Setbacks Pave the Way to Comebacks

Look for More of this Tonight

An old friend of mine has a saying, “Setbacks pave the way for comebacks,” that he likes to use after his favorite college football team loses. I think that mantra is appropriate today as the Bruins take the ice following a wholly lackluster effort on Opening Night against Washington.

It has been hard for anyone to take positives from the 4-1 loss to the Caps. Maybe you can give some credit to David Krejci for not looking too out of place despite not playing in the preseason. Patrice Bergeron sure looked ready for his role as third-line center. The fourth line sure played their role as they will be expected all year with Steve Begin leading the team in hits and Shawn Thornton dropping the gloves in hopes of sparking the team.

After that, not a lot to be excited about. The first line wasn’t clicking as a group. Milan Lucic wasn’t a physical force in either end. The defense left Timmy Thomas out to dry many times and took a few careless penalties.

The good thing about hockey, unlike football, is that the next game – and opportunity for redemption – is only a day or two away. In addition, the opponent taking the ice tonight at the Garden against the Bruins is the one that eliminated them from the playoffs last year in Game 7 – the Carolina Hurricanes.

Motivation in this game should be easy for the Bruins. Expect much more than 10 minutes of high-intensity hockey.

Why the Bruins Will Win:

1. Respect. The Bruins had a lot of hype thrown their way before the season. Experts and fans alike were mentioning the word Stanley and not referring to The Office or hardware. 60 minutes into the game, the Bruins looked like more like a fledgling AHL team than one of the top-six teams in the NHL. With players like Chara, Thornton and Recchi in the room, I don’t think that will settle well. Look for lots of pushback(copyright Pierre McGuire) by the Black and Gold.
2. Revenge. In the 2009 playoffs, the Bruins had the highest of expectations. The Hurricanes extinguished them. That adds a little extra meaning to game two of the regular season for Boston. I am not worried so much about extracting revenge on Scottie Sucker Punch. That situation is difficult because the player he punched, Aaron Ward, is now playing for Carolina. If he wasn’t, I would assume some sort of confrontation. Instead, I think the Bruins will look to light up the scoreboard and the hit column. There are too many other things for the Bruins to worry about than focusing on one player.
3. Coaching: Nothing against Paul Maurice, but I think Claude Julien will use the loss on Thursday to his advantage today. He knows that if guys aren’t playing well for a second game in a row, he can staple them to the bench. One game is an anomaly, two is a trend. Players like Lucic, Ferrence and Wideman need to step up the effort. Julien’s thinly-veiled comments after the Caps game made that known.

Why Carolina Will Win:

1. They have the most skilled player on the ice. During the regular season last year, the B’s shut down Eric Staal. They were not able to do that in the playoffs and he stung them. Similar to Thursday, the team lining up against the Bruins has the player with the most skill. That always gives one team an edge.
2. Face offs. Rod Brind’Amour is a machine at the dot. Last night, he won14 of 18 face offs against the Flyers. Against the Caps, the Bruins won 19 total draws as a team. Savard was 3 of 14.Bergeron was the only player in the positive with 8 wins to 7 losses. If Carolina keeps up the pace, they will be able to dictate how the game is played and set up their offense.
3. Cam Ward. While Staal is the ex-Whalers’ most skilled player, Ward is their most valuable one. A former Conn Smythe winner and just 25 years old, he is the straw that stirs the drink in Raleigh. His GAA his gone down in each of the four NHL season. At the same time, his save % has risen along with his win total. Yes, he took the loss last night against the Flyers, but his team around him was just as bad as Boston was on Thursday in front of Tank.

The Pabst Blue Ribbon Key Matchup
The Power Play. In tonight’s game, the biggest matchup will be between two units that will never line up against each other. On Thursday, Boston’s power play was 0-for-5. At times, they were able to move the puck through the neutral zone okay, but could never set up good flow in the attack zone. The Caps were too easily able to gather the puck and clear the zone. Last night, Carolina looked at Boston’s PP effort, laughed, and said “We can be worse than that.” The Canes were 0-for-8 against the Flyers. They were on the man-up so many times that only three players didn’t see at least one shift of PP time. On paper, Boston’s power play should be better than Carolina’s based on depth of skill – unless Fumbles Ferrence is manning the point again. That made me long for the days of P.J. Axelsson on the man advantage.

Puck Predictions
Everything appears to point to a Boston win tonight. There is the revenge for ending the season last year. There is the need to prove to your fans that you are much better than the team on the ice against Ovie on Thursday. Most importantly, Carolina played last night. It is tough to go back-to-back on the first two nights of the season. The game against Philly was tough, the Canes looked a few steps behind the Flyers and their defense let forwards whiz by untouched too many times. It is imperative that the Bruins come out and put the hammer down early. A quick goal lifts the pressure off and energizes the crowd while deflating the Canes. Bruins 3, Canes 1.

 

Well, You Can’t Win Them All…

Ovie had Plenty to Celebrate Thursday Night with 3 Points

It is safe to say that the opener of the 2009-10 season did not go the way the Bruins hoped it would. After controlling most of the first period, a late goal  on the power play made that effort for naught, and from there the Capitals controlled the game, cruising to a 4-1 win.

For post-game recaps here at Boards and Blades, we will break the game down into two categories: “Big, Bad Bruins” and “Blah, Blah Bruins.” I hope I don’t have to spell out which one is good and which one is not-so-good.

