The Bruins Off-Season - Drafts, Trades and Deals

Now that the sting has worn off from this year's version of the Great Bruins Playoff Failure, it is time to assess the Bruins' off-season maneuvering.

The obvious stuff first:

Drafted Tyler Seguin: considered the 1a (next to Taylor Hall) in this year's draft, Seguin is apparently an "Yzerman-like Centre". The Bruins are so confident in the 18-year old's abilities, they are already making moves based around acquiring him (see below).

Traded Dennis Wideman (and picks) for Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell: I'm one of the few Bruins fans that liked Wideman, and thought the fans gave him a rough ride for performing a difficult job. Admittedly, sometimes more poorly than you'd like, but far more often solidly and reliably. Nathan Horton is a solid pick-up, and provides some needed relief on wing - he's a perennial 20 to 30 goal scorer.

Craig Ramsay takes Head Coaching job with the Thrashers: Ramsay is a very cool guy, he reminds me a little of William S. Burroughs, and preaches a solid defense. I believe the Bruins will miss Ramsay's ability to really connect with players and stick to the game plan. Chara has undoubtedly learned a great deal from Ramsay and I wish him all the best in Atlanta, because he got a raw deal in Philly and deserves the opportunity.

Bruins re-sign Boychuk and Recchi: Jonny Boychuk re-upped for 2 years and Recchi for 1, each bringing something good to the Bruins. Smart signings with minor cap hits.

Bruins trade Sobotka to St. Louis: This just happened before the free-agency opened. Sobotka was a restricted free-agent, and I suspect this is a cap pressured situation, because after years of waiting for him, Sobotka finally started coming into his own in last year's playoffs. Too bad he's now a Blue. In exchange the B's get a Boston College player named David Worsofsky, a puck-moving defenseman. And so, the circle of life completes itself - out goes Wideman, in come Worsofsky.

The Rumours:

There are rumours that the B's are dangling Marc Savard as trade bait, now that they've drafted Seguin. I don't know what the Bruins want in return, but I hope they realize players of Savard's ability are very hard to come by. He's got Adam-Oates-ian vision and skill, and he makes mediocre wingers better. Imagine him setting up Horton?

There are also rumblings that the Bruins are willing to trade Tim Thomas, and that Thomas has waived his no-trade clause. Again, I don't know what the Bruins think they need, but to trade away a Vezina-winning goalie after a half-season of being outplayed by a rookie seems a bit rash. The Bruins' road to hell is paved with one-year wonders. They must have believed in Thomas at some point - did they think he was the greater risk of being the one-year wonder than Rask?

I'm not really comfortable with trading away your top Centre and a freshly Vezina'd heroic goalie for mostly-unproven talent. They are shedding contracts but not really looking at the dead wood.
Which brings me to the...

Questions:

Why isn't Ryder's name coming up in trade talks?

Why isn't Sturm's name coming up in trade talks?

and:

What's happening with Blake Wheeler? Are they shedding the big kid, or are they going to continue to invest in his development?

While this isn't the most homoerotic photo of Tyler Seguin I've seen, it is in the top three:

It could be an interesting few days in the Bruins nation if trade or free-agency deals get done. I get the feeling a salary dump is coming on.

Bruins 3 - Flyers 2 - Bruins Take Two Game Lead in Playoffs

I'm pretty pumped up, having just watched the Bruins beat the Flyers, to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

I didn't really even expect the Bruins to advance past the first round, let alone make a serious dent in the second. So I'm chuffed.

I've said it before, but the Bruins could have lost nearly all of the games they've won in these playoffs. There have been some scary moments, and the B's seem to give up leads with regularity.

But, they are well-coached, they play with a lot of heart, and seem to believe that winning is possible. It's a perpetual underdog perspective that gives the team it's core or meaning.

Everyone seems to buy into the system this year - which is necessary given that isolated mistakes lead to goals-against in the playoffs, such as the giveaway that led to Briere's goal tonight.

However, the win came tonight with 3 minutes remaining, Milan Lucic scoring his first home goal all season. He has had a rough year, but he scored when the team needed him most. The place went crazy.

The win makes the Bruins perfect at home through the playoffs thus far (5-0) - strange since they won the Winter Classic and then lost 10 straight games, winning none at home.

In winning tonight, the B's have successfully retained home-ice advantage and now roll on to Philly on Wednesday. That is a very intimidating rink.

