This Week In Bruins: Tuukka, The Kids, Philly & My Negativity

Here in the first week of “This Week In Bruins” (okay, I’m cheating, the season is about three weeks old now but who makes up these rules anyhow?), we’re going to examine the past seven days in all things Bruins.

Following a dominating performance against a semi-healthy Dallas Stars team, the Bruins sputtered out of the gate and lost to the currently-untouchable Ilya Bryzagalov the Phoenix Coyotes 4-1 in the desert. Before the game, the Bruins lost Milan Lucic for the night, and went on to lose him for the next 4-6 weeks with a broken finger.

Just how does one of the NHL’s toughest players get away with sitting out four to six weeks because of a broken finger? Well, you can ask him if you see him, but I know I won’t be backing you up.

* To add injury to injury, the Bruins also placed linemate Marc Savard on the long-term injured reserve with a broken foot. While Savard’s seven points were good for best on the Bruins, it was deemed best if 91 spent some time in the press box, giving him time to let the broken bones heal. The injury was suffered during the pre-season, but gives Savard more time to pursue a modeling career, photos by the Improper Bostonian, courtesy of the Looch Ness Monster blog.

* The Bruins call up Guilliam Lefebvre, sent him down, call him up for a half hour, and send him down again. While Lefebvre is heading back to Rhode Island for perhaps the rest of the season, I’ve grown curious as to how much gas money Peter Chiarelli has given Lefebvre.

* Brad Marchand gets an assist in his first NHL game, but rubs Bruins, music, and musically-inclined Bruins fans the wrong way before the game when he admits to wanting to interview Nickelback.

* The Bruins acquire Daniel Paille from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for one of the Bruins 1,982 draft picks. Paille impresses Bruins fans the next night with his dogged determination, tenacity and assist on a game-winning goal for Boston.

* Steve Begin continues to make Boston fans miss P.J Axelsson and Stephane Yelle less and less by the game. Currently, Begin is on pace for 54 points and is second on the Bruins with four assists.

* Surprisingly, Patric Hornqvist survived 60 minutes out there against the Bruins on Wednesday. The Sweden native forward, who stands at a whopping 5′11″ and 186 pounds was hacking away at Thomas’ pads all game, crosschecking Sobotka and being an all around irritation to the Bruins.

* Bruins survive a last second melee in front of Tim Thomas’ crease to secure a win against the Nashville Predators, continuing their streak of inconsistency.

* My negativity towards the Boston Bruins via Facebook status leads to the team waking up, I know I’m friends with Zach Hamill on there, but does news really travel that quickly?

* Both Vladimir Sobotka and Brad Marchand admit that Marley & Me made them cry. Winning the hearts of dog-lovers all over, but creating a buzz about just what is going on in the city of Providence?

* Bruins unveil “official” Winter Classic hats during pre-game skate with Philadelphia Flyers, continuing to upset fans with their lack of anything cool for this year’s battle at Fenway Park.

* The scouting report on Tuukka Rask continues to read “top-shelf”. However, Tuukka still performs admirably in the 4-3 shootout loss against the Philadelphia Flyers, including a stellar save against Jeff Carter on a shorthanded breakaway.

* Scott Hartnell has still refused to get a haircut, to the dismay of even his closest family. His search for revenge on Bart Simpson continues.

*Derek Morris scores his first goal with the Boston Bruins and tallies an assist against Philly, stopping the complaining of B’s fans..for now.

* Is there any team more appealing to loathe than the Philadelphia Flyers? Between that clinically-insane punk Daniel Carcillo to Chris “Mr. Stomp” Pronger, is there any reason as to why anyone outside of Philadelphia would bother liking this club? I suppose it fits their city well though, GREEN-MAN!

* The Canadiens continue to stumble, to the joy of Bruins fans, posing the question, est la Coupe truly downtown? Even more joyous, the Toronto Maple Leafs are still winless seven games into the season, with a wonderfully terrible record of 0-6-1, on pace to give the Boston Bruins the first overall draft pick in 2010. Hey Kessel, how do ‘ya like ‘dem apples?