Big, Bad Bruins:
1. David Krejci: For not playing a shift in the preseason after major surgery in the offseason, the center didn’t look too behind out there. He did a good job finding some space and ended the game with two shots. His line with Ryder and Wheeler looked as if the chemistry may still be there despite not playing together since May. Will it take some time for Krejci to get back in full swing? Of course. However, I think that will be before the Bruins head out on their first road trip of the season.
2. Patrice Bergeron: It is one game, but it looks like the aggressiveness he had in the playoffs has carried over into the new season. He scored the only goal for the Bruins, snagging a loose puck on the boards on the shorthand and heading towards the net.  A quick move and a stuff-shot later, he got the B’s on the board, preventing the shutout.
3. Tim Thomas. People who didn’t watch the game or who have no idea what they are talking about (I am looking at you, commenters on Boston.com) will see a 4-1 score and think blame rests on Timmy. To quote Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend.” Of the four scores by the Caps tonight, maybe the third goal off the stick of Brooks Laich he had a chance on. The other three? No chance. Laich’s first goal was off a crisp cross-ice passing play on the man advantage. The other two goals came because Boston defenders forgot the guy wearing #8 in white is the best player on the planet. Even Dave Lewis would have known that keeping an eye on Alex the Gr8 was a good idea. Allowing him to unleash OvieBomb’s from the slot while stepping into them leads to goals against. It’s a law. Anyways, Tank still made 30 saves whiles his defensemen worried more about looking at the pretty white sweaters whirling around them. The guy whose contribution to Boston.com just said “Tuuuuuka” needs to settle down and watch the game.

Blah, Blah Bruins:
1. Milan Lucic: The Serbian Nightmare gave a half-effort on Ovechkin’s goal in the first minute of the third period. Lucic was in the right place, just didn’t follow through the whole play. If he bodies up and lifts a stick, that goal doesn’t happen. Totally different game.
2. Power Play: The Bruins had plenty of chances on the man advantage as Washington gave them five PP opportunities. The first PP was a short one as it came after killing their own penalty. The one at the end of the first period was really off. There was no flow, passes were a tick behind. The Bruins PP works best when Savard or Krejci has a chance to weave and work a bit to feed either the big bomber at the point or a cutting forward back-door. There was no setup or execution at all. Too many times, Washington has easy clears to kill time after a fudged play by a Bruin.
3. Andrew Ferrence: The man at the forefront of the NHLPA’s handling of ousted director Paul Kelly stood out to me as not being ready for the season. Yes, he is recovering from injury, but he was careless with the puck and seemed to be in the wrong position often. For someone who plays the second-most shifts and TOI of anyone on the blueline, you expect more confidence and fundamental play. If he struggles and more comes out about how he and the heads of the PA may have railroaded Kelly, it could get very tough for him in the locker room – and on the ice.

About the Other Team …
As easy as it is to focus on the Bruins play, don’t forget that the team in white is a chic pick for to win the Stanley Cup. The Capitals did what any good or great team does. They survived Boston’s early pressure on Opening Night and countered on their special teams chance. Then, the Caps made sure they got the puck on the stick of their best player – who is also the best player in the game – and let him do his thing. Washington is lethal on the power play and deadly when Ovie feels “it.” Tonight, both happened. While the Bruins were listless for the middle portion of the game and in no way deserved the win, you can point at three direct miscues that led to three of the Washington goals. If the Bruins count to five correctly, if they don’t make a bad change with Ovie streaking to the net, if Looch back checks 100%, things may have been different. Make no mistake, it was a pretty tough way to open the season, but it isn’t the end of the world. Still, Caps are legit (as someone I know predicted in his season preview) and will score bushels of goals this year.

Looking Ahead…
Interesting game with Carolina on Saturday. The Bruins will be taking on the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year, denying them a chance at the Cup. If they needed more motivation, the B’s will be looking to show the home crowd a better effort and result than the one tonight. The ex-Whalers will be coming off a game the night before against the powerhouse Flyers so they could be a tad tired going back-to-back on the first weekend of the season. Should be an all-around better game from the Black and Gold.

Overall, I give the Bruins a C+ tonight. The first 10 minutes belonged to the B’s. Bad penalties and loose defense did them in. Those are most likely habits that can be broken easily.

Face-Off: Bruins vs. Capitals

Well, it’s here. Opening Night. The first game of the 2009-10 NHL season will feature the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals. The team with the East’s best record last year against one of the most  potent offenses in the NHL. Browse any season preview and you will find some combination of the B’s and Caps in the top-3 of everyone’s East standings. It is not a stretch that the two teams playing the first official shift of the season could be playing each other again for the Wales trophy in late May. I am sure each team would prefer a less-intense opener to ease into the season, but there is also something to be said for jumping right into the fray.

Here at Boards and Blades, we will look at the season opener from both sides. This is the first “Face-Off” of the 2009-10 season. In this segment, I will debate the keys to the game with a fan of the Bruins’ opponent. If you are on this site and have allegiances to another of the Original 30, please contact me and we can bring you on board for a game (Oh, and thank you for reading.)

Let me introduce Capitals season ticket holder and Dmitri Kristich afficianado, Rock the Red. A friend of mine from college, he loves him some Capitals and can put words together coherently so he gets the nod. (Ed. Note: This is not a knock on Capitals fans, but on my friends in general) All kidding aside, he is one of the most intense hockey fans I know and it is a pleasure to have him contribute. Without further ado, let’s drop the puck…

(Note: We didn’t write these together so there is some overlap)

Why the Bruins Will Win the Game:
Boards and Blades:
1. Goaltending. The Bruins have known who would start this game since the moment they skated off the ice at the end of last year. Timmy Thomas won the Vezina Trophy last year and is one of the best goalies in the league. He is all over the place and in the right place at the same time. The Bruins’ defense knows what to expect of him and play accordingly. The Capitals are in flux here. It appears they want to play Simeon Varlamov, but are still giving Jose Theodore some run. Whoever is in net for the Caps is the second-best goalie in this game.
2. Depth. The Bruins have a third line that can score in addition to its defensive responsibilities. Will they have that opportunity against Ovechkin? Who knows, but the possibility is there. The Caps roll a more traditional third unit with mostly defensive responsibilities. The question will be if these guys can turn AHL scoring success into NHL points. Maybe by the end of the season, but not right now. Ironically, the loss of Chris Borque may hurt them here for the short term.
3. Home ice. The Bruins never open at home. The circus always sends thim out west for a long roadie to start the season. Tonight, they have the chance to make a statement at home and really carry on the love affair with the fans started last year. Expect lots of banging early.