Finally, how lucky are the Bruins that GM Chiarelli brought in Mark Recchi? That guy leads by example and at 42 is still one of the best players on the team.

Bruins Beat Philly in OT - Take Game 1

The Bruins opened their playoff series against Philly with an overtime win, this afternoon in Boston. They may have given up 2-goal leads three times in the game, but the B's eventually won it in OT with drama.

Marc Savard played his first game back since his concussion, and was eased into the lineup by coach Julien, who kept Savard's ice time low until the overtime period.

In the overtime, the Bruins held the play for long, frantic stretches in the Philly end, and Brian Boucher's reputation (gained from besting Brodeur in the last round) was shown to be well-earned.

As is often the case with frantic offensive attacks, defensemen pinch in to help push the offense, and as a consequence the Bruins gave up odd-man rushes and had to rely on Tuukka Rask to stop a few breakaways.

But the Bruins kept up the pressure, wearing down the Flyers, and Marc Savard scored the game winner on a mini-slapper. His celebration was pretty great, and he tossed his stick into the crowd.

Bergeron, Satan, Chara, Recchi and Ference played very well. Wideman got schooled on Briere's goal, but kept the puck in at the blue line to set up Savard's goal, so what does that mean? He played okay?

Rask, despite letting in 4 goals, played incredibly, but I got the feeling the Flyers were starting to figure him out a little based on where they were testing him.

Finally, it looks like the B's will be without Marco Sturm for awhile. He tweaked his knee 26 seconds into the game and had to be helped off the ice. Will the Bruins call someone up, or just activate Thornton or someone, I wonder.

Today's game could have been a nightmarish loss for the Bruins, but instead it is a triumphant victory - it's odd in hockey how close those two poles are.

Game 2 goes Monday in Boston.

Bruins Win Game 3 - Take 2-1 Lead in the Series

Tonight, the Bruins played three solid periods of hockey, set the pace of the game for the most part, and earned the home win.

It was very satisfying, if you're a B's fan.

Regular readers (all fifteen of you or whatever) will know that I am a huge fan of an uptempo forecheck coupled with rub-out defense, and that I think the Sabres are a 'barometer' team for the Bruins - a way to assess how the B's are really playing.

So this series has been entertaining for me, with a lot of body contact and speedy finesse, basically making the skilled guys operate in a maelstrom. The Bruins have been the better team for 2.5 of the games, but could have lost all three, really.

Tonight's hero, of course, is Mark Recchi, who set up the winning goal by solidly body-checking the Sabres defenseman away from the puck, and feeding a great pass out to Patrice Bergeron in the high slot. Every shift that guy earns his paycheck and defies his age.

But the real story in this series has been the goaltending. Ryan Miller and Tuukka Rask are playing phenomenally and covering areas of the net that would have seemed impossible 20 years ago. Post to post craziness. Toe kick-out shoulder shrug rebound saves. The works.

Wednesday's game will obviously be huge and the Bruins should expect a far more combative Sabres team.

Of Note: in Saturday's 5-3 win, Recchi became the third oldest player to score an NHL playoff goal; when the Bruins win Game 3 of a playoff series they've gone on to win 70% of the time.

How Did the Bruins Win Four Straight After Losing Ten in a Row?

After losing 10 straight games, the Bruins have been able to rattle off four consecutive wins and have jumped into 7th spot in the Eastern Conference (ahead of the Habs!) coming into the Olympic break.

In the previous 5 games, the Bruins went up 2-0 in every game, barely holding on for wins in the last four. A couple of nights ago, they held a 5-0 lead on Tampa Bay going into the 3rd period, only to barely hold on in the dying seconds for a 5-4 win.

So why have the Bruins been winning games?

Because:

• As poor (not financially) Tim Thomas warms a groove into the bench, Tuukka Rask has had 6 straight starts, looking sharp in all of them. Rask's record is 13 wins and 7 losses, with a 2.09 GAA, which is 2nd in the league. He's weird looking, too thin, gangly and has a name like a Star Wars bounty hunter, but you gotta go with the hot hand.
  
  
• The Bruins secondary forwards have finally stopped expecting the top forwards to provide all the offense. Guys like Ryder, Recchi, Krejci and Paille have started putting pucks away, and taken the pressure off of Savard and Lucic as they come back from injuries.
  
