2008-09 Boston Bruins Thread

[rician blast]

I know interest in the B's isn't real high here, but for those of you, like me, who still follow them, I thought I'd start a thread for the '08-'09 campaign.

 

First thoughts...the B's big off-season signings? Stephane Yelle and Michael Ryder.

 

Yelle won two cups with The Avs...but he's 34 and coming off a 3 goal, 9 assist regular season in 74 games last year. Not much to get excited about.

 

As for Ryder, he was a very pedestrian 14G, 17A in 70 games with the Habs last year, but I have to admit that when the B's play the Habs in the playoffs, I always felt he was a going concern. He netted 30 goals each of the 2 prior seasons. I like him, he could be a big part of this team, but I've got to question whether he was worth $4m per year for 3 years.

 

A couple of positives...the Bruins should get Bergeron back this year, although anytime someone is out THAT long with a head injury I wonder if they'll ever be the same. Also, the B's will see the return of Manny Fernandez, who cost them in the range of $4m last year but was out for the season.

 

Guys to watch? #1 has got to be Milan Lucic, who played as close to a Neely-type role as anyone on the B's has since Neely's departure. At 19 he had more guts than just about anyone on last years squad. Didn't have a ton of goals or points, but the skills and balls are there. Should be interesting to see how he develops.

[Cityofchampions33]

Looking forward to another great season, and could care less we're projected to miss the playoffs yet again by some. You have got to think we'll improve with the additions of Ryder, and essentially Bergeron back. Kessel looked very promising in the Montreal series and hopefully can keep it going into this season for his long awaited breakout year.

I think the Ryder signing was maybe a bit of an overpayment but then you look at the market and see that the pool wasn't that deep thus players got more than they deserved. However, despite his seaosn last year he could see 30 again if he plays with Savard, and a coach who knows him in Julien. Yelle is kind of confusing, maybe a sign of an imminent deal (we're supposedly talking to Vancouver) or maybe just to stir competition in camp with Yelle and the youngsters.

My player to watch this year is Kessel, while Looch is going to be the face of the franchise, Kessel is very close to putting it all together and becoming a very dangerous player. The speed, handles, and moves are all there, and he added some desperately needed grit in the Montreal series, if he can continue it, or Julien keeps pressin the right buttons, watch out.

We can realistically finish anywhere from 4-8 in my mind with maybe the 5 spot being the most likely. We would have finished higher last year if not for a dreadful season series against the Habs (we actually played every other team better than Montreal did). That won't happen again. Krejci, Sobotka, Nokia, and Lucic will continue to develop, and then there's Schaefer as the dark horse to really show what he's made of, much like Kessel as both were much improved against Montreal.

[rician blast]

And tix start at less than $20 up in the nose bleed section! I'm bound to see a couple games this year.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

I'm gonna try and get into them a bit more. I root for the B's casually but for players I only know Chara, Savard, Axellson, Murray, Bergeron, and thats about it.

[rician blast]

I'm gonna try and get into them a bit more. I root for the B's casually but for players I only know Chara' date=' Savard, Axellson, Murray, Bergeron, and thats about it.[/quote']

 

Forget about Murray. The B's bought out his contract in July. Personally, I'm pretty happy about this, he blew last year.

[Cityofchampions33]

Forget about Murray. The B's bought out his contract in July. Personally' date=' I'm pretty happy about this, he blew last year.[/quote']

 

Everyones happy about this

[rician blast]

Everyones happy about this

 

Except this one guy at the gym I go to. He was pissed, he said he thinks Murray can score 30 goals again for a couple of years.

 

I said "not with the B's he can't." I see him landing with someone under a 1 year deal, a team that needs some PP and/or 2nd line scoring, but doesn't expect too much from him. He ain't gonna play good, two-way hockey for you, he doesn't have the skating skills for that.

 

The playoffs last year were the straw the broke the camel's back for me...no goals, no assists 2 PIMS in 7 games. That's f***ing terrible....in fact, it's Lapointe-ish production!!!

[Dojji]

I'd call the shootout win great except that it was pretty much a story of Habibulin single-handedly giving his team a point rather than the Bruins pulling anything off.

[TheKilo]

[youtube=Milan Lucic is the balls]INcvcBpGrts

[rician blast]

fkn a, kilo, he was a trip last night.

[BoSox21]

so how many guys realized Boston has a pro hockey team last night?

[TheKilo]

so how many guys realized Boston has a pro hockey team last night?

 

Dude you know that argument doesn't work, don't get pissed because the Canadiens got stomped.

[BoSox21]

what argument am I making?

 

you guys outplayed the s*** out of us last night

[TheKilo]

what argument am I making?

 

you guys outplayed the s*** out of us last night

 

That the B's will soon have lots of bandwagoners a la the Rays fans this season in the playoffs.

 

Boston is a huge hockey town, you know it, and it's always been huge for the Bruins when the product is good (or at least respectable).

[rician blast]

Yes, they will come. It doesn't diminish the enjoyment we long-time and consistent fans get out of the season if a bunch jump on the bandwagon.

 

One thing for sure, if attendance gets stronger maybe we can keep the Habs fans from invading home turf and having a noticeable cheering section...I went to a playoff game last year and was pretty frustrated with them booing Chara everytime he touched the puck although as the series wore on the B's fans would anticipate that and cheer him every time he was even near the puck.

 

Last night the "Away, away" and "nanana" chants were priceless.

