The Bruins Began Their 2023-24 Regular Season Campaign With A 3-1 Victory Vs. The Blackhawks

 

    It seems like only yesterday that the Bruins were choking away a 3-1 series lead and losing another excruciating Game 7 on their home ice, this time to the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs last spring. You cannot blame Boston's fans for having even more PTSD after the Bruins made the best regular season in NHL history nothing but a useless footnote. With that said, it is time to move on with our lives and focus on a new season for the Black and Gold. Additionally, with how terrible the Red Sox and Patriots are these days, we need the B's and the Celtics to be the title contenders that we believe them to be. Tonight, the B's hosted the Blackhawks (1-1-0) at TD Garden and they turned in a solid performance that resulted in a satisfying 3-1 win for the home team. 

    The league schedule makers did the Bruins a favor since Chicago had played last night (an unexpected 4-2 triumph in Pittsburgh). The Blackhawks received an early boost by their young phenom and the No. 1 overall pick center Connor Bedard who scored his first career goal at 5:37 of the first period with a nifty wraparound. Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (20 saves) was a little slow to react and the baby-faced 18-year-old Canadian corralled a rebound and quickly twisted around the cage to net what will be the first of likely hundreds of goals in the NHL. Former Bruins Taylor Hall-who later left with an upper body injury following a check from B's defenseman Brandon Carlo-and Ryan Donato (the pride of Harvard) provided the assists on Bedard's historic tally. Chicago's lone lead was brief though as Boston tied it up less than six minutes later. Left wing Trent Frederic deftly tipped in Carlo's shot from the point at 11:22. Rookie center Matthew Poitras picked up the second assist, the first career point for a 19-year-old who burst onto the scene at Boston's training camp and earned himself a surprise spot in the opening lineup. 

    It was knotted at 1-1 after the first period but the Bruins slowly started to take over against the understandably tired Blackhawks in the second period. They took a 2-1 lead midway through the frame that served as an early dose of Bruins porn for their always thirsty fans. Old friend and left wing Milan Lucic made his triumphant return to the Garden with a nice backhand assist to right wing David Pastrnak who ripped a low shot past Chicago's backup goalie something named Arvid Soderblom (30 saves) at 13:09. After scoring a career-high 61 goals last season, it is unlikely that Pastrnak will reach that lofty height this time around but as long as he can bag 40+ goals, the Bruins will take it. Boston led 2-1 heading into the third and you had a feeling that Chicago was gassed out. 
    Each club was 0-for-3 on the power play so the B's had to wait until the Blackhawks pulled Soderblom for an extra skater to finally put this one to bed. In his first official contest as captain Bruins left wing Brad Marchand won a puck battle along the wall and unselfishly gave up the puck to Pastrnak for an easy empty-net goal at 19:04. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy registered the second assist on David's second goal of the night. Overall, it was a fun game for the B's who saw two of their recent draft picks make their NHL debuts: center John Beecher and right wing Jakub Lauko who teamed up with Lucic on the very effective fourth line.

    Boston will practice for a few days before their next matchup-on Saturday night (7, NESN)- Nashville (0-1-0) pays them a visit. Following that matchup with another Western Conference club, the B's are off to California (San Jose, LA then Anaheim) and a return date with Chicago as their first road trip of this season is four games long. We are a few weeks away from Halloween so the weather is still pretty decent in New England and unless you are a hardcore fan, it is hard to focus on the Bruins this early. However, winter will be here soon enough and the Pats could be the worst team in the NFL so local sports fans need a team to put our unrealistic hopes on. Hello Bruins (and Celtics)! Longtime Bruins centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are now retired plus there is a decent amount of new faces on this roster. Last season was a forceful reminder that the regular season in hockey is mostly useless other than qualifying for the playoffs. Regardless, the NHL postseason does not start for a long time so we need entertainment until then and this likeable group should fill that void very well indeed.

Left Wing Brad Marchand Is Rightfully Named The 27th Captain In The History Of The Boston Bruins

 

    Ever since longtime Bruins center and captain Patrice Bergeron officially retired earlier this summer, the obvious question for the team was who would be the next captain of the B's? Fittingly, as training camp opened for Boston this morning at the Warrior Ice Arena in Boston, they unveiled their new captain on social media: left wing Brad Marchand aka Bergy's best friend. Looking back, there really should not have been that much debate on this subject since Brad is the right choice for a number of reasons. Additionally, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and right wing David Pastrnak were named alternate captains for the Bruins ahead of their new era in the 2023-24 season. 

    Most team sports choose captains but I will always subscribe to hockey being the one where it is a more important distinction than any other (with football being second but slightly deluded since teams have a bunch of captains instead of a singular one based on the huge team size). There is a certain honor and prestige about being named the captain of an NHL club that is different from any other. This is not simply about being the best player (cough cough high school) or the oldest/longest tenured (although Marchy does check both of those boxes too), rather it is a combination of leadership, playing ability, a go-to voice for the media (local and national) and overall professionalism in the community. As you would expect for an Original Six team, Boston has been blessed with so many excellent captains over the years with defenseman Zdeno Chara (2006-20) and Bergeron (2021-23) being the recent exemplary guys to fill that lofty position.

    Marchand's growth as a player and a human being has been something to behold. At the age of 35, it is amazing how far he has come in all ways since being drafted by the Bruins in 2006 (3rd Round, 71st overall). It is hard to believe the same maniac that used to lick opponents, who loved nothing more than a good slew foot or cheap shot and always got fined or suspended a few times per season is now this refined person. Everyone grows up at some point (at least you hope so) and just imagine that you had to do so in the public eye. While I am not sure exactly how the Bruins determined the captaincy-I bet it was due to coach and player input-this was a no-brainer.  

    Brad has always been hilarious (like stand-up comic level quality) and he does not shy away from talking after a tough loss but this shows how he has come full circle. He is no longer the scrappy underdog that was happy to play in whatever role as he made an unexpected impact on the 2011 Stanley Cup champions. He is a world class player and this shows how his teammates, coaching staff and front office-the most important people that you work with as a professional athlete-truly think of him. Likewise, being an alternate captain does not carry nearly the same cache as being the captain in hockey but for younger players like McAvoy and Pastrnak, this is a good sign that they are doing the right things behind the scenes coupled with their high level performances on the ice that we can all see for ourselves. Lastly, the lack of racial diversity in the NHL is horrible but at least these three guys are from different countries: Canada (Marchand), United States (McAvoy) & Czech Republic (Pastrnak).

Another Outstanding Bruin Calls It Quits As Center David Krejci Retires After 16 Seasons With Boston

 

    For whatever weird reason, it will not get nearly the same amount of fanfare that captain Patrice Bergeron retiring did but the news this morning that fellow Bruins center David Krejci is also hanging up his skates after 16 great seasons with Boston is undoubtedly another big moment in the franchise's long history. Like Bergy, Krech only ever played for the B's in the NHL and he was a 2011 Stanley Cup champion along with a member of the teams that fell just short in the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals vs. Chicago and in 2019 vs. St. Louis. Bergeron is a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame and while Krejci probably will not reach that pinnacle, he is a no-brainer to have his number in the rafters at TD Garden which is no small feat given all the excellent players that have competed for the Bruins over the years. 

    After going back to his homeland (Czech Republic) for one season during the pandemic to be around his extended family more, Krejci returned last season for one last go-around with the Bruins. Ever reliable, David totaled 786 career points (231 goals, 555 assists) and was plus-166 (!!!!) with 203 power play points (54 goals, 149 assists) in a whopping 1032 regular season games but what separated him in my eyes was the way that he usually seemed to take his game to the next level in the postseason. If you like clutch players in modern Bruins history (and who does not?), the soft-spoken and unassuming Krejci was likely one of your favorites. In 160 career Stanley Cup playoff games, he had 128 points (43 goals, 85 assists) and he was plus-20 with 37 power play points (13 goals, 24 assists). In addition to that, he twice led the NHL in playoff scoring including in 2011 when he put up 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) on the way to the Cup and in 2013 when he was arguably even better with 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) in three less contests (22). Krejci was never flashy and especially early in his career, he drove Boston fans crazy when he did not shoot the puck enough in their learned eyes but we came to love him very much in due time.