  
• Savard and Lucic have come back from injuries! Marc Savard's numbers are modest this year compared to his previous few, and Milan Lucic is still an emerging power forward, but these two players strengthen the Bruins by making other players around them better.
  
  Having them back in the lineup and in game shape gives the B's more offensive firepower and frees up guys like Krejci and Bergeron, who other teams had been keying on.
  
  
• Patrice Bergeron has had a great year so far, entering into some sort of Yzerman Zone of offensive gifts and defensive responsibility. He's been the first to pucks, setting guys up, lifting sticks - doing tons of subtle little things every shift that can change a game. I hope he has a great Olympics!
  
  
• Finally, GM Peter Chiarelli hasn't done anything stupid, like pull the trigger on a 'blockbuster' trade to save the season. The Bruins are young enough and talented enough that they could continue to develop into a juggernaut in the coming years. Many in Bruins Nation believe that this year is an aberration and that it is better to maintain a longer view of this team.

Now the Bruins enter into the two-or-so weeks of the Olympic Break, while many of the team's best players fly to Vancouver to play with their respective countries. Hopefully the 4-game win streak and 2-week pause has the team returning to the ice feeling good, and the winning ways will continue.

The B's will have to keep twinning if they expect to make the playoffs. At this point any team could get hot and jump from 12th to 7th in four short games.

Of Note: A sidebar on Tim Thomas: I hope he goes to the Olympics and looks amaaaazing - not against Canada, of course - and comes back to the B's looking renewed and solid for the stretch run. I don't get the sense the Bruins organization wants to bail on Thomas, but he needs to step it up if he's going to actually be the Number 1 goalie he's spent his life fighting to become.

Bruins Drop 10th Straight Game - Aim for 11 Today

Not only have the Bruins lost 10 straight games, they've lost their last two games in the shootout after surrendering a 2 goal lead.

People talk about teams being "fragile" when they go on losing streaks, but I honestly can't imagine how damaged the Bruins players must be feeling right now.

And my response?

I do not care.

The Bruins are playing well enough to win these games - at least the defensemen and goalies are. The reality is that all the chances that guys like Marco Sturm, David Krejci and Blake Wheeler are getting down low have to be buried. If you are a top six forward, it is not enough to be 'contributing' unless your contributions are goals. The Bruins do not need multimillion dollar backchecking forwards - just ask PJ Axelsson (if you can find him....I think he's somewhere in Sweden).

When a 42 year old Mark Recchi is out-hustling guys TWO DECADES his junior, then something needs to happen to shake things up.

One more point: can someone explain the idea of doing chip & chase (or dump & chase) on the powerplay? Like, you already have possession of the puck, and you have one more player than your opposition. What is the logic behind consistently throwing the puck away into the corner, to then go to try to retrieve it? It is not working, and it is a ridiculous idea to begin with. You already have the puck! Jeez, skate the damned puck in, curl back and set it up. Obviously. Just look at any team with a successful powerplay for examples of how it is done. Man.

The Bruins enter this afternoon's game against the Canadiens one game short of their all-time losing streak record of 11 games. Unless they improve some fundamental things right away, they're going to lose today as well. It pains me to say - especially against the Canadiens - but I can't expect the Bruins to win if their last two games are any indication of where the team is headed.

An absolutely brutal streak will be on the line this afternoon.

Bruins Need Shootout to Shut Down Senators

Tim Thomas made his first start in nets for the Bruins since mid-November tonight, in his return from The Injury of Mystery (rumoured to be a broken bone in his hand), and he had a solid game - for the most part...

Frustratingly, for this Bruins fan, the otherwise nationally-broadcast Senators and Bruins game was blacked-out in Quebec, and I had to instead sit through the Capitals and Canadiens game. Which, frankly, was like to eating cold dirt in the rain for me.

However, I was able to keep tabs on the B's and Sens game, and was pleased that the Bruins erased a two-goal deficit to tie the game, and then potted another goal to take the lead.

And, of course, I was suitably dismayed that the B's gave up the tying goal in the final minute of the game, especially given the fact that the exact same thing happened in Thomas' last start (on November 14th), against the Penguins.

But that is not what really irks me. What really irks me is that Mark Recchi had two chances at the empty net in the final minute of the game and missed twice. Honestly? Two shots to the wide-right on an open net? Man, that whole 'timely goalscorer' nameplate is showing some rust, no? Presently, Recchi has only 11 points and is -4 on the season. We need him to be better.

