Posted on

Latest Bruins Moves Entice Bruins Nation

 The recent flurry of moves has enticed the Bruins nation. General manager Don Sweeney gained defenseman DimitriyOrlov and forward Garnet Hathaway. Also, swapping jerseys were Red Wing forward, Tyler Bertucci. All three players bring needed grit to the roster. In return, the Bruins gave up a slew of draft picks over the next several years. In this post, we will review three reasons why these moves will entice the Bruin nation.

In, Dimitry Orlov, the Bruins received a scrappy defender. In his first few games, Orlov has figured in the scoring netting two along with two assists. Orlov provides significant depth to go along with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo, Derek Forbot, and Connor Clifton.

Offensive Punch

In, Garnet Hathaway, the Bruins receive depth on their fourth line. Hathaway adds grit and toughness to the lineup. Tyler Bertuzzi, the long =time Red Wing brings added scoring. With Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno injured, Bertuzzi is a welcomed addition.

Hathaway provides grit and energy to the fourth -line. This is what the Bruins have lacked in previous playoff runs. With more physical talent, opposing teams will fear the Bruins in a seven- game series.

MVP Goaltender

The third reason the Bruins will succeed is goaltender Linus Ullmark. Ullmark signed as a free agent from Buffalo two years ago. With 17 games remaining, Ullmark’s record is an impressive 33-4 with a 938 save percentage. He scored an open net goal earlier in the season.

Many people around the NHL feel Ullmark is an MVP Goaltender Backup goalie Jeremy Swayman has been inconsistent. Look for head coach Jim Montgomery to rest Ullmark and use Swayman down the stretch.

Conclusion

Winning the Stanley Cup is a long way off. In order to win the cup, the Bruins need solid goaltending from both Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. Counting on one goalie will put pressure on the team and coaches.

Posted on

Bruins Need To Add Some Pieces To the 2023 Roster

The Boston Bruins are enjoying one of their most successful seasons in years. It’s time for the Bruins to add some pieces to the 2023 roster. With a comfortable lead in the Atlantic Division, the Bruins are 35-5-4. They are second in the NHL on the Penalty kill and second on the power play Plus, an amazing 92 goals against the league’s best. In this post, we will examine the Bruin’s needs heading into the second half.

Add A Physical Defenseman

With the season half over the team needs to add a physical defenseman. In two of the Bruin’s losses to the Kraken and Knights dominated, the Bruins. Adding a defenseman will take the pressure off the offense and add depth in case of injury.

One name mentioned is Vancouver’s, Bo Horvat. Horvat is having a monster season as one of the league’s top scorers. Two players I like are Arizona’s Josh Brown and Jakub ChyChrun. Chychrun will be costly. Josh Brown, is 6’5″ and a massive 225 pounds. He would be an imposing presence.

Add Organizational Depth

Injury- wise, the Bruins have been fortunate. Charlie McAvoy missed several games due to shoulder surgery. Brad Marchand missed several months Adding organizational depth veteran player, or two will make the difference come to the playoffs.

Arizona is struggling with 14 wins and 33 points in the Western Division. If the right deal can not be achieved, the club can fall back on organizational depth. In Providence, the Bruins have defenseman Mike Reilly and Jakob Zboril on defense. Young Oscar Steen has been up and down this season. s for the goaltending if Ullmark or Swayman gets injured Keith Kincaid is a reliable backup.

Stay Healthy

Staying healthy is the key to going deep in the postseason. So far, the Bruins have been healthy enough to stay on their torrid pace. Personally, the organization needs to add a defenseman. Giving up a number – one pick is risky.

Conclusion

With, the season half over, the Bruins have a way to go. So far, they haven’t experienced a long losing streak. Head coach Jim Montgomery has done a remarkable job with both the veterans and young players. It’s been twelve years since the Bruins won the cup.

Posted on

New Faces Dominate 2021 Bruins Roster

The NHL season is around the corner, new faces dominate the 2021 Bruins roster. Familiar faces Tuukka Rask and David Krejci will not be on it. Krejci opted to move back to his native Czechoslovakia. while Tuukka Rask awaits surgery on his hip. With the additional cap space, Boston has revamped its roster. In this post, will review three reasons why the Bruins are still contenders in the NHL East.

