Bruins Should Sign Owen Nolan

Owen Nolan wants to play in the NHL again, and he know what role he wants to play. The Vancouver Province writes, "At 39 years old, he's convinced he can still have an impact in the NHL. He said watching Mark Recchi, another elder statesman, hoist the Stanley Cup at 43-years-old, only further fueled him (ESPN)."



He is trying out for the Canucks, but no one seems to think he will make the team. If he has something left I think the Bruins should sign him. He could fill that Recchi role, and plus I have always liked Owen Nolan. Plus, he will take any role...



"They can play me five minutes a game, I don't care. I'll stand in front of the net on the power play. I'll kill penalties. Whatever they want me to do, I will do it."



Maybe it is just wanting someone on the Bruins from my childhood, but I also think there is something to be said to having that older vet on the team. The Bruins are so young, and even though they won it all last year maybe a guy like this keeps them grounded and focused on doing it again, because it would obviously be a one and done type of year for Owen Nolan.

Savard Is Still A Mess

We haven't heard about Marc Savard in a while, and from the sound of interview we know why. There seems like there has been very little improvement...

"It's obviously been a long road for me. I'm still suffering with a lot of daily issues, right now it's been a tough go," Savard told reporters. "I'm just trying to get through and not worry about hockey right now, just worry about my health because I have three young kids and they're important to me."

"Mornings have been tough. When I get up in the morning I'm a little foggy sometimes," Savard continued. "But as the day wears on I'm pretty good. Hot sun is tough. I try to stay in the shade and stuff like that and pop the odd Advil and it seems to be okay (TSN)."

I feel so bad for this guy, but he has made a good amount of money and like I have said 1,000 times before just needs to sit back and announce his retirement. There is no reason for him to go out there again and risking another head shot. We have so much evidence now that these concussion can really mess your life up long term, so he should take every precaution to be there for his kids.

The Bruins did put a petition in to get him on the Cup, and I hope it works out. The guy has been through enough. I couldn't imagine waking up every day and still dealing with these problems. Blank spots in memory, dizziness, I mean we get those from hangover, but at least that's only on weekends.

It's crazy to think the NHL season starts again in about 6 weeks.

Bruins About To Resign Marchand?

"According to the Boston Globe, the general manager of the Boston Bruins feels there has been progress in the quest to sign Brad Marchand. Peter Chiarelli wouldn't say much else about ongoing contract talks with the 23-year-old winger's agent."

The gist of the article was that the Bruins would eventually resign their only restricted free agent. The question is how much. Most people think it will be in the 2-3 million range. The Bruins are close to the cap, so they have to be careful here. Marchand is an interesting guy, because as good as he was in the playoffs his 41 regular season points put him in the $1.5-$2 million range, but the way he played in the playoffs will get him somewhere over two. My best guess is a 2 year deal for about $5 million.

No matter what the Bruins can't afford to lose this guy, and I hope a deal gets done soon.

Bruins Lose Kaberle To Carolina Then Sign Joe Corvo

The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to a three-year, $12.75 million deal with Tomas Kaberle, but the Bruins quickly turned around and signed Joe Corvo to a 1 year deal worth $2.25 million. I really like what the Bruins did here. There is no way Kaberle is worth $4.25 million a year. He was a bust here, and even though the Bruins won the Cup with him, I feel they won in spite of him rather then because of him.

Corvo is a very solid pickup, and I like the short money deal. The Bruins do not need to get locked down in a long term contract for a "puck moving defenseman". Corvo will fit in nicely as he can take Kaberle's spot right away, and can be a nice addition to the power play. He is coming off a career year in which scored 11 goals and had 29 assists for a career-high 40 points. He just can't wear #77 anymore.

The Bruins Are Doomed, My Short Lived Bruins Fanhood Is Over

(One thing I have learned over the years, you don't let ESPN front page players go)

Michael Ryder signed with the Dallas Stars for a reported $7 million over two years on the first day of NHL free agency. The 31-year-old forward had 41 points in the regular season and was fourth on the team in playoff scoring, including three goals and three assists in the Stanley Cup finals against the Canucks. ESPN

I know I'm not really a hockey fan, but I became a Michael Ryder fan about 3 years ago and the Bruins just made the biggest mistake of their franchise by letting this stud go. Michael Ryder single handedly won them the Stanley Cup. He was great in the playoffs and the Bruins wouldn't have even made it there if it wasn't for him. He made Tyler Seguins career, he made that 3rd line as dangerous as the 1st (Him and Seguin were like Jordan and Pippen out there), and he made a game winning save even Tim Thomas couldn't get. Actually, he probably should have won the Vezina trophy based on that alone. He was the 2nd most important Bruin in this whole postseason behind Tim Thomas. Michael Ryder was the heart and soul of this team and they were fucking dumb to let him go on the 1st day of free agency. I hope when the Dallas Stars come back he makes them pay for this crucial mistake and disrespect they showed him.

