Powerplay Outage: Hiller, Ducks Beat Bruins 6-1

Is it too late to change the Boston Bruins motto from “Big and Bad are Back” to “Ten Minutes of Offensive Pressure, Fifty Minutes of Mistakes”?

While it’s still extremely early in the season, there’s no doubting that after a 6-1 demolition of the hometown boys thanks to the at-the-time winless Anaheim Ducks following the steam-rolling of Carolina last Saturday, the fans in the Hub are beginning to wonder what they’re in for this season.

My best advice? Don’t jump off the bridge when there’s still 79 games of hockey left.

Heading into tonight’s showdown at the TD Garden, the Bruins were seemingly back to their offensive-juggernaut ways after lighting up the ‘Canes for 7 goals during a Saturday night physical affair in Boston. Tonight however, Jonas Hiller and the rest of the Anaheim (no longer mighty) Ducks were more than ready. After getting peppered by 19 shots by Boston in the first period of play and only letting one Marco Sturm slapshot get by him, the feeling that this was going to be a difficult night for the Boston offense was beginning to reverberate throughout the minds of the Garden Faithful.

From there on out, it was all Anaheim.

Following an interference call on Matt Hunwick for his rather bizarre knock-down to 6′4″ Evgeny Artyukhin and questionable hooking call against Marco Sturm, the Ducks, who boasted the fourth best powerplay in 2008-09, were set up with one minute and 53 seconds of a five-on-three advantage. Turns out they’d only need a minute and thirty seconds of it to jump ahead.

It was a Teemu Selanne bullet that went by Tim Thomas, who was being screened by Corey Perry uncontested that tied that game and wouldn’t you know it, it was Teemu again who put the puck by a sprawled out Tim Thomas a minute later to give Anaheim a lead they would never relinquish.

After Corey Perry’s goal midway through the second period put the Ducks up 3-1, the Bruins seemed simply unmotivated to win, a sight similar to last week’s home opening against the Washington Capitals. Anaheim, who adopted the idealogy of quality over quantity finished the period with three goals on just six shots whereas the Bruins were held to just one goal on 30 shots through 40 minutes of play.

In similar fashion to the aforementioned game last week, Bruins netminder Tim Thomas gave up three more soft goals in the third period, including a very bizarre shorthanded goal by Corey Perry with under a minute to play and the Bruins were done.

When it comes to tonight’s loss, the Krejci line can simply not feel good about the way they played tonight. Frequently offsides and defensively irresponsible is no way to go through a game, boys. All three members of the Bruins’ second line, Blake Wheeler, Michael Ryder and David Krejci finished the night with an upsetting -3.

Kudos to Boston’s fourth line tonight, which was creating offensive chances and throwing the body around all at the same time. Shawn Thornton, who has a knack for scoring highlight-reel goals was kept off the scoresheet but had a very impressive night when it came to moving the puck around and skating.

All and all, the story of tonight’s loss rests on the unsuccessful powerplay put forth by Boston. The Bruins were 0-6 on the advantage, falling to 4-19 on the season.

Dumb Quote of the Night

“*Sarcastic cheers*” – As Thomas stopped the puck after giving up the sixth goal in the closing minute of tonight’s loss.

Yes, Thomas did get shelled tonight, yes he was looking foolish at times, but why are you booing the Vezina Trophy winner from last season after a rough game? For one, the Bruins defense was not giving Thomas any help whatsoever and secondly, wouldn’t you prefer Thomas to work out the kinks from the off-season in October as opposed to in April?

Jersey-Spotting of the Night

A man walking throughout the balcony tonight in Section 314 was sporting a lovely Boston Red Sox away jersey, bearing the last name “Yankees Suck”, featuring the number 24:7. Interesting to say the least as this last name was so long that it makes Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson look like a nameplate belonging to Steve Ott.

What’s Next?

The Bruins will take to the ice in Boston on Saturday night as John Tavares makes his TD Garden debut when the New York Islanders come to town. The Isles are 0-0-2 on the season following an overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators in Canada’s capital tonight. I’m about 95% sure that following tonight’s frustrating effort put forth by Tim Thomas, who stopped 24 of 30 shots, that the Bruins will give the nod to Finnish phenom Tuukka Rask.

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UNCONFIRMED: Bruins To Sign Bouillon

Coming in from CKAC radio in Montreal, reports are indicating that the Bruins are on the verge of signing former Canadiens defensemen Francis Bouillon to a contract. Of course, this signing is currently unconfirmed and as you may or may not remember, rumors had Bouillon signing with the New York Rangers about two weeks ago so take this for what's it worth.

However if the reports are true and Bouillon is set to become a Bruin, this fills the need for a seventh defensemen on the Boston roster. With the departure of Aaron Ward via trade and loss of Steve Montador (thank you) along with Shane Hnidy to free agency the Bruins defensive depth went out the window and the B's were left with just six NHL defensemen.

Bouillon is known as a scrappy, smaller statured defensemen who's not afraid to throw his body around. In 54 games for the Canadiens this year, Bouillon had 9 points and finished with a -7. The 5'8 defensemen was also credited with 112 hits and 55 blocked shots in these 54 games.

For Bruins fans, Bouillon is probably best known for his fight with at-the-time Bruins enforcer Jeremy Reich. That scrap can be viewed here.