Rock the Red: 1. Tim Thomas. Regardless of the overtime winner he let in against Alexander Semin from the neutral zone, one of the Bruins’ biggest advantages over the Caps lies in the unwanted Drew Carey.  The Capitals have always had trouble with goalies of Thomas’ ilk — ones who are completely unpredictable and have no form (see: Hasek, Dominik).  The Thominator’s superior flopping abilities throw the Caps’ sharp shooters off as they have no idea what part of the net is open or what his tendencies are going to be.  This advantage over the Caps can be minimized if Bruce Boudreau goes with his far superior goalie and not his overpaid sieve.  If Theodore starts in net, this is a matchup of one of the best starting goalies in the league vs. arguably the worst.  If Varlamov gets the nod, this is a much more even matchup.
2. Team Defense. Do any of these names instill the kind of fear that a Zdeno Chara does into the hearts of opposing forwards?  Shaone Morrisson, Milan Jurcina, John Erskine, Brian Pothier, Tom Poti, Tyler Sloan, walking pylon Jeff Schultz, even that Norris finalist stud Mike Green.  Sure, some of these guys can lay the odd crunching hit (but never the biggest one of them all, the horrible Jeff Schultz), but none of them will make you pay for standing in front of the net, and there’s nothing this group of defensemen loves more than blown coverages and unmolested bodies in their own zone, especially for a group of supposedly puck-moving defensemen.  From top to bottom, Boston’s defense is built to play a simple, sound, and solid hockey game.  Nothing flashy, but all in all very effective.  They will have to play an air-tight game to keep Washington’s top 6 off the board.
3. Milan Lucic and Boston’s Physical Play. Just ask Brian Pothier about this (not that he remembers), but Boston’s forecheck is vicious.  They will hit you, they will hurt you, and they will make every defenseman pay for breaking the puck out.  Jurcina and Erskine are big boys, they can handle it, but the other defensemen will get intimidated and cough the puck up.  And when Lucic starts running around, the Caps have no answer for him.  Letting Brashear, their only tough guy, go this offseason might come back to haunt them (but then again, seeing Glen Sather idiotically give him a 2-year contract for 1.5 million could be one of the worst moves of the offseason).

Why the Capitals Will Win the Game:
Rock the Red:
1. Power Play. At times, this unit gets too cute with its passes and doesn’t get enough traffic in front of the net.  Other times, it looks like it can score at will.  With the addition of Mike Knuble in the offseason, the Caps have addressed this issue and will gets tons of grit to stand on top of the crease and tap in rebounds off Ovechkin and Green bullets from the point.  Look for the Caps to improve on their already impressive powerplay stats and make teams pay for their penalties.  Depending on how the refs call the game, the Bruins’ physicality could be construed as dirty play, and the Caps might get a lot of powerplays out of it.
2. Team Speed. Losing Phil Kessel will not only hurt the Bruins in the goal department, but also in its overall speed.  They really do not have much in the way of speed to keep up with Mike Green, Alex Ovechkin, and Alexander Semin.  Look for them to try to keep the pace of the play high while the Bruins will try to slow it down.
3. This is a team that is fully capable of coming back from any deficit, and I fully expect the Bruins to come out flying and have the Caps on their heels by the first intermission.  No team overcame more 3rd period deficits to get a point than the Caps last year, highlighted by a game in MSG when they overcame a 4-0 lead in the 3rd period to win 5-4 in overtime on a goal by former Bruin Shaone Morrisson of all people.  So don’t count these Caps out no matter what the score is in this game.

Boards and Blades:
1. Alexander Ovechkin. The two-time Hart Trophy winner is only 24 years old and may only just be entering his prime. He is the most exciting player and hockey and is on the short list for most exciting athlete in sports. He can control a game at will and seems to thrive on that feeling. He has one speed – ridiculous. Always on the go and always looking to get the puck on net (as evidenced by leading the league in shots the last FOUR years), he is dangerous as soon as he enters the offensive zone.
2. Offensive defensemen. Mike Green had a serious case for the Norris last year, with one of the best offensive seasons by a defenseman ever. He scored 31 goals – 18 of which came on the man advantage. He is almost like a fourth forward at times out there and is never afraid to jump in the play. On a team with as much forward skill as the Caps, it is hard enough marking the three guys you are suppossed to. When a fourth sharpshooter joins the attack, good luck. In addition to Green, there is the often-underwhelming Tom Poti. Maybe I still remember his dazzling offense at B.U., but I feel like he should be a better point producer than he has been. He is still someone to watch and is effective on the PP.
3. A New Weapon. The body parked in Boston’s slot area tonight will look familiar. Mike Knuble was a reliable goal-scorer for the Bruins in the early 2000s. Now, he rides shotgun with Ovie, adding a component to Washington’s offense that has been missing. The Caps spent more time on the perimeter than an undersized point guard in 2009 and now have a big body to park in front of the net to draw attention away from Alex, Backstrom and Semin.

The Pabst Blue Ribbon Key Matchup
Boards and Blades: Keep an eye on Milan Lucic vs. the Caps’ D, mainly Mike Green. With Brashear gone, there is no real equal to Lucic’s game wearing red. This will allow him to run around a bit and force the issue. His role on the first line is to remove defenders from the puck in the offensive zone. Can players like Green and Poti make quick decisions and start the play before Looch gets to them? A few turnovers caused by Milan could give the Bruins an insurmountable lead.
Rock the Red: Ovi vs. Chara. This is quite honestly my favorite matchup to watch in all of sports, besides Federer/Nadal, Tiger vs. his putter, and Vick vs. his dogs (too soon?)  It’s pure art watching the two best people in the entire world at what they do go at it toe-to-toe.  Usually the winner of this battle wins the game.

