Report: Bruins & Phil Kessel Done Negotiating

Show Phil the money, right Peter?

Evidently not as Boston.com Bruins blogger K.P Dupont is reporting that Kessel and agent Wade Arnott are done in attempting to reach a deal on a new contract with the Boston Bruins.

To say the two sides have been in disagreement through their negotiations would be putting it lightly as the two sides have almost had no communication according to Kessel's agent. However, reports also indicate that the Bruins have made several offers to Phil all of which varying in length, money, options and perhaps even Garden Gold gift cards and free hats? Regardless of where this saga is bound to turn next, the idea of Phil Kessel and the Bruins coming to an agreement is becoming more of a pipe-dream or pipe-nightmare depending on your stance when it comes to the 21-year old sniper.

Kessel, who achieved career highs in virtually every offensive category in 2008-09 is coming off a 36 goal season and an even more impressive post-season where he had 6goals and 11 points in 11 games. Despite Kessel's success with the club this past season, the winger remains unsigned, but why?

Firstly touching on the 36 goals, keep in mind 22 of them were assisted by 60+ assist man Marc Savard. As something I've vehemently preached, how are we to tell that Phil Kessel could produce without Savard setting him up? Without playing with Savard, Kessel's highest goal total was 19, achieved in 82 games of the 2007-08 season. Especially considering Savard's possibility of leaving Boston when his deal expires, the risk of devoting big money to a player only capable of producing with a number one center is there and could hurt the Bruins greatly.

As a professional athlete, the idea of getting your big payday is understandable after you put together a great season, but it's also something that the Bruins do not have the luxury of doing without having to sacrifice a significant piece of the future. With Kessel's rumored four to five million dollar per year asking price, the Bruins would not only have to move Chuck Kobasew or Marco Sturm on top of Andrew Ference but they'd also have to move someone in the following summer.

This would definitely create issues as Bruins wingers (and more well rounded players) Milan Lucic and Blake Wheeler are up for new contracts at the seasons end. On top of Lucic and Wheeler, the Bruins also have to give new contracts to defensemen and epitomized Bruin Mark Stuart and goaltender of tomorrow Tuukka Rask.

In typical hockey internet fashion, as Kessel remains unsigned the list of teams rumored to have interest is growing. Included in this list of teams and likely to be the favorite are the Toronto Maple Leafs, managed by local boy Brian Burke.

Normally where there's smoke, there's no fire in Toronto but with Burke's recent move of reacquiring the Leafs' 2010 second round pick, the idea of an offer sheet heading Kessel's way from Leaf Nation is seemingly more likely and the odds on favorite as of right now. Next to the Leafs, the list of teams interested are rumored to include the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks.

Despite the rumored interest with Toronto, the problems of Burke giving big money to Kessel would reside in the fact that the Leafs lack a number one center to feed the puck to Kessel. While both Mikhali Grabovski and Matt Stajan are coming off solid seasons, they are simply not in the same caliber or held in the same breath that Bruins center Marc Savard is.

After Toronto, both the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks would have to arguably move key pieces to obtain Kessel. In New York, after the addition of Marian Gaborik, the Rangers have little to no wiggle room left (1.1 million to be exact) to even sign their own restricted free agent Brandon Dubinsky so a trade or offer sheet for Kessel from the Rangers seems very unlikely.

In San Jose, the Sharks have close to four million dollars left in cap space and with Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi on the rise (and up for new deals next summer) they could arguably create a very strong line of the future with the addition of Kessel. If the Sharks are able to either move Marleau or not re-sign him to a new deal when the (former) captain's 6.8 million dollar contract comes off the books the Sharks would be in the clear to add Kessel without any problems.

Personally, I think that with Sturm's return to the line-up along with continuing development of Blake Wheeler, Milan Lucic and David Krejci that Phil Kessel's not a must have on this club if the price is too high, which it appears to be. The Boston Bruins as is are very thin on defense and any trade that will likely send Andrew Ference out of town will hurt the club more than help with Johnny Boychuk and Andy Wozniewksi being next in line to fill in for the big club. Phil Kessel, despite his talent has seemingly been out of place in Boston under Claude Julien and has repeatedly been rumored to be dangled as trading bait at the trade deadline.

Does Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli not believe in Kessel? It's entirely possible, but who could blame him? Kessel, despite being a player with supreme offensive skills, has not shown to be a complete hockey player that'll fit within the Bruins system and in his three seasons with the Bruins has had his stretches of poor play and questionable decision making skills.

As the Bruins head into the upcoming NHL season, the question marks of what magic the club will work with limited cap space following the '09-10 campaign will grow even larger than the year before and the headache of inconsistency that Phil Kessel could be is something the Bruins do not need for years to come.

With the NHL season three weeks away, expect the fate of Phil Kessel and possible future with the Bruins to be decided sooner rather than later before cap space becomes a priority and legitimate issue for many of Kessel's potential suitors.

30 Teams In 30 Days: To Match A Predators Defense

These ain't your older brother's Nashville Predators. Chances are, they're better, or worse, depending on your brother's age of course.

In just their eleventh year in the National Hockey League, the Predators are looking for their fifth trip to the NHL Playoffs, where anything is possible right? It's entirely possible that the Predators have made a secret blood-pact with Satan to continuously torture their fans as they've never made it out of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Despite their lack of regular season success which lead to no playoffs in Nashville for the first time since 2003, there were quite a few shining moments.

For one, the rise of goaltender Pekka Rinne is sure to be a ray of hope in Tennessee. The 26 year old Finnish phenom is coming off a great rookie season with his 29-15-4 record and 2.38 goals against average. Although being rated just a 77 in NHL09 (take that, NHL09 creators!) the play of Rinne nearly propelled the Predators into the post-season. However it was too little too late as the team couldn't obtain a solid offensive output night in and night out.

A large reason for the drop off in goals can ultimately be traced back to the departure of the top line forward and promising scorer Alexander Radulov for the KHL of Russia. Nashville's first round choice from the 2004 NHL Draft, Radulov was beginning to build a reputation as a clutch performer with eight points in 10 career playoff games. After jet-setting away to his homeland, the pressure was put on Martin Erat to step up as the team's number right winger.

To put it in simpler terms, although Erat is a very solid up and coming player he is nowhere near ready to becoming a team's number one forward and scoring presence.

Following the conclusion to the Dany Heatley saga (thank god) it appears that the newest player in the line of fire for any and all hockey rumors is Bruins winger Phil Kessel. Naturally, with over 15 million dollars in cap space available at their disposal, could the Predators be setting up an offer sheet and/or trade for the Bruins leading goal scorer?

First mentioned by Nashville writer John Glennon, it appears that the Bruins and Predators are very interested in working out a trade for the 21 year old forward. Beyond the obvious set of draft picks and prospects, do the Predators possess anything that could possibly win the bidding war between them and Maple Leafs for Phil The (inconsistent) Thrill?

A wild and considerably unlikely proposition could be the idea of the Bruins obtaining Alexander Radulov's rights and attempting the 23 year old forward to return to the NHL with a Stanley Cup contending team.

Rumors are rumors, but comments made by Predators GM David Poile indicate that the Predators are indeed interesting and could become a major player in the Kessel-sweepstakes. "He's a young player that scores goals,and that's very much of interest to us.''