    I will remember David for his underrated toughness and dependability as well. He was not the biggest or the most physical guy but he managed to suit up in so many games despite battling the typical injuries that accumulate during a normal NHL season. He twice played in 82 games, once in 81, once in 80 and three other times in 75+ games. That speaks to a person that truly loved his craft and took a certain pride in being available as much as he could. In addition to all that, he is one of the best players in the history of the Czech Republic which is a solid hockey country in Europe. When B's star right wing David Pastrnak came to Boston, getting the opportunity to play with Krejci was a dream come true since Krech had been one of his hockey idols growing up as a young Czech. How cool this past season that those two teamed up with their fellow countryman Pavel Zacha (at left wing) for an All-Czech second forward line. Not just a novelty, it was often Boston's most effective line and it had to have helped that they could all speak another language to each other while they were on the ice together. 

    Not to be a downer (however it is my blog so I will say what I want to!) but this is yet another sobering reminder that only a few players remain on the Bruins (or in the NHL for that matter) that were part of their last championship team in 2011: left wing Brad Marchand (who should be Boston's next captain) and left wing Milan Lucic who has been on a bunch of other teams before re-signing here earlier this summer on a cheap one-year deal. To paraphrase former Celtics head coach Rick Pitino, "Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas are not walking through that door fans, and if they do, they will be old and grey." Indeed, 12 years is a long time between titles for a proud Original Six club. Let's hope that the B's do not become a pathetic club like the Canadiens who last won a Cup in 1993 but still hopelessly cling to that since they have done very little that notable since then. Reliving past glory is fine in small doses but it is time for the Black and Gold to add some new positive chapters to their overall spotty resume.

After Another Summer Of Uncertainty, Patrice Bergeron Officially Retires From The B's & The NHL

 

    One of the greatest players in Bruins history and an all but certain future Hockey Hall of Famer retired today. Boston's captain and first line center Patrice Bergeron made it official after 19 seasons wearing the spoked B. He will leave an enormous legacy both in terms of his brilliant play on the ice where he won a Stanley Cup in 2011, two gold medals with Team Canada and six Selke Trophies (given to the league's top defensive forward) and off the ice where he was a consummate pro when it came to charity work and all the things that he did for the community that went above and beyond the norm. In a sport that is filled with selfless, team-first guys, he took it to another level. They say you should not meet your idols because you will be disappointed but it is hard to remember a time when Bergy said or did the wrong thing, in a hockey game or in the real world. For that and many reasons, he is sure to leave a void that is impossible for the B's to ultimately fill. 

    If you feel like you grew up with Patrice, you did if you are in a certain age bracket (he turned 38 yesterday). He was a second round draft pick in 2003 (45th overall) who barely played in the minors before he appeared in 71 games with Boston that season. In 1294 career regular season games, he piled up 427 goals, 613 assists and he was plus-289 with 131 power play goals, 195 power play assists, 22 shorthanded goals, 26 shorthanded assists, 81 game-winning goals and nine overtime goals in addition to winning 57.9% of his face-offs. When you look back at his career, you will probably remember his postseason heroics most fondly: 50 goals, 78 assists and plus-42 with 17 power play goals, 21 power play assists, three shorthanded goals, a shorthanded assist, 10 game-winning goals and four overtime goals (including famously in Game 7 vs. Toronto in the 2013 first round) in 170 playoff games.

    In both the short term and the long term, there are many issues that the B's will need to resolve. Yes, they have plenty of talent left on the roster that set the NHL record for regular points last season (then choked in the first round of the playoffs vs. Florida) but who will be their next captain? For my money, I hope that Bergy's best friend and left wing Brad Marchand is the next captain of the team based on his winning experience and sneaky leadership ability that has developed over the years. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy would also be a fine pick if they wanted someone younger and that figures to be around for much longer than Marchy. It is doubtful that anybody else on the Bruins garners the same universal respect that Bergeron did from coaches, teammates, support staff, front office, the media and fans along with other players and coaches from around the league. 

    After Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque, you could argue that Patrice is the third best Bruin of all-time which is something to say since the franchise has such a long and proud history. You better believe that the team will retire his #37 jersey ASAP into the cramped TD Garden rafters. Furthermore, he figures to be a first ballot Hockey Hall of Famer in Toronto. He is one of those rare players that we will remember forever and talk about in a positive light for as long as we are on this Earth. There are very few people let alone superstar pro athletes that are wired like Patrice Bergeron these days. He is a special guy along with a phenomenal player and considering all the scary injuries that he suffered during his career (multiple concussions), I am happy that he got to go out on his own terms. Other than retiring on top with a Cup, that is really all he could ask for after an incredible career spent solely with one Original Six club-another thing that rarely occurs anymore.

The Bruins' Start To Free Agency This Weekend Has Been Underwhelming To Say The Least

 

    If you were expecting fireworks (sorry for the tired holiday cliche-it is July 3rd you know!) from the Bruins this weekend, you have no doubt been very disappointed as they entered free agency with a whisper rather than a loud pop. We knew that GM Don Sweeney did not have much money to spend-even after the Taylor Hall trade earlier in the week-but it was a tough pill to swallow to see the three valuable guys that they obtained before the trade deadline last season all quickly end up elsewhere. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov (2 years, $7.75 million AAV) signed with Carolina (no surprise since we knew the Russian would go to the highest bidder no questions asked), winger Garnet Hathaway is now a Flyer (2 years, $4.78 million) and the real kick in the teeth came tonight as word came out that winger Tyler Bertuzzi was going to the Maple Leafs on a very affordable one-year deal for $5.5 million. The other notable Bruin to depart was defenseman Connor Clifton who signed a three-year deal worth $10 million with Buffalo. However, for an undrafted guy from Quinnipiac coming off of a career season, we expected that Cliffy would cash in so good for him and his family.

    Losing Bertuzzi to a division rival is especially frustrating since you had to believe that Hall's trade was likely meant to clear some cap space specifically to try to bring back Tyler. I guess not and no matter if Sweeney or Bertuzzi's agent screwed this up, the bottom line is that he obviously panicked and signed a deal that the B's should have been able to offer before. I'm assuming that they had already moved on and committed elsewhere when Bertuzzi's camp might have come crawling back. Ugh. So who has Boston signed to replace these guys? Well get ready to take a time machine back five to ten years and Sweeney would be having a hell of a time. Of the five main players that the Bruins have signed, the three that you have all heard of are former B's left wing Milan Lucic, former BU/Team USA defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and former UNH star winger James van Riemsdyk. Additionally, former BC forward Patrick Brown (2 years, $800,000 AAV which is the veteran minimum) and forward Morgan Geekie (2 years, $2 million AAV) are the other guys that will join the Bruins next season. 

    35-year-old Looch (who has 3 daughters!) needs no introduction if you are reading this and rumors of him signing with his beloved Boston started to percolate last week. On a one-year deal worth $1 million plus up to $500,000 in performance based incentives, it's hard to dislike Milan's return where he can hopefully anchor the fourth line and bring some toughness along with an edge that the Bruins have sorely lacked in recent years. 34-year-old Shattenkirk-who will make $1.05 million in one season here-used to be one of the best puck-moving defenseman in the league but Boston will be his seventh club after stops in Anaheim, Tampa, NY (Rangers), Washington, St. Louis and Colorado. Still, having him replace Clifton on the third defensive pairing would be ideal for a guy with a boatload of experience (891 career NHL games) not to mention talent-he was the 14th overall pick in the 2007 Draft-and plenty of points (97 goals and 363 assists). Finally, JVR also is here for peanuts (1 year, $1 million) and you will remember him mostly for his successful time as a Flyer, not so much as a Leaf. He is 34 as well and was the second overall pick of that 2007 Draft. He has had a very productive NHL career with 591 points (300 goals, 291 assists) in 940 games. 

    It is easy to see Sweeney's thinking with these moves; he could not get any top players without making a real hockey trade so why not fill in any roster and lineup holes with decorated veterans that he and B's head coach Jim Montgomery can trust from Day 1? At least on paper-which is all we have in early July-I do not know how the totality of these additions and subtractions makes Boston a better team. Granted, hockey is the ultimate chemistry sport so maybe bringing back Lucic's mojo will spark his former teammates like left wing Brad Marchand and right wing David Pastrnak. Last week, Cam Neely admitted that the team is operating like both of their ancient centers David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron won't be coming back next season but would it kill either of those guys just to make a decision ASAP? This is beginning to get those gross Brett Favre in Green Bay vibes as I cannot stomach another summer of waiting to hear what these guys are going to do. Truth be told, Krejci looked pretty cooked in his return to the Bruins last season so if he decides to retire and/or go back to playing in his native Czech Republic, oh well. Bergy is the trickier one because he can still compete at a high level-as evidenced by his record sixth Selke Trophy that he won last week-but this is getting ridiculous. I can only surmise that behind the scenes, the front office, coaches and players already know his decision, otherwise this does everyone a complete disservice. Rant over.

