bruins sign steve begin, re-up bitz, recchi, boychuk

Two years ago the Bruins made major headlines during the Free Agency period by signing Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard.

At the time, the Bruins club had been eviscerated by a dismal managerial gamble going into the lock-out year (ie: allowing pretty much everyone to walk away on the ill-conceived belief that suitable replacements could be found cheaply and easily in a salary-capped NHL), and the team were left searching for an identity after missing the playoffs in successive seasons. Hence, the signing of two big, splashy players who could both contribute right away and establish the character for the club.

Since that time, the Bruins have largely tried to improve their fortunes by successfully stewarding their younger players, and bolstering them with veteran talent (largely playing specific roles).

The Bruins decided to allow Stephane Yelle to leave via free agency, and in his place comes former-Hab Steve Begin. I make no bones about my dislike of Begin, who once blindsided Savard with a cross check 20 metres away from the play that ended Savard's season, but he is the kind of player the team can use in a variety of situations. He adds grit, some PK ability (which I guess is why he differs from fan-fave Shawn Thornton), and had his best season under Coach Julien in Montreal. Frankly, he's the kind of player that most would rather have as a team-mate than an opponent. Hopefully he stays out of the box and doesn't hurt the team from the inside out.

In other news, the B's also re-upped Mark Recchi, who proved his value throughout the playoffs, chipping in timely goals and leading by example. I am a big fan of Recchi, who, while he has aged, has been rejuvenated by his recent tenures in youth-heavy Pittsburgh and Boston, and provides some guidance for the aforementioned younger players to follow. Welcome back, Mark.

Additionally, the Bruins re-upped Byron Bitz to a multi-year contract (which is very good news, especially in light of Steve Montador leaving via Free Agency), and also came to terms with prospect Johnny Boychuk. I don't know much about Boychuk, but he is one of those players that Bruins faithful have been hearing about for a few years - named the AHL's Defenseman of the Year last season - but remains in the minors. Is this his year to play with the Bigs?

Finally, it looks as though PJ Axelsson will explore the Free Agent market after all, but true to his classiness as a person and a player, will keep the Bruins in consideration as he searches for a potential fit for his services.

bruins free agents, salary cap and next year's plans

This weekend's NHL Draft (taking place just a few minutes away from my house, in fact) has brought a spotlight on the Bruins' players who are not locked to long-term contracts.

In particular, a rumour was circling yesterday involving Phil Kessel, who becomes a Restricted Free Agent as of July 1st, that would see him go to Toronto for Tomas Kaberle. The deal seems to have broken down due to nobody really understanding whether it was Kessel and draft picks for Kaberle, or Kaberle and draft picks for Kessel.

Ridiculous.

This reminds me of how, a few years ago, the Bruins announced they had signed Jonas Hoglund only to have the deal annulled due to a faulty fax machine, or how Ray Shero agreed to become GM only to then change it up and sign with Pittsburgh while the Bruins were organizing the press conference to announce his arrival (on the other side of that, while Shero has the Cup, I think Chiarelli has done the better work as GM).

Regardless, what this all suggests is that the Bruins will probably try to move Kessel rather than ink him to a long-term deal. The money that Kessel will probably demand on the open market (somewhere around $5 million, when he's probably at a stage of his development that should garner $2.75 - $3.5 million) was better spent by the B's on David Krejci - who, while less explosive than Kessel, is a more consistent player in both ends of the ice and is at a different stage of development.

Kessel reminds me of a young Marian Hossa, who entered the league as a legitimate offensive threat but would disappear for long stretches of games. While Kessel had a far better season than last year, and has shown a tremendous amount of character in both his professional and personal life, he does seem to be one of those players that simply needs more experience to fully bloom into a well-rounded NHL player. I have no doubt it will come, but the reality of today's NHL is that the Bruins only have a certain amount of time and cap room to wait for Kessel to become the player he can be.

Having said that, Chiarelli has stated he'll match any offer put forward for Kessel, but given the team's salary cap concerns, I would expect that Kessel will be moved shortly thereafter, regardless of how much they want to retain Kessel.