Could This Happen Tonight?

Puck Predictions
Boards and Blades: A strong first period from the Bruins is too much for Alex the Gr8 to overcome. Boston opens the season with a 4-2 win. Bergeron, Wideman, Recchi and Bitz score for Boston. Ovie and Knuble score for the Caps. Claude Julien wins the bald competition between the coaches while Bruce Boudreau is named portliest.
Rock the Red: Like I said, this Caps team is completely different when Varlamov is backstopping them.  It all depends on who Bruce puts in net on Thursday.  If it’s Theodore, I foresee a 4-3 Bruins victory.  With Varly in net, the Caps will steal one on the road, 4-3, in overtime.

What are your thoughts? Big Bruins ‘W’ to start the season or do the Caps steal an important road win? Any chance someone on the Caps steps up and drops the mitts with Thornton or Lucic? Does Ray Bourque bring the caserole Mrs. 77 was planning to serve Chris tonight before he was waived?

Predicting the 2009-10 NHL Season

As the 2009-10 season begins, 30 teams technically have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. 21 can be eliminated with just a quick look at the list of teams. I know that isn’t a shock to Coyotes, Islanders, Thrashers or Avalanche fans, but Ducks, Rangers or Hurricanes fans might think they have a chance. Sorry, you don’t.

On the dawn of a new season, here are the 100% guaranteed playoff teams in each conference:

East
1. Washington
2. Boston
3. Philadelphia
4. Pittsburgh
5. Carolina
6. New York Rangers
7. Buffalo
8. Florida

West
1. San Jose
2. Vancouver
3. Chicago
4. Calgary
5. Detroit
6. Columbus
7. St. Louis
8. Los Angeles

Quick Hits:
- Washington wins the regular season crown in a close race between the top four teams. They have the best player in the league and play a number of games against Atlanta and Tamp Bay. That will be the difference between them and Boston for the top seed.
- It is tough to bet against Martin Brodeur, but the Devils could struggle to score goals this year. Brodeur is 37 years old and if he plays in the Olympics could tire.
- I think Florida will win enough games to sneak in as the 8-seed in the East. David Booth will have that break-through year where he emerges and will really gain momentum after the Vancouver Games to steal the last playoff spot from Ottawa.
- Out West, San Jose added Dany Heatley to their artillery and should again outscore every team in the league. Anaheim regressed, Dallas is rebuilding and Phoenix is, well an unmitigated mess. L.A. will be good. But the chum is in the water in San Jose and the perennial regular season powerhouse will keep winning from Oct.-Apr.
- A healthy Roberto Luongo may be called upon to play 82 games rather than see Andrew Raycroft in net for the Canucks. The Sedins are back and in their prime and Steve Bernier along with Alexandre Burrows are ready to make the jump to the next level. If Luongo gets hurt, all bets are off.
- Detroit, like Pittsburgh, has played a ton of games over the past two seasons. Many of the Red Wings’ core players could suffer from some fatigue, especially as most will play in the Olympics. I am not calling an end to their run, just saying the regular season could be a struggle.
- Los Angeles, like Florida in the East, could be the surprise team. There is plenty of young talent in players like Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jack Johnson. Ryan Smyth brings leadership and grit. Rob Scuderi was arguably Pittsburgh’s best defender in the playoffs last year. If Jonathan Quick can steal games, the King’s should be back in the playoffs.

If you recall the beginning of the column, I said only nine teams have a chance to win the Cup. So that means seven of the squads listed above will only have sweet playoff beards to show for their trip to the postseason. Those teams are Carolina, the Rangers, Buffalo, Florida, Columbus, St. Louis and L.A.

Of the nine remaining teams, the following will not win the Cup:

9. Calgary: Kiprusoff, Bouwmeester, Phaneuff and Regehr will win plenty of games. However, in the playoffs, someone needs to find the back of the net and I don’t see many guys who can do that.
8. Detroit: Again, lots of wear on this team. Too many key guys are older and could have trouble keeping up in the playoffs. They will win a round, but that’s it.
7. San Jose: I will believe it when I see it.
6. Philadelphia: The extreme wild card in the league. Everything is in place – except a goalie (stop me if you heard this before, Flyers fans.) If Ray Emery stays focused and sharp, they could steamroll to the Cup behind Chris Pronger, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. My guess, Emery struggles and the backup situation is shaky at best.
5. Pittsburgh: Hard to bet against a team with two of the three best players in the NHL. It is very difficult to repeat and they will be asking a lot of defensemen who were role players last year. It could come down to matchups for the Penguins. I think they are in Washington’s heads, but could struggle against Boston.
4. Vancouver: They have the best goalie in the game. Only two forwards on the Canucks’ Opening Night roster are over 30. The defense is physical and tough. The feeling is that the Canucks may still be a player away from the Finals. That player is someone to stop the Blackhawks’ young stars.
3. Chicago: Speaking of the ‘Hawks, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews proved they are in the top echelon of talent in last year’s postseason. Their blueline is the deepest in the league with Brian Campbell, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith and Brent Sopel as the top four. This team will ultimately go as far as Christobal Huet takes them. That will be all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where the Marian Hossa whammy strikes again.
2. Boston: The excitement of last season carries over to 09-10 and the Bruins move one step closer to the Cup. There is concern over the 36-goals lost with Phil Kessel. Look for the Bruins to answer that with some increased production from Patrice Bergeron, Marco Sturm and even more from Milan Lucic. Getting younger on D will help in terms of clearing the zone and keeping the defense even with the league’s best last year. However, at the end of the day, look for the team with the best player to win…