Barring any movement on the Kessel front by the Predators, this is how their line-up should go come opening night.

J.P Dumont - Jason Arnott - Martin Erat
Joel Ward - David Legwand - Steve Sullivan
Ryan Jones - Ben Guite - Jordin Tootoo
Colin Wilson - Marcel Goc - Jerred Smithson
Extra Skaters: Patric Hornqvist and Wade Belak

Shea Weber - Ryan Suter
Kevin Klein - Dan Hamsuis
Cody Franson - Alex Sulzer
Extra Skater: Jonathon Blum

Pekka Rinne
Dan Ellis

Although I love the Predators top two defensive pairings, the team is simply not ready for a big playoff push in a very tough division. While the powerhouses of the Central are expected to remain in the control of Chicago and Detroit, up and coming teams such as the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets should make it even harder for the Preds to compete this year.

Players To Watch: Will Pekka Rinne continue to develop into a stud goaltender for Nashville or will his struggles lead to a platooning role with Dan Ellis? Don't expect Rinne to repeat his seven shutout performance in 2009-10, but he should still be on pace for the same record wise and prove to be NHL capable. It'll also be interesting to see how right winger Steve Sullivan plays now that the 2009 Masterton Trophy winner is fully recovered from back surgery that kept him out of nearly two seasons in the NHL.

Prediction: 5th in Central Division. 13th in Western Conference.

Phil Kessel: A (Potentially) Necessary Evil

The mystery that has been Phil Kessel has lead the city of Boston to jumping with joy, clenching their fists in agony, cursing his name and then going back to loving him all in the same game. The elusive and skillful skater experienced a tremendous breakthrough in Boston over the course of this past season, but with a month of free agency in the books, the 21 year old winger is without a contract by the Bruins, or any other NHL team for that matter.

From being sidelined from games due to cancer treatment to scoring the game winning goal in the shootout in his first game back, from being benched in the Bruins 2008 Playoffs for his lackluster play to scoring two pivotal goals in the magical Game 6 Boston win, it seems that Phil Kessel has experienced a career worth of tests in just three years with the club.

As he's continued his progression as one of the Northeast Division's premier snipers (look out Kovalev). Beckoning the question, why haven't the Bruins or any other team signed the goal scoring phenom yet?

If Kessel would like to point the blame for why another team hasn't approached him with a contract, that blame would have to be pointed to Oilers General Manager Kevin Lowe. Following the Anaheim Ducks demolition of the Ottawa Senators to capture the 2007 Stanley Cup, the Ducks had a plethora of issues regarding their restricted and unrestricted free agents. As Dustin Penner came off a 45 point season where he put 29 goals past 'tenders, he was up for a new contract as one of the Ducks restricted free agents.

Knowing the level of talent Penner seemed to possess, Kevin Lowe put his offer sheet on the table for the Manitoba native. The offer sheet was not matched by the Ducks, as their highly touted young gun left the Honda Center for Edmonton with a five year contract that paid him 4.25 million dollars a season. In two seasons with the Oil, the 26 year old has seen his goal totals drop in each season, making the signing a rather questionable move by Lowe considering the draft picks lost along with the compensation.

Along with Penner, the Oilers sent it an offer sheet to Buffalo star Thomas Vanek for a 7-year deal worth 50 million dollars. The Sabres matched the deal, a price they didn't want to pay just yet, but had to in order to keep their young star. Since these events, Lowe has become an unpopular character among fellow General Managers and offer sheets for restricted free agents are considered messy and can be incredibly risky for what you're giving up.

Even without offer sheets being potentially dangerous moves, another reason Kessel hasn't gained considerable interest with a legitimate contract from a team is due in large part to his recent shoulder surgery. There's no denying that Kessel is a pure shooter, he relies on his shot to make his money. Now, with his recovery from a torn rotator cuff that required surgery expected to keep him out of a line-up until at least December.

Forget the recovery, the question remains, will Kessel still be as lethal as he was in 2008-09? With a smaller frame and non-physical style of play, the chance of Kessel becoming an injury-prone Eastern Conference version of Marian Gaborik during his days in Minnesota is there, whether we'd like to address it or not. Although Bruins players such as Zdeno Chara have come back strongly from shoulder surgery, the concern resides in the Bruins front office when it comes to Kessel's surgery.

Despite not being able ready for the start of the 2009-10, the price tag the Wisconsin native has placed on himself is both justified and not justified. With the rumored price tag between 3.9-5 million dollars a season, is Kessel truly in the position to dictate his own price?

Sure he had 36 goals in 2008-09, and probably would have had 40 if he wasn't stricken with mono in December, but after just one good season is he really worth the money? The stats would indicate he is as the players around Kessel average 6.5 million dollars, but those players with the exception of Loui Eriksson and Jeff Carter have been putting up consistent totals for years, something Kessel hasn't done by any means.

A knock on Kessel's success could undoubtedly be attributed to who he played with throughout the season. Playing with Savard, arguably the Eastern Conference's best playmaking center not named Sidney Crosby. Out of Kessel's 36 regular season goals, 22 of them were assisted by Marc Savard. Now, without Savard, Kessel's highest goal total was 19, that's just over half of what Kessel produced without Savard centering his line.

Now, let's say for argument's sake that Savard doesn't return to Boston when his contract expires following the 2009-10 season and Kessel's production dips dramatically despite being among the highest paid forwards. The reaction in Boston will be that of pure frustration for a player who can look either very good or very, very bad.

There's no denying that Kessel had made great strides into becoming a more complete player, but truth be told, he's still not a complete player. He may thrive on the powerplay, but his defense is still very shaky, he has no physicality in his play and has been oft criticized for not fitting in the Bruins system. Despite all of that, there's no question that Phil Kessel is a necessary evil for the Boston Bruins going forward.

That being said, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli will undoubtedly have to unload either Marco Sturm, Chuck Kobasew or even Michael Ryder in order to keep Kessel in a Bruins uniform.

Marco Sturm, who missed much of the 2008-09 campaign with a major knee injury would seem to be the obvious choice, but with the lack of depth the left wing position and Sturm's 13 points in 19 games last year, he should be back in black and gold with an 'A' on his jersey. Michael Ryder, the Bruins biggest addition in the 2008 off-season seems unlikely as well considering that it's entirely likely that if the Bruins were to trade Ryder, the city of Boston would become a free-agent-free zone because guys wouldn't want to be traded just one year into a contract they signed. Along with that, Ryder's 27 goals on the right side are nothing to sneeze at and he simply seems to thrive off playing under the Claude Julien system.

It currently seems that the odd man out will be grinding forward Chuck Kobasew. Acquired in a trade with Calgary that also sent the Bruins defensemen Andrew Ference, Kobasew has demonstrated strong two-way play when healthy, however, his health has been an issue during his tenure in the Hub of Hockey. Kobasew has missed 30 regular season games in just a little over two years with the club, but when healthy Kobasew has become a great contributor. He's scored over 20 goals in both seasons with the Bruins and had 6 points in 11 playoff games with the Bruins.