When the season ended, the B's had several important pieces remaining unsigned - including the aforementioned Krejci and Kessel, but most importantly, Vezina Trophy winning goalie, Tim Thomas. The Bruins made the right move and ensured Thomas will remain with the club for the next four years by inking him to a $20 million contract. Props to Chiarelli for getting this deal done.

This means that backup Manny Fernandez will be allowed to walk (or, more reasonably, hobble) into free agency, and that Tuuka Rask will probably be brought up for NHL seasoning. It should make for an interesting and emotionally explosive goaltending tandem. Hopefully, the Bruins have maintained their stick sponsors through next season.

Matt Hunwick and Byron Bitz are also RFAs this year, and both are young enough and played well enough in the playoffs to warrant contracts. I expect the Bruins will find a way to bring both these guys into the fold. These two are the Bruins' primary concerns after Kessel as they represent high quality prospects with tremendous size and desire to get dirty.

Coming up on Unrestricted Free Agency are defensive stalwarts PJ Axelsson and Stephane Yelle, and ironically, the less-defensively-sound Steve Montador. I believe Axelsson is the longest-serving Bruin but I doubt the B's will be able to retain him with the other players they have to bring under contract. In fact, I would be surprised if, after money is allocated to Bitz and Hunwick, the Bruins have any budget room for another big-ticket UFA, so I suspect they'll all be set free (including Shane Hnidy and the handsome Mark Recchi).

If the Bruins lose / set free Hnidy and Montador, but are able to bring Hunwick under contract, that will mean that he and Mark Stuart will see increased responsibilities next season. I would suspect that Chiarelli will also try to bring in another veteran with a mean streak, as that would retain the identity of the team and offer some mentorship to younger defenders without over-burdening Chara with yet another responsibility.

Prospects Wacey Rabbit, Carl Soderberg and Martin St. Pierre are also Restricted Free Agents with Soderberg being the priority signing. Should those kids all come on board they could serve with the Big Club in limited roles, potentially replacing Yelle and, through group-effort, Axelsson.

I sort of feel like the Bruins can reel in Hunwick and Bitz, give them a bigger role, and try to sign Kessel in order to deal him for other young guns. If they can do the above, and let the other UFAs they have coming up walk away, then they will experience a drop in team depth, but they could get lucky and have some kids fill in admirably (it happened this year with nearly every young kid on the team, with Krejci, Wheeler and Stuart having wonderful years), and still be a very competitive team next year, while building toward the seasons that follow.

On that score, the bigger concern for the future is what to do at the end of next season when Wheeler, Lucic, Mark Stuart and Marc Savard all come up as Free Agents. Ugh. Headacheville.

bruins win 4 - 2 and force game seven!

The Bruins rolled into Game Six and quickly built upon the dominance they showed in Game Five. Within the first 2 minutes, Mark Recchi tipped home a Patrice Bergeron cross-crease pass, and a short while later, with Byron Bitz screening Cam Ward, Steve Montador's point shot found the twine. The Bruins went into the first period intermission up 2 - 0.

Early in the second period, the Hurricanes were able to pot a goal after a crease-front scramble, but the second period proved to be the Bruins' best. They put two more pucks past Cam Ward and entirely controlled the play in the middle frame.

On the 3rd goal, Milan Lucic dangled in from the blue line, past three 'Cane defenders, before finding a wide open Marc Savard with a backhand pass, and on the 4th goal, Patrice Bergeron fed a long, cross-crease pass to Chuck Kobasew, who was able to tip it in past Ward. The second period saw the Bruins at their dynamic best, maintaining control over the puck and their emotions as they brought the game to Carolina. Boston would leave the second period up 4 - 1.

However, the third period proved to be complex. After five-or-so minutes of back and forth hockey, the Bruins ran into penalty trouble and Carolina was able to claw another goal back, bringing the score to 4 - 2. As someone who saw the final game between Carolina and New Jersey, I am pretty well aware of how little traction the 'Canes need to climb over you.

Ultimately, though, Tim Thomas was at his heart-stopping best, getting in front of pucks he really had no business saving, and weathering long stretches where Carolina had Boston pinned in the defensive zone. The B's killed off two penalties in the final ten minutes and were ultimately able to hang on for the win.

Game Seven, back in Boston, is scheduled for Thursday. I cannot tell you how excited I am.