Taylor Hall Is Sent To Chicago So Boston Can Get Some Salary Cap Relief Before Free Agency Starts

 

    With very little money left available under the salary cap, the Bruins needed to make some moves to clear some space that they hopefully can use on key free agents like winger Tyler Bertuzzi. Boston got what is sure to be a very busy week started this afternoon-with the NHL Awards show, the NHL Draft and NHL free agency all happening-by trading left wing Taylor Hall along with the rights to impending unrestricted free agent left wing Nick Foligno to the Blackhawks. In exchange, the B's received restricted free agent defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula who I had never heard of before now and truthfully, you have no clue who they are either. This was a good old fashioned salary dump plain and simple and hey maybe one of those guys gives Boston some quality depth in Providence (AHL) which they have lacked for years.

    After playing in Black and Gold for parts of three seasons, it is safe to say that Hall's time here was not all that memorable hence why it is fine to say goodbye to him at this juncture. There is a reason why Chicago will be the former No. 1 overall pick in 2010's sixth NHL club. He perhaps surprisingly proved to be a team-first guy with the Bruins but clearly, wins for the most part have not been a big aspect of his career and save for his random one-off Hart Trophy (NHL MVP) season in 2017-18 with the Devils, he has never really lived up to the hype and the eye-popping skills that show up from time to time. In 158 career regular season games with Boston, Hall had 44 goals, 67 assists and he was plus-37 with 12 power play goals. Those are perfectly respectable numbers but in what should be the prime of his career at age 31, he was relegated to the third line last season with the Bruins which is just not good enough no matter how you spin it. If he had showed more consistency, there is no doubt that they would have kept him since his cap hit for the next two years is only six million dollars for each season. 

    Ironically, Hall was one of Boston's few players that really showed up in their very depressing first round exit vs. Florida a few months ago where they lost in seven games after leading the series 3-1. Taylor had eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) against the Panthers and 17 overall (10 goals, 7 assists) in 25 career playoff games for the Spoked B. Foligno was obviously just a throw in to this deal but he might actually bring a little something to the rebuilding Blackhawks as well if they can sign him. He looked washed up in his first season as a Bruin but bounced back last year with twice as many points (26) on 10 goals and 16 assists. The former Blue Jackets captain is a great leader-at least that is what NESN's "Behind The B" has led us to believe-and if he is still interested in playing, he should be helpful for whatever time he spends in Chicago which will soon have Canadian phenom center Connor Bedard with the No. 1 overall pick on Wednesday. 

    One last gut punch for the 2022-23 Bruins occurred tonight in Nashville at the NHL Awards as Boston came away with not one, not two but three major awards as expected. Center Patrice Bergeron extended his league record by winning a sixth Selke Trophy while goaltender Linus Ullmark won his first Vezina Trophy and head coach Jim Montgomery captured the Jack Adams Award in his first year in charge of Boston. Whatever became of their former head coach Bruce Cassidy anyway? Only the Bruins could pull off that nearly impossible feat and yet not advance out of the first round in that particular postseason. Ugh, they will never have a more loaded team than that as Ullmark and right wing David Pastrnak (runner-up to Connor McDavid for the Hart Trophy) were both named to the NHL's First Team while defenseman Hampus Lindholm (remember him?) was on the NHL's Second Team. No matter who is on the roster next season, Boston will still be one of the favorites to win their first Stanley Cup since 2011 but the PTSD caused from last season is sure to last for a very long time with true Bruins fans. 

UPDATE 6/27/23: This morning, Chicago signed Foligno to a one-year deal worth $4 million dollars. It turns out that being Bedard's babysitter is not such a bad life as you try to hang on in the NHL.

Nobody Will Consistently Let You Down Like The B's Who Fell 4-3 To The Panthers In Game 7 OT

 

    In any playoff format-particularly the ultra marathon that is better known as the NHL playoffs-when you have the chance to knock out an opponent, you have to do it. Otherwise, you run the risk of an epic choke job like the latest one suffered by your Boston Bruins. The best regular season team in league history was up 3-1 in their first round series vs. Florida and then they proceeded to fall apart rapidly, culminating with tonight's soul-crushing 4-3 overtime defeat in Game 7 at TD Garden. The B's got what they deserved both this evening and in this series as they came out flat yet again and trailed 2-0 in the second period before they finally woke up. Boston admirably rallied to tie it and even go ahead 3-2 in the third period but obviously they allowed the backbreaking tying goal with a minute left in regulation. Center Carter Verhaegae's series-clinching goal at 8:35 in OT felt like a formality as the Panthers dominated the extra session and now they advance to play the Maple Leafs in the second round (who picked that second round matchup?) while the Bruins are left wondering where it all went wrong? 

    Boston head coach Jim Montgomery made a big change by starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman (27 saves) for the first time in the series and in a vacuum, I would not say that it blew up in his face (because Swayman was OK) but it certainly did not rally the team like I'm sure he hoped that it would. Instead, a group with so much experience and talent seemed to crack under the pressure of such high expectations after a perfect regular season. It is a credit to Florida as well since they were the exact opposite: they never flinched as they won the final three games at the Garden including the last two in overtime. They don't give out MVP awards for a first round playoff series but if they did, UMass alum and Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour would get it as he scored not once but twice in Game 7. He opened the scoring with a power play goal at 12:23 of the first period. Center Anton Lundell and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (33 saves) had the assists on a backhander that Swayman probably should have stopped but it went in for Montour's fourth goal of the series. 

    Any thoughts of the Bruins coming out strong in the second period were quickly extinguished as center Sam Reinhart took a wide open drop pass in the slot and beat Swayman with a high shot at 1:14 for a stunning 2-0 Florida lead. Defenseman Eetu Luostarinen and Lundell provided the helpers on Reinhart's fourth goal of the playoffs. One of Boston's oldest players was the one to finally stem the tide as center David Krejci one-timed in a power play goal at 7:52 of the second period that cut the Panthers' lead to 2-1. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov and center Pavel Zacha assisted on Krejci's first goal of the series. Boston still trailed though 2-1 entering the third period. 

    The B's tied it at two 55 seconds into the third as they scored another power play goal. Left wing Tyler Bertuzzi tipped in Orlov's shot for his team-high fifth goal of the series, assisted by Krejci. Boston soon after gained its only lead of the third period when Bobrovsky allowed a juicy rebound that right wing David Pastrnak was able to follow up for his fifth goal of the postseason and a 3-2 advantage for the Black and Gold. Defenseman Brandon Carlo and Krejci had the assists at 4:11 as the Garden went wild. It would have been great to see the B's build on that lead but they seemed to sit back and try to hang on for dear life rather than take the game by the scruff of its neck. Bobrovsky was out for an extra attacker and the puck deflected right to who else but Montour who put it in for the devastating tying goal. Center Aleksander Barkov and Verhaeghe notched the assists on the biggest goal in Montour's life and one of the biggest in Panthers franchise history. 

    Each team had five shots on goal in overtime but if you watched it, Florida completely dominated zone time and in terms of puck possession. Swayman actually stopped a breakaway by Panthers star left wing Matthew Tkachuk and made a few other quality saves as his petrified teammates mostly stumbled around their defensive zone. After captain and center Patrice Bergeron contemplated retirement for a long time last summer and Krejci returned from the Czech Republic, you have to wonder if they are both done after this latest depressing result. On the one hand, it feels like it would be impossible to go out on this pathetic note after such great Bruins careers but then again, both guys seemed extra emotional leaving the ice after this one. Who knows? It should not have ended like this for the 2022-23 Bruins, they should have done so much more damage in the Stanley Cup playoffs or maybe not since this follows an all too familiar pattern of postseason letdowns for a club that still has only won a single Stanley Cup since 1972 (in 2011). 

