Firstly, congratulations to the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions!
This year, the Northeast and Atlantic got a bit more difficult, so the Bruins fell to third.
With a large target on their back, defending this trophy becomes increasingly laborious. Luckily for the Bruins, their lineup remains fairly intact from the previous cup run. Recchi’s retirement was expected and it’s a small price to pay for a championship. Ryder, or as I like to call him “Flo-Ryder,” departed for more money. He has a tremendous shot, but benefited immensely from his surroundings. The Bruins have $7 million left to sign Marchand and another defenseman possibly. This team will be a strong contender for the Cup again. Guaranteed.
Offense, welcome back! The Bruins possess all of the necessary features of a strong, offensive team: scoring, intelligence, grit, speed, etc. Their highest paid player, Bergeron, is well worth his price tag. He is one of the best at his position on both sides of the puck. Krejci keeps getting better every year and I look forward to seeing another fantastic season from him – maybe even a point-per-game. Lucic! I never like to see players get hurt, but I hope we see more of that from him this year. Oh, points are welcomed too. During the Stanley Cup Finals this year Horton was severely injured. I was glad to see him up and at ‘em a few days later. Let’s hope he comes back strong. I know I expect it. Ryder was once a part of great “third” line with Kelly and Peverley. These two play so well together. Julien would be wise to keep them together and push a fourth-liners up. Hint: Paille. I had the pleasure of watching Paille play here in Buffalo. He has incredible speed and a ton of determination. Speaking of speed, Seguin should get a chance to exemplify his with more playing time. This will also come with higher production. Campbell and Thornton are two hard-nosed athletes always looking to attack the net. They are also aware of their defensive responsibilities. Pouliot is a complete wildcard. Savard, we all hope you can come back and show off those playmaking skills. Finally, Marchand will absolutely be resigned; it’s just a matter of when. When he does return in a Bruin sweater next season, he will pick up right where he left off – soaring.
Offensive Score: A-
And an even warmer welcome back to the defense. I believe this team has one of the top three defensive rosters in the league. Chara will continue to assert his dominance on the game of hockey. With an 11-foot stick and the most potent slapshot in the league, it’s impossible to stop this force. His partner, Seidenberg, is a more than reliable defenseman who also chips in a good number of points. Ference, thanks for the memories. I hope you keep this edge. I don’t care what the NHL thinks. I love it. Keep playing solid defense as well please. Corvo was brought in as a weapon for the powerplay. We should see solid production from him on a deeper roster. Boychuk is up and coming. As such, I expect his numbers to increase. McQuaid is another defenseman on the rise. His large stature and aggressive attitude maintain a safe area for the goalies.
Defensive Score: A+
Thomas and Rask. Do I even need to elaborate further? Fine. Where Tim Thomas will be next year is anyone's guess, but I anticipate another strong season. It may not be record-breaking, but it’ll be good and hopefully with lots of spectacular saves. Like this one and this one and this one and this one. If not, Rask is there to back him up. After all, Rask is the goalie of the future. The question remains when he’ll take over the starting role…for more than half a season.
Goaltending Score: A
Repeat?
No comments:
Post a Comment