B's Announce Date of Individual Ticket Sales

From an email from the Bruins:

Tickets On Sale August 20, 2009 @ 10 AM
Individual tickets for home games played at the TD Garden to go on sale Thursday, August 20 @ 10:00 AM

BOSTON, MA - Individual tickets for Bruins games played at the TD Garden during the 2009-10 preseason and regular season will go on sale on Thursday, August 20 at 10:00 a.m. at the TD Garden Box Office and online at BOSTONBRUINS.com.

For games played at the TD Garden, tickets will range in price from $10.00 - $289.50. In addition to seat location, ticket prices will vary depending on opponent and date of game. Please note that ticket prices are subject to change.

Something tells me tickets may actually be a little harder to come by this season, especially if last year's playoff-ticket fever is any indication.

Just think, two months from today it will be hockey time again. Where has the summer gone?

Claude on Kessel

Ran into Bruins coach Claude Julien at the Red Sox-A's game last night. As he was walking by, my brother asked him when Phil would be back.

Julien's response was: "Whenever he's ready."

Clearly this confirms GM Peter Chiarelli's statements that Kessel WILL be back. Stone-cold lock.









Yes, this is clearly meant as a joke. We really did see Julien, did ask him that question and did get that response, but we have not taken it anywhere near that seriously. I just thought it was a funny story.

Sources: Bruins Sign Morris

According to multiple sources, the Bruins have agreed to a deal in principle with free-agent defenseman Derek Morris.

Morris started last season with the Phoenix Coyotes, but was moved to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline. Morris had 5-15-20 totals in 75 games last season, and was a -10. He is a primarily a puck-moving d-man, and his less than stellar defensive numbers can be partially attributed to playing for Phoenix and the Rangers, two of the league's less-than-airtight defensive teams.

This could be the "other shoe" I referred to earlier, when GM Peter Chiarelli said moving Aaron Ward wasn't to sign Phil Kessel, but to add another defenseman. Morris appears to be that guy, though the team hasn't confirmed anything yet.

The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune has also reported the deal, while NESN and InsideHockey.com contributor James Murphy has mentioned a signing as well.

ESPN says it's a one-year deal, but I'm going to wait until I read the terms to comment fully on the signing. If it is a one-year deal, and it's for $2-2.5 million, then good move. If it's for $3 million+, then I'll be scratching my head. Stay tuned.

EDIT (11:52 PM): TSN is reporting the deal is a one-year deal worth $3.3 million...yeesh. That's a little high for my tastes. This essentially negates moving Aaron Ward to clear salary, meaning someone else is definitely going to have to go for Kessel to return to the B's this fall. Most likely to be moved? In my opinion (strictly opinion): Kobasew, Sturm, Ryder, Bergeron, Savard.

Again, stay tuned. More moves should be made in the next couple of weeks.

Ward traded to Carolina for Eaves and a pick; Eaves Immediately Waived

The Bruins today sent veteran defenseman Aaron Ward back to the Carolina Hurricanes, a team he helped to a Stanley Cup win in 2004, in exchange for forward Patrick Eaves and a fourth-round pick in 2010. Eaves was immediately placed on waivers by the Bruins, who intend to buy him out.

This move screams of a salary dump, as moving Ward frees the Bruins of his $2.5 million salary. Buying out Eaves, assuming he isn't claimed on waivers which doesn't seem likely, will cost the B's around $260,000 next year, and will GIVE the Bruins around $41,000 the year after (very confusing salary cap stuff, Fluto explains in the Bruins Blog).

It seems as though Chiarelli asked Ward about the move before making it, as he said he wouldn't have sent him anywhere other than Carolina, where Ward resides. In the "afore-linked" blog, Fluto says Chiarelli said he'd be looking to add a defenseman now, but didn't specify whether it would be through a trade or a signing.

Many things could be going on here, but it's clear that something else is brewing. Freeing up the cap space could be indicative of Chiarelli being prepared to sign Phil Kessel. However, saying he is going to add a defenseman could mean that he is preparing to deal Kessel to another club for a defenseman.

