The Good, The Bad, and the newfound cap space

Goodbye Chuck, BC Sucks and you'll be playing golf somewhere else next summer.


The Bruins ended an eventful (and very up and down) weekend with a trade that may be telling of things to come. In what this writer deems an obvious cap clearing move, the B's sent Kobasew to Minnesota for the rights to two players and a draft pick. With Kobasew a $2.3 million cap hit this year, the B's just went from $700k to $3 million (ammortize that to about $2.4 for the remainder of the year) in space under the cap. Remember, we're still being hit by 3 guys we are paying, but not getting the benefit of their sucktitude (Murray, Schaeffer and Eaves). What's this all mean?

Multiple sources of rumor and conjecture are spelling out the future that we'd all LOVE to see happen: the Bruins are clearing the way for a run at Ilya Kovalchuk. Let's face it, his best goal scoring season was in 05-06 playing alongside Marc Savard, so there's virtually no reason to argue with a trade run at a guy who's 26 and already has 300 career goals.

However, i'm advising cautious optimism. While i do believe this has been in the making since the Bruins began stiff arming Phil Kessel, it's far from a foregone conclusion that Atlanta is even going to trade their captain. I know from a source inside the Atlanta organization that they are very high on their young talent and with Ilya only 26, they'd have to consider throwing the kitchen sink at him in contract negotiations. The bigger question is Ilya himself, i.e. will he WANT to resign.

Think about all of that. It's not simple because the Bruins will have to dump other $ before this becomes a reality, too. I'll be back with further breakdown of trade possibilities and some cranky writing about the inconsistency of the play our boys put forth on their short southwestern roadtrip this weekend (3-o win in Dallas and 4-1 loss in the desert that is hockey purgatory). Oh, and Lucic was placed on long-term injured reserve. Fuck.

Breaking News: Lucic Extended

The Bruins announced today that Milan Lucic, F, has signed a 3 year extension through the end of the 2012-13 season. Read the official release here.

Obviously, we love every damn bit of this.

GNH: Go Back to Canadia, for now...

Bruins Make Statement

Despite Blunders, PIMs, Tempers

See you in 1st Round(?)

Let’s face it. Odds are we’ll be watching the Canadiens roll into town next Thursday as the Bruins’ first round foe for the third time in the last 6 seasons. The Rangers hold the tiebreaker with Montreal and neither has a desirable match-up in their respective final games this weekend (so, let’s call it 2:3 odds that we see the Habs and not the frustrating boys from NYC). Montreal gets to host the long haired chumps from Broad Street (there’s alot, alot of culture there) and the Rangers visit the Igloo (er, Melon Arena) to get beat up by Geno one more time.

Look, we all knew this was coming. To this man, it is no different than Aaron bloody Boone. The Bruins, and the city of Boston, have unfinished business with our neighbors to the North, just like the Sox going through the Spanks following the Boone Series en route to the 2004 Title. Let’s accept reality, put the anxiety behind us and bring ‘em on. I want to play them. I’ll go so far as to say it will be good for this team to bury the ghosts of Le Habitant. Call it a cleansing excercise, if you will, but come Sunday evening, round about 8pm ET, the Rangers will finish up their tilt with the Penguins and we’ll know who to expect next week. Granted, if the Habs lose tomorrow, we’ll already know.

Get ready Boston. There’s a familiar storm brewing in the Adams’ Division of old and last night our guys just stood up and said "we’re ready, come hell or high water". I’m ready, too. Maybe its time to buy one of those "Canadiens’ Suck" t-shirts that some guy made in his basement with food coloring and a stencil he bought at Osco Drug. Oh wait…I already have one.

Lucic Has Turned Jack into the Mad Scientist

I'm quite sure this is the most ridiculous play by play in recent memory. Its certainly 8 notches above walking off on Patriot's Day, that's for sure.

Even Tommy Heinsohn (who is the color guy, remember) doesn't approach this level of homer-ism. Hell, even I don't approach it. And well, that's saying something. Oh, and look who's getting killed. It's Randy FUCKING Jones.

Bam.

Game Notes Haiku: Bruins Pick Up Two Big Points In Philly With a 4-3 Win

Thomas stands on head
Looch notches two more tallies
Huge win for the B's

Injury Update

This from Steve Conroy of the Herald this morning...

"Milan Lucic, who missed Saturday’s game against Washington after taking a punch to the jaw from Anaheim’s Mike Brown last Thursday, skated but wore the red no-contact jersey. Julien said he’s “a possibility” for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Matt Hunwick remained in Lucic’s left wing spot on the Marc Savard-Phil Kessel [stats] line. . . ."

And here i thought it was his hand from breaking the back of Brown's head bucket.

Turning Point

Michael J Fox once narrated the best hockey highlight video ever produced (by Lechmere of all companies) in 1990. Believe it or not, Mike Milbury was our coach back then and many old timers like Neely, Bourque and yes, Andy Brickley roamed the ice for our black and gold boys. In that video, there's a great game around thanksgiving where the Bruins came together as a team and began to go on a run that would lead them to the #1 overall seed, and eventually the runner up in the Cup finals. That game was a 3-2 win over Montreal with some of the most exciting goals i can recall in the regular season. Fuck Roy. Reach for the Stars ruled.

Last night's game had a turning point feel. I sat at lunch today with my Father, trying to guage his growing enthusiasm for the team he loves, but has been so detached from since those days when i was a kid. He brought it up before i could. "Boy, we sure didn't need any help finding the net last night!", he remarked. Darn right. As we talked about the game and its progression i found myself looking to the 3rd goal as really being the turning point. For 35 minutes, the Bruins didn't look ANY different than the Bruins of these last 4 weeks. We were up, but despite a 2-1 advantage in shots, we only held a one goal lead and were actually being run around our own end frequently giving a constant feeling of another shoe, waiting to drop on our defense.