Tomorrow, the Bruins take to the ice in Kanata, Ontario to take on the Ottawa Senators. This will be the first time that the Bruins face off against Alex Kovalev since his departure from Montreal. Will L’Artist have any tricks up his sleeve or will the Bruins continue to play hard, physical and cliche as they prove to be “tougher to play against”?

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Ty

Glimpse of the Future? B's Without Savard For 4-6 Weeks

When it rains, it pours.

Earlier this morning, the Boston Bruins announced that they’ve placed center Marc Savard on the long-term injured reserve with a broken left foot, joining fellow linemate on the B’s top line, Milan Lucic.

It’s unclear as to when Savard aggrivated the foot he injured during the preseason, but Savard noted that it was undoubtedly in the best interest if he took some time off. “The best thing now is to shut it down for a couple of weeks and let it heal.” a disappointed Savard said today when talking to the media.

Although the struggling Bruins certainly need the presence of their number one powerplay-producer, could B’s fans be getting a glimpse of the future as Savard could be without the club for nearly two months?

Savard enters 2009-10 in the final year of a four year contract he signed with the Boston Bruins back in July 2006 that pays him five-million a year, a bargain when looking at the numbers put up by the 5′10″ center from Ottawa. In all three seasons in the Hub so far, Savard has put up at least 60 assists or more, something only duplicated in the entire National Hockey League by Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks.

However, given the expected decrease in the salary cap along with the continuing development of players such as David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, and Milan Lucic, all younger players with contracts of 3.75 million or higher, just where does Marc Savard fit into the plan of the Boston Bruins’ future?

When examining the players who finished with the same amount of points and/or more than Marc Savard last season, their average salary totals out at an average of 6.4 million dollars a season. While there’s been plenty of internet chatter about the Bruins interest in signing Savard to a three-year extension worth 6.5 million a season, there’s been no substantial quotes, figures or talks been expressed by both sides to date.

Regardless of the numbers put up by number 91, the Bruins numbers when it comes to the salary cap sets off quite the alarm, creating a large doubt about Savard’s potential return to the club past 2009-10.

Currently, the Bruins have 39.4 million dollars of the 2010-11 cap tied up between 11 positional players and Tim Thomas. However, besides Savard, included in the Bruins pool of pending free agents are promising players Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart, Tuukka Rask and Vladimir Sobotka along with roleplayers such as Andrew Ference, Shawn Thornton and Derek Morris.

Without including Savard, the Bruins would have approximately 15.9 million dollars to spend on 10 players to fill out a roster. While it’s expected that players such as Mikko Lehtonen, Zach Hamill, Jeff Penner and Andrew Bodnarchuk will be challenging for spots on the big league roster next September, the likelihood of Savard remaining a Bruin without Peter Chiarelli having to continue to move pieces around is near impossible.

Posing the question, could what we’re about to witness be the future of the Boston Bruins?

Called up from Providence over the weekend, fiesty smaller forwards Brad Marchand and Vladimir Sobotka are expected to make their cases for a role on the NHL roster with Kobasew out of the equation and will certainly get their chances with the injuries to Lucic and Savard. They will be helped by the addition of Daniel Paille and call-up of journeyman minor leaguer Trent Whitfield.

Also expected to take the load off Savard’s back on the powerplay will be promising and proven NHL capable centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. While David Krejci totaled 73 points in 2008-09, the 23 year old Czech forward has shown some signs of still being in the midst of recovering from off-season hip surgery. On the other hand, center and 2003 2nd round pick Bergeron has been on an absolute tear, scoring five points in seven games this season and playing much like he did back in 2006-07 before concussions took their toll on the B’s alternate captain.

While tonight’s match-up against the 2-4-1 Nashville Predators may be a good way for the young guns to get into the action, the real tests will come as the B’s schedule gets tougher with opponents such as the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers facing off against Boston in the next nine days.

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Ty

Kobasew Traded To Minnesota; What's Next?

Well, this is certainly surprising, at least at seven games into the season it is.

Today, the Boston Bruins have announced the trade of Chuck Kobasew to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for winger Craig Weller, the rights to unsigned fourth round pick from 2009, Alexander Fallstrom, and a second round draft choice in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Kobasew, a Boston College alumni and first round pick from the 2001 NHL draft, was beginning his third full season with the Boston Bruins after being traded to Boston midway through the 2006-07 season.

