11/26 - @ Flyers

Whatever happened at Claude Julien's practice yesterday was super-effective. For the first period, the Bruins outplayed the Flyers in every facet of the game. Maybe there were a few lucky bounces, but this wasn't the same team from Saturday night. Glen Murray has finally hit his stride, Glen Metropolit is filling in admirably for Patrice Bergeron, and Matt Hunwick is doing a nice job back on the point. Tuukka Rask was good enough in his second NHL start though its obvious he isn't ready to carry the load yet. The main downer was the PK, which was horrendous allowing all three goals. This is an area that desperately needs improvement.

*The Flyers continue to be the dirtiest team in the league as Scott Hartnell put an awful hit on Andrew Alberts who left the game. Hartnell was ejected and hopefully suspension will follow. I think it should be steeper than Jones on Bergy since this hit was far more deliberate. The Broad Street Bullies are defiantly back.

* Jack Edwards could have used a deer tranquilizer or three in the booth tonight. He completely overreacted to a stat inaccuracy about hits, and continues to act like he knows everything about everything.

10/24 - @ Islanders

After a solid first game of the home and home against the Isles, the Bruins just looked Saturday night on Long Island. There was no jump in any ones step and and the boys with the spoked B's on their chests were thoroughly beaten down. A few bright spots were the continuing solid play of Tim Thomas in net and the emergence of Mark Stuart as a legitimate top-4 defenseman. The Bs are going to need to find some offense soon, as Rick DiPietro was never really rattled in this one. Claude Julien has his work cut out with these guys.

*Tonight marked the NHL debut for Vladimir Sobotka

11/23 - vs. NY Islanders

The Bruins notched an important win in an important contest against the Islanders yesterday afternoon at the Garden. After a very slow start for both team, the late second and third periods were pretty good. Glen Murray showed signs of life, getting his name on the score sheet and looking more mobile than usual in the process. Tim Thomas was very solid again, allowing only one goal late, but the Tank hung in for the win. This guy has to be in the All-Star Game, no questions asked. As Glen Metropolit scored the game winner Andy Brickley said Metropolit was the best tryout invitee in NHL history, take it easy Brick. Home and homes are always fun, so tonight should be another good one on the Island.

*Vladimir Sobotka will probably see his first NHL action in place of the dinged up Milan Lucic.

* Spectors Trade Site is reporting the Bruins are shopping for an experienced back-up goalie. I'm not sure that should be on the top of Peter Chiarelli's wish list. Even though Rask is young, he certainly can stay up, though after Toivonen and Raycroft, I understand his reluctance to rush young netminders.

11/11 - vs. CT Selects

Due to the fast approaching Xavier season, I changed the site over, and put the last game write-up on here. This is the end for game summaries and three stars.

*Not the way anyone wanted to end the season this afternoon, as the Red Devils fell 5-3 at the hands of the CT Selects in Cromwell. Ryan Lee kept the score out of the double digits, making over 40 saves, and stopping everything he could. After an awful start, the Devils picked it up a bit, but with Piscottano touring the Rockies and Malz battling a fever, it just wasnt meant to be. Captain Vino did what he could notching two goals, but it wasnt enough in the end, even with Will doing what he could to fire up the bench. Coach Ken stayed suprisingly calm throughout the game. After the banquet on Thursday its go time!

*The Last Three Stars: 1)Lee 2) O'Hara 3) Even

*If anyone knows a junior who wants to help me out this year, let me know.

Summer(s over) Camp

Wow, I havent written anything in a long time. I've been really busy, and as a result the site has been neglected...sorry. Camp has opened since the last time I wrote. Today, the Bruins rookie team played a game in Shelton, CT. Being a CT resident I caught the beginning of the game, and I was very impressed, especially with Tuukka Rask and Milan Lucic. Rask looked solid during his time in net, though he wasnt tested that often. Lucic looked like a really dominant big man. He dominated a fight towards the end of the game (so I heard from a friend who was there to the end)

* One interesting note: the Bruins have invited Glen Metropolit to camp on a tryout basis. Glen is much better than candidates from the last couple years (ie. Billy Tibbetts) and unlike many non-roster guys, with a strong camp, Metropolit just might make the roster.

* If you havent checked out NHL 08 yet, you need to. It is a great game, especially for PS3. One issue I had with the game is Tim Thomas has a skill rating of only 78, give Boston's real number one goalie a littlw love, but really check this game out.