With a cap hit of just 2.33 million dollars, Chuck Kobasew seems like the perfect fit for a club in the Western Conference looking for some secondary scoring. Teams such as Vancouver, Edmonton and even San Jose stick out as team's who could afford Kobasew's services.

With two months remaining until the Bruins take to the Garden ice for opening night against the Washington Capitals, the club is sure to make progress with Kessel and explore their options as September is sure to rapidly approach.

Bruins Trade Ward To Carolina

An unexpected trade today became official this morning as the Bruins have sent veteran defensemen Aaron Ward to Carolina in exchange for a 2010 fourth round draft choice and forward Patrick Eaves. After the trade, newly acquired Patrick Eaves was placed on waivers and was going to be bought out if no one claimed him.

This was a cap dump by definition, however, the disagreement in the Hub of Hockey is beginning to grow.

First off, Aaron Ward was a fan favorite. Made popular for his rugged style of play and "Ward Wednesday" on the Toucher & Rich show on WBCN, where he would frequently bash a player from the opposition without care. Despite being overpaid in many people's eyes as Ward's numbers never quite justified the 2.5 million dollar a year salary, he earned the status of Boston's veteran defensive presence for young guys such as Mark Stuart and Matt Hunwick.

The biggest killer in this deal for most B's fans has been the fact that if Eaves doesn't get claimed, that he will be bought out. Boston is currently paying both Glen Murray and Peter Schaefer through buy-outs that are counting against the cap and now they're going to add another to the list? Between Schaefer and Murray the B's have 1.9 million dollars in buy-outs currently against the cap and with Eaves expected to join the list, the amount of buy-outs on the cap jumps up to over two million dollars.

This move was ultimately made to create the cap space needed to re-sign 36-goal scorer Phil Kessel. However, despite the eventual addition of Phil Kessel, the Bruins have created themselves a lack of NHL ready players on the blue-line.

Along with mainstays Zdeno Chara, Dennis Wideman, Andrew Ference and Mark Stuart the Bruins are expected to have young players Matt Hunwick and Johnny Boychuk join the NHL roster as their defensive core. With these six ready for the NHL season, the problem would develop if and when an injury strikes the B's defense. With no defensemen in Providence truly ready for the big leagues, there's a need for a seventh defensemen in Boston.

With Shane Hnidy signed in Minnesota, the obvious choice is gone. Kessel, who's expected to sign for four to five million dollars a season, Peter Chiarelli will simply not have a lot of money to add anyone for more than league minimum. Although Drew Fata was recently signed to a two-way contract, he's an undersized goon who really doesn't bring much to the table at the NHL level.

In a large pool of veteran defensemen looking for new homes, the Bruins may just get lucky. One name that sticks out to me for one, is former Bruin Kyle McLaren. The 32-year old defensemen has certainly experienced quite the fall from grace. After being sent to the AHL with his 2.2 million dollar cap hit, the 6'4 menacing blue-liner put up seven points in 22 games for the Worcester Sharks. When a trade that would have sent McLaren to Philadelphia was nullified after McLaren failed a physical, the doubts are growing that he will never return to the NHL level.

Along with McLaren, 47 year old Chris Chelios is still out there as a free agent. Despite struggling in the 2009 Playoffs for the Red Wings, the veteran could possibly be a nice addition as a seventh defensemen held to limited playing time. He has Stanley Cup experience and could even be a better mentor to the Bruins young guns than Ward was. I fully believe that if both were given to chance to play in the NHL then they'd accept league minimum contracts.

For some, the attempt to get back into the NHL will be difficult following major surgeries. Two names that stick out are Sergei Zubov and Rhett Warrener. Zubov is coming off major hip surgery and looking for a new home. The 39 year old defensemen has been a great powerplay weapon his entire career and had 4 points in 10 games for the Dallas Stars in 2008. Warrener, a former Calgary Flame mainstay is coming off major shoulder surgery and appears to be done in Calgary.

In 2007-08, Warrener's last season played in, he had 4 points in 31 games. With his shoulder possibly unable to hold up, a role as a seventh defensemen for league minimum could be a plus for both Warrener and the Boston Bruins.

One thing's for sure, this cap space freed up by the trading of the three-time Stanley Cup winner has made enough room to sign Kessel to a long term contract. As is the case with many NHL teams and the way they approach their restricted free agents, the Bruins are anxious to get a deal done with the potential 40 goal scorer of the future, which is now fully possible.

Recchi Returns For Another Round

Doesn't it feel good waking up a Bruins fan and realizing the change this organization has made? In previous years, a player such as Mark Recchi would never want to return to Boston, and even if he did, the Bruins front office would have no intentions of bringing the trading deadline acquisition back. However, under head coach Claude Julien and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli, Boston has become a place where players actually want to play.

Following an encouraging message by Steve Begin to the Boston media of "I'm on the right side now" when asked about his tenure in Montreal, reports out of Boston indicate that 41 year old winger Mark Recchi has signed a 1-year contract worth 1 million dollars to remain in Boston.

When Recchi was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange from could-have-been's Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums, the reaction from Boston was welcoming and excited. Recchi's a proven winner, a great powerplay threat and he provides added veteran leadership in the Bruins march towards a Stanley Cup. Despite the Bruins failure to advance to the Conference Finals, Recchi's presence created an even more dangerous Bruins offense and powerplay.

In 29 total games with the Bruins in the regular season and playoffs, Recchi had 13 goals and 22 points, finishing with a -3. In these games, Recchi had a total of 5 powerplay goals and 4 powerplay assists, often gaining his goals through tip-in's and re-directs out in front of the net, a strategy that the 5'10 forward has used to his advantage throughout his entire career.

In the Bruins 7-game battle with the Carolina Hurricanes, Recchi fought through injuries before having surgery to remove a kidney stone the night before Game 7. His resiliency spoke great volumes to the British Columbia native's drive to win, even though he's already won 2 Stanley Cups in his illustrious career.

The addition of Recchi into the Bruins line-up for another season gives the Bruins three deep scoring lines, and that's without Phil Kessel. Also, the signing of Recchi could possibly point to Phil Kessel officially being on the out's in Boston. Recchi's signing adds another million onto the Boston cap, leaving just over four million dollars left to play with and re-sign Phil Kessel, Matt Hunwick and P.J Axelsson. It's obvious that one, or even two of the three will be let go, and will the rumor mill of Tomas Kaberle coming to Boston in exchange for Phil Kessel, thing's are about to get very interesting in Boston.

Bruins Sign Begin; Re-Sign Bitz, Boychuk

We knew there would be a big bang with just about every other club besides Boston, but still, talk about one crazy day. Today we saw Marian Hossa trade in his Detroit sweater for a Chicago one, Marty Havlat move to Minnesota and the Montreal Canadiens create a line of all players 5'9 and shorter. Some of the contracts were outrageous per usual (If Hal Gill's a 2.25 million dollar defensemen, so am I) but in the end, the Boston Bruins emerged from the day without overpaying for any of the marquee names in this year's pool.

Despite rumors of Marian Hossa coming to Boston lighting up internet boards for the second straight year, the Bruins were wary to not commit large money to players considering they're lack of cap space. As quick as the talks of Kessel for Kaberle seemed to have resumed, the idea was put to rest just as fast and it was deemed false. By 6 o'clock, the Hub of Hockey was still as quiet as it was when Scott Walker ended the Bruins season when news broke of a minor signing.

