Let The Jaromir Jagr Era In Boston Begin (Puts on Mullet, Starts Listening to European Techno)

Screw Jarome Iginla, we've got Jaromir Jagr! Haha that has to be the sentiment for Bruins fans this afternoon since Boston traded forward Lane MacDermid, prospect Cody Payne and a conditional second-round draft pick to Dallas for the 41-year-old Jagr.

Before you say wow he must be really washed up, keep in mind that he had 14 goals and 12 assists this season for the Stars in 34 games and he averaged 18:17 of ice time per game. He has been around forever, he was Pittsburgh's first round pick in 1990 (5th overall) and he played with the Penguins right away. He is the NHL active leader in goals (679), assists (1000) and points (1679) and he should solve Boston's biggest current issue: goal-scoring.

The only thing to worry about with Jagr, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is that the conservative Claude Julien will put him on the third line or not try to get the most out of him that he can (put him with David Krejci!). With all due respect, this isn't Daniel Paille, Jay Pandolfo, Jordan Caron, Gregory Campbell, Rich Peverley, etc. This is one of the best offensive players in NHL history that has put up 78 goals and 111 assists in 180 career playoff games.

Jagr simply has to be on Boston's sputtering first line with Krejci and either Milan Lucic or Nathan Horton. It doesn't really matter which one, since they've both been awful this season by and large, but Lucic or Horton needs to go down to the third line to give the team more balance.

Oh and since we still have almost 24 hours until the 2013 NHL Trade Deadline (tomorrow at 3 p.m.), the B's can't be content to stop here. They have a good chance to win another Stanley Cup as it is but with the addition of another proven forward and especially a defenseman, they'll make their team that much better.

Keep wheeling and dealing Peter Chiarelli.

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Chris Bourque Starts To Earn His Keep In Boston

After being humbled 7-4 on Thursday by the Sabres at the Garden, the Bruins (6-1-1) bounced back like the great team they are with a road win 1-0 tonight at Air Canada Centre against the Maple Leafs (4-4-0). Tuukka Rask (5-1-1) made 21 saves for his first shutout of the season and Chris Bourque scored his first goal as a Bruin for the game's lone strike.

Bourque's goal, his second in the NHL and first since December 30, 2008, came at 8:54 of the first period. It was the result of some fine work by the third line. Rich Peverley passed to Chris Kelly who backhanded the puck across the crease where Bourque was able to redirect it past Toronto goaltender James Reimer (33 saves) before knocking the net off its moorings. He did his dad's signature low fist pump celebration which was cool to see since of course that goal meant a lot to him in his career. If nothing else, it should shut up the haters for a few days.

Befitting of a 1-0 game that wasn't in the playoffs, it lacked much noteworthy action. Lane MacDermid and Mark Fraser fought twice-in the first and second period-something that rarely happens and Brad Marchand left in the second period after running into the boards awkwardly. He never returned, it looked like he hurt his shoulder/arm but we'll have to see. Patrice Bergeron did the same thing against Buffalo but he came back later in the game so hopefully Marchand's isn't too serious either.

We have three days to mentally prepare ourselves for the first installment of Bruins-Canadiens. So watch the Super Bowl tomorrow, the Beanpot on Monday and something else on Tuesday before you get ready to go crazy on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network) when Boston visits Montreal (5-2-0, 3rd Northeast Division). All the jokers will have the Bell Centre rocking, it doesn't get much better than B's vs. Habs.

UPDATE 2/4: The Bruins recalled forward Ryan Spooner on an emergency basis, in case Marchand can't play on Wednesday in Montreal. A second-round pick by Boston in 2010, Spooner has been playing well in Providence with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 games this season.

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The Bruins' Summer Of Inactivity Continues: 2 More Scrubs Added To Providence

Those of us hoping the Boston Bruins would make any kind of notable moves this summer have been pretty disappointed in the first few weeks since all they've done is basically sign depth guys for the Providence Bruins (AHL).

Today, the B's inked defenseman Garnet Exelby and forward Lane MacDermid to one-year, two-way contracts. Exelby will make $600,000 in the NHL and $130,000 in the AHL; MacDermid will earn $600,000 with the big club and $70,000 in the minor leagues.

At this point, these two players are at different parts of their respective careers. Exelby is 30 (he'll be 31 next month) and he's played 408 games in the NHL (Atlanta, Toronto) over seven seasons. In that time, he scored seven goals, had 43 assists, amassed 584 penalty minutes and his plus/minus was -28 mostly because of a brutal 2007-08 with the Thrashers (-21).

His most recent taste of the good life was 2009-10 with the Maple Leafs. He played for the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings' AHL team, last season and piled up seven goals, 14 assists and 177 penalty minutes in 75 games. I can't ever remember seeing him but looking at his stats, he has to be a goon. That is clearly his role, a defensive enforcer.

Here's a fight of his from last season, January 17 vs. Justin Soryal of the Charlotte Checkers.


MacDermid is only 22 (he turns 23 in August) and the Hartford, CT native actually played five games for Boston last season when they were dealing with a bunch of injuries to their bottom six forwards. The former fourth-round pick in 2009 (112th overall by the Bruins) and son of an NHL player (Paul MacDermid) who played 13 years in the league, Lane didn't register any points and was -2 but you will remember him for his first NHL shift: on March 4 he fought Rangers tough guy Mike Rupp in a memorable bout at Madison Square Garden.



More so than Exelby, MacDermid has a much better chance of finding himself back with Boston at some point next season depending on who's hurt and/or playing poorly. He seems to be a guy that knows his role and would be able to play on the fourth line pretty soon. In 69 games for Providence last season, he had four goals and 12 assists along with 121 penalty minutes.

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Second Round Pick Khokhlachev Scores Twice in Black and White Game

Bruins hockey is back, as they held their annual Black and White game last night in Providence.

The Black team beat the White team 4-1 at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The split-squad scrimmage gave some of the younger B's a chance to showcase their talents both in front of the organization and the Providence fans, where most of the participants will be playing for the Providence Bruins (their top minor league affiliate) this winter.

Alexander Khokhlachev scored twice for the Black team in his Bruins debut. The second round pick from Russia made a great impression on his new team, adding to goals by Daniel Paille and Lane MacDermid for the Black team. Ryan Spooner scored the only goal for the White team.

Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask both started the game and each let in a goal before being removed midway through the second period.

The one negative came when Joe Corvo left the game with an injury described as a "lower body injury". The team has listed the new Bruins defenseman as day-to-day.

The Bruins' preseason kicks off tonight in Ottawa at 7:30.

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