Camp Coming Fast

You know we are nearing the start of the season when all the veterans have arrived at camp in Wilmington. Oh wait, almost all the veterens! "Big-time" offseason pickup Manny Fernandez is yet to strap on the pads at Ristuccia Arena. As far as I'm concerned, this is a positive since it may allow Tim Thomas to get a leg up on the number one goalie job. Bergeron, Murray, and enforcer Jeremy Reich are some of the most recent arrivals, rounding out the veteran core. The Globe put out a full list of the attendees: Andrew Alberts, P.J. Axelsson, Patrice Bergeron, Brandon Bochenski, Zdeno Chara, Chris Collins, Jeff Hoggan, Matt Hunwick, Martins Karsums, Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Matt Lashoff, Mark Mowers, Glen Murray, Jeremy Reich, Marc Savard, Jonathan Sigalet, Jordan Sigalet, Marco Sturm, Nate Thompson, Dennis Wideman.

* Among the veterans who have yet to arrive and skate: Peter Schaefer, Shawn Thornton, Manny Fernandez, Aaron Ward, and Chuck Kobasew.

* While attending the Redsox game last Friday, I was walking around before the game and saw the towering figure of Captain Zdeno Chara nearby. He was on his way to the pregame show on Yawkey Way and let me tell you, Chara is even bigger in person!

Season just around the corner

It's been too long since I posted but in this part of the off season there's very little going on. One important note is the first few Bruins players have made there way back to Wilmington. Reports say so far Andrew Alberts, Bobby Allen, Zdeno Chara, Matt Hunwick, Matt Lashoff, Mark Mowers, Marc Savard, Mark Stuart, Tim Thomas, Nate Thompson. Obviously the surprising names there are Savard and Thomas, seeing as they have very little to prove going into the upcoming season, but it is good to see some team spirit from the big guns. Timmy T usually goes to a goalie showcase in Chicago with his agent, Bill Zito, this week, but this year he is choosing to spend it with the team in Boston. Maybe Thomas can get a leg up on Manny before camp even begins, that would be nice.

Eligibility Rules: Part II

(Note: read Part I below first) Hopefully this clears up some issues with eligibility in juniors. Below is Part I about College Players and Europeans.

The start of the NHL season: A junior-aged player who is not signed to an NHL contract by this time must return to his junior team (the official deadline is usually a day or two before the opening games). That player is essentially gone for the year. He is not eligible to return to the NHL until his junior team's season is over.

The 10-game mark: A junior-aged player with a contract can play up to nine NHL games as a trial period. If he is returned to junior before the tenth game, his contract is effectively put on hold: when he goes to training camp the following season, he will be in the first year of his contract.Once the player appears in his tenth NHL game, his contract kicks in. He can still be returned to his junior club after that. But at season's end, a full contract year will expire.

The 40-game mark: This is when the clock starts ticking on a player's free agent status. Under the 2005 collective agreement, a player are eligible for unrestricted free agency after seven years in the NHL. But if he returns to junior hockey before playing 40 NHL games, the season does not count as an "accrued season," which means it doesn't count towards free agency eligibility.So an 18-year-old rookie who plays at least 40 NHL games can become an unrestricted free agent at the age of 25. An 18-year-old who is returned to junior hockey before game 40 will not be eligible for free agency until he's 26. (Assuming both go on to become NHL regulars every season after that.)

Note: also that a junior-aged player with an NHL contract cannot be sent to a minor pro league like the AHL unless he has already played four seasons of junior hockey. He must either stay on the NHL roster or return to junior.

Eligibility Questions: Part I

Sorry it's been so long aince the last post, but I've been researching this article that I'm putting up now. To me, the rules governing players after they are drafted are very confusing to me. After seeing some questions I've been asked, it seems almost no one really has a good grasp on what happens. This bothered me until I found, over many different sites, the answers to just about all of the eligibility questions.

Eligible Players
-Players who turn 18 by September 15 and are not older than 20 by December 31 are eligible for selection. In addition, non-North American players over the age of 20 are eligible.

-A North American player who is not drafted by the age of 20 is an unrestricted free agent. All non-North Americans must be drafted before being signed, regardless of age.
Re-entering the Draft

-A player not signed by his NHL team within two years of being drafted can re-enter the draft, as long as he is 20 years old or younger at the time of the subsequent draft. Players over 20 become unrestricted free agents.
-NCAA players are an exception: NHL teams retain the rights to a college player until 30 days after the player has left college.
-A team that does not sign a first-round draft pick is awarded a compensatory pick in a future draft upon losing the rights to that player.

-A player who has been drafted a second time cannot re-enter.

Recent Changes
European Players - Prior to 2005, NHL teams retained the rights to a European player until that player turned 31. Drafted Europeans must now be signed within two years, the same as North Americans, or the team loses the rights to the player.

NCAA Players - As of 2004, 18-year-old players from NCAA Division I schools can be drafted and retain their college eligibility as long as they don't play for a pro team or hire an agent. In previous years, an 18-year-old who opted into the draft lost his NCAA eligibility.

