's no emotion?


It's the enforcer's role to pick a fight, and well, fight. Pretty simple huh? Not really, now-a-days these enforcers are practically friends. I think I came to this realization that this was the case when I witnessed Riley Cote and Shawn Thornton give each other a pat on the back when the refs stepped between them. Here are two guys, notable rivals between each others team giving one another a post-little-league-game-like pat on the back. You're supposed to be punching the snot out of the other guys nose, not hugging him.


Another joke I found within the NHL is after seeing a video of a fight between Georges Laraque and Raitis Ivanans. This video was from Laraque's Phoenix days and what a coincidence, BGL was mic'd up. After what I'd say was a minor scrap, the replay was shown with Laraque's audio provided. He started off the conversation with Ivanans by saying "Do you want to?" after Ivanans accepted the challenge Laraque told him "Good luck" and the puck dropped. Are you kidding me? Regardless whether this guy's the 'undefeated heavyweight champ' of enforcing or not, you're wishing a guy good luck before proceeding to try and knock him unconscious? What is this, a friendly pre-season game?


Now maybe it's just me. Maybe it's the fact that my city embraced players such as Cam Neely, a guy who simply wanted to rip your head off if you ever were to drop the gloves with him. But this sort of "fighting" is trash. It's bad for the sport and it's bad for the leagues fans. They deserve better than two meatheads square-dancing with one another at center ice to start off a contest. Call me crazy, but I want real, raw emotion-driven fights. My best example I could use from the 2008-09 season? The battle at center ice between Boston Bruins toughguy Milan Lucic and Canadiens defensemen Mike Komisarek.


Here was a battle that was well over a year in the making. These two went at it with their physical play during every game of the 2007-08 regular season and continued it during the 7 game playoff showdown between the two teams. The rough stuff continued into the 08-09 season when during the Boston at Montreal game 3 weeks before, Lucic and Komisarek both received penalties for their extra-curricular activities during a stoppage of play. As both players delivered punch upon punch, a fired-up Lucic let out a yell to the sold out attendance at the Garden, capturing the energy of the fight.


The dangers of fighting were enlarged by the death of OHL player Don Sanderson. Sanderson, a 21 year old defensemen for the Whitby Dunlops died following a fight during a game. During the fight, Sanderson hit his head onto the ice surface and fell into a coma. He died later that night from complications. Sanderson's death came as a shock to many and showed just how dangerous fighting can truly be.


In my opinion, fighting does still belong in the NHL. It's been a staple in the NHL since the creation of the league and continues to this day. As the quality of most fights has gone down, by no means should it be eliminated from the game. However, I believe the goon fighting, the "let's fight for the hell of it" fighting and the down right silly fighting that are realistically two 6'1 210 pound guys dancing around and hugging needs to go.

Dear Bruins, Where Are You? Sincerely, Boston.

All is not well in the Hub of Hockey. Last night the Bruins dropped their 4th game in the month of March, putting them at 1-4-0 in the early month. As hundreds in their Kessel jerseys contemplate jumping off the Zakim Bridge they wonder: "is this more than a funk?". Do Bruins faithful truly have reason to be concerned? The answer is yes, and no.

For the first time since the lockout, the Boston Bruins were legitimate buyers at the NHL Trading Deadline. The Bruins rid themselves of 'spare-parts' Matt Lashoff, Martins Karsums and offensive catalyst Petteri Nokelainen. In return they gained veteran RW and 1400+ career point man Mark Recchi and the front-toothless defensemen Steve Montador. Both players added necessary depth to the line-up and even more grit to the Bruins blue-collar hard-nosed style of play. However, their potential impact has not been fully shown as the team continues to struggle.

Every team goes through their funk. During the 2007-08 season, the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings went 5-8-2 in the month of February. The Wings went on to tear up the month of March and April, posting a 12-3-2 record. Bruins fans are hoping for a similar fate after a dismal 7-8-3 record over the teams past 18 games. With the schedule easing up for the remaining 14 games of the season, including 8 games against teams well out of the playoff hunt now is the time for the Bruins to rekindle the fire they ignited from November through January.

Now comes time to address the big issue, what in the world has happened to the Bruins special teams? The Bruins powerplay, which was once untouchable before the All-Star Break with the 25% conversion rate has gone ice cold, down to 17% since the All-Star Break. Same with the penalty kill, which once stood among the leagues tops with a 82% percent of killing off penalty's down to 79.7% since resuming from the All-Star Break. What's going wrong? The once disastrous Patrice Bergeron from the point has played great from there as of late but it's with the 2nd line. The "peach-fuzz" powerplay is ice cold, both David Krejci, Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic have done little to nothing in 2009.

One can't help but wonder what's going on with Manny Fernandez. Is he fully healed? Was he rushed back? Rust is definitely a big possibility as the 34 year old has played sparingly in 2009 due to a knee/back/attitude? issue. However, there's no doubting the 2009 version of Manny hasn't been a pleasant one, posting a 2-3-2 record with a .882 SV% and a 3.11 GAA. Fernandez's most disappointing performance undoubtedly came against Tampa Bay, where he allowed 4 goals on just 18 shots. Although Manny has struggled in 2009, with more playing time as the team narrows in on clinching an almost automatic playoff spot the rust could wear off and the 2008 Manny we grew to embrace could return to form a deadly goaltending duo.