By Giving Away A Two-Game Lead, The B's Are On The Verge Of Yet Another Historic Playoff Collapse

 

    As we are constantly reminded, being a fan of the Bruins is never an easy existence. They can have a once in a lifetime record-setting regular season only to follow that up by struggling mightily to put away an inferior team in its first round playoff series. For the second game in a row, Boston had a chance to eliminate Florida but once again, they could not complete the task as they lost 7-5 tonight at FLA Live Arena in Game 7. This sets up a pressure packed Game 7 on Sunday night (6:30, NESN) at TD Garden which I truly believe is a legacy type contest for Bruins veterans like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Krejci. If they lose, our worst fears will be correct (that the regular season was just a mirage) and it would be more damning evidence that this group has been vastly overrated and winning the Stanley Cup way back in 2011 will feel like even more of a fluke.

    Oh hey, which goaltender do you think that B's head coach Jim Montgomery should start on Sunday? Linus Ullmark (26 saves) is a lock to win the Vezina Trophy but right now, he is completely unraveling both physically and mentally. Boston used him and Jeremy Swayman in a lethal tandem all season and they talked about doing that in the playoffs as well but so far, Ullmark has played every game. I think that Swayman should start in Game 7 but it is rather insane to expect a guy that has been sitting all series long to suddenly step in with the weight of the franchise on his young and slender shoulders. 

    This felt like another game that the Bruins were left chasing the more aggressive and determined Panthers from the start. UMass defenseman Brandon Montour continued his stellar series with a power play goal at 2:01 of the first period. Left wing Matthew Tkachuk and center Aleksander Barkov had the assists on Montour's third goal of the playoffs in which he walked right in and took a low wrist shot by Ullmark. B's left wing Tyler Bertuzzi quickly answered with a power play tally of his own at 6:09. Left wing Brad Marchand and defenseman Charlie McAvoy had the helpers on Bertuzzi's third goal of the season where he knocked in a nice feed from Marchy. Ullmark's juicy rebound led to Tkachuk's go-ahead goal that made it 2-1 for the home team at 13:52. Left wing Nick Cousins smartly shot the puck right at Ullmark's leg pads thus creating an easy rebound opportunity that Tkachuk buried for his fourth goal of the postseason. 

    Trailing 2-1 going into the second period, B's right wing David Pastrnak finally reemerged with a filthy between the legs shot for a tying power play goal at 5:42. Marchand and McAvoy had the assists on Pasta's third goal of the series. Boston should have grabbed a 3-2 advantage but defenseman Brandon Carlo's possible goal was waived off for an extremely questionable hand pass call on B's left wing Jake DeBrusk. Naturally, moments later Barkov broke his goalless drought with an easy tap-in at 9:22. Left wing Anthony Duclair and center Carter Verhaeghe picked up the assists on Barkov's first goal of the series. Florida was up 3-2 heading into the third period but nobody could have anticipated how bonkers that final frame would actually turn out to be. 

    Boston briefly had the lead not once but twice in the third period. Bertuzzi and Pastrnak both notched their second goals of the game a little over two minutes apart. Bert fired through a screen of Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (29 saves) at 1:31 with the assists going to Carlo and Marchand. Pasta was finally heating up and looking like the 61 goal scorer in the regular season as he one-timed a pass from Bertuzzi for a 4-3 B's lead at 3:53. Marchand had the other assist on another highlight reel strike by Pastrnak in this contest. 

    Besides Ullmark turning into a puddle, Boston's defense is similarly in shambles. First they let some AHL scrub (right wing Zac Dalpe) tie it with a wide open one-timer from the slot at 7:21. Defenseman Eetu Luostarinen and center Anton Lundell notched the assists on Dalpe's memorable first goal of the series. DeBrusk staked Boston to its last lead (5-4) with a shorthanded goal at 10:22. Center Pavel Zacha stripped the puck away from a Panthers defenseman which led to DeBrusk having a mini-breakaway that he finished with a backhander. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov had the other assist on Jake's fourth goal of the postseason. Tkachuk could not be stopped though as the poked in a power play goal just 27 seconds later which tied it at five. Lundell and defenseman Gustav Forsling had the assists on the stunning goal from Florida's emotional leader. Things only got worse from there as Luostarinen got the last go-ahead goal with a high wrist shot that eluded Ullmark. Montour had the lone assist on Eetu's second goal of this series at 14:22. The Black and Gold pushed for a tying goal late in regulation but Bobrovsky made his most important stop of the series as he had a kick save on Pastrnak that led to center Sam Reinhart's empty net goal with 28 seconds remaining. His third goal of the series was assisted by defenseman and noted goon Radko Gudas. 

    You could say that it will be nice for the Bruins to have Game 7 on their home ice but I think that the brave fans who decide to go to it will (understandably) be paralyzed by fear the entire night. Remember that Boston is 1-2 at the Garden in this series and they have lost their last two outings there so yikes. We all remember in 2010 when the Bruins somehow choked away a 3-0 series lead against the Flyers so it would be tough to ever top that but if they lose on Sunday to the Panthers, look out below. It would be a an absolutely terrible finish to what had seemed like it was shaping up to be a very special season for the B's.

The Bruins Cap A Horrific Two Nights At The Garden With A 4-3 Overtime Loss To The Panthers

 

    This postseason is supposed to be different but tonight's gut punch of a 4-3 overtime loss by the Bruins to the Panthers in Game 5 of the first round felt hauntingly familiar. With a chance to be the first team to advance to the second round of the playoffs in the league, the B's made it harder on themselves as they never led and fell despite outshooting Florida by a huge margin (47-25). The overtime goal came courtesy of a horrific mistake by Boston's goaltender Linus Ullmark (21 saves) who went to play the puck behind his net but instead, fumbled it away then tried to scramble back in time to stop Panthers star left wing Matthew Tkachuk. Ullmark was down and out as Tkachuk patiently waited before lifting a backhander over Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk at 6:05 of overtime. Florida center Carter Verhaeghe (3 assists) had the lone helper on Tkachuk's third goal of the series. Now, instead of getting some extra time to rest before their next series (against a better club), Boston has to schlep back to the Sunshine State for Game 6 on Friday (7:30, NESN). Ugh. 

    Among many things that the B's wasted in this contest was the emotional return of captain Patrice Bergeron who made his first appearance of the series and scored his 50th career playoff goal because of course he did. In a potential close out game, the Panthers picked a good time to score their first goal in a first period during this series. Verhaeghe fed left wing Anthony Duclair who knocked the puck out of the air in traffic to net his first goal of the postseason at 8:26. Florida's much-maligned goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (44 saves) got another start and he had some shaky moments but ultimately he came out on top. B's left wing Brad Marchand continued to play really well as he tallied a power play goal that tied it at one early in the second period. He took a shot that Bobrovsky stopped but like a basketball player that misses a shot, he followed up his own rebound and put it in for his fourth goal of the series. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy registered the lone assist at 2:27. It looked like it would be tied 1-1 heading into the third period but the Panthers scored a crushing goal at 18:52 as center Sam Bennett ripped a wrist shot from the slot into the top corner past Ullmark. Verhaeghe and left wing Nick Cousins notched the assists on Bennett's third goal of the series. 

    Trailing 2-1 to begin the third period, Boston's power play once again clicked to get an early goal to knot it up. Bergeron perfectly tipped a shot by Marchand with McAvoy grabbing the other assist. The Garden's PA announcer had not even talked about Bergeron's goal before Florida answered with another go-ahead tally: right wing Sam Reinhart (much like Sam Bennett) was left wide open in the slot where he cranked a shot past Ullmark. The power play goal was his second goal of the series with assists to Tkachuk and center Aleksander Barkov (who has been noticeably quiet for most of these games) at 5:14. No worries though as the B's had one last mini-comeback left in them: left wing Taylor Hall (who is currently on fire) found a loose puck in front of Bobrovsky, he wheeled away from defenders and fired a rocket that went in the top corner. Defenseman Brandon Carlo and center Charlie Coyle picked up the assists at 9:16 on Hall's team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs. In the final seconds of regulation, Marchand had a breakaway but Bobrovsky stopped what would have been an insane series-clinching strike 

    Going back on the road might actually not be the worst thing for the Bruins at least in this series since they are 1-2 at the Garden (losing their last two) and 2-0 in Florida. There is guaranteed to be tons of Bruins fans in the building which has to help matters. As the hockey cliche goes: the fourth win is the hardest one to get in a playoff series. Much like the Hawks last night, the Panthers proved something by showing up and battling rather than rolling over after they lost the crucial Game 4 at home. Wacky stuff constantly happens in the NHL playoffs but you have to believe that the B's will not let another opportunity to eliminate Florida slip through their hands. Needless to say, they want no part of a Game 7 against an opponent that has absolutely nothing to lose so all the pressure would be solely on them.

