Michael Ryder: The Boston Bruins X-Factor

On July 1st, the Bruins struck out on landing right-winger Marian Hossa. The rumored max-level contract offered to Hossa didn't quite work out for him as he chose to instead sign with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. Rather than going after another top tier player, the Bruins instead made an offer to a familiar foe. Michael Ryder, a 29 year old Newfoundland native ended his career in le blue, blanc et rouge to sign with the Boston Bruins for 3 years at 4 million dollars a season.

The price was oft criticized following a significantly sub-par season for Ryder, who scored 14 goals and finished with just 31 points in 70 games for the Montreal Canadiens. Early in Ryder's career, he became one of Montreal's most powerful powerplay weapons. In Ryder's first 2 seasons, under at-the-time Habs coach Claude Julien, Ryder scored 118 points total in these 2 years, including a total of 55 points on the powerplay. Despite performing well under Guy Carbonneau in the 2006-07 season, 2007-08 was a polar opposite for Ryder as he found himself a healthy scratch in 5 of the Canadiens 9 playoff games.

Despite the poor season, GM Peter Chiarelli and Claude Julien were confident they could return the sniper to this high level of play he established in his career. The signing looked good from the beginning, as Ryder put up 5 points in his first 4 games as a Bruin. However, Ryder went through his cold streaks, showing his inconsistency. Ryder would often get as cold as he would hot, going scoreless in as many as 4 games but follow that up by scoring in bunches.

As the playoffs approached, Boston looked to Ryder to be that 2nd line scoring threat the Bruins hoped he would become. Ryder didn't disappoint. In the series against Montreal, Ryder posted 7 points in 4 games. As the Bruins eliminated the Montreal Canadiens, helped in part by Michael's 2 points, the former Hab felt avenged as he scored his 4th goal of the playoffs, 1 more than he ever scored in 17 career playoff games as Canadien. Ryder doesn't appear to be done, as in Friday night's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Ryder scored another goal and added an assist in the 4-1 rout of the Hurricanes, continuing the idea that Ryder is the Bruins x-factor to success in their quest for the cup. Currently, Ryder is tied for 2nd in the NHL for points in the playoffs, tied with Penguins star Sidney Crosby.