Of Note: Marc Savard left the game in the third period and did not return. He was the victim of a knee-on-knee collision. It is unclear how serious his injury is, or whether it was decided to send him to the showers to prevent further injury, given that the Bruins were up 4 - 1 at the time. Obviously his presence in Game Seven is important; Byron Bitz continued to impress, adding another physical element that Carolina had seen only from Lucic, and making his presence felt down-low, in front of the net, and along the boards; I did not hear Blake Wheeler's name once, which makes me think he was scratched in favour of Shawn Thornton, who also had an effective, gritty game for the Bruins - his development this year has been remarkable; Patrice Bergeron played the best game I have ever seen him play. He was outstanding in all three zones.

bruins lose 4 - 1 as hurricanes win third straight game

The Bruins looked sloppy on the ice all night, and eventually lost this game because of it.

The B's went down 1-0 within the first three minutes of the game, and continued to have an awful first period, repeatedly turning pucks over and playing far out of position. However, they came out more calm and effective in the second period and, in direct opposition to Game Three, dominated the play along the boards and down low through the middle frame, and were able to tie the game up.

All elements were poised to have a Big Third Period, full of energized attacks and dogged checking. But it never materialized. Zdeno Chara took a penalty in the first two minutes of the third period and the 'Canes scored on the ensuing powerplay. It is the first time Tim Thomas has allowed a third period goal in the playoffs, but it would not be the last: the 'Canes scored two more times in the final frame to put the game out of reach. In the end the Bruins didn't scrap, didn't get any ridiculous close-calls, didn't generate any last-minute hits and therefore didn't send any kind of positive message going into Game Five. They went out with a whimper.

This was a very, very frustrating game if you are a Bruins fan. While there was finally some traffic in front of Cam Ward, the Bruins threw so few pucks at the net (and the Hurricanes blocked a lot of point shots) that the scrambly "garbage goals" that the playoffs are built upon were never really available to the players taking their licks in the crease.

At this point, I feel like the Bruins are being out-coached in the Series, or are simply not acting on the directions coaching staff are giving them. Longtime readers of Black White and Gold will know that I'm a fan of Claude Julien, but the fact is, the 'Canes made an adjustment to their playing after Game One and have won three straight games. The Bruins have not really adjusted their style to what they are seeing from the Hurricanes (they've merely been more or less effective at playing it), and they've paid the price.

The Hurricanes are not playing some crazy system that you cannot figure out - they often utilize a "pick" style play where a secondary player skates in front of a defending Bruin to create space for the puck-carrying player. It's a play often used in basketball and in hockey is better known as "obstruction" or "interference". However, it is not being called by the referees and the Bruins have not altered their play to either a) counteract the pick or b) use it themselves.

My feeling is that unless the Bruins shake up their system in Game Five, they should not expect to win. I think this Series has gone beyond just playing harder or with more heart and expecting their techniques to work. Other than Game One, the Bruins have never really held the play long enough to warrant the belief that their system will be ultimately effective if executed properly.

The Bruins should be looking for more traffic, garbage goals, uglier plays and a general level of chippiness that can lead to turnovers and "flukey" goals, because as the old saw goes: in the playoffs they never ask how, they only ask how many.

Of Note: My inside-source was incorrect, and Blake Wheeler did end up playing in Game Four - however, Byron Bitz was also inserted at the expense of Shawn Thornton; Bitz had a very good game, generating offense through his physical play and paying the price in front of the net; David Krejci had a brutal game, whiffing on clearing attempts at least three times, losing checks and being kept to the perimeter on offense; Steve Montador had another rough game, though with admittedly less drastic consequences; Shane Hnidy was also inserted into the lineup and had a solid, if unassuming, game - nothing wrong with keeping it simple as long as he's keeping it mean.

Game Five is scheduled for Sunday.

bruins lose 3-2 in overtime as carolina takes the series lead

Ultimately, this Bruins club and these Hurricanes are evenly matched and the games have been unbelievable. The goaltending in this series has been stellar and there are enough hits (cheap, illegal and otherwise) to keep a certain vegetarian Montrealer very happy.