Bruins Take A 3-1 Series Lead & Depart Florida With The Panthers' Soul After A Lovely 6-2 Victory

 

    After radio silence for the first three games of this first round playoff series, I just had to chime in today after the Bruins and Panthers treated us sleep deprived young dads to a rainy Sunday afternoon special. Boston kept the momentum rolling from Friday's pivotal 4-2 victory in Game 3 as they won 6-2 today at good old FLA Live Arena to put the Panthers on the brink of elimination facing a 3-1 deficit. The teams get an extra day off (for Florida to start booking those tee times and island vacations?) before they meet again for Game 5 on Wednesday (7, NESN) at TD Garden. After surprisingly crumbling in the third period of Game 2 and getting blown out 6-3, the B's righted the ship with a memorable weekend in the Sunshine State. Neither performance was perfect but they looked much more like the club that had the best record in NHL regular season history. 

    The two main stars in Game 4 for Boston were goaltender Linus Ullmark (41 saves)-shown above challenging Panthers bozo Matthew Tkachuk to a fight in garbage time-along with left wing Taylor Hall (2 goals, 2 assists). Shouts to left wing Jake DeBrusk who also added two goals plus left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (goal, assist) who has six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in his first four NHL playoff games and fellow newcomer Dmitry Orlov (assist) who has a point in all four contests. This was a true team win for the Black and Gold as every guy that suited up (and remember that they were once again missing Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci) seemingly made a positive contribution. 

    Boston never trailed in Florida this weekend and their much maligned power play scored a goal in the first period and in the second period to stake the Bruins to a 2-0 lead. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (25 saves) was making his first start since March 27 and shocker, he looked rusty. He made a good save but then couldn't cover up the puck which allowed left wing Brad Marchand to knock the puck in at 9:45 of the first period. Center Pavel Zacha and Bertuzzi had the assists on Marchand's third goal of the series. 

    After Tkachuk picked up a stupid cross-checking penalty at the end of the first period, the B's made him pay as DeBrusk finished a pretty passing sequence from Orlov and Hall at 1:52 of the second period. Jake's second goal of the postseason gave Boston a 2-0 lead. Tkachuk briefly made up for his idiocy with a goal at 16:00 of the second period that cut the Bruins' advantage down to 2-1. He made the most of a favorable bounce and put in a sweet shot between his legs before Ullmark could recover. His second goal of the playoffs was assisted by center Carter Verhaeghe and UMass defenseman Brandon Montour.  

    Once again, Boston struck early-this time in the third period-to regain control of the contest. Bertuzzi had an awesome re-direct of a shot by defenseman Brandon Carlo. Left wing Nick Foligno added the secondary assist at 2:26 on Bertuzzi's second goal of the series. Florida briefly made it interesting as center Sam Bennett's power play goal made it 3-2 Boston at 6:11. He went to the net and was rewarded when Ullmark left a rebound on the doorstep. Montour and Tkachuk assisted on Bennett's second goal of the playoffs. The B's wasted little time wrapping it up though as DeBrusk scored a similar tally to Bennett's less than two minutes later at 8:05. Zacha and Hall provided the helpers on that one before Hall clinched it with a beautiful goal via a breakaway. His filthy dangle around a helpless Bobrovsky was a reminder that he used to be an NHL MVP not that long ago. Center Tomas Nosek and Ullmark notched the assists on probably the prettiest goal that a Bruin will score this postseason. For good measure, Hall added an empty netter at 19:31 for the final margin. Rookie left wing Jakub Lauko and Kennebunkport native Garnet Hathaway got their names on the scoresheet with the assists. 

    This is not the NBA and we are talking about the Bruins so even with a commanding 3-1 series lead, this is not fully over quite yet. Still, you have to like their chances to get this done in three possible games. They are clearly better than the Panthers so there is no need to give them any hope and have to go back to Florida for a Game 6. Get this over with on Wednesday and hope that the Leafs-Lightning series (which Toronto currently leads 2-1) goes seven games before you have to face one of those much better teams in the second round.

    

It Finally Happened: The Bruins Signed David Pastrnak To An Eight-Year Contract Extension

 

    It took way too long to get it done but nobody will remember that factoid now that the B's and their franchise right winger David Pastrnak agreed to a long awaited contract extension on Thursday. Pasta-who is well on his way to a career best regular season-inked an eight-year deal through the 2030-31 campaign with an annual NHL cap hit of $11.25 million (making him the highest paid Bruin in team history and the highest paid right wing in league history). All in all, it was another fantastic day for the Bruins (48-8-5) who also traded for Red Wings left wing Tyler Bertuzzi this morning (a move that had to be made with winger Taylor Hall going on long term IR and winger Nick Foligno also going on IR this afternoon) then pummeled the Sabres (31-25-4) 7-1 this evening at TD Garden to reach 100 points faster than any other club in NHL history. Is it playoff time yet? 

    David is still only 26-years-old so theoretically just hitting the prime of his playing ability after being drafted late in the 2014 NHL Draft (25th overall) and competing all nine seasons of his career with the B's. He leads the runaway best team in the league in goals (43), assists (40) and points (83). It is his third career 40-goal season and the first 50 piece looks well within reach (it would be Boston's first since Cam Neely in 1993). For his career, he is in the rarified air of averaging more than a point per game with 283 goals and 304 assists in 571 games. 

    Like any great player, Pasta will ultimately be defined by what he does in the postseason and how many Stanley Cups he wins. People understandably get on him for some memorable no shows in the playoffs but 74 points (30 goals and 44 assists) in 70 career playoff games doesn't sound so bad, does it? The future for the B's is almost as bright as this current dream run of a regular season. Now they have Pastrnak, star defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm along with versatile forward Pavel Zacha signed to long term deals which paired with either Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman in net means that this team isn't going anywhere for awhile. 

    Boston GM Don Sweeney is having a hell of a few weeks with another sneaky good trade that didn't force him to lose anyone from his NHL roster. Bertuzzi was obtained for a 2024 first-round pick (top-10 protected) and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Detroit will also retain 50 percent of Bertuzzi's salary. He is a 28-year-old left wing with three 20-goal seasons on his NHL resume including a career-high 30 goals and 32 assists last year. Playing for the Red Wings since he broke into the league in 2016-17 sadly meant that he has yet to play in a single NHL playoff game. Barring injury, that will change next month as he figures to be in the lineup for the Bruins once the playoffs begin.

With An Eye Toward The NHL Playoffs, Today The Bruins Made A Shrewd Trade With The Capitals

 

    The NHL Trade Deadline is still a week away (next Friday at 3 pm) but Bruins GM Don Sweeney is already making things happen as he swung a three-team deal tonight along with the Capitals and the Wild. Boston acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov and right wing Garnet Hathaway while in return Washington received right wing Craig Smith, a 2023 first-round draft pick, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick. Additionally, the Caps will retain 50% of Orlov's salary. Minnesota sent the rights to forward Andrei Svetlakov to the B's and they will retain 25% of Orlov's salary in exchange for Boston's 2023 fifth-round pick. 

    After tonight's awesome 6-5 comeback win in Seattle (32-20-6), the Black and Gold (44-8-5) continue to earn points at a record setting pace which is nice and all but the postseason in hockey is all that really matters. If you have seen any Bruins-Capitals games in recent years, you are well aware of who Hathaway (a Kennebunkport, ME native and Brown alum!) and Orlov are since they both seem to always play well against Boston. From all accounts, Smith is a great guy but his time here was pretty forgettable with only 33 goals and 45 assists over parts of three seasons. Boston is tight to the salary cap so his name had floated around recently in many trade rumors since he was the most obvious part of the NHL club that could be moved.   