Much Needed Size Added

The Bruins used their cap money to get bigger. They also added Nick Foligno, LW, and Erik Haula Size and physicality have lacked the past two seasons. The team was pushed around by the St Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup finals. Meanwhile Tampa bay just seems to have their number in the postseason.

For the first time in fifteen years, the Bruins need to fill the second _line center position. Top candidates are Charlie Coyle and Jack Studnicka. Studnicka struggled last year and bounced between Boston and Providence. Rookie Cameron Hughes signed a two_way contract and could be a longshot. acquired Thomas Nosek brings size and muscle. But he projects to be a fourth_ line center.

Newly signed Thomas Nosek brings size and muscle. Nosek appeared in38 games for Las Vegas last season scoring 8 goals and 18 assists. The obvious candidate is Charlie Coyle. Inconsistency hurt him last season. Coyle doesn’t come close to the skill set that Krejci has. His strong points are his puck control, which will help Taylor Hall and Craig Smith.

Defense Revamped

The Bruins have one of the game’s top young defensemen in Charlie McAvoy. In six seasons, McAvoy has appeared in 235 games, scoring 24 goals and 98 assists and a plus _minus of 22. He averages 22 minutes per game and continues to be the heart and soul of the blue line. The organization has the task of getting a long_ term deal done for the young superstar.

Boston came to terms with Brandon Carlo and free agent Derek Forbort. Veteran Kevan Miller has retired, leaving openings for Jakub Zboril, and Urho Vakananien. The team also resigned Mike Reilly. Fan_ favorite Matt Grzelcyk continues to get better. The club lost highly regarded prospect Jeremy Lauzon to Seattle in expansion.

Goaltending Changes

General Manager Don Sweeney replaced Rask with LinusUllmark from Buffalo. Ullmark is young and has lots of upsides Rookie Jeremy Swayman will see most of the action. Swayman won over the confidence of the fans with his athletic style.

Conclusion

With, all the offseason transactions, the team still has one of the best rosters in the NHL. The question is, can this new group get by Tampa Bay if it gets that far? Only time will tell.

Posted on

Quiet Bruins Off Season Resulting In Little Improvement

The Boston Bruins are enjoying a quiet offseason, after claiming their third Eastern Conference championship banner in nine years. Thus far the only Bruins signings have been winger Brett Ritchie from Dallas, Danton Heinen, and Steven Kampfer. General manager Don Sweeney still has a lot of work to due this summer. The Bruins need to come to terms with Defenseman Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, and Brandon Carlo. In this post, we will review three reasons why the Bruins have not improved from last season.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Overpaying For Danton Heinen  Mistake, number one was overpaying for Danton Heinen. Heinen, the third_ year wingers production dipped considerably in 2018.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        In 2011 Heinen’s 11 goals and 13 assists and a plus_ minus ratio of 11 one more than the previous season. In  2017  he netted 16 goals and 31 assists. This past summer the,organization awarded him a 2.8 million dollar salary which ends in 2023.                                                                                                                                                           Granted, Heinen is a gritty third_ line player, but not worth the figure he signed  With only three years of service time, he adds a strong physical presence on the team’s third line. Only time will tell if he is worthy of the contract.                          

  No Major Free Agent Signing’s  The good news is the Bruins  are well under the NHL cap space this summer. The bad news is they have to come to terms with  Tory Krug, Charlie McAvoy,and Brandon Carlo. The team cannot sign all three                                                                                                                                                                Torey Krug had one his most productive seasons as a Bruin. Krug is a valuable member of the power play and sparkled in the playoffs. Krug has one more year left on a four_ year  $21,000,000 deal. Expect Krug to average 9 or 10 million per year on the open market. Signing him will  be a major hurdle losing him will be worse.

Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo are the nuts and bolts of the defensive corp. Mcavoy is at the end of his rookie contract. Carlo had his best season as a Bruin. When Zdeno Chara retires, Carlo will be the club’s number one or two defenseman.

Signing Brett Richie  The only major splash this summer has been Brett Ritchie. The team lost free agent  Marcus Johansen and center Noel Acciari. Ritchie has 33 goals and 21 assists n five_year’s as A Dallas Star.  He is not the   skill player that Johansen is, but fits the Bruins style of play.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The Bruins have major decisions to make on McAvoy and Carlo. Krug could be the odd man out. Mc Avoy and Carlo are the future of the Bruins Compared to last season the team has not gotten any better and will struggle to reach the finals.