Either way, the other shoe has yet to drop here, so to speak. Ward is in Carolina, Eaves will soon be off the Bruins books, and there will be more moves to make. Expect one of two things to be announced in the coming days:

• 1. Someone else will be moved (Kobasew, Ryder, Bergeron, Savard) and Phil Kessel has been re-signed, either to a one-year deal at a bit less money (probably wouldn't require the above names to be moved) or to a long term deal at an averaged-out contract (would likely require a trade).
• 2. Kessel has been traded to a team willing to give the Bruins a young, impact defenseman in return.
  

Chances are, these are the two options Chiarelli has been weighing, and the trading of Ward to me indicates that he is prepared to pull the trigger on one of the two. It's just speculation on my part and could be completely wrong, but it seems the most likely set of circumstances.

It's too bad to see Ward go, as he was a tremendous veteran presence, had some snarl to his game and was extremely entertaining in his weekly radio appearances on WBCN's Toucher & Rich show. However, he is getting old, and his cap-hit made him a likely target to be dealt. He was a solid, dependable blueliner for the B's, but was among the most sensible candidates to be dealt.

Stay tuned for more announcements, as another move or two can't be all that far away.

Bruins Re-sign Hunwick

Avoiding an arbitration hearing set for this Friday, the Bruins agreed to terms with RFA defenseman Matt Hunwick, signing the young blueliner to a two-year, $2.9 million deal. The annual cap hit will be $1.45 million.

Image property of Flickr user Dan4th

Hunwick recorded 27 points last year (6 goals, 21 assists) in 53 games. He finished the season tied with Los Angeles' Drew Doughty for most points by a rookie defenseman.

Hunwick's stock with the team rose drastically over the course of the season, as he showed off his puck-moving ability, offensive instincts and willingness to jump into the rush. His offensive prowess was made even more apparent when, for a couple of games, he played as a forward.

Hunwick's season was derailed in game one of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Montreal, when he took a hit that ruptured his spleen. After surgery, Hunwick missed the remainder of the playoffs, but is expected to be ready for training camp and the start of the regular season.

With Hunwick back in the fold and Byron Bitz re-signed weeks ago, Phil Kessel is the team's lone remaining RFA.

According to the Boston Globe, the Bruins currently have $2,862,500 in free space remaining under the cap. If Kessel is to return, he will have to take a pay cut, or other moves will have to be made.

Bruins Release 2009-2010 Schedule

On the same day they announced their participation in the 2010 Winter Classic, the B's released their full 2009-2010 slate.

In a bit of a change from the norm, the B's open the season at home on October 1 against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. The opener kicks off a season-long five-game homestand, strange because the B's usually start the season on the road due to the circus being in town in Boston. Last year, the first home game wasn't until October 20th, and the year before until October 18th.

The first Bruins-Canadiens game of the regular season will be at the TD Garden on November 5th. There are rumors circulating that the B's-Habs game in Montreal on December 5th will be the "official" end to the Habs Centennial season. The question here is, why are they still celebrating what was one of the more embarrassing seasons in recent memory?

The B's will play host to the Carolina Hurricanes in the season's second game on October 3rd. Fans should rest their voices, and be prepared to boo Scott Walker as lustily and loudly as possible.

Other highlights:

• The Bruins visit the Detroit Red Wings on November 3rd. Other Western Conference games of note include at the Wild (Nov. 25th), a home and home with the Blackhawks (Dec. 18th in Chicago and Jan. 7th at home), vs. the Blue Jackets on Jan. 21, vs. the Canucks (Feb. 6th), vs. the Flames (Mar. 27th) and at San Jose (Jan. 14th).
• The B's play the Penguins four times: in Pittsburgh on November 14th and March 7th and at home on November 10th and March 18th.
• As per the NHL's new "balanced" schedule, the B's play division opponents (Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto and Ottawa) six times each.

The full schedule can be found at BostonBruins.com.

"Major Announcement" Coming Wednesday

In an email, the Boston Bruins stated that the NHL would be making "a major announcement" on Wednesday, one that "will be great news for Bruins fans everywhere".

Hm. I wonder what it could be?

______________________

From the email:

WHAT: The National Hockey League will make a major announcement concerning a special event.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 15 @ 2:00 PM ET

WHERE: Watch it stream live on Wednesday by visiting BOSTONBRUINS.COM ...


