Mayday Malone

Posted by Mike Giardi June 30, 2008 at 9:44 am

The dream has died. My terrific plan to put Ryan Malone in a Boston Bruins uniform is no longer a reality. I blame Glenn Murray. Hey, someone has to take the hit for preventing me from reporting on a Stanley Cup parade next year, so it might as well be the unproductive and overpaid Muzz.

In truth, I never thought Malone would end up here. The buzz on the streets since the tail end of last year revolves around two players. The first being Marion Hossa, who seems destined to get at least 8 million per season. The B’s could make him fit by eating salaries and likely walking away from what should be around a 3.5 million dollar arbitration award for Dennis Wideman later this summer. Of course, I don’t know why you’d walk away from Wideman, after dealing Brad Boyes for him, and then letting him skate 20-plus minutes per game. His skills are evident. Wideman just needs to be more consistent, the usual critique of a young player.

The second rumor that won’t go away has the B’s making a play for puck-moving defenseman Brian Campbell. Campbell was a key player for Buffalo two seasons ago, but when they realized they couldn’t pay him, the Sabres shipped him off at this year’s deadline to San Jose. With a premium on Campbell’s skill-set, word is he’s looking for 6 million per season. Certainly more achievable for the B’s than Hossa, and probably allows you to keep Wideman around.

Campbell finished with 62 points last year, including 54 assists. The year before, he was a plus 28 for Buffalo, and finished with 6 goals and 42 helpers. He’s also not shy about throwing the body around. See here, and here, and - if you have it in you - check out what he did to PJ Axelsson at about the 35 second mark.

Bruins Focus on More Offense

Posted by NHL.com June 23, 2008 at 2:54 am OTTAWA -- After two seasons in which they finished out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Boston Bruins bounced back last year under new head coach Claude Julien. Playing a much more aggressive style, the Bruins qualified for the playoffs with a 41-...

Boston Bruins Assign Forwards Vladimir Sobotka and Petteri Nokelainen To Providence

Posted by Boston Bruins April 24, 2008 at 9:10 am BOSTON, MA - Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has assigned forwards Vladimir Sobotka and Petteri Nokelainen to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL).  Both players will join Provi...

Bruins’ Chara nominated for Norris Trophy

Posted by NECN - Sports April 23, 2008 at 8:54 am

TORONTO (AP) - Only Zdeno Chara and Dion Phaneuf stand in the
way of Nicklas Lidstrom winning a sixth Norris Trophy.

The three finalists for the award that goes to the NHL's top
defenseman were announced Tuesday. Lidstrom has won the honor five
of the past six seasons.

The Detroit Red Wings captain, who earned his ninth career
nomination, is tied with Ray Bourque with five Norris Trophies. A
sixth would leave him alone in third place behind arguably the two
greatest blue-liners ever - Doug Harvey (seven Norris Trophies) and
Bobby Orr (eight).

read more

B’s Just Beginning

Posted by Mike Giardi April 22, 2008 at 8:39 am

The hockey haters, the Bruins haters - better yet - the Jacobs family haters we’ll say, “see I told you so. Same old B’s.” But that’s just stupid. Uneducated. Incorrect. This isn’t the same scenario that has played out all too many times over the last 15 or so years. The foundation has been built. Now its up to the players, the Head Coach and the General Manager to help the Black and Gold become a nightly force. That’s not all that far-fetched, especially not with a young core that I have already written about on this blog, spoken to you about on TV and spoken to directly.

Here’s what I do if I’m Peter Chiarelli to bolster my club for the 2008-09 season.

- Find myself a goal scorer. Perhaps its Marion Hossa, who’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. He’s the best UFA currently on the board. I like another kid from that Penguins team, Ryan Malone, although he’s 20-goal guy. Niklas Hagman potted 27 for the Stars. He’d be another one to sniff around.

- Find a taker for Glen Murray. He’s making too much - 4 million per season - and providing too little pop. It may be that Chiarelli has to cough up a high draft pick to help move along the salary, and maybe even take a pair of 2 million dollar players back. So be it. Muzz is a pro, but he has run his course in Boston. There’s also the option of a buyout, which may not be something the family that owns this team will do.