.. Which means that the 2010 Stanley Cup champions will be the Washington Capitals. Simply put, Ovie and his boys are going to be extremely motivated by the embarrassing way they exited the 2009 playoffs. Alex the Great is a very prideful player and I think he will feed off knowing that Sid and Gino have a Cup and he doesn’t. Personally, I think he could score 70 goals and celebrate each one a different way. Another reason they will win the Cup? Mike Knuble. The Caps weren’t exactly known for a presence in the crease area last year and still scored 268 goals. Now, Knuble adds a different component to this team and will create space for the skill guys to fly around the offensive zone. Mike Green scored 31 goals from the point last year. He will win the Norris Trophy this year with a few less goals of his own, but a whole lot less goals against his team. While it is hard to get behind the tandem of Theodore and Varlamov in goal, Varly will play his way into the feature position and do just enough to win the Cup. The Caps will be okay if they have to win games 4-3. In a shootout, they will take their firepower any day. Caps defeat the Blackhawks in six and Ovechkin becomes the unquestioned star of this league.

Other notes:
Hart Trophy: Ovechkin
Conn Smythe Award: Ovechkin
Norris Trophy: Green
Vezina Trophy: Luongo
Calder Trophy: James Van Riemsdyk (Philadelphia)
Selke Trophy: Patrice Bergeron
Jack Adams Award: Alain Vigneault (Vancouver)

Three shot in the dark predictions:
1. The Bruins make a blockbuster trade around the Olympic break after struggling a bit in January. Visions of Ilya Kovalchuk are dancing in my head.
2. Phil Kessel scores 15 goals for the Maple Leafs. Partly because that team will be real bad and partly because someone from the Toronto media makes him cry and he hides in the trainer’s room for three weeks.
3. The Montreal Canadiens finish last in the Northeast. Bob Gainey gets fired and Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Hall Gill and Paul Mara are banned from Canada for life.

This is one of the best times for a hockey fan. Hope springs eternal as a new season begins. Enjoy it, Hockey Fans!

All-Boards and Blades Defense and Goalies

All this week, my picks for the best players to play for the Bruins since 1981 are being revealed. With the forwards out of the way, we move on to the part of the game that wins championships – defense and goaltending.

Remember, I am not building an all-star team. That is why Don Sweeney is on this team.

Raymond Bourque – Don Sweeney

As easy as it was to write Neely’s name on the top line, it is 10-times easier to slot Raymond Bourque into the top D-pair. Here is what you need to know about Ray. Eighth all-time in the NHL in games played (1,612 – 1,518 in a Bruins sweater.) 19-time All-Star in 22 seasons. Five-time Norris Trophy winner. 11^th-most points in NHL history (1,579). Fourth-most assists by any NHL player (1,169.) Bourque is third all-time in +/- and was on the ice for the second-most goals by his team (3,257) by any player. To top it off, his 6,206 shots on goal are the most by any player….EVER. He led the Bruins in scoring by any player five times.  His name is everywhere on the Bruins’ record books. Most seasons (21), games, assists (1,111) and  points (1,506.)

For anyone who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, he was the captain and the franchise. Enough said.

I am going to partner Bourque with Don Sweeney. An eighth-round pick, the Harvard grad went on to play 1,052 games for the Bruins over 15 seasons. Never a potent scorer, Sweeney was a constant on the blue line for the Bruins over three different decades.  He and Bourque were partners for most of their time together in Boston, and it is fitting that they are paired here.

Zdeno Chara – Glen Wesley

Not many teams can roll a Norris-winner out on the second pair, but this team can in Big Z. In three seasons in Boston, Chara is on his way to becoming the identity of the franchise to a new generation of Bruins fans. The tallest player to ever play in the league, he posted a career-high (19) in goals last year. 11 of those markers were on the power play where he contributed as both the point man and the crease-crashing presence. He puts up the PIM that go with being the biggest guy on the ice and is more often than not the first to defend his teammates.  With Chara, the Bruins finally have a #1 defenceman to replace Bourque. His size, reach and intellect make him arguably the best in the game today.  Kind of crazy then that he is the fourth best defenceman to ever play for the Bruins (Orr, Bourque, Shore.)

Chara is paired with Glen Wesley. The red-head played seven seasons in Boston from 87-94 and played more than 77 games six times. He scored 19 goals from the point in 88-89 and had 58 points (44 assists) in 93-94. He was pretty effective on the power play (33 goals) and was the puck-carrying defender the Bruins have been looking for the last few years.  Wesley’s ability to move the puck would match very well with Chara’s game as Big Z would separate players from the puck and then Wesley would make the outlet pass or lead the rush himself. Wesley gets points taken away for his tragic near-miss in the triple-overtime finals game against Edmonton. Plus points for his trade which resulted in Kyle McLaren, Sergei Samsonov and Milan Lucic (Sammy was traded to EDM for a pick which turned into Lucic).

Brad Park – Aaron Ward

Kind of an odd pairing here, but I couldn’t give playing time to Michel Thelvin or Gary Galley. There have been lots of okay defencemen for Boston over the last 25+ years, so I went with one who was at the tail end of his career and one who was nothing but a solid defensive defenceman.

Park came over to Boston in a trade that sent away Phil Esposito. That is tough company to be associated with. While in Boston, Park had six seasons of double-digit goals, including 22 in 77-78. However, since this list only starts at 1981, in order for Park to really be included, we are focusing mainly on his overtime goal in 1983 against Buffalo in the Division Final. That was one of the most memorable goals in Bruins playoff history and when you factor in his overall contribution, he gets a third-pairing spot.