A "special event"? A "major announcement"? Could it be...is the NHL FINALLY going to announce that it plans to hold the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park? The Red Sox will still be on MLB's All-Star Break, so chances are the press conference will be held at Fenway. We should finally learn who the opponent will be (odds-on favorites: the Philadelphia Flyers), and other particulars, such as field layout and other events may be announced as well.

In any case, it will be good to finally have all of this confirmed. Speculation has been swirling for months, with no one from the Bruins, Red Sox or anyone else willing to confirm or deny the reports. Stay tuned for more info, but in all likelihood we'll be reading about ice on the Fenway diamond come next week.

Chiarelli: Kessel Will Be Back

In news that is a bit surprising, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli told NESN's Kathryn Tappen that sniper Phil Kessel will be back with the team next year. The interview occurred on NESN's SportsDesk, and, according to the clip that was released on NESN.com, Kessel will return. Below is a transcript of the video clip:

CHIARELLI: “Yes, yes he will [be back]. I don’t like to talk about negotiations, but he’s a player of impact. [He has] the speed, and he’s still a young player. I can’t dismiss me talking about players to trade because that’s my job. It’s unfortunate that [trade rumors] leak out but Phil’s a good person — a very good person and a very good player — and we fully intend to keep him.”

I suppose the one "caveat" here is that Chiarelli says, "we fully intend to keep him", which to me means, "we really want to have him back". However, "wanting" is different than "doing", so it remains to be seem what actually happens.

Should the rumors of Kessel being traded to Toronto, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, FC Barcelona or the Israeli National Basketball team be put to rest? Well, not exactly. If one takes a look back at one of Chiarelli's other promises of safety and returns, that one didn't exact turn out as he had stated. Remember Dave Lewis?

Lewis was told he was "safe" on March 31, 2007. He was fired on June 15 of the same year.

Also, while stating that Kessel will be back quiets rumors of his departure, the idea of Kessel returning means someone else must go. Who? Probably one of either Matt Hunwick, Marco Sturm, Chuck Kobasew, Patrice Bergeron, Marc Savard or Michael Ryder. With the exception of Hunwick, all of those players have contracts in the multi-million dollar level, salary that will have to be cleared if Kessel, expected to net $3-4.5 million a year in a new deal, is to don the Black and Gold again next season.

Kessel is "safe" and his rumors end, but start up a whole other round of rumors involving other B's fan favorites, particularly Patrice Bergeron. So where will it all end? Unknown for now, but it's safe to say that Chiarelli isn't done making moves yet.

Photo credit: BostonHerald.com

(In case you missed the above link, the Chiarelli clip and NESN article can be found here.)

Team Canada: Lucic In, Savard Out; Kessel and Thomas for USA

Team Canada announced the invitees for its 2010 Olympic Team camp today, and one Bruin made the grade: 21-year old Vancouver, B.C. native Milan Lucic.

The bruising forward was a somewhat surprising invitee, considering that he is only in his second year in the league and was chosen over some notably more talented players, not the least of which being teammate Marc Savard, who was not invited.

Lucic, however, brings another element to the Canadians' game, one that includes physical play and a bit of an edge. Whether or not Lucic makes the final roster remains to be seen, but something tells me the kid taking the ice with the Canadian flag on his sweater in his hometown of Vancouver next year might be one of the biggest thrills imaginable.

Savard being left out is a bit of a surprise, but is almost understandable considering Canada's logjam at center. Here are just a few of the centers the Canadians have to choose from, other than Savard: Joe Thornton, Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, Eric Staal and Joe Sakic. Savard is good, but not good enough to bump one of those guys out of a spot.

For the Yanks, the Bruins chosen were Tim Thomas and Phil Kessel, neither of which was really a surprise. Thomas has become a bona-fide netminder, and will likely compete with Ryan Miller for a starting job, and is almost certain, in my opinion, to at least be the back-up, depending on how the oft-injured Rick DiPietro performs over the coming months.

Kessel will add some good scoring punch to the American squad, one that already features names like Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Zach Parise and Patrick Kane.