- Bring back Aaron Ward. Not to skate as much as he had to this season, but he’s still a very steady blueliner and a calming presence for fellow defensemen Dennis Wideman and Mark Stuart.

- Have one heck of a competition for the top netminding job this fall. Manny Fernandez, Tim Thomas and the kid, Tuukka Rask. Fernandez is getting the big bucks, Thomas is a streaky performer and Rask is the great unknown. In that group, one will emerge as a player who can help this team win a round, or three. And if they don’t, its never too early to make a phone call.

Down In A Hole

Posted by Mike Giardi April 21, 2008 at 8:27 pm

That one hurt. About a minute after the Bruins had a power play, Mark Streit shows why he’s a forward in a defenseman’s body, beating Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. Canadiens 2, B’s 0.

To make matters worse, Glen Murray is lost for the evening with what the B’s are terming a “mid-torso” injury. Muzz isn’t the player he once was, or even 80% of that guy, but to lose a forward in a decisive Game 7 with 40 minutes of hockey to play, really puts a huge burden on the rest of that crew. Head Coach Claude Julien is double shifting Peter Schaeffer, who has to switch from one wing to the other. I’m sure as the game moves on, Julien will reward whoever is playing well, but also whoever can play smart 2-way hockey.

Marco Sturm just had another good chance for the B’s, but Carey Price continues to revert to early-series form, i.e. unbeatable.

One Period in the Books

Posted by Mike Giardi April 21, 2008 at 7:56 pm

You wonder how many times the Bruins can put themselves in a hole and then climb out? They’ve done it again tonight, trailing Game 7 in Montreal, 1-0 after one period. The lone goal comes off the stick of Mike Komisarek…or should I say, Petteri Nokelianen. A sloppy defensive exchange by your two bests defensive players - Zdeno Chara and P.J. Axelsson - created a shooting lane for Komisarek. He teed one up, but it was headed glove side on Tim Thomas before being re-routed by Nokelainen. Not the spot to be in for Nokelainen, who needed to get his body in the way or get the heck out of the way.

At the other end, the B’s had a slew of chances. Glen Murray should have buried at least one of his two, poking the second just wide of the net. It was on that play that he tumbled ackwardly into the boards - neck first. Not pretty, and he’s lucky he got up from that. Whether he plays from here on out has yet to be determined.

A couple of the kids also generating bids. Phil Kessel continues to blossom on the big stage, and you can see his confidence grow. David Krejci also stood on the doorstep, but rookie Carey Price is soooo quick. He snuffed it with the pads and the puck skidded across the crease and was cleared away. If the B’s keep attacking like this, they will score at least a few tonight. But will that be enough?

You’d like to see Tim Thomas be a little more sound in his own end. He looked shaky on Begin’s breakaway, and got lucky that puck didn’t end up in the net. He also had to jump to knock a shot down with his shoulder. Unorthodox, but I suppose it got the job done.

All in all, plenty to work with heading into period 2. Take the body more, keep driving to the net and we’ll be set up for a great final 20…and perhaps more.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Mike Giardi April 19, 2008 at 10:40 pm

There will be a Game 7 in Montreal Monday night. Holy mackerel! Twice in this series I thought the Bruins were D-O-N-E, DONE! But the grit that was evident even in defeat has unnerved the favored Habs.

Tremendous leadership from the veterans, but its those kids, oh man, those kid who are opening eyes! Phil Kessel with a pair of goals. He’s 20 years old. Milan Lucic got one. He’s 19. Vladimir Sobotka pops in his second is as many games. He’s 20. Then you throw in some more 20-somethings in Nokelainen, Krejci and Wideman and - as I wrote earlier this week - the core for this hockey team is in place. But who knew that core could play this well this soon, especially when they have trailed by two games twice in this series? It speaks to their character, and to the work Head Coach Claude Julien has done keeping his team in the moment, skating shift to shift, and not worrying about what happened the last time they were on the ice, or the last play that happened. Even if this ride ends Monday in Montreal, its been exciting, and who knows? Maybe Tuesday we’re looking ahead the Bruins and Penguins series. Now wouldn’t that be something?

