Well, enough time has passed since the Bruins were eliminated in overtime of Game Seven against the Hurricanes (themselves ousted by the Penguins, en route to the Finals and the Cup) to get a sense of the Bruins' season.
Which is to say, I've pulled out of the several-day funk.
And I'll begin by addressing those Bruins nominated for awards this year.
First, Bruins coach Claude Julien was named The Sporting News' coach of the year, and is nominated for the NHL's Jack Adams award for coaching excellence. He led the club to the top of the Eastern Conference in the regular season (with a record of 53-19-10), and amassed 116 points, marking the first time the club has broken 100 points since 2003-2004.
The B's went out in the second round, and I think Julien was out-foxed a bit by Paul Maurice. However, I don't think the team played particularly well for their coach in games two or four and he certainly cannot be blamed for the exit from the Playoffs. He's a good guy, well liked and respected, and given his history of sometimes getting a raw deal despite maintaining winning records, I would be pleased if he won the Jack Adams award.
Tim Thomas was always solid, and often brilliant, in nets this year. He posted up a record of 36-11-7 with a smoking 2.10 Goals Against Average in the regular season, and went 7-4 with a 1.85 GAA (which seems crazy low to me) in the playoffs. He won the Roger Crozier Saving Grace award (which I'd never heard of) for Best Save Percentage, and (with Manny Fernandez) won the Jennings Trophy for lowest GAA in the NHL. He has also been nominated for the Vezina, which would be a phenomenal achievement for Thomas, given his journeyman rise to the NHL. Most importantly, he has been re-signed to a multiyear deal, allowing him to continue to achieve while prospect Tuuka Rask develops (more on Manny Fernandez in a subsequent post).
Finally, Zdeno Chara was nominated for a Norris Trophy, the (second-most) coveted prize for defenders. The Bruins captain had 19 goals and was a ridiculous plus -23 in a season where he was a dominant force, game in, game out. Chara's previous two seasons with the club had him, at times, looking for an identity on the ice - questioning whether he should he be offensive, or be looking to keep it simple - ultimately having defensive lapses in the middle ground. But this year, Chara really seemed to find a comfortable groove doing almost everything right. He played a much simpler game that allowed his mean-streak to shine through, and I think the good people of the Bruins' nation have come to embrace him (by linking arms). Chara is also a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award, which goes to the player with active community involvement.
These awards will all be handed out on Thursday, I believe, but regardless of the outcome, it is important to recognize these Bruins players for their nominations and growth as a team this season. Next, addressing free agencies!
It may not be the Stanley Cup, but Bruins' Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas and Claude Julien all won top honours in their respective categories tonight at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas.