-A Post about Junior Eligibility to follow-

Random Wrap-up

This is my last post for a little while. I will be be away from tommorow (sunday) until this friday, therefore you will have to get your Bruins tidbits elsewhere. Since many of this sites readers will be on the trip with me, it may not be an issue. I leave you in the capable hands of Lyle Richardson of Spector's Hockey, who covers all the bases. I leave you till next weekend with a few random notes.

* Mike Milbury will be a NESN TV analyst next season, taking the position vacated by Tom Fitzgerald who has accepted a position with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

*THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HAVE DEALT FORWARD RADIM VRBATA TO THE PHOENIX COYOTES IN EXCHANGE FOR CENTRE KEVYN ADAMS.

*Scott Fitzgerald (New England H.S. and College), Wayne Smith (Ontario and Quebec), Alexei Dementiev (Russia), Grant Sonier (North America and Europe), and John Weisbrod (US minor leagues) are all joining the Bruins scouting staff this season.

Chistov defecting for '07?

One player who wont be worried about winninga spot on this years Bruins team is Stan "Don't Call Me Stanislav" Chistov. According to various media reports, Chistov has signed a contract with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Russian Super League. This is a strange move be Stan, seeing as he was now on a team where he was going to get playing time. Also, the timing here is a bit odd, seeing as Chistov had one year left on his NHL contract with the Bruins. Since the Russian Super League doesnt have a transfer agreement with the NHL (most European leagues do) then Russian teams can sign players even with time left on there contracts. The player will be added to a suspended or "defected" list, and, good news for Boston, that players salary will not count against the salary cap. Since Chistov would have been a free agent at the end of next season anyway, this will only apply for one season. This isnt much of a loss for the Bruins seeing as Chistov was part of Boston's growing collection of "Wily Mo Pena's" (guys who just never live up to their potential, for you non baseball fans). This list includes Chistov, Brandon Bochenski, Chuck Kobasew, and to a degree Manny Fernandez.

Could you sign please?

As the Bruins continue readying for the season, they signed number one draft pick (8th overall) to an entry level contract and resigned goalie Jordan Sigalet, who to this point, has played his entire pro career with the Providence Bruins. Hamill wont wear a Boston Bruins uniform, and probably wont even don the Providence yellow and black this season. Barring an amazing performance in training camp, he will probably rejoin his junior team, the Everett Silvertips, for another year before joining the ranks of the AHL. Through his agent, Hamill said he was very happy to have his contract settled before another season on the ice began. Here's a clip from the Boston Globe describing the financials:

"First-round pick Zach Hamill signed a three-year entry-level deal today that will pay the center the CBA-mandated maximum of $875,000 per season. The salary includes an $87,500 signing bonus. The 18-year-old Hamill signed a two-way deal, so he will earn $65,000 per season in the AHL, although he's expected to return to Everett, his junior team, in 2007-08. Hamill could also earn a total of $500,000 per season in Individual A bonuses (categories include goals, assists, points, plus/minus, points per game, All-Rookie Game appearance, All-Star Game appearance), $75,000 more than No. 7 pick Jakub Voracek agreed to with the Columbus Blue Jackets last Friday. "

As I mentioned above, the team also resigned goalie Jordan Sigalet. He is slated to back-up prodigy Tuukka Rask and help acclimate the Finnish youngster to the game and life in general on this side of the pond. Sigalet's accomplishments in goal are often overshadowed by his battle with MS, which although certainly noteworthy, should not under mind his play between the pipes. Last season in Providence, Sigalet was slated to carry the load, and looked good early, but a struggling Hannu Toivonen forced Jordan to a backup role for most of the year. (Wow, now doesn't Scott Gordon wish he had Sigalet in there, rather than the newest Boston castoff) Still Sigalet finished with good numbers finishing with a 15-5 record, a 2.39 GAA, .915 save percentage and THREE shutouts. Not too shabby! Sigalet must be very comfortable in Providence, seeing as Boston had tremendous depth in goal and Jordan will probably never patrol a goal at the Garden. (I said depth, not quality depth)

Player Profile: Tuukka Rask

Tuukka Rask was born in Savonlinna, Finland on April 10, 1987. At only 16 years old, Tuukka left home to play for Ilves Tampere of the SM-Liga. He played in the World Junior Championships and the SM-Liga's equivalent of juniors, where he clearly stood out from all the other goalies his age.

2004-05: Rask faced new challenges behind poor defenses and against strong opposition in both SM-Liiga and the WJC. He collected most of his minutes in Finnish Jr. A where he won the championship after a beyond-perfect performance, 9 wins in 10 games with a GAA of 0.87 and saves at .973. The magic wore off by the year's U18 WC, however, where Rask was disappointing.

2005-06: The pecking order at the goalie position expectedly went through changes over the course of the season. Rask with his very limited experience wasn't ready to take over Juha Pitkämäki at first. The fall season was about backup duties, but once Rask returned from the WJC's, he excelled in a couple of games. Soon it became apparent that he wasn't just riding a hot streak but given a start after another, quietly taking over the starter's position. He finished with a strong 2.09 GAA and .926 save percentage in 30 games.

