Saturday, June 6, 2009

What's a Bruin ??


The Bruins had high hopes heading into last season and they did not disappoint. In a city where they are used to winning, Boston had captured the attention of hockey lovers once again. With the acceleration of developing youth, an all-star performance by their goaltender and heavy contributions by their star players, the Bruins captured the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins were not able to complete their quest in the playoffs by losing a heartbreaker in overtime during game 7. Moving ahead, Boston must make some shrewd choices in handing out contracts and keeping the youth and core together.

Marc Savard – With his troubled past and ego problems behind him, Savard finally looks like a true star player. He has great playmaking ability and an edge that gets him just enough PIMS to add extra value to him. Savard is a keeper and should be drafted in top rounds of all drafts.

David Krejci – Relatively unknown at the start of the year, Krejci was a pleasant surprise for owners that grabbed him off the waiver wire. Inking a three year contract recently, Krejci looks to have found a permanent place on the second line in Boston. Owners should keep this young stud as he scored 73 points in 82 games and looks to be getting better.

Mark Recchi – With 61 points in 81 games, Recchi looks to be a player that will continue to produce regardless of age and team. It will be hard to ignore his point total on draft day, especially if he resigns with Boston in the off-season. Keep him on your radar on draft day as a mid-round pick.

Phil Kessel – This third year player had his coming out party this season. Kessel looked like a dangerous sniper with paired with Savard. Rumors have him moving out of Boston but regardless of where he goes, Kessel should be on your keeper radar and should be drafted accordingly.

Michael Ryder – A year removed from his disastrous season in Montreal, Ryder tallied 53 points in 73 games. A force in the playoffs, especially against his former team, Ryder will be a great selection as a winger on your team next season. He should be paired on the top line again and should hit 60 points next year.

Zdeno Chara – This monster of a man anchors the backend in Boston. The captain is the top shut-down guy and also put up 50 points in 80 games. Look at Chara as a top dman in the league and draft him accordingly.

Dennis Wideman – An underrated dman in the league, Wideman plays a ton of minutes and adds points on the PP as well. With 50 points in 79 games, Wideman should be looked at as a keeper and drafted after the top dmen in your league are taken.

Blake Wheeler – Playing in 81 games and netting 45 points, Wheeler had an excellent rookie campaign. Look for Wheeler to have similar numbers next season depending on the line he ends up in Boston. Add him as a depth player for now but he should flourish in his third year of play.

Milan Lucic – A gifted agitator, Lucic made some enemies during the playoffs. He has the ability to put points on the board and get some huge penalty minutes. With 42 points in 72 games, Lucic’s numbers should increase next season and with his PIM totals getting inflated as well. He is should be looked at as a keeper now as he has many valuable qualities.

Patrice Bergeron – After last year’s concussion, owners were quick to dump Bergeron. Having played in 64 games and netting 39 points, Patrice looks like he is on the road to recovery. He should be looked at as a depth guy right now until he can prove he can play at a top level again. Look for him to be on the Bruin’s second or third line.

Tim Thomas – The unorthodox tender had a career year and netted himself a huge contract. Thomas is now the undisputed number one guy in Beantown and owners that picked him up were rewarded heavily. He is now a keeper and should put up good numbers again next season.

Mark

No comments:

Post a Comment