Other American Bruins, like Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart and Matt Hunwick, may have a better shot at donning the stars and stripes come 2014.

Recchi Returns

In what looked like it may be a long-shot at season's end, veteran winger Mark Recchi has signed a one-year deal to return to the B's next year. Because of the tight salary cap situation, it seemed like Recchi wouldn't be donning the Black and Gold in 2009-2010, despite his wishes to do so. However, he is a veteran asset to this somewhat young team, and is a huge boon to the power play.

The deal, according to TSN, includes some bonus clauses. I'm assuming, and this is just pure speculation, that the clauses include bonuses for things like games played, goals and total points.

Anyways, it never hurts to have a guy like Recchi on this team, especially one who has a Cup win under his belt, and who exhibited some unreal toughness last postseason.

A good move by Chiarelli for sure, but I'm still waiting for news on Hunwick and Kessel, whose presence/absence will have a far greater impact on this team.

Bitz Back, Begin Joins Fold

According to the Boston Globe, Byron Bitz, a restricted free agent, has been re-signed by the B's to a multi-year deal. The money has yet to be disclosed, but this is a great move by the team, as Bitz proved he could really get his nose dirty and be an asset for the team. All hail, Lord Byron returns.

On another note, one that I'm not as happy about, the B's apparently have signed former Canadien Steve Begin to a one-year deal. I never liked Begin when he was with Montreal (he was the one who broke Marc Savard's back with a cross-check before the 2008 playoffs), but perhaps the front office sees something valuable in him.

Still no word on Kessel or Hunwick.

"Hab" Gill

Sources are reporting that the Canadiens have signed former Bruin and, most recently, former Penguin defenseman Hal Gill to a two-year contract.

There is a large contingent of Bruins fans with a large amount of distaste for the big defenseman, mainly because he never used his size to his advantage whilst wearing the spoked-B. Now that he's a Hab? The booing will be louder than ever.

This does, however, mark the second defenseman of the day signed by Montreal, as they also snatched up former Sabre Jaroslav Spacek.

Needless to say, Hal Gill will probably never be welcome in Boston again.

Free Agent Frenzy Begins

Today is July 1st, AKA shopping day for every NHL club with cash to spare. There have already been a number of signings and trades, but I'm only going to comment on the biggest or the Bruins-related ones.

• Marian Hossa signs with Chicago: The Slovakian winger signed a 12-year, $62.8 million contract with the 'Hawks. The contract is front-loaded, meaning the cap hit will be lower because it is calculated using the average salary. Great signing by the 'Hawks, as it gives them another scoring threat to go along with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, but they're probably going to have to move some money around now to stay under the salary cap. This is, however, an interesting choice by Hossa. First, he leaves Pittsburgh to sign with Detroit, alienating Pens fans. Now, he leaves Detroit to sign with Chicago, one of the Wings' division rivals. Needless to say, there probably won't be much love for the Hoss when he takes the ice at Joe Louis Arena with the indian head on his sweater later this year. Another interesting note is that apparently Hossa's agent was talking to the Bruins earlier in the day, but nothing ever materialized.
• Scott Gomez is traded to the Canadiens: Not sure why the Habs would do this, as it seemed to be a salary dump by the Rangers. Gomez had underachieved horribly in big-market New York City, so what makes the Habs think he'll do any better in the Bell Centre pressure cooker? Also, Montreal had to give up Chris Higgins, one of their better forwards, to get the Alaskan Gomez. Questionable trade by Bob Gainey, but could prove to be a good one if Gomez regains his New Jersey-era form.
• Steve Montador signs with Buffalo: Not much interesting about this, other than the fact that Montador was with the Bruins this past year. Some were underwhelmed with his performance with the B's, and it didn't seem like re-signing him was in the cards.
• Henrik and Daniel Sedin re-sign with Vancouver: The Swedish twins decided that Vancouver would remain their home, as they signed identical five-year, $30.5 million contracts. This affects the Bruins because Montreal was said to be heavily involved in the pursuit of the forwards, so anything keeping the talented brothers out of the B's division can be viewed as a positive.

There have been plenty of other signings as well, including Dwayne Roloson to the Islanders, Nikolai Khabibulin to the Oilers and Mike Knuble to the Capitals, but the ones above are, in my opinion, the biggest or most Bruins-related.