2006-07: Ilves headed into the year with a teenage goalie tandem Tuukka Rask (BOS) and Riku Helenius (TB). Helenius suffered a shoulder injury in practice early in the season before he got to play and the recovery took longer than anticipated. In turn, Rask had more than enough work to deal with. He played 49 games and faced the second most shots in the league, taking care of WJC duties on the side. Rask performed commendably, saving Ilves on many occasions by winning close games when the team couldn’t score. His GAA of 2.39 and the save percentage .928 were among the league’s finest. Rask streched a gap to the team’s second best player perhaps wider than in any other SM-liiga organisation. (Yearly Summaries courtesy of hockeysfuture.)

2007-08 Prediction: Starting Goalie - Providence (AHL) (though a strong camp could raise questions on where he should be)

The Basement, It's Called Bruins

Today, amid tons of excitement on the Boston sports scene, fans pretty much summed up the Bruins place in the happenings. The Boston Globe website offered this pole question. "Which Boston team will end up having the most buzz, Redsox-Celtics-Patriots-or Bruins? It was close early, but the Redsox have a commanding lead in the pole as of now with around 60%. The Celts and Pats are really close, with around 20% each. In last are the Bruins with, get this, 1.9%. If they added the New England Revolution, they would probably beat the Bruins. Hell, if you added the Ringling Brothers circus, it would probably beat the Bruins. All three other Boston teams have one thing in common, they do what it takes to field a winner, granted the Celtics took their time doing it, but they still got it done. The Bruins could never make a deal comparable to the KG move, since trading their entire roster probably wouldnt be seen as enough compensation. Soon, the seats in the Garden may be green and white rather than yellow and black since the Celtics will dominate ticket sales this season before even setting foot on the floor. Manny Fernandez just doesnt generate that kind of buzz, suprised?

Player Profile: Tim Thomas

Here is week 2 of the Player Profile series showing the candidates for the Bruins starting goalie spot this fall. This week is highlighting Tim "The Tank" Thomas. A Native of Davison, Michigan (near Flint), Thomas was the number one goalie at the University of Vermont during all four years he was there from 1993-94 until 1996-97. He was an ECAC All-Star and NCAA All-American during his sophomore and junior seasons. Tim was selected by Quebec Nordiques in ninth round (217th overall) of the 1994 Entry Draft. However, Thomas waited to sign with the team, choosing to finish his time at UVM and then signed with HIFK Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League after stumbling in the ECHL and IHL. Thomas returned to Europe until 2002, when he signed by the Bruins. It was this year Thomas finally made his NHL debut, and defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. After playing the next season in Providence, Thomas yet again left for Finland. During the lockout, he played for Jokerit Helsinki, where he played almost every game and was the teams MVP. Thomas chose to return to Boston the next season, creating controversy when he evoked an escape clause in his contract the left Jokerit without a starting goalie. Thomas began the year in Providence, but when both Andrew Raycroft and Hannu Toivonen got hurt, Tim was called up. In his first game, nationally televised on NBC, Thomas lost a shootout 2-1 to Dallas, stopping 37 of 38 shots, and certainly should have won. We all know what happened from there. You cant finish a Tim Thomas article without mentioning the "Mage". The mage is a combination of the two headwear options for goalies, a mask or a cage. Some people love it other hate it, but Tim likes the mask he created in order to increase air circulation inside his helmet.Prediction for Thomas in '07- Backup or Platoon to/with Fernandez.

Preseason Schedule

Official Release from the Boston Bruins:

BOSTON BRUINS 2007 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

Tue., Sept. 18 N.Y. Islanders at St. John's, Newfoundland 7:00 PM

Thu., Sept. 20 New Jersey at Manchester, NH 7:00 PM ET

Sat., Sept. 22 Toronto at TD Banknorth Garden 4:00 PM ET

Sun., Sept. 23 Montreal at Halifax, Nova Scotia 4:00 PM AT

Thu., Sept. 27 Montreal at Bell Center, Montreal 7:30 PM ET

Sun., Sept. 30 N.Y. Islanders at TD Banknorth Garden 4:00 PM ET

(Not Really Breaking) News: Toivinen to St. Louis

Being a Bruins fan, I wasn't at all surprised by the fact Hannu Toivonen was traded today to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for centre Carl Soderberg. What did surprise me is the Bruins actually appeared to get decent value back. Soderberg has never played in the NHL, or North America for that matter. He is a big body, and at 21 he still has plenty of time left to develop. Carl pretty much killed any chance of playing in St. Louis when he refused to report to the AHL after not making the team last season. As for Hannu, everyone knew his time was up in Boston. Once thought of as the star goalie of the future, Toivonen just never found his groove, very possibly as a result of being rushed by a bad team. With a depth chart of Fernandez, Thomas, and Rask it was a foregone conclusion that Hannu and his salary weren't going to spend another year on the Providence-Boston shuttle.