Go Stars!

Do You Remember the 90's?

The 2000s have undoubtedly been the best decade in Boston sports history, maybe even the best decade for sports in any city. But do you remember the 1990s? That was, without any question, the worst decade for Boston sports. It was the only decade in the 20th century that a Boston team didn't claim a title. That span saw a football team nearly move to St. Louis, a Red Sox team dominated by their archrivals, and the two winter sports clubs becoming jokes.

The biggest moments for a Boston sports fan in the 90's look pretty lame now: Raymond Bourque hoisting the Cup in the red, white, and blue of the Avalanche. The Red Sox winning one playoff series against the Indians. A Super Bowl appearance dominated by a kick returner. Of all four teams, the Bruins had the best decade. That alone speaks volumes.

I'm only 26, but I did survive the 90's as a Boston fan. We haven't known only success here. We suffered too. And that just makes basking in this glorious time so much more enjoyable. And to fans from other cities (Philadelphia, I'm looking in your direction) who envy our success and think we're spoiled, all I can say is that we went through some tough times before this run, so we're going to enjoy it, bitches.

Let's just compare the 1990s to the 2000s team-by-team, and in four important categories: championships, championship appearances, playoff appearances, and playoff rounds won.

CHAMPIONSHIPS:

	1990s	2000s
Red Sox	0	2
Patriots	0	3
Celtics	0	1
Bruins	0	1
TOTAL:	0	7

CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES:

	1990s	2000s
Red Sox	0	2
Patriots	1	4
Celtics	0	2
Bruins	1	1
TOTAL:	2	9

PLAYOFF APPEARANCES:

	1990s	2000s
Red Sox	4	6
Patriots	4	8
Celtics	5	8
Bruins	9	7
TOTAL:	22	29

PLAYOFF ROUNDS WON:

	1990s	2000s
Red Sox	1	8
Patriots	3	14
Celtics	2	12
Bruins	9	6
TOTAL:	15	40

Apart from the 7-0 disparity in titles, the most striking difference is the 40 playoff rounds won in the 2000s, compared to the 15 in the 90's. Boston teams did contend for playoff spots in the 90's, as demonstrated by their 22 appearances. But they didn't have enough to capture that postseason magic. Pedro didn't have Schilling, Pierce didn't have KG or Ray Allen. The Bruins didn't have Timmy Thomas.

Just compare the names from the 90's sports scene to the names from today. Pete Carroll vs. Bill Belichick. Rick Pitino vs. Doc Rivers. Mark Portugal vs. Jon Lester. Troy O'Leary vs. Manny Ramirez. Drew Bledsoe vs. Tom Brady.

And then there's the owners and GMs. Kraft takes over the Patriots, hires Pioli, three rings. The Yawkey trust sells the Sox, Epstein gets hired, curse over. Wyc Grousbeck and associates buy the Celtics and bring banners back to the Garden. Jeremy Jacobs still owns the Bruins, but they started spending just before the lockout. Then they hired Chiarelli in 2006.

So people who hate us obnoxious, arrogant, "entitled" Boston fans can go fuck themselves. We put up with Desmond Howard, with the Yankees winning 4 World Series in 5 years, with the choking Bruins, and what we all thought was the end of the Celtics' dynasty. We had to listen to Pete Carroll talk about "having fun" and Rick Pitino rant about the "negativity in this town." We had to endure Jimy Williams' nonsensical lineups. We had to watch an endless parade of mediocre athletes don our teams' uniforms then disappear into obscurity: Jose Offerman, Dino Radja, Jim Carey, Sedrick Shaw, I could go on forever.

We've earned the right to be happy, and to rub it in your faces.

-The Commodore

Montreal Cops to Interrogate Chara

The Montreal Police plan to interview Zdeno Chara regarding his hit of Max Pacioretty on March 8th. This will be part of their ongoing investigation into the incident. This interview has been delayed due to Chara's involvement in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, along with other "witnesses."