Posted on

What Separates Tuukka Rask From Other Elite NHL Goaltenders

The Boston Bruins are enjoying a very sweet 2019 playoff run in a quest for their second Stanley Cup of the millennial. One of the reasons behind the successful run is the play of netminder Tuukka Rask. Rask has guided the Bruins past victories over Toronto, Columbus, and two wins over Carolina with game three Tuesday night. In this post, we will examine three reasons, why Rask has been so successful and where he stands amongst recent Stanley Cup goalies.

  What Separates Tuukka Rask From Other Elite NHL Goaltenders?

Young Defensive Group Outside of Charlie McAvoy the team has an extremely young group of talented defensemen.  Starting with Charlie McAvoy the team is a well_ balanced unit with Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk, Connor Clifton, and Torey Krug.

   The young group has been a significant reason that has contributed to Rask’s success this season. Krug, in particular, has been a vital force on the team’s power play.
 If the Bruins expect to get past Carolina, then the defense will have to keep the Hurricane forwards at bay. The Bruins defense was one of the best in the NHL in 2018/19
Penalty Killing another reason for Rask’s success this postseason has been the play of the penalty killing unit. During the season, the penalty killing ranked near the bottom. During the playoffs, however, the penalty killing has been the out of the four playoff teams remaining. Currently, the team is riding a five_ game unbeaten streak.
 One of the reasons for this year’s playoff success is the play of the penalty killing unit. The group have prevented the opposition from scoring. Currently, the club is enjoying a five _game postseason unbeaten streak thanks to the penalty killing. If the team can get past Carolina, the play of the penalty killing unit is vital.
 Rask Versus Recent Stanley Cup Goalies; The past three seasons the Stanley Cup Champions have been The Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins twice and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Compared to Stanley Cup goalies, Rask statistics rank with the best. Corey Crawford of Chicago is 244-142 career as a Blackhawk. In, the Playoffs his record is 48-37. Another example, Matt Murray of Pittsburgh compiled a 29-14 overall record this year, with 2.60 GAA and a 919 save percentage. Murray had a dismal playoff record in 2019 at 0-4 record.
 Rask’s numbers, on the other hand, were far better than both in 2019.  27-19 298 GAA and a 912 save percentage. Career _wise   Rask is 265 150 228GAA and a 921 save percentage. The most wins by any Bruins goaltender in the clubs history.

Post Season Success It wasn’t too long ago that Tuukka Rask was getting criticized for his lack of victories in postseason. With consecutive losses to Ottawa and Tampa Bay, it’s safe to say that Tuukka Rask has finally arrived as an elite NHL goaltender.

Posted on

Why Defense Is A Key Factor For A Successful Bruins Post Season Run

Experienced Group; With three- quarters of the NHL season over, the team’s defence ranks second in the league in goals allowed. As the third-year coach, Bruce Cassidy rotates goalies Tuukka Rask, and Jaraslov Halak the Bruins have held onto fourth place in the NHL East.

The defensive group of Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon,  Carlo, John Moore Kevan Miller, Steven Kampfer, and Torey Rug.. have remained fairly healthy. Early season injuries to Charlie McAvoy and Zdeno Chara the Bruins defence has been one of the best in hockey.

Except for John Moore and Steven Kampfer, the group has been together for five years or longer. At 42 years old Zdeno Chara is a valuable member of the clubs power play. Veteran Torey Krug is having a solid season by logging 44 games played and 5 goals and 33 assists. Krug is also an essential member of the Bruins power play.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Sixty Minutes Of Hockey; One area the team needs to focus on is consistency. Saturday’s 5-4 win over the LA Kings the Bruins fell apart in the third period. Future Hall Of Fame winger Patrice Bergeron netted the game _winning goal in overtime to beat the Kings. It was also Bergeron’s 1,000 point as a Bruin.

The team has won and lost several close games this season because of a defensive breakdown.  In a recent win over Washington, goalie Tuukka Rask kept the Capitals scoreless for three periods and earned his 253 wins as the organizations winningest goalie.

Staying Healthy; Despite early season injuries to Charlie McAvoy and Zdeno Chara, the Bruins have one of the top five defensive units in the NHL.  Outside of the Bruins Anaheim, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Minnesota have better defensive units.