As we creep closing to the playoffs the Bruins are undoubtedly a team in need of a wake-up call. Whether that comes from a benching of a star player (see: Phil Kessel) or from within behind closed doors this team simply looks dead out there. With the season drawing to an end in about a month's time, now is the time to wake up. If the team continues to sputter into the 2nd or 3rd seed in the East the feeling of confidence and enthusiasm going into the 1st round of the playoffs may be non-existant among fans and players. So for now Bruins fans, don't jump, this team is one good week away from being favorites yet again.

10 Reasons Why Pronger to Boston Is and Isn't Worth It

We've heard the rumors a dozen times if not more. Chris Pronger, a former Norris Trophy winner and Anaheim Duck is possibly heading to Boston. However, the rumored package in return doesn't seem to sit well with most Bruins fans, and for good reason. One rumored deal would send Chris Pronger and Travis Moen to Boston in exchange for Phil Kessel (currently leading the team in goals with 26), Mark Stuart, Joe Colborne and the B's 2009 1st round pick to Anaheim. The other rumored deal is pretty much the same, except you substitute Michael Ryder for Phil Kessel.

Now, we all understand that Chris Pronger is a superb talent. There's no question about that, however, would the price tag fit the return? In most B's fans minds, the answer is no. I'm inclined to agree with this thinking and present you with the top 5 reasons why trading for former Hart and Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger is not worth it and the top 5 reasons why it is.

5 REASONS THAT CHRIS PRONGER ISN'T WORTH IT

1) Loss Of Potential - Alright, we've heard it more times than we'd like to admit, Phil Kessel has potential. It all depends on what Phil Kessel feels like showing up, is it the breakaway scorer who has 50 goal potential or the predictable winger we'll see? It's been a mix of most, but in 2008-09 we've definitely seen the shifty winger's best more than his worst. Keep in mind he's still just 21 and has skills you can't teach such as speed and deking.

2) Bye Bye Joe - Boston's 1st round draft choice (16th overall) has definitely been a big seller in the rumored deal for Pronger, but should the Bruins send him off already? Colborne's drawn many comparisions to Joe Thornton and posted good numbers for Denver University (9 G 19 A +7) in 34 games. It'd undoubtedly be a large risk as it's anticipated Colborne's skills and upside can make him into an elite NHL power forward as time goes on.

3) Pronger's Reputation - Joan Jett may have not given a damn about her bad reputation but Chris Pronger should. Pronger's been in trouble with the NHL several times for his what many consider dirty plays. One of the most severe and rather disgusting actions of Chris Pronger was his stomping of Canucks forward Ryan Kesler's leg. Pronger's most note-worthy offence was being suspended for Game 4 by the NHL for his hit to Dean McAmmond's head in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. A Bruins fan must wonder if Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli or Claude Julien could keep the sometimes volatile-tempered Chris Pronger out of the box, both the penalty and potentially press.

4) Boston: Free Agent Free Zone - It was just 8 months ago that Michael Ryder signed a 3 year, 4 million dollar deal. Now, one of the rumored deals has Ryder being the Bruin sent to Anaheim over Kessel. Would the Bruins really trade such a key player in their success just 8 months into his tenure with Boston? A move such as this could be a bad sign for future free agent signings, who would be weary of joining a franchise that will only trade them a few months later.

5) Cap Issues - Pronger's cap-hit comes in at 6.25 million dollars and is signed through the 2009-10 season. This will surely create problems for the Bruins who are already facing cap issues with retaining RFA's David Krejci, Phil Kessel (who'll likely be gone in the rumored deal) and Matt Hunwick to note a few. Along with these RFA's, the Bruins also have to work out a new deal or let go of UFA's Tim Thomas, Manny Fernandez, P.J Axelsson, Stephane Yelle and Shane Hnidy, who are more than likely all except for Thomas going to be sporting new jerseys next year.

5 REASONS WHY PRONGER IS WORTH IT

1) Proven Playoff Force - Pronger's 92 points in 134 career playoff games gives the Bruins even greater reason to pull the trigger for the veteran. Pronger's best post-seasons came in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 season where he scored 36 points in 43 games. In the 2005-06 playoff run, Pronger led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals and in 06-07 season he led the Ducks to a 4-1 series win over the Ottawa Senators. Even in Anaheim's first round exit in 2007-08 Pronger registered 5 points (2 G 3 A) in 6 games. There's no doubting that Pronger is definitely a proven post-season weapon.

2) Terror From The Point - What will strike fear into any forward? The duo of Chris Pronger and Zdeno Chara. Pronger stands at 6'6 and Chara stands at 6'9. Both are known are monsters to play against considering they're long reach and physicality. A tandem of Pronger and Chara on alternating lines could be just what the Bruins need in the later rounds if they were to face Ovechkin and the Capitals.

3) Leadership - It's nothing new to any hockey insider that Chris Pronger can lead a team. He's captained both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks and is 1 of just 5 active players to captain 2 different teams. Everywhere Pronger's gone, he's been honored with either the "C" or an "A" on his jersey.

4) Another Powerplay Threat - Throughout his career, Pronger has feasted on the powerplay. He's currently 3rd on the Ducks in powerplay points with 21 (3 G 18 A) and has registered 319 of his 595 career points on the powerplay. As they've shown time and time again this season, the key to the Bruins success has been their powerplay, another weapon from the point may just put them over the top.

5) Just CJ's Type vs. Not CJ's Type - Pronger, as stated several times, seems to embody the qualities of a player that fits into the Claude Julien system. He's gritty, hard-nosed and there's almost no one more physical than the man that wears 25 and we're not talking about Hal Gill. A trade of Phil Kessel would also rid the Bruins of a player who's play has been questioned of fitting into the Bruins system.