The involvement of police in this incident is one of the silliest sports stories of the year. While the circumstances around Pacioretty's injuries were unique, other big hits in the game weren't investigated by law enforcement officials. And there's a longstanding precedent in the sporting world, that what happens between the lines (or on the field, or within the boards) is governed differently. Fighting in hockey, for instance, doesn't result in arrests for disorderly conduct or assault.

It's a joke. And Canada is getting a reputation for whining and sour grapes. I love how passionate they are for the game, I was happy to see Winnipeg get a team, but look at the temper tantrum that Vancouver threw (again) after losing Game 7. And the uproar in Montreal after this hit. This Canadian crybabyism is preposterous.

I seriously doubt that Chara will be punished in any way. But just the fact that Montreal cops are spending their time looking into this is a massive joke.

-The Commodore

Meet The Newest Bruin

The Bruins drafted Dougie Hamilton with their first pick in the NHL draft. Yea, I have no idea who is either, but I did do some reading up on him, and what the Bruins were thinking. Basically they like this kid because he is a huge (6-4) physical defenseman. If groomed right he could be another great defenseman for the Bruins. We saw in the finals what big defenseman can do for you. They can wear stars down, and if this kid is the real deal it would be nice to have him and Chara on the same team. The one knock on him right now is inconsistency, he can go out and play great then make some bad plays within the same game. To me that sounds like any 18 year old, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Bruins' Schedule Released

The Bruins begin their defense of the Stanley Cup (God that felt good to write) on October 6th at home. They'll get to raise the banner (another orgasmic phrase to type out) as they host the Philadelphia Flyers. On October 8th, they'll play a rematch of the Eastern Conference Championship against the Lightning, also at home.

The big date that stands out is January 7th, when the Canucks come to town. The Bruins will not travel to Vancouver.

Canadien games:
Thursday 10/27 in Boston
Saturday 10/29 in Montreal
Monday 11/21 in Montreal
Monday 12/19 in Boston
Thursday 1/12 in Boston
Wednesday 2/15 in Montreal

The Detroit Red Wings come to town on November 25th in the Black Friday matinee.

The Bruins will host the Flyers on St. Patrick's Day (Saturday March 17) in what will probably be the drunkest game of the year, despite the 1:00pm start time.

The Bruins make their first trip to Winnipeg on Tuesday December 6th.

Phil Kessel and the Maple Leafs will come to town on October 20th, December 3rd, and March 19th.

The regular season will end Saturday April 7th when the B's host the Sabres.

-The Commodore

The Bruins: Looking Ahead

The joyful exuberance doesn't have to stop, but as the hockey games have stopped, we can look forward to next season. And there's quite a bit to look forward to. The core group of guys will return. In other words, Tim Thomas will return. Will he duplicate his awe-inspiring performance from this past season? That might be tough. There's no reason to think that he won't be close to it, though, and I'd bet on him having at least one more top quality year left.

Chara, Seidenberg, Ference, Boychuk, and Mcquaid all return. Thankfully. And Tomas Kaberle is an unrestricted free agent. Thankfully. I doubt the Bruins will make any efforts to keep him here. The defense is the strongest part of this team, apart from Thomas. The Bruins don't need to improve much here. The whole idea of a "puck-moving defenseman" has always bugged me. Offense comes from forwards, defensemen can contribute to that, but it shouldn't cost them defensively. I like defensive defensemen that can also play the puck.

I wouldn't mind Kampfer being the #6 defenseman, but I imagine the Bruins will bring in a more experienced hand. And it probably won't be a big name, or a "puck mover."

In the forwards department, the Bruins will likely say goodbye to Michael Ryder. Although he sporadically provided memorable playoff moments, his lack of consistency has been the one consistent part of his career. Mark Recchi is also gone, going out with ring #3.

The top line of Krejci-Lucic-Horton should remain intact. The word from Horton's camp is that he's not experiencing any post-concussion symptoms. So let's be optimistic and assume that this line returns.

Marchand and Bergeron are on the 2nd line and will need a winger. Peverley is the ultimate utility guy and can slot in there. But I'd rather have Peverley on a grinding 3rd line with guys like Chris Kelly.

The Bruins have some cap room available. They have $52.2 million committed to players, and the cap will be $64.3. So that's $11.1 million they'll be able to commit to filling the few roster holes they have. There might be more, depending on what happens with Savard.