Zdeno Chara continues to pile up the minutes every night. If the rest of the defence can stay healthy, the team will be a serious contender going forward.

Looking Ahead; Head coach Bruce Cassidy continues to mix up his lines regularly. Keeping goalies Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak fresh will be another factor for a successful Stanley Cup run

Posted on

Why Goaltending will take the Bruins To the Promised Land in 2018/19

With the 2018/19 NHL season set to get underway this week, Bruins fans are optimistic about the upcoming season. With Tampa Bay and Toronto, the teams to beat in the East hopes are high for a successful Bruins season. In this post, we will cover three reasons why goaltending will be the key ingredients for the Bruins to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Why Goaltending Will Take The Bruins To The Promise Land In 2018/19

Upgrade In Goaltending; Although Toronto signed John Tavares the Bruins did some moves of their own this offseason. One important move was signing free agent goalie Jaroslav Halak.

In 54 games with the Islanders, last season Halak compiled a 20_-26 record  908 save percentage. As for the playoffs Halak has played in 30 career playoff games while posting a 13-15 record and a 908 save percentage. Halak is is a huge upgrade over last year’s backup Anton Khudobin. Halak’s playoff experience should be a huge help for Tuukka Rask.

Defensive Improvements;  Last season the Bruins had one of the best defenses in the NHL. With the trading of veteran Adam McQuaid, the Bruins added former Devils defenseman, John Moore. Moore who has played in a total of 446 career games has 32 career goals and 67 assists.  Moore who is noted for his speed and puck handling skills will be a definite upgrade on the power play.  Also, his leadership will be a big plus in the locker room.

One other trade in the defensive department was acquiring Stephen Kampfer from the Rangers. Kampfer was part of the Adam McQuaid deal with the Rangers midway through training camp.

Youth Movement; Along with the offseason moves the Bruins continue to grow their roster with younger and quicker players. Last seasons number one draft pick Axel Andersson is competing for a full _time roster spot. With youngsters, Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk, Sean Kuraly, Anders Bjork and Danton Heinen already on the roster look for the Bruins to make life difficult for opposing teams this season.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Looking ahead; Last season head coach Bruce Cassidy guided the Bruins to a 50-20- record for 112 points in the Eastern Conference. With Former Islander John Tavares signing with Toronto goalie Tuukka Rask has a huge task ahead of him along with the rest of the organization.

The Bruins survived Toronto last season in round one of the playoffs, only losing to Tampa Bay in round two. If the Bruins have any hopes of reaching the finals boils down to a balanced scoring attack, solid defense and a well _rested Tuukka Rask.

Posted on

Best Available Free Agents Left That THe Bruins Should Target

With NHL training camps just around the corner. There are still some quality free agents available that could be an attractive bargain that the Bruins Should target. In this article, we’ll  three areas that the Bruins need to shore up on before tha start of the 2018/19 hockey season.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Playoff Aspirations;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         For the first time in three years the Bruins qualified for the 2017/18 playoffs. With a nice mixture of youth and veterans, General Manager has the Bruins going in the right direction. Despite a first_ round exit at the hands of the Ottawa  Senators postseason has returned to Causeway Street.                                                                                                                                                                                                            Improved Defense;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Boston has a nice group of veteran defenseman and youth too work with. Ageless wonder Zdeno Chara continues to pile up the minutes.  Injury prone Adam McQuaid is still productive when healthy. Youngsters Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo bring energy with every shift.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Re-sign Pastrnak;                                                                                                                             The Bruins are coming off a very quiet offseason.  First and foremost the team needs to re-sign forward David Pastrnak. Pastrnak a third _yeaplayer has put up _put up big numbers in his three short years. If the Bruins hope to go deep in the playoffs then re-signing Pastrnak would send a positive message.                                                                                                                                                                                             Available Free Agents;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   With the big name free agents already committed to other teams, there are still some quality free agents available.  One name that would be a good fit in Boston , is  Roman Polak. The 31 -year old defenseman  Polak would provide depth for the defense.  Two more names that could help the  Bruins would be Sabres blueliner, Cody Franson. Franson a thirty_seven year _old veteran would be a character player for a team on the rise.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Lastly, first_year coach Bruce Cassidy needs to practice patience. This is a young team seeking an identity.  With a  veteran core group and young  players this is a team to take seriously.  If Cassidy can keep goalies Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin fresh then the Bruins could make things interesting.  Other than Pastrnak spending money on big name free agents has never been the Bruins style.                                                                                        ,                                                                       ,