At any rate, the Bruins pulled out the win in the shootout, courtesy of Michael Ryder (getting his second goal of the game), and in doing so, took over top spot in the Northeast Division.

A significant development in tonight's game was that the Bruins were able to score three powerplay goals - a considerable improvement over the 0-7 powerplay record in their game against New Jersey, yesterday afternoon.

On the whole, a messy game for the Bruins, especially in the 1st period, but the win (and the points) will help the team as they head into the December stretch.

Of Note: Milan Lucic's injury will keep him out of the lineup for about 4 weeks; Marc Savard is still finding his form, returning from injury; Patrice Bergeron blocked a shot and went down in a heap tonight, but was able to return to the game; The Bruins have now won 5 of their last 6 games and improve to 13-8-5 on the season, thus far.

Bruins Powerplay Beats Buffalo

On Saturday night, the Bruins limped into another game against a Division rival - this time against the Sabres and the red hot goaltending of Ryan Miller.

The Sabres may not represent the same level of Bruins-Killer that they did in the 80s and early 90s, but they still field a strong team that matches up well against the Bruins, especially when the Bruins have just finished consecutive games where they are unable to score, and have lost three straight.

However, on Saturday night, the Bruins and Sabres both played their backup goalies - Tuukka Rask and Jhonas Enroth - possibly because they both sound like Jedis or United Nations chairmen - and the Bruins were able to pull out a 4-2 win over Buffalo.

Most important in the Bruins win is that they broke their 0-for-20 goal-less run on the powerplay, and that a few players who had been struggling lately were able to score.

Zdeno Chara got his first goal of the season, Marco Sturm scored for the first time in about a month, and Byron Bitz, recently returned from injury, was able to help out as well. The B's scoring was rounded out by Mark Recchi, who, by my estimation, has been ice cold so far this season and has yet to regain that "inspiring veteran" status that he has been known for over the last four or five years. Hopefully, Saturday night's game was an indication of Recchi warming up a little bit.

Coach Julien's post-game comments touched on the team's effort lately, and how finally getting some bounces to match the Bruins' work ethic finally led to a win:

We talked about trying to get the team to relax a little bit and have confidence in their skills knowing eventually you are going to score goals. I felt that our team has been working hard in the last couple of weeks and probably deserving a better fate. When you don’t score and you don’t win games you have to find a way to keep your team focused, being believers, and knowing that if you stick with it someday it will turn. Hopefully it is a start tonight. We all know that we have a much bigger game against Pittsburgh, but right now you have to enjoy a win and enjoy the way you did it.

That "bigger game against Pittsburgh" comes this Tuesday for the Bruins. Hopefully, Saturday night's win will rejuvenate the B's a bit, and they can carry some momentum into the game against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Bruins Fall to Red Wings - 2-0

The Bruins' loss tonight pivoted on two minutes of poor play, where the Red Wings were able to pot a powerplay goal and then follow up with a quick even-strength tally in the 1st period, leaving the Bruins unable to respond for the rest of the game.

It was a very frustrating night for this Bruins fan, simply because the B's had chances to score - there were several shots rung off posts and at least one goal-line-trickler - all of which go toward making Chris Osgood look better than he actually is. That actually hurts me.

What also hurts is the Bruins' dismal powerplay, which ranks 29th in the league and went (by my count) 0-for-4 tonight. Coupled with the B's scoring only 3 goals in their last 4 games, the Bruins offense is looking pretty anemic right now and they need some guys to boost their play.

Not helping things? David Krejci, who actually played okay, but only okay, and frankly that's not going to be good enough with the contract he's sitting on and the injuries the Bruins have sustained. Krejci needs to be a force on the ice every time he's on it, and right now he's only causing a few surprises every 10-or-so shifts.

Also in my doghouse is Marco Sturm who was only notable tonight for taking the penalty that led to the first Red Wings goal, and Mark Recchi who seemed ineffectual at best and completely invisible at worst. For some reason, Recchi was awarded ice time in the final 2 minutes of the game and it was the first time I'd noticed him in 2 periods of play.

Frustrating also was the play of Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ference who each looked out of their respective positions for most of the night. I don't know if the Detroit speed caught them off-guard, but they looked like they were caught being reactive, rather than proactive, all game.

It was not a total washout for the Bruins though - I thought Patrice Bergeron looked really strong, I was impressed by Brad Marchand's energy and grit, and both Chara and Morris looked good as the number-one defensive pairing.