    A left-shot defenseman in the prime of his career at age 31, Orlov is capable of being on a second pairing for a playoff team. The Capitals (28-26-6) have been a bit of a mess so far this campaign but Orlov has not been the issue with three goals and 16 assists in 43 games. He was a second-round draft pick in 2009 (55th overall) and in 686 regular season games, he's amassed 60 goals and 196 assists with a very impressive plus/minus of plus-104. He also as a ton of playoff experience (74 games) with two goals and 21 assists in that time. Perhaps most importantly, he is big enough (5-foot-11 and 214 pounds) to withstand the grind of playoff hockey. 

    Speaking of which, Hathaway at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds is just the type of guy that you hate to play against when the games count the most. He is tough and competes with an edge which the Bruins can always use. After being undrafted, he has carved out a nice little NHL career with four seasons in Calgary followed by parts of four in our nation's capital. He only missed one game for the Capitals this season and put up nine goals and seven assists along with a plus/minus of plus-6. He is not afraid to drop the gloves as evidenced by his 52 penalty minutes in 2022-23 and 473 in his NHL life. Boston's bottom six forwards have been solid (along with basically every other facet of this juggernaut regular season team) but Hathaway is undoubtedly an upgrade over Smith in like every possible way. 

    Sweeney could make another move(s) but if he does not, this is at least a step forward from where their roster was before today. Boston has been said to be in the mix for Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov but needless to say, it will take much more to obtain probably the two most coveted guys outside of Blackhawks icon Patrick Kane. This evening was the start of a four-game West Coast/Canada road trip for the Bruins that continues in Vancouver (23-30-5) on Saturday night (7, NESN) followed by a back-to-back in Edmonton (8:30, NESN) on Monday then ending with a visit to Calgary (27-20-12) on Tuesday (9, NESN). Either way the team will look different when they return home to TD Garden to take on the Sabres (29-23-4) on Thursday (7, NESN). 

Farewell To Former B's Captain/Future Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara & Thanks For All The Memories

 

    At age 45 (what up Tom Brady?) Zdeno Chara officially retired today after signing one of those goofy one-day contracts as a Bruin and as you would expect, that caused many wonderful moments from his 14 seasons in Boston to come flooding back. In many ways, the man that they call Big Zee is a singular figure not only in Bruins history but also in the NHL as well. He started off as a sideshow since he was the tallest player in league history (6-foot-9!) but through a relentless work effort and desire to be the best, he transformed himself into one of the top defensemen in the NHL (he won the Norris Trophy in 2009) and as great of a leader as you will ever find in sports. You can trace the Black and Gold's return to relevance with him signing here as a free agent: Boston made the playoffs in 11 of his 14 seasons (including 3 Stanley Cup Finals) and they won their lone Cup in the past 50 years in 2011 with him as the captain. 

    In a game built around playing through constant pain and nagging injuries, Chara's toughness and will to win are legendary. Not just because of his enormous size but Zdeno was one of the most fearsome fighters in the league. Additionally, he further cemented his place in Boston sports history by playing in the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals vs. St. Louis with a broken jaw that was wired shut. Other than a hockey player, who else does that? The crazy part too is that as intense as he was on the ice, he is a super nice guy if you are not lining up against him. His charity work in this area was incredible while he also did his best to help his wife raise three kids (including twin boys) despite his incredibly demanding schedule. 

    He started his NHL career with the Islanders then he continued to progress in Ottawa before becoming a worldwide star and household name with the Bruins. In the last two seasons, he played for the Capitals and fittingly he closed out his brilliant run with one final campaign as an Islander. He is a no doubt first ballot Hockey Hall of Famer and it will be interesting to see where his post-playing days take him. Chara speaks seven (!) languages and after spending so much time and energy in hockey, it's hard to see him totally walking away from the game. You feel like he could become a great GM or part of a winning front office for an NHL club. Coaching also seems like a good fit although the time commitment for that is exhausting for somebody just coming off a 24-year career in the NHL and with a young family.

    You know that his number 33 will soon be raised to the rafters at TD Garden as well. He played the sixth most games in franchise history (1023) and finished third all-time in points (481) by a B's defenseman behind Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (1506) and Bobby Orr (888). In addition to the Norris Trophy, he also won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2011. He was named to NHL First All-Star Team three times along with four times on the NHL Second All-Star Team. He also competed in the NHL All-Star Game six times. In 200 career NHL playoff games, he had 18 goals and 52 assists with an NHL-best 14 Game Seven appearances. In his 14 seasons as a Bruin, he was first in games played (1023), plus-minus rating (+240), penalty minutes (1055) and time on ice per game (24:29). He finished with 148 goals and 333 assists in Boston. 

    We often say this when a great athlete retires but there truly will never be another Zdeno Chara for no matter how much longer we all live. His combination of a booming shot (for years the fastest slap shot in the NHL), ridiculous reach and shutdown defensive skills made him impossible to play against even for many of the game's top players. He is a winner and someone to admire even if you don't follow hockey or sports in general. Chara was always a true professional who did everything the right way and got the most out of his abilities. He also never made excuses and was classy in defeat. We wish him well in retirement and know that we will see him soon, possibly riding his bike around the city. 

As We All Thought, The Bruins Are Getting The Band Back Together For One More Farewell Tour

 

    At long last, the Bruins finally confirmed the news that we all knew was sure to be coming for months now: hours apart this morning, their longtime centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci both signed bargain one-year deals to return to Boston for what has to be a final attempt to win another elusive Stanley Cup with the black and gold. The timing of it all is one of the most interesting aspects of this expected story since Bergy took forever to thankfully decide to avoid retirement for another season while Krej apparently had more than enough of his homeland (Czech Republic) in one forgettable campaign back there. You have to wonder how much of a factor Jim Montgomery being the new head coach of the B's these days rather than that meanie Bruce Cassidy had to do with it all. 

    While it is way too easy to make fun of these moves by the Bruins on the surface, you cannot say that GM Don Sweeney has left them with many better options if they do not want to commit to a full scale rebuild. Sadly, this is what happens when you do not draft and develop well for years on end, you are forced to cling to the glory days from way back when. To their credit, Bergeron and Krejci are each taking very team friendly contracts even by hockey players' normally selfless standards. Bruins captain Patrice will make $2.5 million plus another $2.5 million in (quite attainable) performance-based incentives. David gets $1 million plus an additional $2 million in performance-based incentives. It says something about the character, professionalism, leadership and competitiveness of these guys that they both chose to play another season with the only NHL club that they have ever known rather than spend much more time with their families and friends.

    After last season, we still have a good feel for what the 37-year-old Bergeron has left in the tank because he had a real nice 2021-2022 with 25 goals, 40 assists and plus-16 in 73 regular season games followed by seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in their seven game, first round exit vs. Carolina. Krejci is a year younger than Bergy and a bit more of a wild card since the Czechia League is a far cry from the overall quality of the NHL, sorry Jaromir Jagr! Therefore, his numbers from good old HC Olomouc are completely irrelevant. When we last saw him stateside, David had 44 points (8 goals, 36 assists) in 51 regular season games in the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season then nine points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 11 playoff games. Bergeron is probably going to end up in the Hall of Fame and Krejci has been a great Bruin-particularly in the postseason-so despite their ages, Boston is a much better team today than they were yesterday when we were not sure (yeah right!) that they would be back in the B's lineup starting next month when training camp and the preseason begin.

In A Bit Of A Surprise, UMaine's Jim Montgomery Is The New Head Coach Of Your Boston Bruins

 

    Right in time for the Fourth of July long weekend, the Bruins finally figured out who their new head coach will be for this upcoming season: former University of Maine star Jim Montgomery is here on a three-year deal worth around two million dollars per year. Most recently, the man that they call Monty (because everyone in hockey has to have a goofy nickname) was an assistant with the Blues and before that, he was the head coach of the Stars from 2018-20. Unlike the other rumored candidates that the B's had considered-namely David Quinn, Jay Leach and something called Mike Vellucci-Montgomery feels like the best choice to be the Bruins head coach for a couple of reasons. 

    While he wasn't a star by any means, Montgomery played in the NHL for 122 games on five different teams (Blues, Canadiens, Flyers, Sharks and Stars) after being undrafted following a great career at Maine capped off by an NCAA title in 1993 playing with Black Bears legend Paul Kariya. He was a pro hockey player for 14 seasons as he also competed in 451 AHL games. This means that he knows what it takes to grind and make it at the highest level. Additionally, he was a very successful college head coach from 2013-2017 at the University of Denver where he helped the Pioneers win an NCAA title in 2017. 