Always the fan favorite, Kobasew was known for his strong two-way play and never-afraid-to-get-your-hands-dirty approach to the game and his steady play has been more than welcomed to the Bruins. In 158 games, Kobasew tallied a total of 44 goals and 84 points frequently playing on Boston’s third line. Kobasew was also coming off two consecutive 20-goal seasons in the Hub of Hockey.

However, while Kobasew was a valued and often unsung hero on the Boston Bruins roster, his presence and increasingly unfavorable contract was without question weighing on Boston GM Peter Chiarelli’s mind.

As it stood in the Hub, and now in Minnesota, Kobasew’s making 2.3 million dollars a season through the conclusion of the 2011-12 season. A price simply too rich for the thinning blood of the Boston salary cap.

Coming to Boston in the now is forward Craig Weller, who’s totaled 95 games, 14 points and 127 penalty minutes in two seasons split between the Coyotes and Wild. Along with Weller and the draft choice, the Bruins have obtained Harvard freshmen Alexander Fallstrom, a Swedish forward with a knack for scoring goals in Europe, something he’s looking to replicate with the Harvard Crimson.

So just what does the moving of Kobasew out West create for possible scenarios for the B’s?

1. Deadline Blockbuster – In Boston, one name has been consistently repeated, Atlanta Thrashers captain and star forward, Ilya Kovalchuk. The Russian forward has put up five straight seasons with at least 40 goals and has an expiring contract and may want out of Atlanta if they continue their decline on the map of hockey relevancy. If the B’s are to fail in landing Ilya, they could also used the freed up cap space to perhaps land a top six forward like Nathan Horton from Florida or Alexander Frolov from the Los Angeles Kings.

2. Re-Signing Savard? – The Bruins have reportedly expressed in re-signing top center Marc Savard before he hits the open market this off-season. Savard is coming off three straight 60+ assist seasons and is in the final year of a contract that pays him five million dollars per season. Savard, who’s already off to a good start to 2009-10 with seven points in as many games, is considered a bargain at five million per season and is often looking for his last big contract in the 6.5 million dollar range.

3. Restricted Free Agency Wiggle Room – At the conclusion of this season, young stars such as Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart and Tuukka Rask headline the B’s crop of restricted free agents. Given the success of the youth while the cap dwindles down, the Bruins are clearly at a disadvantage and need to take the proper steps towards creating a solid crop of players developed into their own system. The clearing of Kobasew’s contract does just that.

Personally, I believe the Kobasew trade makes the Bruins a premier buyer at the NHL Trading Deadline this year. As it stands now, the Bruins have six draft picks in either the first or second round of the 2010 NHL Draft, absolutely huge bargaining chips at the deadline for a cellar-dwelling team looking to unload some expiring contracts.

Also, I’ve noticed a large outcry from Bruins Nation about the trading of Chuck Kobasew. Honestly, my response is just, “At 2.3 million dollars a season, is he really worth what he is on a very talented B’s club, a third liner?”. While Kobasew is, was, a fan favorite at the Garden, his goals will be replaced by a combination of Brad Marchand, Vladimir Sobotka ( who were both called up from Providence today) along with added offensive contributions from role-players Byron Bitz and Steve Begin.

Heading into Wednesday, the Bruins will likely role a set of lines similar to these.

Marco Sturm – Marc Savard – Michael Ryder

Blake Wheeler – David Krejci – Byron Bitz

Mark Recchi – Patrice Bergeron – Vlad Sobotka

Shawn Thornton – Steve Begin – Brad Marchand

Extra Skater: Guillaume Lefebvre

With the shake-up’s seemingly done for now, the Boston Bruins will focus on the Nashville Predators, who come to town on Wednesday for a showdown at the Garden.

Bruins & Julien Agree To Contract Extension

Waking up this morning, Bruins fans can't help but be happy that the coaching carousel of Boston Bruins head coaches is seemingly over. During a morning press conference at the TD Garden on Friday, the Boston Bruins announced that they had agreed to terms with head coach Claude Julien on a multi-year contract extension.