*On another topic, the Bruins and Blues are becoming very comfortable trading partners, having made three deals this past year, including the deadline deal when Petie C, desperate for change, was hosed into giving up Brad Boyes for Dennis Wideman.

*Other News- the B's have resigned checking line winger Jeff Hoggan to a one year two-way contract worth $495,000. I'm not sure why this money is being spent. Hoggan was often a healthy scratch last year and really did nothing to establish himself as a keeper.

Player Profile: Manny Fernandez

This is the first in a four week series of profiles on the candidates for the Bruins starting goalie job, in order of their likely hood to get the job. The first profile is Manny Fernandez. Acquired in a trade from Minnesota during the draft, Fernandez is classified as a high risk-high reward pickup by Boston. Manny was born August 27, 1974 in Etobicoke, Ontario. His father, Marc is a native of Casablanca, Morocco and said to be of Portuguese descent. His mother is Canadian and the sister of NHL legend and current Wild coach Jacques Lemaire, and Manny's coach from '00 till last season. Contrary to popular belief, Fernandez is not Mexican and is predominately French-Canadian and has lived in the land of the leaf all his life. Manny was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 4th round of the 1992 NHL Draft. In 1994, he was traded to the Dallas Stars, the first team he played for in the NHL, and backed up Eddie Belfour after Roman Turek left for St. Louis. After failing to prove himself in Big D, Fernandez became the starting goalie for the expansion Minnesota Wild. Here, Manny appeared to find his niche, but was terribly inconsistent, loosing the starting job first to Dwayne Roloson, then to Nik Backstrom. The jury is certainly still out on Fernandez, some say he is a solid goalie and one of the most underrated players in the league, others say Manny is inconsistent, whiny and a poor teammate. Guess we'll have to wait and see in Beantown. 2007 Prediction- Starting Goalie

Donovan to Ottawa; Schaefer to Boston

Well, it's Tuesday which means its question day. No one sent any in but I have some questions for Peter Chiarelli. Spector first reported it and now various sources confirm last night the Bruins traded winger Sean Donovan to the Ottawa Senators for winger Peter Schaefer. (My hyperlink button isnt working, Yahoo sports has the player profile, just plug his name into Google.)This is just another deal I dont understand, recently Charlie Jacobs made one of his very few insightful comments "We need to get grittier", and that somehow prompts the trading of your teams grittiest player for and average scoring wing? While Schaefer beats out Donovan in assists last season and doubled his goals (11), we dont really need that guy. Stan Chistov can be THAT guy, who can be Sean Donovan, certainly not Peter Schaefer. Most strange about this deal, the Bruins took on Peter's 2.1 million dollar salary and only lost 925K on Donovan's. There is a theme here, do you have overpriced, over hyped, underachieving players, dump them on the Bruins.

MLK Day '08

The 2007-08 Bruins schedule was released this week, and as I do every year, I scrolled to a Monday in mid-January (MLK Day) to see who the Bruins were playing in the annual matinee game I have been at for the last five seasons (during the lockout, the trip shifted to a high school game in Glastonbury, CT). To my incredible disappointment there is no game on Monday, January 21, 2008. I checked the schedule again after confirming this was indeed the date of the holiday, it was and there was still no game. I've been checking for 3 days and have now resigned myself to the fact a game isn't going to appear. Thanks for another disappointment Bruins!
P.S. The Xavier schedule makers definatlety need to schedule a game for 1:00 on Monday, January 21, just throwing it out there.

Development Camp

I know its been a long time since I've written, but its been a very busy week around here. The Bruins of the future just finished up their development camp at Ristuccia Arena, the Bruins training facility in Wilmington, Mass. For some reason, gas in Wilmington is always around $.50 cheaper than everywhere else, why? Back to hockey, alot of the young prospects made a good impression on the Bruins coaching staff. I was going to write about the players, but Fluto Shizawa from the Globe did a good review, and I'm going to post that below. One of the off-ice highlights for the guys at camp was a trip to Fenway Park, during which Zach Hamill and Tuukka Rask appeared on the Pre-Game Show and Hamill threw out the first pitch. All the players enjoyed a private box, on which was for many of them, their first trip to Fenway, or for some the first pro baseball game of any kind. Here is Fluto's analysis of the prospects in camp:

Byron Bitz
Good size and good hands... Needs to pick up his skating and play more physical.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Chris Collins
In much better shape than when he arrived in training camp last season... Decent speed and hands... Needs to be scrappier and play with an edge.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Alain Goulet
Fluid skater with good skill set... Needs to put on bulk and develop in college.
2007-08: Nebraska-Omaha (CCHA)