    He has only been an NHL head coach for less than a season and a half because after leading Dallas to the second round of the playoffs in his first year, he was fired after 31 games the next season because of a serious drinking problem that forced him to go to rehab and reevaluate his entire life. In terms of life-changing experiences, I would imagine that it doesn't get much more real than that so I'm hoping that he would be able to relate to his players on a much deeper level than most other coaches that they've ever encountered in pro hockey. In 113 games in charge of the Stars, he went 60-43-10 and then 7-6 in the playoffs.   

    Jim will have big shoes to fill since the previous Bruins head coach-Bruce Cassidy-quickly became one of the best in the NHL. There is still a good (albeit aging) nucleus in Boston: center Patrice Bergeron, left wing Brad Marchand, right wing David Pastrnak, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltender Jeremy Swayman should ensure that even though it feels like they are rebuilding, the black and gold should still be in the postseason in 2022-23. The early word is that his players love Montgomery so perhaps he has a bit of a softer personality than Cassidy who was very open in his criticism of his team and players. The only thing about Jim that is hard to look past is that he's from Montreal originally but I guess that we won't hold them against him. Haha after all, nobody's perfect. 

Don't Ask Me Why But The B's Rewarded GM Don Sweeney With A Multi-Year Contract Extension

 

    Ever since former Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy was unceremoniously fired two weeks ago on a Monday night in mid-June, it's been a rather strange period of time for the black and gold. Last week, it was reported that B's captain Patrice Bergeron would be returning for another season with the club but thus far, nothing has been neither confirmed nor denied about that key piece of news. The team still doesn't have a new head coach yet with the leading candidates apparently being former BU and Rangers head coach David Quinn and former Providence Bruins and current Seattle Kraken assistant Jay Leach. Meh. Remind me again why exactly that Cassidy was fired? Today, things took another predictable but still gross turn as Boston signed its average GM Don Sweeney to a multi-year contract extension. 

    Don't get me wrong, Sweeney is a smart guy (did you know that he went to Harvard?!) and he clearly works hard at his very demanding job but his draft record is nothing short of appalling. Granted it is an inexact science and you will always miss out on countless players who develop into stars but Sweeney's swings and misses have been notorious, none more so than when he had three first round picks in 2015 and right wing Jake DeBrusk is the only one that has done anything at the NHL level. So what does he do well? His free agent signings are usually nothing impressive, leaving some decent trades to be his calling card. I will say that he has done pretty well with some of those like getting center Charlie Coyle from Minnesota and defenseman Hampus Lindholm (we hope!) from Anaheim but nothing that has set the world on fire or brought another Stanley Cup to the Bruins. 

    The fact that Sweeney is still here (where he has been working since 2015) while Cassidy has already moved on to Las Vegas is maddening. President Cam Neely is also still getting paid by the Bruins' absentee owner Jeremy "Mr. Burns" Jacobs for whatever he does (nobody is really sure what Cam is in charge of day-to-day). Don seems to be obsessed with players and coaches with ties to New England, meaning that they either are from this area or went to a local D1 hockey school like BC or BU. Hiring Quinn or even Leach who also played for the Providence Bruins and went to Providence College (go Friars!) would be another sign that he lacks the creativity and open mindedness to get the Bruins out of their current middler status in the NHL. The draft is next weekend and free agency begins in a few weeks so I'd love to believe that Sweeney should feel the pressure to drastically improve Boston's roster but unfortunately, today's news means that it'll probably be more of the same for the B's. They are just good enough to make the playoffs (all that the Jacobs family really cares about, their precious playoff crowds) but not in the same area code as the teams in the Stanley Cup Final this season-Colorado and Tampa Bay. 

For Some Stupid Reason, The Bruins Decided That Firing Bruce Cassidy Was The Right Thing To Do

 

    Nothing lasts forever in life, especially when you are the head coach of a professional sports team. You are always on borrowed time and in almost every situation, your job will end in one of two ways: either you will get fired or you will retire. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy is a very good hockey coach and a nice guy to boot so today's news that he had been fired with a year and three million dollars left on his contract was disappointing to say the least. Rather than get rid of GM Don Sweeney or President Cam Neely, two guys who you could question way more, the Jacobs family that owns and occasionally pays attention to the B's decided that Cassidy deserved to go after his teams reached the postseason in all six years that he was in charge of the Black and Gold. 

    After a first-round playoff exit in seven games against Carolina last month, you knew that something was bound to change for the B's as they fade further away from Stanley Cup contention with each passing year. Again, they were eliminated over two weeks ago so the lag time for this rash move seems like they had no conviction behind it. You can argue how much the head coach even matters in the NHL but for what it's worth, Cassidy did win the Jack Adams Award in 2020 which is given to the top head coach in the league. This is most likely a case of the best players on the Bruins (Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, etc.) getting tired of hearing Cassidy constantly being critical of them for six years. He is brutally honest with the media which makes you believe that Bruce is likely even more blunt with his players if that's possible. Still, it's hard to argue with his results that included a Presidents' Trophy in 2020 (for the best record in the NHL) and an epic choke job in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals vs. St. Louis. 

    Cassidy is only 57 years old meaning that he will likely be unemployed for a very brief period of time. Still, he has young kids and a family so uprooting them cannot be a fun thing to think about. If he wants to take a break from the daily grind of coaching, he would be a welcome addition to ESPN, TNT or the NHL Network's TV coverage. In 399 regular season games with Boston, Cassidy was 245-108-46 with a respectable 36-37 record in the postseason. In his four full seasons here (excluding when he took over mid-season in 2017 and the Covid shortened 2020-21 campaign), his teams all earned 100+ points even when there were only 70 games (damn you pandemic!) in 2019-20. 

    All eyes will be on Sweeney and Neely to see who they choose to succeed Cassidy. It'll be tough to top him and you'll remember that Cassidy quickly made people forget about Claude Julien who nevertheless won the last Cup for the Bruins back in 2011. Will Boston go with an experienced and veteran head coach like Barry Trotz or Peter DeBoer or do they go off the board with an assistant coach, minor league or college head coach that nobody has heard of before? Who knows but with so many injured players heading into the 2022-23 regular season including Marchand, McAvoy and Bergeron (if he decides to come back), this gives us even more reason to not pay much attention to the B's in the near future. 

Yet Another Bruins Playoff Run Ends Prematurely With A 3-2 Game 7 Loss To The Hurricanes

 

    The more that time goes by, the more we realize that the 2011 Bruins were the anomaly. For the most part, Boston has been a middling franchise when it comes to the postseason. Sure, they can rack up points in the regular season and they make the playoffs almost every single year but what do they actually do when they get there? Usually not all that much. They lost in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final to the superior Blackhawks and they choked on home ice in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final to the Blues but this afternoon was more of the norm as they quietly exited the first round with a 3-2 loss in Game 7 at PNC Arena against the Hurricanes. It was only the fourth time in the last 20 years of the NHL that the home team won every single game in a series and for the sixth time in this series, Carolina scored first. The usual factors that typically doom the B's were omnipresent: a lack of secondary scoring, shaky defense and the inability to get the big save when they really needed it. Now we wait to see if franchise center Patrice Bergeron leaves the team for good either via free agency or gulp retirement. 

    I don't expect the Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup this summer, they aren't a great team or anything but they were just a little bit hungrier after losing to the Bruins twice in recent postseasons and a little more talented. Boston made it a habit of giving up backbreaking goals late in periods during this series so obviously it continued in Game 7. Carolina caught the Bruins running around a bit with a pretty passing sequence from defenseman Jaccob Slavin to center Max Domi who passed it in front to a wide open left wing Teuvo Teravainen for an easy one-timer/tap-in at 18:36 of the first period. Teravainen's second goal of the playoffs gave the Hurricanes the all-important 1-0 lead. 

    Any thoughts of a good start by the Bruins in the second period were quickly thwarted as Domi made it 2-0 at 3:14 as a shot by defenseman Brady Skjei deflected off center Jordan Staal right to Domi who stuffed it in. It was Domi's first goal of the series as once again, Boston's rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman (28 saves) playing in his first career Game 7 had little chance to stop it. The B's finally answered a bit as left wing Jake DeBrusk jumped on a loose puck and flipped a shot past Carolina's goaltender Antti Raanta (27 saves) at 5:04. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Bergeron registered the assists on DeBrusk's second goal of the postseason. Carolina shortly regained that two-goal lead though as Domi became the unlikely hero with his second goal of the game. He was left uncovered in the slot and he one-timed a pass from Teravainen for a 3-1 Canes lead at 10:33. That was quite a gut punch for the Bruins since just before that, left wing Trent Frederic had hit the post with a shot that would have tied the game. 