I'd like to see them acquire Erik Cole, who is a free agent. Every time the B's play the Hurricanes, Cole impresses me. He's a hard player, he can score (26 goals last year, 184 in his career), and he plays the power play. He's solid. He'll turn 33 in November. He's not a game changer by himself, but I think if he's on a line with Marchand and Bergeron, all three of them become very good players.

The 4th line of Paille, Campbell, and Thornton is a sturdy group, with Paille and Campbell providing invaluable PK minutes. And we all know what Thornton can bring.

I'd like to see Seguin start the year in the AHL, getting plenty of ice time to learn the NHL style of play. I also wouldn't mind him being on the 3rd line with Peverley and Kelly.

Brooks Laich might be the best free agent that the Bruins look at. He can play wing, and he can turn that power play around. I personally think Cole, at a lower price, is a better value.

As we saw in the playoffs, the game isn't played on paper. For the Bruins to repeat, they need the same quality defense and goaltending. They could use a more potent offense, so long as it doesn't lose it's physicality. Scorers get cold. Forecheckers don't.

The whole idea of needing a 40 goal scorer to win is a bit flimsy. Let's look at the 40 goal scorers from last year:

Corey Perry
Steven Stamkos
Jarome Iginla
Daniel Sedin
Ryan Kesler

Iginla's team didn't even make the playoffs. Perry's was out after Round 1. Stamkos made the East finals, we know about Sedin and Kesler. That's a wide range of team results from these 5 guys. Having elite scoring threats is nice, but they can get cold, they can get shut down. Relying on offensive production isn't enough. The Bruins need to improve by adding grinders who can also score.

-The Commodore

Why Not?

Hilarious.

I Don't Get This....

I don't get this, I was listening to WEEI and they had a bunch of callers who were Bruins fans saying, "I can't stand all these bandwagon fans, pink hats, I remember Espo and Orr, This is a Hockey Town, Etc." I won't get started on this whole "Sports Town" thing because it seems kinda ridiculous, this town is whoever is winning at the time. Me personally I believe it has to go Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins then Patriots, that's just my opinion and an argument for a later date.

Back to the Pink Hat comment, I'll 100% agree that I am a complete bandwagoner, pink hat, front runner when it comes to hockey, I don't care about it and actually hate the sport when the Bruins aren't in the playoffs or when it's the Olympics. But wouldn't Bruins fans in general embrace that. Everyone who reads this site, knows I'm a giant Celtics fan, and when the Celtics won and everyone became a Celtics fan, not once did I scoff at the notion that more people were fans. I loved it, I loved seeing the sea of green and I loved that the Celtics were the talk of the town. So I don't really get the resentment of having more fans for a sport and team YOU SUPPORT.

You know what pink hats mean? It means your team is winning, it means the revenue your team is making goes, it means you can have a parade a million people want to see. Out of my friends there is really only one person who was a true Bruins fan, The Captain and that's because he stuck through them when the ownership sucked, when they were giving away players, when they charging an arm and a leg for tickets and not willing to spend money to justify charging that much. And although I haven't heard his opinion on the pink hats I'm pretty sure he felt the same way I did when the Celtics won.

So for all you Bruins fans that feel the need to prove that you were there during the down times, and feel the need to defend yourself as a fan. Shut the fuck up and enjoy the fact that the Bruins are the talk of the town for the first time in 40 years.

You Are Not Going To Like The Bruins Parade

Hate to rain the Bruins parade, but it's going to disappoint a lot of you. It's not just because I'm bitter that I can't go, but the way they planned it, and the bumbling mayor's rules.

1) It is ending in Copley. I work in Copley and trust me it is not a good place to have that many people. They just won't fit.

2) There is no rally point. No speeches, nothing. You are going to see the duck boats, some players for about 2 mins, and then nothing. What made the Patriots rally great is that it ended in Government Center, and there was speeches, music, dancing, awesomeness. They aren't allowing any of that. It will literally be duck boats, clapping, and watch them go by. Sweet.

3) Last, and least important it might rain. That sucks, but it only sucks, because you are getting very little out of it. If it was a rally, and players were out there with you doing speeches, then it's worth it. To watch them drive by in a duck boat, no thanks.

The only reason to go is to see the Cup. I can understand that, but what a disappointment. I mean when Bourque won the Cup they let him make a speech, and he didn't even win it in Boston. This is just fucking stupid, and I am disappointed in Boston.

For those of you going here is the route:

The route will begin at TD Garden at 11 a.m. and work its way through the city, beginning on Causeway Street. The team will travel on duck boats past City Hall Plaza and the Common before ending at Copley Plaza on Boylston Street.