Zach Hamill
Has skill set as advertised by his draft position... Can create offense in tight spaces... Average skating and good release... Projects to be solid two-way center.
2007-08: Everett (WHL)

Matt Hunwick
One of the most impressive players in camp... Terrific skater and excellent hockey sense... Strong for his size and not afraid to mix it up... Could get an NHL callup sooner rather than later. 2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Martins Karsums
Bowling ball of a player who can skate well and has decent hands... Needs to stay healthy as second-year pro... Might be a third-line winger in the NHL in coming years.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

David Krejci
Far and away the best player in camp with the best skill set... Showed last year that he's capable of dominating AHL... Held back in camp but plays with an edge... Should be a big-leaguer, depending on how Claude Julien deploys his forwards.
2007-08: Boston (NHL)

Mikko Lehtonen
Smooth skater for a player his size... Good release on a heavy shot... Must play more physical.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Milan Lucic
Skilled for a big man and responsible on defense... Can see with several more years of development that he could be a good NHLer... Good straight-ahead skater, but needs to move on quick movement.
2007-08: Vancouver (WHL)

Adam McQuaid
Size makes him a commodity... Needs to work on side-to-side skating... Could use a few more pounds to play the physical game.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Radim Ostrcil
Raw but has skill set that coaches can work with... Fluid skater with good release if not the hardest shot... Could become an offensive defenseman.
2007-08: Ottawa (OHL)

Wacey Rabbit
Has skill set similar to Martins Karsums... Good skater with okay hands but tireless worker... Third-line winger in pros.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Tuukka Rask
Has the tools (size, quickness, athleticism, awareness) to become elite netminder... Competes and shows confidence on and off the ice... Must put on pounds.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Kevin Regan
Solid performer who will turn out to be a bargain... Hard worker who understands how he can play and what he needs to do... Will carry a heavy workload for the Wildcats.
2007-08: New Hampshire (Hockey East)

Denis Reul
Considered a project but did everything asked of him in camp... Projects to be a defensive defenseman who can hit and play the rough stuff... Will benefit from several years in major junior.
2007-08: Lewiston (QMJHL)

T.J. Trevelyan
Went undrafted and under the radar, but showed as first-year pro in 2006-07 that he can score goals... Not the best skater but puts himself in position to contribute offensively... Could be a midseason callup if Bruins need scoring help.
2007-08: Providence (AHL)

Bring Back Dale

Today, the Bruins reported the most devastating news since the trade of Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks. The contract of home play by play man Dale Arnold was not renewed and road pxp man Jack Edwards will take over all the games. You may know Edwards as the guy who talks over everyone else and never lets color guy Andy Brickley get a word in. Edwards has a very limited knowledge of hockey and tends to repeat the same stories over and over. Arnold was the signature voice of todays Bruins, I can't imagine any reason not to bring him back this season. With hockey ratings continuing to decline this is not the kind of move you want to make. Edwards makes me less likely to watch the game, although I almost always do anyway, but some less devoted fans may be completely turned off. NESN should reconsider their decision. If you agree with me sign my online petition, as pitiful as it might be at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/edwardsucks

A REAL Question!!!

This is a first here on Ask LaMalfa, someone has actually asked me a question, actually TWO questions so here goes:

Q: do you think that the draft age should be raised to 20 like it was? at 18 if someone comes out of juniors and isnt good enough for the nhl, they have to send them back to their junior teams where they can re-enter the draft and sign with another team. this is what happened to joe thornton. he was too good for juniors but not good enough for the nhl. this required him to stay in nhl and struggle. obviously he has had a great career but i could see something like that ruin a player and lose his confidence. what do you think?

A: Interesting question, but as far as I know, guys who are struggling in the NHL are usually sent to an AHL farm club until their ready. They dont have to be sent back to juniors. Also, under NHL rules the player remains property of the team that drafted him for a certain length of time. The reason he stayed up was the Bruins were bad, and wanted him to develop. While the rules of the NHL draft are far from perfect, if a guy is ready at 18, let him develop. Under your rule change, Sidney Crosby would be starting his rookie season this fall and while I agree he is over hyped, that wouldnt have been good for the NHL.

I'm saving the second question for my next Q-A time, since I may not get another one for a while!

Rough Opening to FA Season

I guess it shouldn't be surprising after Peter's comments on Saturday that the Bruins didnt sign a big free agent yesterday, but I wasnt expecting Chiarelli to walk around with his head up his ass yesterday as his second biggest rival signed the number 2 + 3 best available players, Chris Drury and Scott Gomez. Who did the Bruins get, Shawn Thornton, no relation to Joe, (family or ability). If they had been able to dump the massive salary pit that is Glen Murray, they should have put all their resources into Drury. Todd is a local guy, Trumbull and BU, and is truly a franchise player. He is really a guy to build around, more than Bergeron, Savard, Kessel or even Captain Too-Tall. The Devils, Sabres, Bruins and especially the Islanders were the big losers today, while the Rangers and Flyers probably made the best moves among the east coast teams.