    The third period was a typical Bruins losing effort as they got plenty of pressure but couldn't find a goal until it was way too late. With Swayman pulled for an extra skater, they cut it to 3-2 when there was less than 22 seconds left in regulation. Left wing Taylor Hall passed the puck back to McAvoy at the point, his shot was deflected but it went to right wing David Pastrnak who was able to throw the puck into the net for his third goal of the playoffs. There was a big scramble right before time ran out with Raanta appearing to make a save on Bergeron in traffic but the game was lost before then for the B's. Carolina advances to play the winner of Rangers-Penguins in the second round while Boston goes home for the another way too long summer.

  

Boston Holds Serve & Forces Game 7 (Saturday) Thanks To A 5-2 Win In Game 6 At TD Garden

 

    One of the weirdest playoff series in recent NHL history will fittingly conclude with a Game 7 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Boston scored first for the first time in the series and never looked back as they cruised to a 5-2 victory tonight at a fired up TD Garden to even the first round series at three games apiece. If you are keeping score, the home team is 6-0 in the series with Game 7 set for Saturday afternoon (4:30, NESN) back at PNC Center. At this point, it is hard to explain how these two teams have played so differently at home versus on the road for these six contests which have been mostly blowouts (the closest margin of defeat was Game 3 a 4-2 triumph by the B's). 

    After missing Games 3-5, Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm returned from a concussion (we think) and had a game-high 24:48 time on ice. Five different B's scored goals and rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman (23 saves) posted his third win of the series. After a scoreless first period, Boston let their home fans exhale with a goal early in the second period then a key insurance tally late in the frame. Boston's star left wing Brad Marchand opened the scoring with a wicked snap shot 46 seconds into the second. His team-leading fourth goal of the postseason was assisted by BU's Charlie Coyle and Quinnipiac's Connor Clifton. Weymouth's own Coyle doubled the Bruins' lead at 18:04 as the center put in a rebound (his 2nd goal of the playoffs) from right wing David Pastrnak (dropped to the second line) and Marchand on the power play.

    The Hurricanes briefly made it tight as right wing Andrei Svechnikov cut it to 2-1 Bruins with a nasty top shelf wrist shot at 3:24 of the third period. Center Seth Jarvis had the lone assist on Svechnikov's second goal of the series. Boston's depth guys put this one to bed though as center Erik Haula scored the key goal that boosted the Bruins' lead back to two (3-1). He tipped in defenseman Charlie McAvoy's slap pass for his first goal of the playoffs at 7:08. The wheels started to come off for Carolina's goaltender Antti Raanta as he allowed a soft wrister from the blue line by B's defenseman Derek Forbort to elude him and increase Boston's lead to 4-1. Forbort's first goal since November was assisted by left wing Tomas Nosek at 10:43. Five minutes later, Bruins center Curtis Lazar (who has played a sneaky good series) added an empty-netter for his first goal of the postseason. Left wing Nick Foligno and Nosek recorded the helpers on Lazar's well deserved strike. In garbage time, Svechnikov notched a power play goal which came after Carolina's power play had started 0-for-5 in Game 6. 

    So what's going to happen in Game 7, who the hell knows? You figure that we are long overdue for some overtime or at least a one-goal game. Other than that, you have to assume that Boston will make it a little more competitive than their disastrous first three outings in Raleigh in this series (where they were outscored 15-4). I'll take Swayman over Raanta along with the Bruins' big game experience over the Hurricanes' history of choking against them in recent years. Also, if you are looking for another factor that should favor the road team (for once in this wacky series): all the pressure will be on Carolina who you'll remember led this series 2-0 and then 3-2. On paper at least, Saturday promises to be an awesome day for the NHL as there are three Game 7s (also Lightning-Maple Leafs and Oilers-Kings) which should help juice what has felt like a pretty forgettable first round up until this critical juncture.

Thanks To Brad Marchand (5 Points), The Bruins Have Evened The Series With The Hurricanes 2-2

 

    In a truly stunning turn of events, the Bruins-Hurricanes first-round playoff series has taken on serious NBA playoff vibes with the home team winning every game so far. Home ice is supposed to be mostly irrelevant in the NHL playoffs but that has been far from the case in this matchup. This afternoon at TD Garden, Boston celebrated Mother's Day by rallying twice and using a brilliant playoff career-best five point (2 goals, 3 assist) performance by star left wing Brad Marchand to take Game 4 by a score of 5-2. After looking dead in the water following losses in Games 1 & 2 at Carolina, the B's evened the series 2-2 with Game 5 set for Tuesday (7, NESN) back in Raleigh, NC. 

    What made this victory quite impressive was that Boston survived without their top two defensemen: Hampus Lindholm (still recovering from that Game 2 concussion) and Charlie McAvoy (put in Covid protocol this morning). This meant that the immortal Josh Brown (-2) played 12:52 in an important playoff game and his team still managed to win despite the fact that he doesn't belong in the NHL. The Hurricanes looked so good in the first two games and the Bruins answered the bell to survive the must-win Game 3 but if Boston wins this series, we will likely look back on Game 4 as a big turning point. Today was when Carolina started to crumble, led by bozo defenseman Tony DeAngelo who jawed with Marchand all day and ended his outing by tossing his stick as Brad scored an empty-netter to make it 5-2 with 35 seconds left in regulation. 

    For the fourth straight game, the Canes scored first as UNH defenseman Brett Pesce skated free in the slot and took a pass from forward Max Domi that he whipped past B's goaltender Jeremy Swayman (24 saves) for his first goal of the playoffs. Center Eric Staal had the second assist on opening tally which came at 14:06 of the first period. That lead was very short-lived though as Bruins captain and center Patrice Bergeron tied it with a backhander at 16:09. His third goal of the series was assisted by Marchand and right wing David Pastrnak. 

    Carolina quickly regained the lead in the second period as Staal one-timed a sweet backhand pass from behind the net by right wing Nino Niederreiter. That made it 2-1 in favor of the Hurricanes 33 seconds into the frame with DeAngelo picking up the second assist (his 5th of the series). Things started to go Boston's way from there beginning with a fortuitous call: left wing Jake DeBrusk tied it at two with a power play goal at 18:44 of the second period. DeBrusk's first goal of the postseason was assisted by Marchand and Bergeron. It appeared like Jake pushed Carolina goaltender Antti Raanta's (23 saves) pad before knocking the puck in through a maze of bodies. Canes head coach Rod Brind'Amour challenged the play but lost it which sent the home team right back on the power play. 

    Marchand made the Hurricanes pay as he ripped a wrist shot over Raanta's glove 44 seconds into the third period. It was a 5-on-3 after Bergy had taken a high stick right above his eye from Canes center Sebastian Aho that made him bleed like an ECW wrestler in the late 90s. That gave Boston its first lead of the contest at 3-2 with center Charlie Coyle and DeBrusk picking up the assists on Marchand's second goal of the series. Pasta put it out of reach with a tap-in from a gorgeous cross-ice feed by Marchand that made it 4-2 Bruins at 5:41. Bergeron had the other helper on Pastrnak's second goal of the series. A great stat about the reunited perfection line: Boston is now 6-0 all-time in the postseason when those three guys record multiple points in the same game. 

    If you believe in momentum in the NHL playoffs, the B's certainly have it at this moment. Remember though, Carolina has home ice advantage so Boston will have to win a game there to advance past this round. For that reason, Game 5 seems like a lovely time to shift this narrative and show that they can also win on the road in a tough environment full of liquored up rednecks. It will be Swayman's first playoff start away from the Garden but I never worry much about him. I realize that Linus Ullmark played better than him down the stretch in the regular season but I still think that the rookie should have started in Games 1 & 2 (not that it would have mattered with how poorly the entire team performed) just like he should have started last postseason with Tuukka Rask falling apart but I digress. All the pressure has shifted to the Hurricanes as they contemplate getting eliminated by the B's for the third time in the last four postseasons. For these reasons and more, Game 5 should be a doozy and it's not a stretch to say that whomever wins that one will probably capture the series as well.