If this report is true, this will be the third former Montreal Canadien that's played for Claude Julien in Montreal to be added to the B's roster. Michael Ryder being the first, Steve Begin being the second and now Francis Bouillon.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Should Visors Be Mandatory in the NHL?

We've all seen it a hundred times: the inevitable high-stick. Often, it'll catch a player in the neck or face lightly without injury and earn the high-sticker two minutes in the sin-bin. When blood is drawn however, it'll result in a four minute double minor. As the number of high-sticking injuries climbs yet again, the age old debate must be brought up yet again: Should the NHL make visors mandatory? The general consensus among former players and executives is yes.

Too often key players have been affected by such an injury. Notably, Mats Sundin, Steve Yzerman and Dany Heatley have all been shelved by an injury to the eye. Perhaps the most startling injury was the one suffered by defensemen Bryan Berard, who lost vision in 80 percent of his left eye after taking a Marian Hossa stick to the eye back in 2000. Berard was never the same. His vision was now at a 20/600 scale, but when given a contact lenses after seven eye surgeries that adjusted him to 20/400 Berard was allowed to play in the NHL again. Berard was unable to find a solid home, bouncing to five different teams in the following six seasons. He currently plays for the KHL in Russia with Vityaz Chekhov.

Although the visor does help, it doesn't automatically mean your eyes are protected. While playing in Europe, Ottawa Senators star Dany Heatley caught a puck in the eye while wearing a visor, resulting in him having a permanently dilated left eye.

One case against the use of visors are the players problems experienced with visors. Eric Lindros, a former six time all-star had his own personal complaints with wearing visors. He felt that he couldn't see as well, a common problem had by players who attempt to wear the visor for the first time. Another case against visors is the hockey players mentality. It's often viewed as a sign of weakness by fellow players, thinking that one player is "hiding" behind his visor. Sean Avery's comments made of Denis Gauthier only reinforce that line of thinking: "I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not backing anything up."

Even most NHL referees have obliged to wearing a visor after their colleague Rob Martell was struck in the face with an errant puck. Wearing a visor has even become a mandatory policy in the AHL, implemented in the 2006-07 season, stating that the well-being of the players was in the leagues best interest. It appears that the AHL's best are adjusting well to the rule as well, many of them opting to keep the visor when they receive the call-up to the NHL.

The NHL's newest victim of a high-stick injury was the Bruins RW Michael Ryder. Ryder took an Antoine Vermette high-stick late in the 3rd period of a game against Ottawa. Ryder's injury required surgery for three small fractures in his face and must now wear a cage or visor for the rest of this season and possibly his career. "I was just lucky it wasn't my eye" an optimistic Ryder said following yesterday's practice. Bryan Berard is living proof Michael, you are indeed very lucky.

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.

Bruins Keep Rolling; Beat Wings 4-1

Come Sunday morning, North Station was a quiet, desolate place. Not many would have known just 12 hours before the Boston Bruins, playing in front of yet another sold out crowd dominated Detroit for the last 50 minutes of play. To many, this was the test of this team. Could the red hot Boston Bruins, coming off a 7-2 rout of the DiPietro-less New York Islanders take down the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings? Well, the answer we were given by guys like Kessel, Kobasew and Fernandez is a very loud yes.

The 1st period started slow as the Bruins didn't get their first shot on goal until almost 12 minutes into the period but for the B's the first shot was the charm as Ryder connected with Blake Wheeler for a one timer on the fly. The goal was Wheeler's 8th of the season, tying him for 2nd among NHL rookies. Just over 4 minutes later into the period Phil Kessel netted his 13th off a pass from defensemen Shane Hnidy during 4 on 4 play. After the 1st, it was the good guys 2, the bad guys 0.

After another Bruins goal scored by Chucky Kobasew 8 minutes into the 2nd the night was finished for Detroit G Ty Conklin who struggled mightily, stopping only 9 of the 12 shots against him. The sell-out Garden faithful joined in the chants of "Conk-lin, Conk-lin, Conk-lin" as the frustrated Alaska native stormed off the ice, visibly yelling at himself as he made his way down to the Wings locker room. After a call on Blake Wheeler for a fairly obvious hook Detroit scored their only goal of the night due to a deflection off Marc Savard's skate in front of Fernandez. Following a David Krejci goal near the 13 minute marker the Bruins held on defensively to beat Marian Hossa and the rest of the Red Wings 4-1.

The big thing Bruins fans should take from this game was the play of Manny Fernandez. Fernandez made 29 saves on 30 shots and nearly had a shut-out. This was the 2nd consecutive start for Fernandez, who improved his record to 7-1-1 and has become a capable "back-up" to red hot Timmy Thomas who missed last nights start due to a cold. Manny's 6-0-1 in his last 7 starts and has looked better in just about every start except in the 7-4 win over the Sabres. If Manny can continue to play solid between the pipes the Bruins could have a legitimate duo going forward into this season.

All I have to say from last nights game from my own point of view is Hossa who? This same guy fans were begging for the Bruins to offer a max contract this past summer was held to nothing during his 16+ minutes on the ice and often looked invisible out there. Compare that to Ryder's 2 assists and+2 in 6 less minutes on the ice. This obviously isn't saying that Ryder's better than Hossa but one player such as a Hossa wouldn't have made the Bruins dramatically better. This team is built off the team image.

4 days off, what are we to do? NHL09, many, many hours of NHL09.