There is some other Bruins news as well, some of it relatively unimportant, some of it reassuring, and some of it potentially damaging.

• The "Meh": The B's bought out oft-maligned winger Peter Schaefer today, freeing him to go play elsewhere. I was originally a Schaefer supporter, but after he seemingly shut it down in Providence when he could have shown the Bruins brass he still had something left in the tank, it was time for him to go. He may catch on somewhere with a team looking for a cheap veteran forward, but his time in Boston is certainly up.
• The Good: Apparently the Kessel-for-Kaberle deal between the Bruins and Maple Leafs is dead and talks haven't resumed, which, in my opinion, is a good thing. I still feel the Bruins would be remiss to deal Kessel, who seems to be on the verge of becoming a bona-fide scoring machine. The B's management team is apparently less enamored of the youngster, but I think they could get more for him than Kaberle. That's no knock on the talented defenseman, but I think Kaberle and the number-seven pick would have been more fair than Kaberle for Kessel straight up. Regardless, it doesn't seem like there has been much movement on re-signing Kessel. The hope here is that something materializes within the next couple of days.
• The Bad: WEEI.com's Joe Haggerty reported on his blog that multiple teams have contacted Matt Hunwick's agent about the possibility of signing the mobile defenseman to an offer sheet. Hunwick became a restricted free agent as of July 1, and any team can tender him an offer. The Bruins will have the right to match an offer, but if they choose not to, they will receive draft picks as compensation. Many thought that Hunwick, had he not been injured in the Montreal series, could have been what the Bruins needed to push them past Carolina. The youngster is a mobile defenseman who has no reservations about jumping up into the offensive rush, something that the Bruins need and something that is a rarity in the league these days. Losing Hunwick would be a big blow, and letting another team sign him to an offer sheet could drastically increase what the B's were prepared to offer him. More money for Hunwick would mean less money for fellow RFA's Byron Bitz and Kessel, and even less money for another UFA, should the B's choose to pursue one. Chiarelli seems to be fine with just waiting and seeing what happens, but it's a risky strategy.

I'll post more if there's any breaking news, but those are the big stories of the day so far. Stay tuned.

Double Dose of Winter Wonderland?

ESPN.com and TSN.ca are both reporting that the NHL may hold a second Winter Classic on New Year's Day 2010. The Bruins, rumored yet not officially announced as hosts of the Classic, are supposedly slated to play either the Washington Capitals or the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park on New Year's day.

One of the interesting things about the Classic was the newness of it, and some lustre may be lost if the league holds more than one outdoor game. However, put me in the camp of people who think, "the more the merrier." No, I'm not advocating that every team play an outdoor game each year (though Kings vs. Ducks at Dodger Stadium would be a smash hit!), but why not include another two markets in what has become a huge success for the NHL?

The rumors have it that the Calgary Flames would host the second half of a New Year's Day doubleheader, playing at McMahon Stadium, home of the CFL's Calgary Stampeders, and would play against another Canadian team. A game between two franchises from the Great White North may not be a ratings boon in the United States, but would be huge among Canadian viewers. Besides, NBC is likely to put all of its viewer eggs in the American basket anyways, as Boston is large TV market (as is Philadelphia), and any game featuring Washington's Alexander Ovechkin will draw in other hockey fans, casual viewers and closet hockey fans.

So put me amongst the few who don't think a second classic in 2010 would "take away" from the Bruins' hosting one. A full day of hockey to kick off the New Year sounds good to me. Plus, if nothing else, it will be fascinating to see what the weather is like in Calgary, where January is the coldest month. The average high is 26.96 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes, that's the HIGH. The low, you ask? 4.82 degrees F. Good luck, Jarome Iginla.

Photo Credit: Boston Herald Graphic

Go B's.

Breaking News: The Bruins Had a Good Year

In case you didn't notice, I didn't write a post on Game 7/the end of the B's season. No, it wasn't because I was too sad to do so. Instead, I wrote a 1,000 word piece for the newspaper at school, and will link to it when the new website is up.