The Boston Bruins had agreed to a one year contract with forward Steve Begin. The contract will pay the bruising forward 850,000 in 2009-10 and certainly replaces the depth that will be lost by Stephane Yelle's departure, which Chiarelli also confirmed today. In 62 games between the Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars, Begin registered 12 points and finished with a -7. Although his stats may not impress the common Bruins fan, there are plenty reasons to be happy about this guy.

First of, as previously stated, he adds depth to a roster that could certainly use it with the likely departure of P.J Axelsson and question marks surrounding Phil Kessel and Mark Recchi. Also, with the addition of the 31-year old Quebec native, the Bruins become an even more gritty team. Begin's 185 hits in 62 games was good for 3rd among Stars forwards and his 38 blocked shots were only 2nd to Loui Eriksson, who partook in all 82 of the Stars regular season games.

For some, the injuries to Begin pose a question mark. Well, when you look at the style of play he brings to the ice every night, it's no wonder the 1996 2nd round choice by the Calgary Flames has had to spend some time on the shelf. Even in seasons plagued by injury, Begin has managed to dish out over 100 hits in every season. Despite the injury concerns, when you look at Begin's last fully healthy season, you can't help but be happy with this signing.

In 2005-06, Begin played in 76 games for the rivaled Canadiens, where put up 23 points, finished with a +9 and was credited with 202 hits and 64 blocked shots. Throughout his career, Begin has become an established penalty killer and with the future of P.J Axelsson uncertain as mentioned, it only makes sense that Begin is in all likelihood, Axe's replacement on the Bruins penalty killing unit. In his 62 games with the Canadiens/Stars, Begin averaged 1:37 minutes on the penalty kill per game. Along with that minute plus of time on the kill, he averages just over 10 minutes a game, making this signing a great deal for a proven 4th liner willing to drop the gloves when the bell tolls.

Along with Begin, the Bruins also re-signed winger and new found fan-favorite Byron Bitz. The 24 year old Saskatoon native had a solid year in Boston as he put 4 pucks by goaltenders and tallied 3 assists in 35 games for the Bruins. Following a willingness to drop the gloves with legendary scrapper Donald Brashear, Bruins fans began to watch the rookie more closely. After a 2-goal effort against the Florida Panthers where the Garden faithful began chants of "We Want Bitz!" repeatedly, a cult following seemed to be in the works. Shirts reading "We Want Bitz" were made and distributed. After a lackluster playoff performance by Blake Wheeler, the fan favorite found himself in the line-up, suiting up in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time.

It didn't take Bitz long to make an impression as in the Bruins Game 3 demolition of the Canadiens, Bitz netted an assist as time nearly expired in the period. Sure enough, Bitz found himself back in the line-up for the Bruins second round series against the Carolina Hurricanes where he scored a seemingly pivotal first period goal in the Bruins Game 7 loss to the 'Canes. These moments and flashes of scoring capabilities reminded many Bruins fans of an old player they used to call their own, Mike Knuble, a big winger who blossomed into a 20+ goal scorer at the NHL level. With the re-signing of Bitz taken care off, it's clear that the Bruins brass may see the same potential in Byron.

Rounding out the day for Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was the re-signing of defensemen Johnny Boychuk. Boychuk, who spent most of the season with the Providence Bruins had another fine year at the AHL level, where he finished the year by winning the Eddie Shore Award, the AHL's honor for the best defensemen in the league. Boychuk finished with 20 goals, 46 assists and a +19 in 78 games for the Baby B's. It's a one year deal but as per club policy, the terms of the deal financially were not disclosed.

One issue that B's fans are still discussing is the signings that haven't been involving restricted free agents Phil Kessel and Matt Hunwick. As we close the book on the first day of free agency, both players are without contracts. While we haven't heard much talk about Kessel in the rumor mills today, the word on Hunwick per Joe Haggerty of WEEI.com was that many teams were showing a strong interest in Hunwick, and the Bruins not being one of them. Undoubtedly, this would come as a shock to Bruins fans if Hunwick is to leave, who showed potential of being the 'puck-moving defensemen' Peter Chiarelli so desperately desires in Boston.

With day two of the busiest time of year just hours away, it's just a short sleep for the 30 GM's of the NHL before they roll their sleeves back up and return to their phones.

Report: B's Offer Kessel To Leafs For Kaberle, 7th Overall Pick

This stove's already heating up in the early hours of the morning here on Draft Day.

According to sources from TSN.ca, it's being reported that the Bruins have offered RW Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defensemen Tomas Kaberle and the seventh overall pick in the 2009 Draft. Kessel, is set to become a restricted free agent come July 1 and it appears that his rumored asking price of $5 million per season is simply too much for the Bruins to add onto their salary cap. Assuming that this report has accuracy to it, it may appear as if Kessel's negotiations have not gone in the Bruins favor and they're not utilizing all options to get the most worth in return for Phil The Thrill.

Kaberle is coming off a season where he battled injuries to his right hand, an injury that kept him out of the lineup for 25 games. However, Kaberle still put together a solid year for the blue and white with his 31 points, 19 of which coming on the powerplay. Kaberle's last healthy season came in 2007-08 where he posted 53 points, including 45 assists in 82 games for the Maple Leafs. Since the lock-out, the Bruins have been highly criticized by analysts and fans alike for their lack of a puck moving defensemen, and Tomas Kaberle could be the perfect fit for filling this void on the Boston blue-line.

It's no secret that new Leafs GM Brian Burke is a fan of North American players and Phil Kessel may just be what the Leafs need. Although with his youth, Kessel's a fast and lethal scorer and his price tag is sure to be less expensive than fellow free agents Marian Hossa and Marian Gaborik making him an even more friendly option to Toronto's needs. If Toronto can lock-up the 22 year old Wisconsin native long term, it'll certainly be an upgrade and key building block in the rebuilding of Toronto into a contending team for many years to come.

Along with Kaberle, the Bruins would receive the seventh overall pick in this year's very deep draft, addressing the issue of moving up in the draft, a topic which Chiarelli had touched on in a radio interview earlier this week. If this move is to happen, the Bruins would likely be in the position to select Zach Kassian, Brayden Schenn, or perhaps Jared Cowen.

I'll be following this story along with the other developing stories on draft day in Montreal.

Numbered Days For Kessel?

The stove in Boston is heating up for sure. Following the signing of 3 year contract worth a total of over 11 million signed by David Krejci last week, the eyes of the Garden faithful have turned to the rumor mills with one person on their mind: Phil Kessel. Phil Kessel, who turns 22 in October is coming off a career year in which he set career highs in every offensive category. His 36 goals put him at 8th in the NHL behind the likes of Kovalchuk, Ovechkin and Detroit's Marian Hossa. The oft talked about potential about the man in '81' had finally arrived and shown up, on the score sheet and in the win column.