Following the firing of Dave Lewis after just one season (turns out the dump, chase, dump, chase again and ride Thomas for 60+ games system didn't work too well) the Bruins were in need of a total revamping behind the bench. As rumors swirled throughout the web that included names such as Mike Milbury, Scott Gordon and even Ray Bourque as taking over behind the Boston bench, it was former Montreal and New Jersey coach Claude Julien who received the nod of approval from Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli.

Upon his arrival to Boston in the summer of 2007, many questioned how well Julien's defensive trap system would work in Boston considering the Bruins lack of a premier goalie such as Martin Brodeur or the Jose Theodore from 2003-04. However, to say Julien has worked wonders with the tools and roster he's been given would be putting it lightly.

Since his introduction into the Bruins coaching staff, Julien has teamed up with Bob Essensa to transform Tim Thomas from a "lucky" goaltender with no set style to a Vezina winning goaltender who has a better sense of where he should be at all times and how to better utilize his defense in front of him. Under Julien, including the playoffs, Thomas has a 74-38-13 record in the defensive system. Along with the favorable record, Thomas boasts a 2.27 GAA and .927 SV% in regular season play along with eight shutouts.

Julien's style of play not helped out the Bruins goaltenders, but the captain of the Bruins has arguably benfitted the most from the system Julien has placed into the Boston line-up. During the Dave Lewis era, it's often believed that Zdeno Chara was simply logging too many minutes out there, therefore making him less effective. Under Claude Julien, Zdeno Chara's has been noticably better due to less ice time and in both seasons Chara has seen his point totals go up. Chara's biggest achievement in the Julien system thus far has undoubtedly been taking home the Norris Trophy in 2009.

Along with the improvements of Chara and Thomas under Julien, players such as Marc Savard, David Krejci and Marco Sturm have become much better two-way players and have seen their overall play thrive.

In Julien's two seasons as Boston's bench-boss, the team's overall record has dramatically improved from the year before. However, it's tough to top a 116-point regular season and both Claude and Chiarelli realize the potential of the team taking a step back from that total in 2009-'10. Touching on it during the press conference, Julien mentioned the idea of needing to be ready for every team to come at them even more so because they're now one of the league's elite.

There's not much improvement left for Julien to make in the regular season, but this team and Claude's true test will come if and when the team can make a serious run in the playoffs. Despite the success throughout his career, Julien has yet to coach a team beyond the second round of the NHL Playoffs. However, with this year's club seemingly ready to go already it's very possible that Julien will have yet another chance to advance to a Conference Finals appearance in 2009-10.

The players bought into the system of digging deep, fighting for every possession and being fundamentally sound and it's both the fans and Julien who are reaping the benefits as the club heads into this season as the odds on favorite in both the Northeast Division and arguably the Eastern Conference.

25 Predictions For The 2009-10 Boston Bruins

The month of waiting has begun. We're officially 29 days away from the Bruins taking to the ice in their home opener against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, or "Crapitals" as Mike Milbury evidently prefers. To put it lightly, the Bruins are expected to produce huge results in 2009-10 and are favored by many to finish with the top record in the Eastern Conference. In what I'm hoping won't be Montreal Canadiens 2007-08 to Habs circa 2008-09, here are 25 predictions I'm willing to make about this year's Boston Bruins.

1. The Bruins will win the Northeast Division in similar fashion to the 2008-09 club.

2. Tuukka Rask will perform up to snuff and will become the premier piece in any trade rumor involving the Boston Bruins on HockeyBuzz, HFBoards or The Fourth Period. (C'sFromTheG5).

3. Bruins fans will fall in love with Steve Begin's physical style of play by the 5th home game of the season.

4. Dennis Wideman will continue to make Bruins fans forget about Brad Boyes as he'll put up 30+ points on the powerplay, but will continue to frustrate them at the same time with his errant slapshots.

5. Bruins goalie Tim Thomas will continue to get better with age and will continue to build on his Disney-movie-like story as he's named starter for Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

6. Byron Bitz will continue to win the hearts of Bruins fans, creating the next Lucic-like craze. Expect a song to the tune of Sweet's song "Ballroom Blitz" to eventually come out by someone. Bitz? Bitz? Byron Bitz?