Fernandez to Boston

I thought this nightmare was over after the trade fell through during the draft. Apparently not, seeing as tonight the Bruins traded F Peter Kalus and a 4th round pick to the Minnesota Wild for goalie Manny Fernandez. This was not a good trade for the Bruins for multiple reasons. One, Fernandez is wildy inconsistent and an awful presence in the locker room. The last thing that a young B's team needs. Secondly, Fernandez has a contract comparable to Glen Murray. I'm sure glad the Bruins would rather take on a big money goalie than go after high-impact free agents come tomorrow. Personally, I dont think Fernandez is much of an upgrade over Tim Thomas, who I really like. Lastly, with a name like Fernandez, you should be playing baseball, soccer, or even basketball, NOT HOCKEY. There is a reason there is almost no diversity in the NHL. When Peter Kalus becomes a very good player Chiarelli will have one more mark against him.

Free Agency Flop

Well, the amazing Peter Chiarelli has done it again. The day before free agent season starts, a day more exciting than the regular season for teams like Boston, he tells everyone he wont be making a run at any big free agents. Way to get everybody excited about the team. You just fired the only guy who was willing to spend money to get results. But Bruins Nation, dont be too upset, my boy Fluto Shinzawa from the Globe says they may still go after Greg DeVries or Eddie Belfour. I hope no one was alarmed by hearing big names like that. (I know what your thinking, aren't those two guys getting their AARP membership cards soon? The answer is Yes.) In defense of Peter, this order is probably coming from the top, Jacobs spent enough money last year for the rest of the decade by his standards. Maybe they'll surprise us, but I'm not expecting much as tomorrow rolls around.

More MiStAkEs from the Front Office

Sad day in Bruin nation today, as longtime assistant GM Jeff Gorton and Scout Dan Dore. These were two unnecessary firings. Gorton has done good work in Boston, he was there when they drafted Kessel, signed Chara and Savard, and traded for Tuuka Rask. He did nothing this year to show he didn't deserve his job. The ownership may finally be realizing Peter Chiarelli was a mistake, light years behind everyone else, so they turn everyone else into scapegoats. As for Dore, no one knows much about scouts, but the Globe reported that he is "one of the industry’s most respected scouts." Why would you fire someone like that when player development is such a big part of your teams plan? Chiarelli should be the one to go. He has done nothing but make mistakes since taking the job. Hiring Lewis to begin with, trading Boyes and Mara, making a rash decision in hiring Julien, another soft coach all could have been avoided. All the changes the Bruins are making at the top are causing all the wrong people to be shown the door.

Cross coming to and staying in Boston

Apologies to my adoring public, its been a while since I posted. This was an exciting second day of the draft for the Bruins, trading up to select Tommy Cross, a big, powerful defenceman out of Westminster Prep right here in CT. We wont see Cross for a while though, as he is planning to play this coming year in the WHL before moving on to Boston College for the 2008-09 year. Physically, Cross is NHL ready now, but having never played above Prep School level, he needs some time against better competition. (Like the kind he faced in the IPH Spring League, wait... he never came.) He will be an interesting player to follow for years to come, and hopefully not another bust like many of the Bruins Draft Picks as of late. As for the rest of the draft, the Bruins didnt select again till the fifth round taking Denis Reul from Germany and in the 6th round they took a pair of defencemen, Alain Goulet from the OPJHL and Radim Ostrcil from the Czech Republic.

Bruins First Pick - Zach Hamill

With the 8th pick in the NHL Draft the Boston Bruins select...Zach Hamill? Going into the draft most people expected the B's to take Denfenceman Keaton Ellerby (#10 to Florida) or Centre Angelo Esposito (#20 to Pittsburgh) but instead the Bruins took Hamill, a center from the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, where he was the regular season scoring champion. He played for a former NHL coach in Kevin Constantine, so he is comfortable in that style of system. Although he is small, 5'11 and 190lbs, but he is very quick and an accurate shooter. The Bruins have little top line potential, so Hamill should aid that issue. When he will join the Bruins, almost certainly the Providence Bruins, is unknown.

New Logos

This morning, at the press conference, the Bruins showed off their "new" logo for the first time. The logo is similar to the one from the old days, with some small changes. I think it looks a little too cartoon-like, but its ok. The new jerseys should make the game better.

Just A Note...

The Bruins have called a 10:30 am press conference tomorrow to announce their new head coach, who will almost certainly be Claude Julien. More to come after the official announcement in the morning.

Jeremy Jacobs - Worst Owner in Sports?