Despite his at times inconsistent play, including two 5-game goal-less droughts and a seemingly everlasting 15 game span without scoring a single goal, Kessel would regain his stride and find the scoring touch that made him such a pivotal role-player in the Bruins offense. His offensive abilities were enough to 'wow' Bruins fans worldwide, but when the news that broke following the elimination of the Boston Bruins from the 2009 Playoffs, Bruins fans found a new found respect and admiration for Phil 'The Thrill'. It was revealed during the Boston Bruins exit interviews that during the team's 2-0 regular season loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a torn-rotator cuff on a questionable hit from Jackets defensmen Jan Hejda.

In true Boston Bruins fashion, Phil Kessel continued to play through the injury and into the playoffs, missing just one regular season game in Buffalo. Seemingly unbothered by the shoulder, Kessel went on to score 13 goals and tally 8 assists in the 19 regular-season and playoff games following the injury in Columbus. When news of this injury broke, it truly showed us the real Phil Kessel that Bruins fans had been longing to see; he cared, he wanted to win and wasn't going to let a major injury stop him from contributing in the team's push for their first Stanley Cup in 37 years.

Although Kessel's goals led to a staggering total of 42 leaps from our chairs at the Garden, bar or in the comfort of our home the Bruins now have the daunting task of deciding his future with the club. With the success comes to want for a hefty raise, unfortunately for Kessel and the Bruins, GM Peter Chiarelli is working from an unfavorable salary-cap position. Fact is, it's going to be next to impossible to re-up the 21 year old winger unless he's willing to take less or similar money to the contract that was just signed by teammate David Krejci.

In a perfect world, Phil Kessel understands the rough economic market in the NHL and signs for the same 3.5-3.75 million dollar-a-year contract that Krejci agreed to. However if Kessel has any sense of his value, he may hold out for an offer-sheet, prompting the Bruins to make a move and find a new home for Kessel. One option and rumor that has been spreading over the internet like wildfire has been the idea of sending Phil Kessel to Colorado for the 3rd overall pick in the 2009 draft.

A favorite to go at the number 3 slot in the draft has been Matt Duchene, a 5'11 center currently playing for the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League. He's currently slated to go behind Jonathan Tavares at number one to the Islanders and Swedish defensemen Victor Hedman expected to go at number 2. Duchene has been praised for his effectiveness as a two-way player in an offensive system and has displayed the numbers to prove his worth as in he's scored 129 points in 121 games with the Battalion. Duchene would be a solid fit in the Bruins system and would give the Bruins even more strength at center for the future along with Boston's 2008 first round draft choice, hulking center Joe Colborne.

As intriguing as this option may be, it's considered a longshot as Colorado may be adamant about keeping their 3rd overall pick to draft their replacement for the near-ancient Joe Sakic. After Colorado, the next hottest rumor circulating the internet has been a rumored deal between the Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins in which the Bruins send Kessel to Anaheim in exchange for the Ducks first round draft pick and negotiating rights with free-agent-to-be defensemen Francois Beauchemin. Although Beauchemin has the potential to be a game-changing defensemen that the Bruins need to plug in alongside Dennis Wideman, health has been an issue for the 29 year-old native of Quebec. Beauchemin suffered a torn ACL in November and missed the next 62 games of the regular season before returning back for the Ducks Playoff run.

With health already being an issue for an overwhelming amount of Bruins players, the risk that Beauchemin brings with him is not to enough to trade away a guy who scored 36 goals for your team. Especially when you note the existing health concerns on the Bruins defense with Aaron Ward and Andrew Ference, who had both experienced issues with staying healthy during the 2008-09 season.

When you look at the names that surrounded Phil Kessel in the league leaders with stats, the average salary of those players who scored 36 goals or more goes through the roof. The average 36+ goal scorer in the NHL during the 2008-09 season makes 4.9 million dollars a season. A number which the Bruins simply cannot match if they are to keep the same core of the 2008-09 team intact with Phil Kessel on it. Not to mention that a just 100,000 away from the 5 million dollar a year mark is a lot of money for a player who has shown his frequent inability to play defense, making him a very expensive one way player. With the NHL draft rapidly approaching following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup, the future of Phil Kessel and possibly the Boston Bruins will be addressed head on.

The Walking Wounded

Not often is a number 1st seeded team losing to a 6th seeded team considering acceptable, but maybe this news can heal up the wound a little bit faster. It was revealed today during the players and coaches "wrap-up" day at the TD Banknorth Garden that many of the Bruins were suffering from more than just minor injuries.

In front of the media today, Phil Kessel revealed that he had played through the final leg of the regular season and through the entire playoffs with a torn rotator cuff. However, the injuries didn't just end there for the 21 year old Wisconsin native as he was also suffering from a torn labrum. The news came as a shock to Bruins fans considering Kessel's strong play in the playoffs. In 11 games, Kessel scored 6 goals and finished with 11 points and a +7.

Perhaps the biggest name joining Kessel in surgery is fellow-restricted-free-agent-about-to-be David Krejci. Krejci, the Bruins 2nd highest scorer suffered a hip injury during the NHL Playoffs. Like Kessel, Krejci is expected to miss 4-6 months recovering.

It appears that with both Kessel and Krejci out for what could be 6 months, that their stock has certainly dropped. However, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli is approaching the situation no differently heading into contract negotiations with two key components of the Boston Bruins future. "As far as their contracts go, I don't see anything being different, other than the fact that they probably won't be playing when the team starts," Chiarelli said. Despite Chiarelli's claim of going into the negotiations no differently, these injuries may have luckily scared some offer sheets from other teams off the table, creating a favorable break for the Bruins.

Along with these major injuries, it was revealed that Chuck Kobasew played through 2 broken ribs, Milan Lucic played through a broken toe, Marc Savard played in Game 7 with a sprained knee, and Zdeno Chara played through a shoulder and knee injury. Then you add in the Bruins obvious injuries to Andrew Ference, who'll have surgery later next month, Matt Hunwick and Marco Sturm and the Bruins were truly the most injury-riddled team in the NHL Playoffs. This is by no means making an excuse for the Bruins lack of intensity in their series against Carolina, but it's a definite indicator as to why they struggled.

Perhaps the only good news coming out of these revelations is what doors it can open for the 2009-10 Boston Bruins. It's now possible that with both Kessel and Krejci going to be rebounding from injuries that they will no longer command the 4.5+ million dollars a season due to the potential issue of becoming injury prone. This could leave enough to cap room to possibly bring back winger Mark Recchi, who at the age of 41 may not be done yet. This could also put the Bruins in the favorable position of not having to trade Marco Sturm due to his rather large salary, giving the Bruins a potentially even more dangerous line-up heading into the 2009-10 season.

Despite losing, the resiliency of the Bruins throughout these major injuries showed the unwillingness of this team to lay down and die, even when they were down 3 games to 1. Their bodies may not have held up their 7 game series loss, but there's no doubting that their heart was as strong as ever.

As One Chapter Ends, The Next Chapter Begins

The night is darkest just before the dawn. Perhaps there was no darker end to the Boston Bruins season as it was on Thursday night. When Hurricanes winger and Boston villain Scott Walker ended the Bruins quest for their 1st Stanley Cup in 37 years, Boston fans fell silent and rally towels littered the ice. Despite the rally cries of "We Want It!", the "Believe" signs and the crowd singing along to Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" it simply wasn't to be for the 2008-2009 Boston Bruins. However, as this season ends, it's just the beginning of the Bruins bright future.