Ward gets the sixth starting spot on D despite playing only 2+ years in Boston. Still, his leadership and consistency were paramount to Boston’s success. When paired with Chara, they locked horns with the best the opposition had to offer. He would block shots and take the body. He was always in position and played the style of no-name defense every team needs if they are to contend. Nothing flashy, but willing to do anything. Just the kind of guy you need on the third pairing.

Taxi Squad: Gord Kluzak

One of the biggest “What If” players in Bruins history, I am bringing Gordie along based purely on potential. The top overall pick in the entire 1982 draft, he played just four full NHL seasons due to various knee injuries. His most healthy – and naturally, successful – season was 83-84 when he palyed 80 games and scored 37 points. Five of his 10 goals that year were on the power play. In all four of his full campaigns, he went over 105 PIM. Kluzak was on his way to being a top-two defender when his knee problems began. Still, he kept fighting. He tried to comeback three different times. In 19990, he won the Masterson Trophy for dedication to hockey. His willpower and desire was there. The knees weren’t.  He makes the team and can fill in on any pairing at any time. In this league, knees don’t break.

Goaltenders

The goalie position is arguably the most important in the game, and can carry a mediocre team to respectability and a good team to a Stanley Cup. Unfortunately for Boston, over the past 28 years, the position has had few true #1-level tenants. My research came up with four goalies that were above and beyond the rest. The decision on which two to include came down to Pete Peters, Reggie Lemelin, Andy Moog and Tim Thomas.

I am not going to name a true starter here, but instead go with a rotation between Lemelin and Thomas. Reggie signed as a free agent with the Bruins in 1987 at age 33 and went on to win 92 games over six seasons.  His best season was his first, when he won 24 games with a 2.93 GAA.  Two years later, he combined with Moog to win the Jennings Trophy while winning 22 games of his own with a 2.81 GAA. He gets a spot on this team mainly because of his 1988 playoff run. Lemelin went 11-6 in the playoffs with a 2.63 GAA. Pop in a Bruins highlight tape from the ’88 Cup run, and he is all over it. The image of him pumping his fist after beating Montreal and the lunging save against New Jersey in the Wales Conference final are the two standout memories. While Moog is often thought of as the more important of the two, in that postseason, Lemelin was the factor. Moog struggled, with a 1-4 record and a GAA over 4.00. I still thing chants of “Reggie, Reggie” can be heard when walking down Causeway St. in May.

Thomas is one of the best stories in all of hockey, let alone Bruins annals. A career journeyman who never got a fare shake, he has rebounded to finally claim a #1 job and last year won the Vezina and Jennings Trophies. He was 36-11-7 with a 2.10 GAA and a .933 save% last year. Fundamentals don’t mean much to Timmy, but he is more often than not in the right place at the right time. His attitude and personality is perfect for a goalie – and perfect for Boston. He has persevered and earned his spot as one of the best in the game. He could have been blamed for the struggled of the 06-07 team, but he was in net for 30 of the team’s 35 wins and used it as a tool to springboard into two stellar campaigns. He was rewarded with a long-term deal and the Bruins for the first time in years.

Taxi Squad – Andy Moog

Moog gets the third goalie spot based on his involvement in the best overall period of Bruins hockey in this writer’s lifetime. He was #1 and #1A with Lemelin for six seasons that saw Boston go to two Cup Finals and two Wales Finals. He won 37 games in the 92-93 season in 55 total games played. He was traded at the end of that season for Jon Casey. It wasn’t until Tim Thomas came to town that the Bruins had another true flagship goalie.

Okay, history is over and it is time for the present and the future.

Two Days Until Opening Night.

All-Boards And Blades Third and Fourth Lines

With a plethora of scoring on the top two lines, the third and fourth groups on this squad will focus a bit more on defense and energy. At the same time, they can score when needed. Most of these six players can play multiple roles, whether it be special teams or even strength. I also included a taxi squad of a few guys who just missed the cut but garnered considerable thought. I am sure I will get grief for including some of these guys, but I have my reasons.

P.J. Axelsson (1997-2009) – Patrice Bergeron (2003-Present) – Brian Rolston (2000-04)

On to my checking line…Which would feature  two guys who scored 31 goals in a season and another who averaged about 10 a season over 11 years while on lockdown duty.

On this team, Bergeron gets the nod to play third-line center thanks to his versatility. He has centered any of the top three lines in his five seasons. Since returning from his concussion two years ago, he has settled into a role as a defense-first pivot whose job is to match up with the opposing team’s best line.  He has twice gone over 70 points, including 31 goals in 05-06. His +/- is a little out of whack thanks to the horrible Bruins team of 06-07 and the consistency of the other four seasons is more accurate. He is a skilled passer who can find the open guy and can contribute at a high level in all three phases of the game.

His right-winger also is a triple threat in Rolston. As the only real profitable piece in the Ray Bourque trade, Rolston had pressure to become a big-time goal scorer when he arrived. Those expectations were unfair, and Rolston’s time in Boston was a success. In 4+ seasons, he scored 101 goals while playing all but six possible games. He was a presence on the PP, but his real special teams contributions were on the penalty kill. He scored 16 short-handed goals for the Bs, including a league-leading – and club single-season record – nine in 01-02. His departure was one of the big ones after the lockout in 2004 as his ability to do everything well translated well to the new NHL (111 goals in the four seasons since he left Boston.)

Rolston was often paired with Axelsson on the PK while the two were teammates. Yes, P.J. was often the recipient of much of the fans’ ire towards the end of his run in Beantown, but that is more because of the position the coaching staff put him in. The Swede would never be confused for a top-end sniper, but still he was out there with the first line or on the power play. Much of that came when Dandy Dave Lewis was running things, so take that into consideration.  Also, when he did see time with the first unit, it was usually to be a defensive presence when Phil Kessel or Marc Savard needed maps to find their own end. As Savard became a better two-way player, Axe didn’t need to be insurance anymore. The lasting memories of P.J. will always be him shadowing the opposition’s best player. There would be times he would just follow Jagr all over the place, he and Hal Gill acting as blankets on the superstar. That was Axelsson’s best role, and when the Bruins needed an important stop or penalty kill, he was on the ice. He played his entire NHL career in Boston, and deserves to be recognized as one of the better checkers this team has seen in recent memory.

