There hasn’t been a bigger critic of the Boston Bruins than yours truly. Since the early ‘90’s, I’ve stopped rooting for the team I grew up loving because I figure if they don’t care about winning, why should I.
That said, it’s time to officially declare a cease-fire and move forward. It appears the B’s have, hiring a new GM in Peter Chiarelli and beginning the process of phasing Harry Sinden out. If only Jeremy Jacobs would unload the team, I might just fall back in love with them instead of approaching this new phase of our relationship with a wary eye.
I thought yesterday’s NHL draft was a good first step. Instead of trading out of the #5 spot or making a safe defensive pick, Boston chose the best player available in University of Minnesota center, Phil Kessel. Kessel’s strengths are speed and scoring ability and he’s been compared to Pat LaFontaine…not a bad thing if you ask me. The 18-year old has tremendous “upside� and was considered by many to be the top player before his freshman season in college.
You know what I like best? His nickname. Kessel is known as “The Thrill,� which is what I hope he puts back into being a Bruins fan.
The other move worth noting; Boston traded 2003-04 Rookie of the Year Andrew Raycroft to Toronto for Tuukka Rask. The young goaltender was the 21st overall pick in the 2005 draft and will most likely spend some time in the minors, where he’ll hopefully remove the extra “u� and “k� from his name.
I don’t think trading Raycroft will come back to haunt the B’s. While he did have a good rookie year, I never thought he was a championship caliber netminder. He just happened to play on a defensive minded team with the Eastern Conference’s best record. While he can’t be faulted for the defeat, he certainly didn’t stand on his head during the playoff loss to the Canadiens or do anything to carry his team like many other goalies do when the games count for real.
It’s a new era in Bruins hockey. The turnaround won’t happen overnight, but I’m willing to be patient as long as the team’s moving in the right direction. The salary cap will help as long as Chiarelli is a shrewd talent evaluator. Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt…for now.
What did you think of the Bruins draft? Should Boston have taken one of the many trade offers they got? What about dealing Raycroft? Will we regret it?
. . . I'm sure they (Sinden and Jacobs) were waiting to trade Raycroft on the year he was destined to win the Hart Memorial, I mean Vezina trophy.
Toivenan and Thomas will be adequate goalies during the rebuilding phase that nobody will be watching this upcoming year. I'm sure former management was waiting for the year Raycroft was destined to win the Hart Memorial, I mean the Vezina trophy before performing such a trade. Hopefully the Bruins drafted somebody who could win one such an award! Oh yeah, they had, they just traded him away!
Also worth noting that Greater Lowell resident Matt McCollem, who plays Belmont Hill High School was drafted 154th, the 1st pick in the 6th round by the St Louis Blues. Congrats Matt!
Who are the Bruins??
They don't get a free pass from me until they prove winning is the only thing that matters. Yes the salary cap helps but unless the owner is willing to stretch the limits of that cap to win it won't matter. Just like in other sports the teams that really want to win will find a way to spend more money and get around the cap.
There is alway a loophole. Let's see how hard the Jacobs boys look for it.
I think drafting Kessel was the smartest thing they have done to date since Chiarelli was named GM. Trading Raycroft was helpful to the B's in the long run, now that we have young Hannu (Goldilocks) Toivonen, and the emerging bear in Tim Thomas. We also got another goalie in return for Raycroft who can help us at least five years down the road. Now that we have made those moves, can we at least get into the playoffs in 2007?!