2008-09 was the year of the Bruins, they dominated almost every team in the NHL and finished with 50+ wins for the first team since the 1992-93 season. They added veteran Mark Recchi at the trading deadline who contributed nicely, losing just Martins Karsums along with Matt Lashoff, who was never really destined for great things in Boston due to the emergence of Matt Hunwick. Along with Hunwick, Czech center David Krejci had a phenomenal breakout year, who's 73 point season and effectiveness as a special teams threat earned him the Boston Bruins 7th Player Award. 2008-09 also marked the year of continuing development of hulking winger Milan Lucic, Phil Kessel and perhaps the most surprising Byron Bitz.

With 2008-09 officially done for the Bruins, it's time to look towards the future.

First off, one of the bigger questions the Bruins have to address is their free agency situation. Both David Krejci and Phil Kessel are the headliners of the Boston Bruins list of restricted free agents. As the case with all restricted free agents, if a player is to accept an offer sheet from another team, depending on the salary the Bruins receive draft picks from that team as compensation. It's safe to say that Kessel and Krejci should command and earn around the 9 million dollar mark between the two of them, but anything more raises interesting questions.

I think it's safe to pencil in David Krejci for a 4 year contract at 4.5 a season, perhaps a little bit more with added incentives. Krejci is definitely the higher priority of the Bruins if you ask me as at just 22, he's already showing signs of becoming a true number one center in the NHL. There's no doubting that his potential is only going up. Whereas Kessel, despite his ability to often make goalies and defensemen look foolish is too inconsistent to command more than money that Krejci. However, due to both players strong post-season play it's possible that they both of their stocks have just raised.

If either player is to go, it'd be due to another team offering big time money. In which case, it's likely that the compensation would be for over 5 million dollars a season. Which would force the other team to send the Bruins at least their 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks. Ultimately, if it boils down to it, if Kessel leaving the Bruins brings you in multiple high draft picks, I'm not going to lose sleep thinking that the Bruins had made a terrible choice.

Besides Kessel and Krejci, Bruins defensemen Matt Hunwick and Saskatoon native Byron Bitz are also restricted free agents. Both Hunwick and Bitz made strong strides towards becoming NHL ready players, however neither are ready for big money. In all likelihood, both should sign for around the 850-900 thousand mark, the only difference being that their contracts should become 1-way deals, making them have to go through waivers before getting them sent down to Providence, making them likely to stay with Boston all-season long.

Along with these restricted free agents, the Bruins have an older crop of unrestricted free agents they need to address as well. Headlining this list is life-long Bruin P.J Axelsson, who set career highs in virtually every category this season. Axelsson's current salary cap hit sits at 1.8 million dollars a season, however with the Bruins having to re-sign Kessel and Krejci and the NHL salary cap expected to stay at the same amount of money (if not go down), it's unlikely Chiarelli and Co. will be able to give the Swedish forward and penalty-killing machine a raise, let alone his current salary.

Next in line would have to be the depth guys, such as Stephane Yelle and Shane Hnidy. Both Hnidy and Yelle, provide veteran presences on the lower lines for cheap money. If Yelle and Hnidy can be re-signed for the same amount of money (750k) a piece, then it's probably likely to see them both back with the Bruins. However, this could change if the Bruins decide to hand the reins of 4th line center to Vladimir Sobotka, and 7th defensemen to Johnny Boychuk, who had a very strong year for Providence in the AHL.

Perhaps the biggest question mark is the future of Mark Recchi. Recchi is still a capable NHL player even at the age of 41, but his contract up and his future is uncertain. It's likely that the 5'10 winger with over 1,400 career points will retire, but it's also possible that his thirst to continue playing is still alive and well. If he can be brought back for the same price tag, it's likely that the Bruins will do whatever they can within their power to keep Recchi with the Bruins to provide added veteran presence.

The "automatics" to not return to the Bruins have to be Steve "Watch Me Create A Turnover" Montador and Manny Fernandez. Montador truly never wow'd Bruins fans as he often created turnovers within his own zone and looked to be over-thinking every aspect of the game. Fernandez, who missed over a month due to a back injury, is on the fence on whether he wants to retire or continue playing. The opportunity will surely be there for Fernandez to play as a platoon goalie in Colorado, Ottawa, Detroit or even Philadelphia but there's simply no room for him in Boston as Tuukka Rask looks ready to step into the NHL.

With the NHL having a salary cap, it's unlikely that no cap-saving deals will be made. The 3 players that stick out the most as potential trade-baits to "cap crunch" are Patrice Bergeron, Marco Sturm and Aaron Ward. All players make over 2 million dollars and could be dealt if it means keeping the Bruins under the NHL salary cap. Ward's veteran presence on defense is greatly appreciated, making it unlikely that he'll be traded on account of his veteran know-how. However, the Bruins performed very well without 2007-08's leading goal scoring Marco Sturm, who missed most of the season with a knee injury and is most likely to be dealt if need be.

With the Bruins done until October, one thing's for sure, it's going to be an interesting summer.

To Believe, Or Not To Believe

Well, it's official. The Boston Bruins back's are up against the proverbial wall. There's no tomorrow for the Bruins if they don't win tonight's Game 5 showdown at the TD Banknorth Garden; As with just one more loss against the Carolina Hurricanes the Bruins will be knocked out of the series 4 games to 1. However, all faith should not be lost as this task albeit daunting, is not impossible. In fact, it's already been done once so far in this year's playoffs. For all you doubters, here are your reasons to "Believe in the B" for Game 5 and the rest of the series.

Firstly, the powerplay cold streak has been snapped. The Bruins went into Friday night's Game 4 going 0 for their last 16 powerplay attempts, but broke that with a Marc Savard powerplay goal. With Boston's playoff lives on the line expect to see Mark Recchi and Milan Lucic trying to direct the tip-in's in front of the red hot Ward. The Bruins also possess veteran know how. Aaron Ward has been apart of 3 Stanley Cup winning teams. Mark Recchi and Stephane Yelle are right behind Ward with 2 Stanley Cup rings of their own. Their presence and leadership are welcomed greatly in what could be a nerve-filled locker room. However, there's also 10 players in the Carolina locker room with Stanley Cup experience.

Also, somewhat expected turn of events has occurred: Tim Thomas and the rest of the Bruins are beginning to have a hatred for the 'Canes. It's been said by the Vezina trophy finalist that he's developed a hatred for the Raleigh based franchise and when the Bruins get angry, they pick up their intensity. (See: Dallas Stars game in November, April 9th vs. Montreal and January 13th vs. Montreal.). The Bruins are also at home, there was no team better at home in the Eastern Conference than the Boston Bruins during the 2008-09 season. With 17,565 screaming fans behind them, the Bruins will surely have some added fire and fury in their step. If all goes accordingly, the Bruins could be back in Boston for a Game 7.

One of the biggest factors going into tonight is the fact that they've been here before. Just last year, the Bruins found themselves in a 3-1 hole against the first seeded Montreal Canadiens. They fought back to bring the series to a decisive Game 7, despite losing it showed the heart in the Boston Bruins. The heart of the 2008-09 Boston Bruins has yet to be seen, and with a much more talented roster this season it'll be interesting to see how they come out tonight.