The latest Bruins news since the season ended has been about a variety of subjects: injuries, contract extensions, contract negotiations, Winter Classics and, last but not least, postseason awards.

After finishing the regular season at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 53-19-10 (116 points) record, it was clear that the Bruins had a regular season to remember. Just how good the season was became even more clear last night, where the Bruins cleaned up at the annual NHL Awards Night in Las Vegas. The winners were:

• Zdeno Chara, Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman.
• Tim Thomas, Vezina Trophy winner as the league's best goalie.
• Claude Julien, Adams Award winner as the league's top coach.
• Thomas and Manny Fernandez, Jennings Trophy winner as the league's top goalie tandem (judged by fewest goals allowed).

Yes, all in all it was a great night for the Bruins, who had a haul of silver in Vegas of which even the most successful gambler would be jealous. Does it do anything to take away the sting of the season's end? No, but it certainly does validate more than a few members of this B's team.

While the "no respect" card may have been getting old as last year progressed, many were still hesitant to rate Thomas as one of the league's top goalies. "The Bruins have a solid defense," was one excuse, or, "he just gets lucky on most saves, he'll cool off eventually." Thomas, who got a top goalie-esque raise a few months back, will no longer be able to assume underdog status, as winning the Vezina cements him as one of the league's elite between the pipes.

Much of the same can be said about Julien, who, with the Adams award, may have finally silenced some doubters about his ability behind the bench. Even while guiding the B's to the top spot in the East and second round in the playoffs this year, there were still grumblings among fans during a Bruins rough patch in early 2009 that Julien simply didn't "have what it takes," and should be jettisoned. Yes, people thought the coach of the first place Bruins should be fired, mainly because of what happened with Julien in New Jersey. With the Adams Award under his belt, hopefully Julien is cut some slack, and remains in Boston for a while (which is apparently the team's wish, as contract negotiations are underway).

Also, it's good to see Chara finally validated as the league's top defenseman with the Norris. There was plenty of speculation as to whether or not Mike Green might sneak in a steal the trophy, as his offensive numbers this season were extremely impressive, but in the end, Chara emerged victorious. Chara got off to a slow start with the Bruins under much-maligned head coach Dave Lewis, but in his two years under Julien, Chara has grown into the dominant defensive force that got him named the league's best blue-liner. He plays with a physical edge not seen in the Lewis era, while also serving as the B's shut-down defender against other team's top players and the most fearsome shooter in the league from the blue line on the power play. Chara, constantly trying to better himself, will likely do all he can to assure that the trophy doesn't leave it's place on his mantle by keeping up his stellar play next season.

That's all for now. I'm thinking about doing another top-10 games of the year post, then maybe something like best plays and saves too. Stay tuned over the next couple of days, I'm sure I'll churn something out.

Photo Credit: AP

Go B's.

Pre-game Thoughts on Game 7

Just a few quick thoughts before it's time to drop the puck on this series' deciding seventh game:

• I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruins have to (pardon the bad pun) weather the storm early tonight. Carolina hasn't had to play with "desperation" at all in this series yet, while the Bruins have been playing for their playoff lives for the past two games. In some cases, especially in game five, it was clear that the Bruins were working harder and wanted it more, winning puck battles and out-hustling the 'Canes. Chances are that won't happen tonight, as the 'Canes are now facing a do-or-die game as well.
• Look for Milan Lucic to get involved early. His hit on Dennis Seidenberg essentially kickstarted the B's in game five at home. Any physical activity, be it from Lucic, Byron Bitz, Shawn Thornton or Zdeno Chara, gets the crowd going and energizes the team. Lucic is going to have to keep it within the rules, as an early power play would be exactly what the doctor ordered for the 'Canes, a pristine chance to quiet the home crowd.
• Keep an eye on Marc Savard. Claude Julien said that he sent Savard to the room at the end of game six essentially because he didn't want to risk further injury and that the game was already in hand. The game, as referenced by the last eight minutes, really was far from over, making me wonder if Savard's knee is more injured than we're being told. There is little short of a cripplnig or life-threatening injury that will keep a hockey player out of a playoff game let alone a deciding seventh game, but the Bruins need Savard to be 100%, at his play-making best.
• At some point in this game, Tim Thomas or Cam Ward will make a momentum changing save. This may seem like common sense or a broad prediction, but look for it to happen for one side. For Thomas, he has made one in each of the last two games, making two quick saves in the first period of game five just after the Bruins have scored and making a sprawling save last game to keep the 'Canes off of the board. While Thomas or Ward may not "steal" the game, one of them is going to have a chance to come up big for their team tonight.
• A lot is being made of the 'Canes "being here before", a reason for them not to worry. Also, a Versus analyst said that the pressure now shifts back to the Bruins, who are now expected to win. To me, the pressure is on each team equally. The 'Canes don't want to be a team that blew a 3-1 series lead, and the Bruins don't want to get eliminated in the second round as a top-seed. As far as experience goes, the Bruins are no slouches in that department. Everyone on their assumed starting line-up tonight experienced a game seven last year, excluding Byron Bitz, Michael Ryder, Stephane Yelle, Chuck Kobasew and Steve Montador. Bitz is the lone-playoff greenhorn here, however, as the others have significant playoff experience (Ryder with the Habs, Yelle and Kobasew with the Flames and Montador with the Ducks). Two of the leaders of Carolina's 2006 Cup-winning team are currently with the Bruins as well: Aaron Ward and Mark Recchi. While the 'Canes may be more-experienced, the Bruins certainly aren't a group of novices.
• To me, this is the Bruins' game to lose. They have proven in the past two games that if they play the way they are capable of playing, they can win. If they can play physical but careful, and continue to work hard up and down the ice, they should be OK. Does that mean I think this game will be easy? No, this won't be a flashback to last night's thrashing of the Capitals by the Penguins. But if the Bruins play their game and do what they've shown they are capable of doing, they will put themselves in a good position to win.

Go B's.

Thoughts on Scott Walker Incident, Game 6

One of the biggest stories to come out of the Bruins' game five win over the Hurricanes was the Scott Walker "sucker punch" incident, viewable below.

Today, the NHL announced that Walker would NOT be suspended, and would instead have a $2,500 fine levied against him. Bruins fans are understandably frustrated by the ruling. After the incident occurred, Walker was given a two-minute instigator penalty, a five-minute fighting major and a game misconduct. Aaron Ward, on the receiving end of the punch, was given two minutes for roughing, probably for the shoving match he was involved in with Matt Cullen prior to Walker's interruption.

The reason that Bruins fans are up in arms over this ruling is that, according to the NHL rulebook, anyone assessed an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of a game is automatically suspended for the next one. From the NHL Rulebook, rule 56.a:

(NEW for 2005-06) A player who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at any time in overtime, shall be assessed an instigator minor penalty, a major for fighting, a ten minute misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension. The length of suspension will double for each subsequent offense. In addition, the player's coach shall be fined $10,000 -- a fine that will double for each subsequent incident.

(NEW for 2005-06) (NOTE 1) No team appeals will be permitted either verbally or in writing regarding the assessment of this automatic suspension.

If the above rule is to be taken at its word, then there's no way Walker could NOT be suspended. However, upon review, apparently by the league itself, specifically disciplinarian Colin Campbell, the suspension was "rescinded".

The problem here is that apparently Campbell, who has been skewered by hockey fans league-wide for his inconsistent policing of the game (see, just this playoffs, Milan Lucic, Alex Ovechkin, Donald Brashear, Mike Komisarek...list goes on), thought that what Walker did deserved a fine, but not a suspension. By fining Walker, Campbell is conceding that he did SOMETHING wrong, just apparently not enough to sit for a game.

The Bruins are understandably miffed by the ruling, as GM Peter Chiarelli noted that the team "respectfully disagree[d]" with the ruling. The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are relieved, and seemingly feel that Ward was the recipient of some kind of payback for "liberties" the Bruins have been taking all series.

Rutherford said that the "incident" was "clearly brought on by [the Bruins]", saying that his team has been taking shots from the B's after the whistle all series. I'm not sure what he's been watching, but the B's have hardly been the only one's taking shots, as, in my opinion, they've remained relatively restrained considering the number of times 'Canes have, shall we say, "visited the crease" of Tim Thomas this series.