Today, the NHL Board of Governers elected a new chairman. They could have picked anyone, except Harley Hotchkiss of the Flames, who was vacating the position. They selected the worst possible candidate, Jeremy Jacobs, Owner of the Boston Bruins. The same Jacobs who was voted worst owner in sports by an ESPN poll, and 5th worst in sports by the ESPN writers. He also ranked as the 4th greediest owner in sports by another ESPN poll. This isnt just NHL owners, this is all of sports. To put this in perspective, Jacobs is two spots behind George for the greediest owner. The man could'nt care less about the Bruins, and probably needs a GPS to find his way from Buffalo to Boston...wait, when does he ever come to Boston? With the exception of Bill Wirtz of the Blackhawks and Karmanos, there are no worse owners in hockey. The Bruins will be bad until he sells them, and the NHL is worse of for putting him in a position of power.

Bruins pick Julien

Another Tuesday, still no questions. Oh well...more big news. The Bruins have hired Claude Julien as their new head coach only a few days after firing Dave Lewis. Although the club has not yet made an official announcement, every hockey site from San Antonio to Saskatoon has reported the news. To the suprise of no one, the Fourth Period, Canada's premier rumor site was the first to break the news. Along with most others in Bruinsland, I'm not sure what to make of the hire. I've seen comments that ranged from "Julien will win the Jack Adams award this season" to "Chiarelli just wrote his own pink slip with this hire." We'll ust have to wait and see come training camp.

NOTE: Fairly big move yesterday when Nashville sent Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell to the Flyers and regained the first round pick they had traded for Peter Forsberg. Although first round picks are nice, Nashville is falling into a pattern that looks dangerously like that in Beantown. We may see another team north of the border sooner than you'd think.

Lewis is "reassigned"...

What a suprise, Dave Lewis and Marc Habscheid have been "reassigned"/fired. Apparently they will be given other jobs in the organization. Maybe Lewis can scrub the urinals and Habscheid can clean the gum off the Garden seats. I'm not sad to see Lewis go, only sad Chiarelli didnt go with him. Coming out of Detroit, Lewis was pegged as the next Scottie Bowman. Now one major difference is obvious, Bowman didn't SUCK. (Also, Scottie didn't look like a cross between Adolph Hitler, Drew Carey, and Bill Garrity.) As for Marc Habscheid, it's too bad he has to go too. With a more agressive coach, he could have been a good fit as an assistant. Alongside Lewis, they were about as intimidating as Hal Gill and Andrew Alberts are on the blueline. Heres my list of potential new coaches from best to worst. (These are just being thrown around, no one knows if these guys are even being considered.

-Pat Quinn- the frontrunner in public opinion, lots of experience, more "hard nose" than Lewis

- Ken Hitchcock- if the Bluejackets decide to go another way, the Bruins should be all over him

- Jim Playfair- after being demoted in Calgary, would he leave and come to Boston?

-Pat Burns- PAT BURNS? Well, you never know

-Bourque/Neely- just what the B's need, someone with no experience, wait is there a Burns connection here?

After reading about the moves, there is only one logical thing to think. The Bruins are just like the Big Dig. You can pour money into it, but that doesnt mean things are going to get better fast. Both are way behind schedule and cause more headaches than they have benefits.

2007 NHL Awards

The NHL awards were on last night. Youre thinking "What, when was that". Well, they were scheduled to be on OLN at 7:00, but at ten after seven, a banner came on saying they would be seen at 11PM. Good to see the awards were pushed back three hours in order to air a Chuck Norris Total Gym Infomercial.

On to the actual awards show, it was well hosted by Ron MacLean. He was at his best when he ripped NBC for cutting out of a playoff game for a horse race (better than the total gym commercial). The only award that seemed unfair was the Lester B. Pearson award that went to who else, Sydney Crosby. I know Crosby is the NHL golden boy, but how does he beat out Joe Sakic for person of the year? Not all the awards have to go to one guy. Touching moment when Phil Kessel won the Masterson Award. He's ready for a big year.

And again, how did Marty Brodeur beat out Tim "The Tank" Thomas for the Vezina Trophy?

What Was I Thinking?

Since Tuesday is tommorow, I cant imagine I'll have any questions by then, so I'll answer one alot of people had during the championship game. "What the hell happened to the game clock during the timeout." Well, after Josh Green was distracted by a tiny dog and abandoned his post as timekeeper, there was chaos in the booth. As I was trying to put the timeout up on the board, I accidentally deleted the time with no way to get it back. Luckily, one of the Bobcats knew the exact time and saved the day. This incident aside, the playoffs went well, especially with my excellent musical selections. Congratulations to the Bobcats on winning the IPH Tacocorral Cup.

The New Page

Welcome to the new Ask LaMalfa. With the IPH season over, I've decided to keep the page going on this site. While it isnt quite as glamorous, it works. Send any questions to asklamalfa@yahoo.com. I'll still answer every Tuesday, and they still have to be reasonably hockey or IPH related Questions