Perhaps the largest mind-block that the Bruins need to get over in order to win is that contrary to popular belief, Cam Ward can be beat. The Carolina net-minder has been virtually unbeatable over the past 3 games, or at least it's appeared that way. However, the Bruins have put minimal pressure on the 25 year old Saskatoon native. Outside of the 16 shot 3rd period of Game 2, Ward hasn't faced more than 10 shots in a period. It's time for Kessel, Recchi, Ryder, Krejci, and Chara to fire away and make Ward uncomfortable in between the iron.

No Rest For Peter Chiarelli

Oh, the life of an NHL General Manager. From the hectic scrambling of draft day to the grueling talks and attempts at luring free agents to their respective cities the job of a General Manager never seems to stop. For the Boston Bruins, the job truly never ends for Harvard alum Peter Chiarelli.

Yesterday it was announced that the club had signed 20 year-old RW sensation Yannick Riendeau to an entry level contract. Riendeau posted phenomenal stats for Drummondville of the QJMHL (Quebec Junior Major Hockey League) where he scored 58 goals and 68 assists in just 64 games. He led the QJMHL in goals, assists and points. So far in Drummondville's 4 playoff games, Riendeau has scored 9 goals and 10 assists in just 4 games. The only known knock on Riendeau's ability to be a capable NHLer is that he's undersized, even in this new smaller-player-friendly NHL. It's probably too early to tell whether the Quebec native is NHL ready without going through the AHL first but he's definitely a player to keep an eye on heading into the 2009-10 season.


However, the bigger news coming out of Boston was the re-signing of Bruins goalie and mentioned Vezina favorite Tim Thomas to a new contract. The signing, which has yet to be announced by Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli is estimated to be around 5.2 million over the next 3 years. The pay is comparable to Martin Brodeur's contract with the New Jersey Devils and surely spells the end for Manny Fernandez's tenure as a Boston Bruin. Then again, who didn't see that one coming?


Although Thomas' pay is debatable as to whether the Bruins over-payed for a 34 year old goalie the move makes sense for a few reasons. Thomas turns 35 on April 15th, meaning that if by some chance the Bruins want to buy out Thomas' contract only 1/3 of his pay will count against the salary cap. An example of this is the Bruins being unable to delete Glen Murray's contract off the salary cap even though his contract was bought out because of when his contract was signed. This pricey contract also addresses Boston's situation in between the pipes going forward into the future as both Thomas and Fernandez's contracts were up at seasons end.


The signing also takes the pressure off Boston during their already busy schedule of re-signing players. It's unsure how the Bruins would of come out if they were to get into a bidding war against some of the teams looking for a starting goaltender come July 1st such as the Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and perhaps even the Detroit Red Wings. However, the current freeze on the NHL salary cap does create some problems for the Bruins.


First off, they need to re-sign restricted free agents David Krejci, Phil Kessel, Matt Hunwick and Byron Bitz. After David Krejci's breakout season as the number 2 center on the Boston offense, one would assume he'd receive a handsome raise. I believe somewhere along the lines of 3-3.5 million for 3 years is a safe bet for the 23 year old Czech. Then there's Phil Kessel, the undisputed number one scoring threat for the Boston Bruins, I'd say 3 years at 4 million a season is enough money to make a decision for Kessel, who missed his chance at 40 goals this season due to minor injuries.


Easier decisions certainly come when it boils down to re-signing Matt Hunwick and Byron Bitz. Both currently make 800,000 dollars and shouldn't see too much of a raise or anything different except for the possibility of their contracts becoming 1-way contracts rather than 2-way contracts, meaning in order to get sent down to Providence they'd need to go through the waiver wire. But still, with the raises for Kessel and Krejci along with Thomas' new contract, the Bruins are certainly over the cap. Putting the Bruins in the situation where they need to make deals.


When it comes to down, the two obvious trade baits the Bruins possess wear numbers 37 and 16. Marco Sturm, who currently makes 3.5 million and has missed much of the season due to knee surgery is no longer needed as the supreme scoring threat on the Bruins roster. As the Bruins have continued to succeed even without him and the emergence of Blake Wheeler and continued development of Milan Lucic, his role on this team is no longer essential to the teams offense. Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins alternate captain since the 2006-07 season, has battled through some serious injuries over the past year and a half. However, Bergeron's tenure as a Bruin may be over when this season concludes.


As much as it pains most Bruins fans to realize this, it's time to look at the facts. Bergeron's a 3rd line center on this team. Marc Savard's effectiveness as the Northeast's best set-up man and David Krejci's emergence as a dangerous scoring threat puts the 23 year old Quebec native on the 3rd line. Bergeron is the 3rd highest paid Bruin, making 4,750,000 a season but at that pay, he's perhaps the most expensive 3rd line center in the NHL. If Bergeron and Sturm are both moved, one could make the argument that the Bruins do not lose nearly as much of their offense compared to if they were to let Kessel or Krejci walk.

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.

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.

Bruins, Fernandez Stumble Against Bolts

Today, Barry Melrose's hopes were crushed even further. When the now ex-Lightning coach was fired 16 games into the season he wished a rather harsh future for the Lightning saying 'I hope they don't win another game all season.'. For the most part, his wish has come true as the Lightning find themselves in 13th in the Eastern Conference, 16 points away from the 8th seed. Tampa has also been the site of what seems like never-ending trade rumors of veterans Vincent Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis being traded away to competing franchises. Yet, today in their matinee against the Bruins they played like a playoff team, not a rebuilding franchise.

In net for the Lightning was Kari Ramo, another one of the 5 goalies the Lightning have used this season. He came into Sunday boasting an atrocious 1-3-1 record with a 4.22 GAA. Surely, this seemed as if the Bruins were going to have a field day against the 22 year old Finland native. However, for the 2nd consecutive night the Bruins were victims of a goalie in the zone.

Phil Kessel started the game off with a bang, scoring within the first 2 minutes of the puck dropping, good for his 25th of the season. The Lightning were not shy to strike back, scoring 2 goals within 15 seconds of eachother to give them a 2-1 edge. Nearing the close of the 1st, alternate captain Andrew Ference added his first goal of the season on the powerplay to let the Bruins skate into the locker room tied at 2-2.

As the game went on, Ramo seemed to get more clutch. Stopping nearly every Bruins chance for the next 40 minutes. 20 year veteran Mark Recchi netted his 13th goal of the season and his 535th of his career at the halfway mark of the 2nd. After Zdeno Chara tied it with 4 and half minutes left in the 2nd the teams skated off tied yet again.

In the 3rd period, it was all Kari. He stoned the Bruins again and again. As Andrew Ference got called for a delay of game penalty with 3 minutes left in the game, the Lightning found themselves on the powerplay yet again. One Vinny Prospal snapshot by Fernandez later and the game was over. The 13th place Lightning had beaten the NHL best Boston Bruins.

Just what went wrong for Boston? The answer is goaltending. A what-appeared-rusty Manny Fernandez stopped just 14 of Tampa's 18 shots. That's good for a .770 save percentage for those who are curious. He often looked overmatched and made a rookie mistake on an Adam Hall wrap-around. With 7 games in the proceeding 14 days Fernandez will undoubtedly find himself with a chance to redeem this rather awful game.