What it all means is that the 'Canes will still have the services of one of their grittier forwards tomorrow, and that the Bruins may be without Ward, who is being evaluated for a fractured orbital bone. He is traveling with the team, and if I had to guess, I'd say he plays tomorrow, probably with a mask or a full cage.

This, along with the Jussi Jokinen slash of Zdeno Chara, may work in the Bruins' favor. Last night's game proved that when the B's play physical, they can neutralize Carolina's speed game, the aspect of their attack that has given the Bruins the most problems. The infusion of anger and borderline hatred for the 'Canes may be what the Bruins need to keep up the physical play.

Winning tomorrow will be tough, as the 'Canes have been stellar in their own building this playoffs. However, if the Bruins can play another game like they played last night, they won't lose again for the rest of the playoffs, not just tomorrow night. The question remains, though. Can they keep up the consistent effort? Can they play "Bruins hockey"?

These are questions that will be answered in under 24 hours, when the Bruins will be on a plane back to Boston, either with the Hurricanes following shortly behind them, or alone, making summer vacation plans.

Go B's.

There's a Hurricane Comin' Through

The Bruins have learned their second round opponent, and it is the Carolina Hurricanes, by virtue of their win over the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers' loss to the Washington Capitals.

Not enough time to write a preview (final tomorrow morning), but the B's were 4-0 against the 'Canes this season. However, the 'Canes tore it up down the stretch, and entered the playoffs as one of the NHL's hottest teams, mainly because of the return of Erik Cole and the rejuvenation of goalie Cam Ward.

Should be a good one, it's about time the Bruins hit the ice again. The Boston Globe is citing a TSN report that games 1 and 2 will be Friday and Sunday nights at the Garden. If that's right, the Bruins will have had eight full days away from game action in between playoff matches, an almost unheard of respite during NHL's dash to the Cup.

Go B's.

Seedings to be Finalized Tonight...

After nearly a week of waiting, the Boston Bruins will find out who their second-round opponent will be by the end of the night tonight. With two game 7's on tap for the evening (Carolina @ New Jersey, New York @ Washington), the semi-final match-ups will finally be completely set. However, there are plenty of different scenarios that could play out. The Bruins could play either New York, Carolina or Pittsburgh. There is no way they could play either New Jersey or Washington in this coming round.

Here are the scenarios for the two key teams (Canes and Rangers), and the end result in each of them:

Rangers

• If RANGERS win and DEVILS win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
• If RANGERS win and HURRICANES win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
  
• If RANGERS lose and DEVILS win, the Bruins play the PENGUINS
• If RANGERS lose and HURRICANES win, the Bruins play the HURRICANES

Hurricanes

• If HURRICANES win and RANGERS win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
• If HURRICANES win and CAPITALS win, the Bruins play the HURRICANES
• If HURRICANES lose and RANGERS win, the Bruins play the RANGERS
• If HURRICANES lose and CAPITALS win, the Bruins play the PENGUINS

Basically, the Bruins will only play the Penguins if both higher-seeds (Caps and Devs) advance. If one upset occurs, the Bruins play the lowest seed available. If BOTH upsets occur, the Bruins would play the Rangers, because they are guaranteed to be the lowest seed left standing.

It's really not as confusing as it sounds, and will all be sorted out within three hours (barring overtime, of course).

Predictions? I'm sticking to my originals, and saying the Canes win and Captials win, setting up the return of Sergei Samsonov to the Garden later this week, and a Bruins-Canes Conference Semifinal.

Sweep Revenge

Don't have much time to post anything as it's the last week of college classes this week, but just a couple of thoughts on the end of the series:

• Sweet revenge for the Bruins, and for Michael Ryder in particular. Cast off by the Habs, Ryder had a monster series, and was a force for the Bruins. For the team as a whole, after being dominated by Montreal for an entire season last year, the Bruins turned the tables on them this year, going 5-0-1 in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs.
• If the Bruins can play like they did in this series consistently, they will be dangerous. They were disciplined, focused and worked hard. The power play clicked, and Tim Thomas was superb.
• That's all, because I'm too happy with the sweep to write anything else right now. And I have too much homework I should be doing.

Go B's.