And the energy unit…

Randy Burridge (1985-91) – Ken Linseman (1984-90) – Keith Crowder (1980-89)

With two potent scoring lines and a two-way third line, the final piece of the forward puzzle for this team is the sandpaper line. I went looking for three players who had a little jam in their game and weren’t afraid to either piss off the opposition enough to draw a penalty or to straight-up drop the gloves and take you on. The good thing about these three players is that they all could pop in a few goals while facewashing your or jabbing you with the lumber.

Ken Linseman, appropriately nicknamed “The Rat”, was a supreme energy player over his 14-year NHL career. In his five full years in Boston, he was over 20 goals four times while averaging 136 PIM. He was just as capable of driving a player insane as he was of overpowering him in front of the net. His importance to a team was never more evident than in the 1988 playoffs where he scored 25 points (most on the team) over 23 games.

If “The Rat” wins the nickname competition on this squad, then “Stump” is a close second. Randy Burridge was one of the shortest players in the league at 5-9, but he wasn’t afraid to go in the danger areas and was usually the guy at the bottom of a pile in front of the opposing goalie. His two best seasons in Boston came in 87-88 and 88-89 where he scored 27 and 31 goals. He improved from an even number in 87-88 to +17 in 88=89. He went from 105 PIM to 39, showing discipline and reliability which made him a more useful player. The pairing of him and Linesman on the fourth line will make sure that whoever is out there against them has to work and be ready for anything.

The third member of the line could probably have slotted in a line or two above, but fits very nicely on this line. Keith Crowder played nine of his 10 NHL seasons with Boston and scored 219 goals for the Bs. He had six seasons of 22 or more scores including three with over 30. In addition, every one of his nine seasons saw him spend over 100 minutes in the penalty box. All the while, he was never a minus player and three times had 10+ goals on the power play. He would fill a variety of roles on this team, never glamorous, but always on the scoresheet for one reason or another. 

Taxi Squad: Marc Savard, Milan Lucic

In case of injury (or suspension based on some of the guys on this team), we need a few extra forwards. It came down to Savard or Craig Janney for the fifth center spot. Savard got the nod here in a very tough decision. The numbers are close. Savard has had 200 assists in a Bruins sweater to Janney’s 198. Savvy earns the 13^th forward position here pretty much because of defense. His turnaround from a -19 to +25 during his tenure on Causeway Street shows a commitment to being a better player and I want that on this team.

Lucic gets the final spot on the taxi squad because he needs to be around guys like Neely, Middleton and Crowder every day. Obviously, Neely is who Bruins fans see in Lucic, and that is possible.  A Crowder-like career wouldn’t be bad either. He is 21 right now and can play right wing on the top line, crashing the net for scoring chances or he can play the enforcer role while throwing the body around. My guess is that 10 years from now, Lucic is the top guy on some new guy’s blog.

So there are the 12 forwards and two backups chosen by me as the best to play for the Bruins since 1981. I would like to hear who you agree with, who you disagree with and who I may have missed. Tomorrow, the defense and goalies will be revealed.

Two days till Opening Night.

Rolling Out The Second Line…

On Saturday, I unveiled the first line on the “All-Boards and Blades Team” featuring players who played for the Bruins from 1981-2009. Today, the second line rolls over the boards. Like the first, it is more of a skilled like with a playmaking center, a sniper on the right and a lightning-quick left winger.

Sergei Samsonov – Adam Oates – Rick Middleton

Adam Oates, whose primary role in a Bruins sweater was to feed pucks to Neely, is separated from his partner to center a second line with Middleton and Samsonov. Oates was unbelievable for the Bruins from his arrival in February of 1992. He accumulated 499 points, twice going over 100. In 1992-93, he finished with 142 points and 97 assists (points were third all-time behind two Espo seasons and assists second behind Orr.)  In that season, he had an assist in 18-straight games, dishing out 28 helpers in all. He was as gifted a playmaker as there was in the league at that time. Yes, it is difficult to split up him and Neely, but Oates could play with anyone, as evidenced by his 2000-01 and 01-02 seasons where he totaled 134 assists at age 38-39.

With that, Oates is paired with Rick Middleton. Nifty, in his pre-pastry days, was a prolific scorer. Only twice did he score less than 20 goals in a season (both cut short by injury at the end of his career) and he went over 40 five times for the Bruins. As a kid, I didn’t quite understand why the old guy with no helmet shared the ‘C’ with Ray Bourque. But it all makes sense when you look at two very important numbers. In his 12 season in Boston, only twice did he play less than 60 games. He played in 80 five times. A good part of leadership is being ready day in and day out. The other part is accountability. He went from a season in New York where he was a -38 to 12-straight seasons in the plus for Boston. In 1977-78, he was +40. This isn’t all Middleton brought. As capable as he was in his own end, he twice went over 100 points. He had 115 career power play goals. He scored 59 game-winners. In the playoffs, he had 100 points, including three game-winning goals in the 1988 run to the finals.

Samsonov was an interesting decision. He played 7+ seasons in Boston and was always teasing fans with his offensive creativity. The less-heralded of Boston’s two first-rounders in ’97, he went on to win the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year with 22-25-47 totals. He never scored more than 30 goals but was always in the 19-29 range.  Yet, whenever he head the puck on his stick in the neutral zone or weaving around the perimeter, the rumblings and anticipation from the fans would rise, waiting to see what he would do next.  The creative stylings of Oates, Samsonov and Nifty would be appointment viewing for Bruins fans.