Posted on

Three Teams That Will Challenge Pittsburgh For The Stanley Cup

With NHL training camps officially undeway it’s time for hockey fans to start making their predictions.With a new expansion team hockey should be better than ever tis year. Welcome hockeys newest team the Las Vegas Knights. Lets examine three teams that will give the Penguins a run for their money.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         A team to keep a close eye on is Edmonton. General manager Peter Chairelli has developed the Oilers into a contender in just three years. He has two of the games elite Stars. Forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisiaitl  are two of the games best.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Both signed long term deals over the summer. McDavids deal is for eight years,one of the largest in team history. Defensively the Oilers are solid with veterans Kris Russell and Matt Benning protecting goalie Cam Talbot.The team also added winger Ryan Strome from the Islanders. Strome is regarded as a depth move and brings a physical presence to the roster.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Dallas is a team that was very busy this past off season. The First order of business was the firing of head coach Lindy Ruff. Ruff was replaced by long time veteran Ken Hitchcock. Hitchcock previously coached the Stars ten years ago before moving on to  St.Louis.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The  also added veteran goalie Ben Bishop. Bishop signed a six year deal thatshould bring depth to the goalie department Last years goalie Kari Lehtonen struggled through most of the season. Defensively Dallas acquired Mark Methot from Las Vegas.Plus the team signed Martin Hanzal and Tyler Pitlick.                                                                                                                                                                                                                The new additions plus Hitchcock as coach should mix in well with star players Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. Within time the Stars  should be serious contenders.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             This leads us to the Bruins. With a new head coach and a nice mix of veterans and rookies the Bruins could be the surprise of the league. Veteran goalie Tuukka Rask is only thirty, and still  has plenty of upside.Look for youngsters Charlie Mc Avoy and Brandon Carlo to be elite defenseman.Look for the Bruins to challenge in the Stanley Cup finals.

Posted on

Despite a Young Roster Goal tending Still the Main Concern for 20/17 Bruins

Now that the Bruins have officially namede Bruce Cassidy head coach it’s time for the 2017 Bruins to go forward. With one of the youngest rosters in the NHL goaltending is still the main area of concern for this years Bruins club.                                                                                                                                                                          The Bruins finally qualified for the playoffs after a two year absence. Development comes within time. Adding youth and veterans together the Bruins should be serious playoff contenders.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Goal tender  Tukka Rask is entering his eight NHL season  as Boston’s goalie. He finished last year with a 37-20 record and a 2.64 goals against average. Not to mention eight shutouts and five ties.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            According to Sports Iluustrated Rask is ranke fouteeth among NHL starting goalies. Not bad company. But since the Bruins 2012 Stanley Cup loss to the Blackhwaks Rask has not won a post season round.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      This could be the result of various reasons. The main reason I feel is Rask plays to many games. Sixty five games plus the playoffs takes it’s toll on you. Personally I think Bruce Cassidy needs to rotate his goalies. Fifty five games and the playoffs would help mentally and physically.                                                                                                                                                                                                     Depth wise the Bruins have Anton Khudobin and Zane Mcintyre in Providece. Khudobin is in his second season as Boston’s backup. Last year he had a 2.35 goals against average and a record of 8-6. Mcintyre only saw limited duty  with only two apperances.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Rotation is the key I feel to the Bruins success this year. If the Bruins can get steady backup play from Mcintyre and Khudobin then the Bruins should be OK.                                                                                                                                                                                         One thing the Bruins did learn from last year was expierience. Experience is your greatest teacher. With youngsters, McAvoy, Jakub Zboril,Brandon Carlo ,and Rob O’Gara fighting for a defensive pairing the defense should be solid.                                                                                                                                                                            With veterans Dave Krejci,Adam McQuaid, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand leading the way the Bruins should make a strong bid for the Stanley Cup. Mistakes come with youth. Veterans also make mistakes. Mix the two factors together and you’ve got a pretty good team. Goaltending is still the Bruins main concern in 2017/18.