Tim Thomas also had a really strong game, snagging pucks out masses of bodies, and keeping his team in contention. Obviously, Detroit are known for how hard they crash the net, and Thomas did not look particularly phased by the activity in front of his net tonight.

But by far the strongest Bruins player of the night was Shawn Thornton, who created scoring opportunities and created chaos every time he hit the ice. Along with Steve Begin and (call-up) Trent Whitfield, Thorton's line seemed to be the one the Red Wings had the most trouble controlling.

And that's terrible.

When a team like the Bruins, rich in talent and depth (even with their injuries), has to rely on their 4th line for leadership and goal-scoring prowess, there's something not right in the line up.

Having missed the last few games for obvious reasons, I am going to reserve judgement on the Bruins so far this season, but tonight's game seems to echo reports of their most recent and Claude Julien has his work cut out for him: address the (awful) powerplay, improve the play of the top six forwards, and perhaps spend some time with Ference, some video footage, and a cattle prod.

The Bruins next play the Canadiens, this Thursday.

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 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 go two-for-two through the weekend

Last night's shoot-em-up in Toronto was blocked for us Bruins fans in Montreal; we were left to watch the Canadiens and Sabres as the rest of the country watched the Festival of Red Lights in TO.

In Saturday night's game, neither goalie was particularly effective, as Pogge and Joseph let in 7 goals, and Manny Fernandez - still struggling to find his form - let in 5. However, despite the porous goaltending, the Bruins' firepower won the night, which was a welcomed change given how hard it has been for the team to score lately. As the adage says, the team that scores more goals wins, and the Bruins won, 7-5.

Tonight's match against the Flyers was carried nationwide on NHL Network, and was a very entertaining game. The Flyers scored first, but the B's roared back after a fight between Montador and Carcillo, and potted three unanswered goals - two by Lucic. They added another in the third period, and the game remained 4-2 until inside the final 2 minutes, when Philly scored and drew to within one goal. However, despite some scary moments, the B's were able to hold on and win the game 4-3.

Tim Thomas was, as usual, unorthodox and unbelievable, making at least two saves by diving across the open goal-mouth and deflecting the puck aside - in one instance losing his helmet, stick and blocker in the process. Totally awesome.

Mark Recchi (who, according to my Toronto correspondents, is "kind of hot") continued his strong play of late, registering the winning goal in tonight's match-up, and Dennis Wideman had shifts that were some of the best I've seen any defender play this year.

On the whole, a couple of solid games with crisp passing, powerplay execution, and good overall team chemistry...and not a moment too soon. The Bruins have seven games remaining before the playoffs, and are starting to show the form necessary to succeed in the post-season.

The Bruins' next game is Tuesday, at home, against the Lightning.

bruins go one-and-one in weekend games

The Bruins were able to claw their way back into their matinee against the Rangers this afternoon, having come from 3-1 to tie it up in the third period, but alas, they could not hold off the Ranger offense, and lost 4-3.

Manny Fernandez got the start, and from the highlights, looked confused on at least two of the Ranger goals (one of which he put into his own net). This brings his current losing streak to 5 games, after having posted a 10-1 record for a good part of the season.

Coach Julien was told of Fernandez accepting blame for today's loss and had the following to say in his defense:

''He's hard on himself, that's the way he is....if everyone is (as) hard on themselves like that, and then they go out to correct, we'll be okay.''

Yesterday's match-up between the Bruins and Blackhawks had the Bruins up 4-1 before Chicago mounted a comeback, bringing the game to 4-3 before Alexsson's empty net goal sealed the deal for the B's. Tim Thomas registered the win, and was especially heroic in the final 6 minutes of the match.

Mark Recchi (seen above in the danger zone) scored his first two goals as a Bruin in yesterday's game (and looked great doing it), whereas ex-Maple Leaf Nik Antropov scored for the Rangers in today's match, showing the impact of the trade deadline in concrete results.

The Bruins actually played better over the last two games than they have played lately, but neither game resulted in wins I would call confident. The B's are still unable to play a full 60 minutes of their uptempo style of attack, and whenever they take their foot off the gas, their opponents gain the upper hand.

With the current rush from New Jersey and Washington, I think the Bruins will be hard-pressed to maintain their current first-place in the East position; however, this is a situation where I am sure every Bruin would be comfortable with just entering the playoffs on a competitive streak, putting wins together with a consistent effort.

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.