Then something happened. It may have been Kobasew's hit and ensuing fight, it may have been the play of that 3rd and fourth lines (both of whom were the best lines on the ice all game) and it may have been nothing. We may have just awoken from a mid-season slumber, but somehow, Byron Bitz's slam home for a 3-1 lead triggered the most dominant 20+ minutes of hockey this Bruins team has played in a long time. Early on, shots would get through and no one would be there for the rebound. Passes would be made, but they'd be out of reach or bouncing (like a bad high school game). Finally...it clicked. The rebounds were ours, and there were a shit-ton of them. The hits were everywhere and Timmy just did what he always does.

I really believe there was something different in the water bottles after the second period. That was a statement period. Florida is dangerous. They are young, energetic and fighting for a playoff spot - successfully at the moment. They're gaining confidence. On home ice, the B's did the necesarry. They sent a message. We are done rolling over. This is the team we have, this is the team we can and will win with. Chiarelli alluded to as much that morning, telling the Globe's Fluto Shinzawa that he was "apt to keep the young core together". The team got the message.

Now my concern still lies in the shaky D and more urgently, in the first line. Despite Kessel's goal the other night, they've looked at a loss in the offensive zone for weeks now. Kessel was all over the place last night forechecking, but he was also on a completely different page from Savvy in the passing game. Lucic looked like the smartest of the 3, and due respect to the young tough guy, but that shouldn't be the case.

Speaking of Lucic, i've been getting requests for fight video's of his, so here's a beauty with a pleasurable back story for my choosing it (aside from the fact that it involves last night's opponent). Back in 2005, i was in Cleveland Circle at the City Side bar on Marathon Monday. What's that equal, you ask? Drinking at 11am i reply. While doing so, i encounter about 6 Bruins players and a number of BC Eagle Hockey players at the bar. This began with the following drunken (on my part) exchange in the line outside the Men's room.

Me: (taps guy in front of me on shoulder) "Hey there, you probably get this alot, but have you ever been told you look exactly like Brian Leetch?"

Guy: "Heh, i don't mind. Yes, i have" (turns back around)

Me: "Sonofabitch, you're Brian Leetch! You're great!! You should re-sign"

Brian Leetch: "I would love to, but i don't think they want me back"

Me: (mumbles inaudibly, walks away embarrased).

Now this was two weeks after our terrible season had concluded and these guys were just trying to relax. In Leetch's case, he was reaizing his career was over and he'd have to start playing golf 330 days a year...tough life. To me though, it actually was great proof that Hockey players are the coolest, most humble professional athlete's out there, except maybe Curlers. Anyway, I proceeded outside where, to my amusement, i found Nick Boynton bumming a ciggarette off my buddy. Nick Boynton sucks. He sucked here. He sucks in Florida. He's slow...maybe its the fuckin CIGGARETTES!!!

I think that's the message Milan was trying to convey to him here...

Ducks tomorrow...Peking Duck.

Back to Basics

So, in thinking about the bad stretch of offense we've run into lately, i've realized that we just need to get hungry, angry and overall, feisty. Yea...i said it. It's time to intimidate our opponents again the way we did before Lucic got hurt in December.

Since i just don't have time to make a full post...i'll show you what i mean. Since the Whalers are tonight's opponent (i've decided that we'll no longer be calling them the Hurricanes in this space. In fact, we're calling Phoenix the Jets, Colorado the Nordiques and for fun, Dallas can be the Suck), here's a video of a great brawl from the late 80's. Watch for the little things, like Jay Miller giving a "how's your father" with his stick to some guy and Byers cursing out the guy he's fighting, quite audibly, on television.

Game Day: Flyers at 1

These fuckers again? (Have a look at this throwback to Lucic's name-creating days bearing number 62 and still technically a Jr. Hockey call-up)

Fine. I'd like to say that i will not be laying action on this one after the bruins covered a 1.5 spread the other night and i moronically parlayed the over with that pick...let's just say that didn't pan out.

Some notes from the trainer's room for today:

Lucic is going to be back, after a CAT scan revealed no break in his left foot. He skated at practice yesterday. Kobasew and Ryder (took a nice cut to the face Thursday) should be available, but the Globe's online reporting makes it sound ominous for Ward, who appears to be the next victim of the locker room flu. No word, of yet, on Hunwick's status.

In other news, we recently discovered a very well written blog by our friends north of the border at fiveforsmiting.com which has an awesome concept called "Behind Enemy Lines". In said section, the authors dubiously point to commentary from the upcoming opponent's blogosphere. I'm so moved to have been found, much less quoted, that i feel compelled to quoth the raven back, right here. This is what the Sens faithful had to say in their retelling of Brian Elliot's performance Thursday:

"Sweep the leg!: Brian Grasshopper, you grow stronger with each passing sun. Man who catch Phil Kessel wrist shot out of thin air, accomplish anything!"

Well done boys.

As for today's Behind Enemy Lines, well there aren't any good Philly blogs, so fuck Philly. Now, if you'll excuse me, the Caveman is sans vehicle, and needs to exchange his golf shoes. So it's "off to Saugus, we go".

Balls.

Back In Black

Look out folks...we just might be getting healthy.

Significantly strapped and sporting alot of baby (B) faces over the last month, the Bruins have benefited from a January that has seen 8 of the 11 games played at home. We've gone 7-3-1 over that stretch, despite missing all those guys previously lamented about in this space.

Well, now they're coming back. Kessel and Ryder return tonight from illness and Bergy, Ference and Lucic made their returns on Tuesday. The only interesting note on the injury front is Manny, though. Seeming to be our best trade chip going into the February deadline, his recent back woes are obviously cause for concern, but i digress.

Watch out league...