7. Mark Stuart will now officially take over as the Bruins premier juggernaut on the blue-line when it comes to blocking shots, throwing forearm shivers and chime in offensively time and time again.

8. With P.J Axelsson jetting back to Sweeden to play for his hometown of Frolunda of the SEL, Patrice Bergeron will take over as the Bruin with the most stylish hair-doo.

9. Phil Kessel will be a member of the 2009-10 Boston Bruins when he signs a one year tender at the unfortunate expense of Chuck Kobasew and/or Andrew Ference and we conceivably could do this fun saga (of lack thereof) all again in the Summer of 2010, doesn't that sound fun?

10. Michael Ryder will score 30 goals, regardless of playing on a line with Marc Savard or David Krejci.

11. The Bruins Top 9 forwards will be the elite of the Eastern Conference, perhaps the NHL and are better than any Top 9 you can assemble on MySpace.

12. While Aaron Ward will be cheered for his contributions on the Bruins blueline despite his departure with the club for Carolina, Scott Walker will be booed by the Garden faithful louder than Alex Kovalev, Sidney Crosby or Mike Komisarek ever was when the Hurricanes come to town on October 3rd.

13. The Bruins will continue to make the TD Garden a house of horrors for Habs goaltender Carey Price.

14. Patrice Bergeron will officially have his pre-concussion swagger back. The 24 year old center was showing signs of returning to form during the playoffs against Montreal and Carolina where he and line-mates Mark Recchi and Chuck Kobasew acted as the B's number one shutdown line. Although he may not return to the 70-point level in 2009-10, he simply won't need to considering the Bruins talent at the center position.

15. Bruins new comer Derek Morris will perform well in the Julien system and take the pressure off of Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman to carry the powerplay from the blue-line. With his expected ice time along with style of play Morris will also record his highest point total since 2003-04 as he'll put up 32+ points with Boston in 2009-10.

16. The 2010 Winter Classic will not disappoint any of it's viewers as Green Monster seats will sell for 15,000 dollars and/or your first born child on craigslist.com.

17. Vladimir Sobotka will continue to struggle on the NHL roster due to his limited role, creating doubts about his career as an NHLer, or at least within the Bruins system. Sobotka may have had a combined 57 points in 58 regular season/post-season games for the Providence Bruins but his dissatisfying -10 on a very well goaltended Bruins team last season is cause for concern.

18. The Providence Bruins will once again put together a highly competitive product under coach Rob Murray with strong play from their netminders and additions of Jamie Arniel, Yannick Riendeau along with others come later in the season and another season out of Brad Marchand.

19. The buyouts of Petr Schaefer, Patrick Eaves and Glen Murray will continue to hurt the Boston Bruins chances of acquiring a possible puzzle piece at the NHL Trading Deadline.

20. Blake Wheeler will have a breakout season as he fully conditions himself to a full NHL season. The 23 year old added 15 pounds to his 6'5 frame and will be expected to use his size to his advantage even more in '09-10. Even if the point totals only see a slight bump, a change in his style of play will be noticed by both Bruins fans and coaches alike as he continues his progression into a solid NHL winger with supreme offensive skills.

21. Matt Hunwick will make strides as a Byfuglien-like hybrid of sorts for the Bruins with his ability to play forward at an acceptable level along with being a sound defensemen.

22. Andrew Ference will still ride his bike to games when the weather permits, but will also make a statement as to why he should remain in Boston and in the Bruins organization with his strong defense and fearless attitude out on the ice.

23. Captain Zdeno Chara will set a new career high in both goals and powerplay goals in 2009-10 due to the possible downgrades in goaltending within the Eastern Conference. (See: Toronto, Ottawa, Philadelphia and Florida).

24. The B's fourth line of Shawn Thornton, Byron Bitz and Steve Begin will absolutely destruct every player of the opposition when out on the ice this season.

25. Jack Edwards will continue to make absolutely insane remarks during games but Boston fans will continue to love him because well, the man calls an absolutely excellent game. He may be no Fred Cusick, but the excitement and enthusiasm Edwards brings to every game regardless of it being Game 7 or a regular season game against the Phoenix Coyotes is enough to keep us entertained. One thing's for sure, the man is high.

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.

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.

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.

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.