The Bruins head home tonight where they'll start a 6 game homestand on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. They'll look to avenge their shut-out loss to Tomas Vokoun and the Panthers on Saturday. This homestand will be a big test for the Boston Bruins without question as they play host to 5 teams currently in the playoff picture.

Elite of the East

Consider this past week yet another test for the Black and Gold. Their mission was by no means an easy one. Just beat Washington, New Jersey, the Rangers and the Habs. Oh, and that game against Montreal yeah that's going to be in Montreal, a place in which you've only won 100 times in 85 years. The comeback kids themselves, the Boston Bruins proved to they're the true elite of the Eastern Conference by picking up 7 out of a possible 8 points. Their biggest win was by 2 goals, showing their ability to keep games close and hang with some of the league's best scoring teams.



The key factor in the Bruins week was the goaltending. Tim Thomas went 2-0-1 and showed great poise against Montreal and Washington, arguably the East's best offensive teams behind Boston. Even on Thomas' day off the Finnish Flash Tuukka Rask stepped in and held the over-hype that are the New York Rangers to nothing. His poise and positioning was that of a seasoned veteran as the 21 year old notched his 1st career shut out. Even without Manny Fernandez, it's apparent the Bruins have a solid goal-tending situation.



Not only was the victories all well and dandy for the Bruins but the fashions in which they're getting the job done is key. In 3 of the 4 games the Bruins come back from a deficit to tie or take the lead. Weather it was 1 or even 2 goals the Bruins showed their unwillingness to throw the towel in and quit. They keep fighting and fighting until the final horn blows to end the game. It's the characteristics that only show you that this team is playoff ready and they are the Beast of the East.

Yesterday's win over Montreal continued the Bruins streak of getting at least 1 point in to 6 games now. Along with this streak they improved to 9-3-2 in 2009 and have only lost 1 game by more than 1 goal (January 3rd vs. Buffalo). The quest for a Presidents Trophy continues later this week with two road games against the always dangerous Flyers and last place Ottawa Senators before the B's return home to take on the Flyers in a Saturday matinee at the Garden.

1st Half Grades

Well with the team getting back to action tonight I figured I'd procrastinate until the last second and make my grades on the Bruins through the mid-way point of the NHL season.

P.J Axelsson: B-, his PK ability is still there and was showing signs of turning it on before the All-Star break. Hopefully with this team getting back to 100% P.J can go back to being what he's best at being: a 3rd line LW.

Patrice Bergeron: C. We know there would be some rust but he went cold often. Going goal-less for 7 games, scoring 1 goal in a 4-2 rout of Florida and proceeding to go goal-less in his next 11 games before getting reinjured. Not to mention he scored just two points and had just a +2 in the Bruins two big wins (7-3 @ ATL and 8-5 vs. TOR).

Zdeno Chara: A+. The Captain's playing like a true Norris trophy winner. He's becoming even more of a powerplay weapon and is still one of the hardest D to go 1-on-1 with.

Manny Fernandez: A. He's surprised the heck out of me with his play. Granted he's missed time as of late due to 'injuries' but no one could say they saw this coming.

Shane Hnidy: B. For a 3rd line defensemen he stepped up big when guys like Ward and Ference went down. The beatdown of Matt Niskanen gets him a bump up in my book.

Matt Hunwick: B-. He looked outmatched last season, I'm not going to lie, I doubted his skill as a serious NHL player. This year he showed his offensive side, but is currently pointless in his last 13 games, in which he has a -3 with 11 PIM.

Phil Kessel: A. The same guy Bruins fans were pleading to get traded for Marian Hossa last February is now the Bruins number 1 goal scorer. Funny what a player can do when you light a fire underneath him.

Chuck Kobasew: B-. Injuries have plagued his tenure with the Bruins but has shown he is a valid 2-way player when healthy.

David Krejci: A+. He has been by far the Bruins best forward since the end of November, around the same time of the formation of his line with 73 and 26. At 22, it's scary to think what he can do as time goes on.

Milan Lucic: B+. One hat trick, a +16 and one Komisarek beatdown later Lucic is on his way to becoming a household name in the city of Boston.

Petteri Nokelainen: D. 0 goals, 1 assist and a -3 aren't going to cut it on this team. After showing a bit of scorer's touch last year (scoring 7 goals in 57 games last year as a 4th liner) he appears to be overthinking every shift and not playing his game. Maybe a benching or two will get him back to being a level headed grinder.

Michael Ryder: A. He was having some trouble finding his groove in Beantown at first but being put on a line with David Krejci has worked wonders for him, along with finding his place within the Boston powerplay. His 7 GWG's and +21 are also giving reasons for GM Peter Chiarelli to applaud this signing.

Marc Savard: A+. He's already beat his 07-08 goal total in 30 less games and a plus 28 is a stat that Bruins fans aren't used to seeing with Marc Savard as he averaged a -16 in his first two seasons with Boston.

Mark Stuart: B. A little offensive touch from Mark Stuart is always a bonus from "Caveman", and that's been the case as he's already matched his 2007-08 point total and has added the physical element to the defense of Boston in the absence of Ference and Ward.

Tim Thomas: A+. Tim Thomas, Vezina front runner? Never thought I'd say that. He's posted incredible numbers at 20-5-4 with a .934 SV% and a 2.09 GAA. The Bruins need to lock him up before seasons end in my opinion.

Shawn Thornton: B+. Throwing fists and hard checks has been Thornton's role as a Bruin and this year has been no exception. He's stuck up for team-mates (see: November 1st vs. Dallas when Steve Ott went at Stephane Yelle's knee) and has thrown down with the best of them including Georges Laraque against whom he held his own.

Aaron Ward: B-. His physical play is apparently starting to affect his body. Ward has been out 3 times now with minor injuries to his lower body. Nevertheless his +14 and veteran know-how is a big boost to the young memebers of the Boston D.

Blake Wheeler: A. No one saw the impact that Blake Wheeler has had on the Bruins this season coming. When signed by the Bruins back in July they expected him to start out the year in Providence and maybe get the call when someone went down but a fantastic pre-season found the Minnesota talent in Boston. His 1st NHL shot was a goal and since then he's been a pivotal part of the Bruins offense. His +27 and 30 points are a big reason why he's considered the front runner for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

Dennis Wideman: A+. When Dennis Wideman was traded to the Bruins back in 2007 he was the subject of much scrutiny. Who could blame us though? Here was a guy who was best known for falling down during a shootout attempt who was traded for what looked like a promising young scorer. It's safe to say however that Wideman has come into his own here in Boston; posting a +26 and 20 powerplay points already.

Stephane Yelle: A-. For 750,000 this signing came as a steal as Yelle has dawned the "A" on his chest this season and has been consistently great at winning faceoff's and filling the role left by Glen Metropolit.

Coach Claude Julien: A+. If the season ended today, I'd say he's your Jack Adams winner. He's executed game plans perfectly, made adjustments that he felt necesary when players were hot or cold and has done an overall great job at keeping everyone level headed.

Incompletes: Marco Sturm, Matt Lashoff, Tuukka Rask, Byron Bitz, Vladimir Sobotka, Martins Karsums.