Tim Thomas' Trophy Case

Two nights ago, Tim Thomas added two impressive pieces of hardware to an already diverse collection of trophies and awards. And while the Conn Smythe, the Stanley Cup, and his inevitable second Vezina are the feature pieces of his trophy case, the rest of what's in there tells the story of his career.

He's got some college hockey honors. He was two time All-ECAC and two time All NCAA East All-American. He also has some less traditional, and more difficult to spell awards under his belt.

In 1998, he won the Urpo Ylönen trophy, given to the best goalie in Finland's SM-liiga. He's the only American who has one of those bad boys. His team also won the very large Kanada-malja ("Canada Cup"), Finland's championship trophy.

In 2005 he won the Kultainen kypärä ("Golden Helmet") in Finland, awarded to the best player as voted by his fellow players. He won another 'best player' award that year: the Lasse Oksanen trophy.

The variety of awards he has in that trophy case don't just testify to his quality as a player. They're not just achievements. They're milestones on a career that took one of the most unique paths from obscurity to greatness. Nobody in the world has an Urpo Ylönen, a Vezina, and a Conn Smythe.

-The Commodore

BMack's Bruins Thoughts

The Boston Bruins are Stanley Cup Champions.

I keep saying it, yet I find it hard to believe.

When I was a little kid it was the only team I followed. They were the first team to break my heart, and they seemed to love doing it, because it happened again and again. One of my first memories is Wesley hitting the post, I was 6. I remember very little other else from that time in my life other then the my Ghostbusters toy gun that put images of ghosts on the wall (fucking best toy ever).

For so long the Bruins were so close. They had the talent (Bourque, Neely, Moog, Janney, Oates, Sweeney, ect), but in the end it always ended the same... Heartbreak. Sure, I got to enjoy watching Bourque go to Colorado and winning the Cup, and trust me I enjoyed every minute. The Bruins wouldn't spend the money to be good. They didn't care. I didn't care, and much like Bourque I walked out the door.

Then the NHL did the best thing they ever did for the league. They made a salary cap.

Slowly I came back. They had to spend the money, so it was just about finding the talent. They didn't do it at first, and it was reliving the 90's all over again. Always a step behind, always the joke of Boston. The hype got bigger and bigger, then... Heartbreak. The Flyers knock the Bruins out after being up 3-0. The noise from Boston was the same as it had been my whole like. "Same old Bruins, same old joke".

Then Thomas came back.

Before this year Moog was by far the best goalie I had ever seen in a Bruins uniform. Sure, there were flash in the pan guys (John Blue, Andrew Raycroft, Jim Carey , ect), but nothing like this. I never got to see Gerry Cheevers, but I doubt he was this good. Actually, I can back that up. Thomas made the most saves of anyone is postseason histroy. He won 3 game 7's, also never been done. Thomas finished the playoffs with a 16-9 record, 1.98 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. Not bad for a guy who was a backup last year.

The closest I can think of is Patrick Roy. I have always said he is the best goalie I have ever seen, and for his career I'll stand by that, but this run Thomas went on was better then anything he has ever done. Let's be honest for a second. The Bruins are GOOD, but they are not GREAT. They aren't as good as the Champions in the past (Penguins, Blackhawks, so on). The Bruins had 1 thing going for them. Tim Thomas is better then anyone else's goalie, and the best part is he did it HIS WAY. He came out of his net, he was wreckless, he fucking HIT PEOPLE, and it all worked.

To make it even more amazing is the way he got here. He got no respect for much of his career. Didn't even make it to the NHL till he was in the 30's. Didn't really lock down a starting job till recently. Now, he will go down as the goalie who had the greatest run of anyone EVER.

Moving on from Thomas, could there be a more likeable team? No real superstars (other then maybe Chara). Just a bunch of "blue collar" guys that wouldn't go down without smacking you in the mouth. That ended up being the difference. The Canucks were a way better team. Not even close, but they didn't have the fight. They didn't want to get in the trenches. The Bruins loved the trenches, they had been in them for 3 years. They had seen the worst losses (Flyers), they had seen worst injuries (Horton, Savard, Bergeron), they had seen every other team in Boston win. There just wasn't anything any team could do to them that they hadn't already seen. THAT ended up being the difference. They were the warriors that had seen it all. They were all "JACK BAUER".

It's been an incredible run. So, enjoy Bruins fans, the heartbreak is over, and for everyone else...

WELCOME TO TITLE TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!