Looking ahead, tomorrow we will bring you the final two forward lines. The third line is a two-way line that could shut down the other team’s best group while providing some offense of its own. The fourth line is a trio of 1980s agitators short on size, but long on truculence (copyright Brian Burke). On Wednesday, The defense and goalies will be revealed. As always, your thoughts and ideas are encouraged.

Three days to Opening Night.

The All-Boards and Blades Team

As Claude Julien and Peter Chiarelli work on trimming their roster down for Opening Night on Thursday, I decided to take some time to pick a Bruins team of my own. I went back over the rosters of every Bruins team from 1981-82 until last year to create the All-Boards and Blades Team.

A few points of order:

1.)    The team consists of players who played for the Bruins from the 1981-82 season through those who were on the 2008-09 team. This covers season in which I have been alive. My research on years 81-84 is spotty since I was focused a bit more on trivial things like learning to talk, walk, eat and go the bathroom. From 1985 on, I am going based on what I saw with my own eyes. Yes, I was scouting when I was 4. Ask my dad.

2.)    In order to be considered, a player had to play a significant portion of his prime for Boston. Thus, players like Paul Coffey, Brian Leetch, Sergei Gonchar and Mark Recchi aren’t included on the list. All are great players, but they either played for the Bs too late or for too short a time period to be included. Kind of made including players like Wayne Cashman and Stan Jonathan a dilemma. At the end of the day, Cash got consideration because he won two Cups. Jonathan was in the mix because I don’t want him finding me and pummeling me.

3.)    This is not an All-Star team. I am looking to construct a team that I would put on the ice if such magical occurrences were possible. So, there will be a checking/energy line. Basically, there is a chance P.J. Axelsson could be on my team. You have been warned.

4.)    I am going with positions as they are listed on BostonBruins.com. They have a real neat feature where they list the rosters of each season. So there is no flipping wings to make room for someone. This showed me that the Bruins have been against having really good left wings on their last 28 teams.

5.)    We are rolling four lines, three sets of defencemen and two goalies. There is a taxi squad of two forwards, one D and a goalie. Always need solid depth in games between hypothetical dream teams.

Over the next few days, I will reveal my team. We begin with the first line (all lines are listed LW-C-RW)

Charlie Simmer (1984-87) – Joe Thornton (1997-2005) – Cam Neely (1986-96)

Off all the forwards that have played for the Bruins since 1981, Cam Neely is flat-out the best. His name was the easiest to slot in among the forwards. The Bruins stole him from Vancouver before the ’86 season and he went on to score 344 goals in a Bruins sweater. He went over 50 goals on three separate occasions, including his amazing 1993-94 season where he scored 50 in 49 games. He revolutionized his position, combining the skill of a sniper with the power of an enforcer, becoming in essence, the game’s first true power forward. He was pretty much a point-a-game player and everyone can only imagine what his numbers and impact would have been if not for that fateful Ulfie hit in 1991. Espo may have won Cups, but ask any hockey fan to name the best forward in Bruins history, and Cam’s name should be the first mentioned.

Joe Thornton is an enigma who will always have a special place in Bruins history. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 draft and was supposed to be the franchise player who carried the Bruins for 15 years. After being weaned into action by Pat Burns in his rookie season, Thornton took an expanded role over the next five seasons, becoming the first-line pivot he was supposed to be. 2000-01 was his breakout year, where he put up 71 points in 72 games.  19 of his career-high 37 goals were on the power play.  Two years later, he broke 100 points and significantly in the plus for the first time.  While in the Black and Gold, Jumbo Joe totaled 169 goals and 285 assists (454 points). He was oft criticized for not shooting more and for spending too much time on the perimeter. However, players like Mike Knuble will gladly tell you that he made them better. His trade in 2005 was a shock to many Bruins fans and caused concern that the team would never recover. Thornton’s teams never won a playoff series in Boston, twice losing when the top seed. Everyone will point to his bagel in 2004 against Montreal, but it is widely known he was injured and played anyways. His hands and ability to draw defenders would create space and opportunity for Cam like no center Sea Bass ever played with.

On the left side, I went with Charlie Simmer (sorry no Bruins picture). His inclusion, despite playing only two and a half season with Boston points to two things. The first is that he was extremely effective in those 198 games. The second is that there haven’t been many standout left wingers in the last 27 seasons in Boston. Simmer, acquired for a first-round pick – which turned into Dan Gratton (7 career NHL games) –  scored 98 goals while in Boston, and went over 60 points each season. Yes, Simmer was on the downside of his career during his stint in Boston, but on this line, he would fit right in collecting rebounds and would be a lock for 25-35 goals like he was playing with Marcel Dionne in L.A.

Okay, there is the top line. Lots of offensive firepower there. Up next, the second line. Here is a hint on the right winger … Big dessert fan.

Today’s Random Lull in the Preseason Note

It is nice to see that Jesse Hall has progressed since the Junior Goodwill Games…

The Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hokcey League have a player with the same name as the second-line centre from The Mighty Ducks movie series.

The real Jesse has 1-2-3 numbers with 24 PIM over 32 games for Brandon. No truth to the rumor he called Wheat Kings player Wheaton King a ‘cakeater‘ while skating around the Mall of Brandon before defeating the varsity as Paul Kariya looked on.

No truth to the rumor Brian Burke signed the “Bash Brothers” for some truculence…

Check back this weekend as we begin the week-long countdown to the 2009-10 Bruins season.

I am Now Officially Motivated for the Season

I was over at Barstool Sports today (highly reccommended reading for anyone from Boston or who likes funny things) and found this beauty. Anyone who isn’t prepared to run through a wall after watching this must be dead. +1 for a five-year old saying “Screw ‘Em”. -1 for needing the cue cards. Hopefully his next recreation isn’t Reg Dunlop’s taunting of Hanrahan in Slap Shot.