Super 7

Posted by Mike Giardi April 19, 2008 at 5:49 pm

In the middle of prepping for an evening of channel surfing as I sit here in our plush NECN sports row. Its so plush, I have two trash cans within 15 feet of me, and yet there’s trash everywhere. Safe to say there’s been an errant jumper or three by yours truly. That’s true to form. I was deadly around the tin, and from beyond the arc, but I never did have a mid-range game. 

Time for the Super 7:

1) I’m positively Pete Carroll-esque right now: jacked and pumped for Game 6 of the Bruins/Canadiens playoff series. For starters, I won bets with everyone at work on the length of this series, so I have much coffee coming my way. Secondly, this has been a terrific matchup, full of everything that makes the Stanley Cup playoffs the second-best postseason in sports, behind only the NFL’s second season. I’m still not sure the B’s have enough to pull of a 3-1 comeback, much like the Habs did to them a several years back, but I’ve enjoyed seeing the Black and Gold represent so many thing that I loved about that franchise growing up. Plus, the Cam Neely high-5 to GM Peter Chiarelli after Game 3 was must-see TV.

2) After a 66-win regular season, the Celtics have placed a heavy burden on themselves. Expectations are sky-high, and I think anything less than a trip to the Finals means they’ve underachieved. I know all the Detroit apologists are out there, but that team has gakked in the postseason 2 of the last 3 years. Why should C’s fans fear that?

3) On that front, I fully expect Ray Allen to be shopped at season’s end. He’s been a true pro, but being 3rd in the pecking order has not be an easy thing for someone used to having everything built around him. That said, I have no idea how the C’s get anything close to full value for a 30-something shooting guard. In fact, I’d say its impossible.

4) This Spurs/Suns series has the potential to be one of the best first-round matchups since the league expanded to its current format. I mean, both of these clubs could win a championship, and they’re playing in the opening round?!?! That’s eye-opening. I still think the NBA needs to go to an open format for the postseason, with teams seeded 1-16.  Ditto for the NHL.

5) I heard a couple of callers complain about the Sox’s trade at the deadline last year. I love the revisionist history. Murphy and Gabbard for Eric Gagne was about as close to a no-brainer as you can get in late July. The ceiling on Murphy is 4th outfielder. Gabbard 4th starter. The Sox’s bullpen needed one more reliable arm, and Gagne was suppose to be it. How could they have known that he wouldn’t be able to adjust to the 8th inning role? I still think that’s a bunch of bunk anyway, but Gagne never got his head right, and consequently, stunk. Still didn’t stop the Sox from winning it all, and hopefully didn’t discourage Theo Epstein from doing something similar this year.

6) Yankee reliever Kyle Farnsworth got suspended for 3 games and fined a laughable 2,000 dollars for throwing straight cheese behind Manny’s head Thursday. That’s brutal. I understand the code about protecting your players, or trying to cool off a hot hitter, but put the ball at the waist, not at the head. And you know what? If you can’t control your pitches to begin with, then you shouldn’t be the one doling out justice.

7) Condolences to the family of John Marzano. The former Sox catcher died of apparent heart attack. He was part of one of my favorite Sox teams growing up. The 1987 edition, which finished dead-last, 6 games under .500, but sold us on the kiddies that were coming: Sam Horn, Todd Benzinger, Ellis Burks, Jeff Sellers Rob Woodward and Jody Reed. For some reason, I bought it. It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth

Approval Ratings - Stephen Harris

Posted by Bruce April 17, 2008 at 12:00 pm

On Herald Thursday, we check in today on hockey writer Stephen Harris.

Perhaps one of the lesser known Herald writers, Harris has nonetheless been around for a long time. He’s covered the Bruins for Herald since the 1979-80 season, though he also served as the Red Sox beat writer for five seasons during the 1980’s. Harris’ doesn’t usually do the game stories for the paper, instead doing more “overview” and analytical type articles.

Harris is also the closest thing that the paper has to an Olympic writer, having covered six Olympic games during his career with the paper. You don’t see or hear him much on the local airwaves, and I couldn’t even find a photo to use with his profile here.

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