Tonight's game could have obviously gone either way. The Bruins opened the scoring, but went down 2-1 within a 1:09 span in the second period. Deep into the 3rd the B's were able to tie it up and send the game into overtime, where the 'Canes got the winner (after about 7 quality Bruins' chances on Cam Ward). Thomas stood on his head the entire game and just barely missed the game-winning goal with his stick.

Steve Montador is deeply in my bad books after a ridiculous giveaway on the goal-line to Eric Staal on the 'Canes' first goal, and then allowing Samsonov to walk in and shoot on Carolina's second, but he salvaged himself a bit with some nice point play on the B's tying tally in the third. Still, I'd like to see Sheriff Shane Hnidy in game four.

Sending this game to OT was really all I could ask of these guys (well, before the game I asked for a 6-0 blowout, but it was clear that wasn't going to happen) given how hard-fought the game was. While a few players had some bad shifts, the Bruins battled for every puck, got the shots on net and dug for rebounds. We lost some people to injury (notably, Andrew Ference, whose absence would again increase the pressure on Montador), but more often than not, had players return for their next shift, bloodied but not broken.

For my part, I squeezed the corner of a couch cushion for three straight hours and now have a hand cramp that makes typing excruciating. But soft! I shall battle through it.

The Bruins and Hurricanes renew their (increasingly hostile and bloody) acquaintances on Friday night, again in Carolina. It's a cliche to say that Game Four is the most important game in a series, because Games One, Two and Three are just as important. However, the Bruins really need to take Game Four and return to Boston with the series tied.

Of Note: Apparently, the Bruins do not read my blog - there was only marginally more traffic in front of Ward tonight, but both goals came from players in front capitalizing on rebounds; the game unraveled quickly when Chara was not on the ice to check Staal (a consequence of Carolina having the last change); I have invented all-new profanity for the playoffs, and after tonight's very tense game, my neighbours are now very familiar with it - désolé mes voisins!

bruins at the nhl trading deadline

If you somehow missed it, the NHL trading deadline was this afternoon. Perhaps you also slept through the 200000 hours of coverage over the last few days. I am sure you can get very detailed information about it somewhere.

The Bruins picks of Mark Recchi and Steve Montador bring experience - a euphemism for veteran, itself a euphemism for old - and skill to a team that is fairly new to the playoffs. In the case of Recchi, the Bruins have added the highest level of playoff success to the team.

I agree with the sentiment expressed by Tony Massarotti in the Boston Globe: this is not the year to throw away top flight players like Kessel, Krejci, Wheeler, et al., for a ton of rental players at the ends of their contracts. This is a Bruins club that has been pretty well crafted but is young and needs time to develop. In fact, I would say deserves the time to develop to its full potential. We beleaguered fans certainly deserve that.

Recchi won a cup in 91 and most recently in 2006 - he's a left-handed shot, which the Bruins lost with Sturm's injury, and he's obviously a passionate playoff performer. It's a good pick-up that could go either way, just as this team does.

Montador I know less about, though I remember him playing with Calgary when they had the scariest defense corps in the West (Leopold, Regehr, Montador, that curly haired weirdo that played for Carolina, Phaneuf and, I think, Daryll Strawberry). He's a hardnosed player, and my impression is that he can be prone to bad penalties, but he may be a bit of an insurance policy in the 'grit' department.

Going away from the Bruins are Nokelainen to the Ducks, Karsums, Lashoff to Tampa Bay. All three are good players, and could have excellent success with the new clubs. Long-time readers will know I am a fan of the rangy Nokelainen, but he's coming to the age where it will soon be clear if he's a diamond in the rough, or just the rough.

The Bruins also got a second-round draft pick with Recchi's deal. Krejci and Lucic were second-round picks, by way of example of the potential importance of this to the overall measurement of the deal.

Hopefully the team will start to gel again now that the deadline has passed, and those young minds can relax and play some solid hockey. They've been consistently inconsistent lately, dropping a lead and ultimately the win against Philly last night, blowing out the Ducks and Panthers a couple games earlier. Perhaps the addition of new firepower and tenacity will breathe some energy back into their game, and help re-form the hard-forecheck, all attack defense identity they've maintained for most of the season.

Or perhaps we'll be back here in a few weeks, asking why we didn't blow this team up, or at least trade for Strawberry.