 

Gotta get to a B's - Habs game in Montreal some day. I guarantee I WON"T wear B's stuff.

[TheKilo]

http://bestlaidplans.org/images/hockey/2008/montreal/lucicglarecrop.jpg

[BoSox21]

Boston can be a huge hockey town when the team is doing well which means it's not a huge hockey town and I don't blame you, it's a tough product to get on board with when the Sox, Pats and Celtics are all good.

 

We sell out the biggest f***ing building in the NHL with astronomical ticket prices regardless of how well the team does, just like Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and St. Paul, those are true hockey towns.

 

Hell, I went to a game at TD Banknorth two seasons ago and the Habs fans owned the place, the Bruins fans were non-existent. That doesn't happen in "huge hockey towns".

[TheKilo]

Well, the Habs are all Montreal has.

 

Connecticut goes crazy for college basketball because we don't have any pro sports teams.

 

But if you look at Boston, with the history of the Bruins and the fact it's the best college hockey city in the country, I'd still maintain that Boston is a very large hockey town.

[BoSox21]

Well' date=' the Habs are all Montreal has.[/quote']

 

You gonna have an excuse for every argument? It can easily be argued that everyone in Boston is a sports fan to some degree whereas not everyone in Montreal is a sports fan.

 

I'd still maintain that Boston is a very large hockey town.

 

You went from "huge" to "very large" in a matter of one post. You're cracking sooner than I expected a poster of your caliber to.

[rician blast]

Boston can be a huge hockey town when the team is doing well which means it's not a huge hockey town and I don't blame you, it's a tough product to get on board with when the Sox, Pats and Celtics are all good.

 

We sell out the biggest f***ing building in the NHL with astronomical ticket prices regardless of how well the team does, just like Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and St. Paul, those are true hockey towns.

 

Hell, I went to a game at TD Banknorth two seasons ago and the Habs fans owned the place, the Bruins fans were non-existent. That doesn't happen in "huge hockey towns".

 

Chicago leads the NHL in average attendance thus far in 2009...would you call Chicago a hockey town?

[TheKilo]

You gonna have an excuse for every argument? It can easily be argued that everyone in Boston is a sports fan to some degree whereas not everyone in Montreal is a sports fan.

 

Can it?

 

I prefer to think my "excuses" are merely speaking points for a lively debate.

 

 

You went from "huge" to "very large" in a matter of one post. You're cracking sooner than I expected a poster of your caliber to.

 

Depends on what you feel the difference is between "huge" and "very large"

 

Lucic postgame:

 

Lucic, on his reaction after the fight: “Just excitement, when the fans are screaming and they're pumped up, it gets you even more pumped up, so it's pretty much adrenaline going through me.”

 

Lucic on his hand, which was cut: “I'll be fine. (The X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before that you can't really tell.”

[BoSox21]

Chicago leads the NHL in average attendance thus far in 2009...would you call Chicago a hockey town?

 

Compared to other American cities....sure. But that's like being the tallest midget. They're bandwagon fans just like in Boston, they were 18th last year.

 

And Boston was 26th last year. 26TH!!!! For a supposed "very large hockey town". Cities like f***ing Miami and Atlanta were ahead of Boston.

 

For the second, the Habs have been first or second in attendance every year this century....and we've only been good the last two years

[TheKilo]

Compared to other American cities....sure. But that's like being the tallest midget. They're bandwagon fans just like in Boston, they were 18th last year.

 

And Boston was 26th last year. 26TH!!!! For a supposed "very large hockey town". Cities like f***ing Miami and Atlanta were ahead of Boston.

 

Are you including college hockey? Because I am.

[BoSox21]

Are you including college hockey? Because I am.

 

How can you include college hockey when Boston has about 185 universities?

[rician blast]

Compared to other American cities....sure. But that's like being the tallest midget. They're bandwagon fans just like in Boston, they were 18th last year.

 

And Boston was 26th last year. 26TH!!!! For a supposed "very large hockey town". Cities like f***ing Miami and Atlanta were ahead of Boston.

 

That is why I asked...I know where Chicago is and was on the attendance list, and since 2001 they've ranked 24th, 23rd, 24th, 27th, 29th, 29th and 19th. Just curious how you'd label them.

 

Call it what you will but that is the way things are...for the most part in the US if the product sucks, people ain't buying; meanwhile there are other factors, such as other sports with which to compete, size and demographics of the city, history, geography, other entertainment.

 

There was a time you couldn't get a ticket in the old Garden. Things changed, even before the lockout. I will say this, which to some degree confirms your comments...this year, 4 of the top 5 teams in attendance are original six...the other two? The Rangers at 12 and the B's at 21. (Hmmm, the 2 southern most of the original 6 are the lowest...duh). Should be noted that the Rangers are supposedly at 109% of capacity, so arena size is a factor in their case...then again they're drawing from a city of what...10 - 12 million? The hockey culture in Detroit, Toronto is clearly stronger and more engrained. That's part of being a northern, North American city. That Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa are up there, then, should be no surprise at all.

 

Regardless of what any other city says, Boston may not be a HUGE hockey town in their eyes but it's enough for me at this point... I would like to see the city offer a bit more support...if Boston could attract in the range of 17k per game they'd be close to other northern cities like Buffalo and Minnesota, which I think would place them about where they should be relative to their geography, history, population, etc.

 

High school hockey here in CT and Mass. is big...prep school is even bigger..College hockey in Boston is huge, rivaling the powers from the lakes regions...and the B's are trying to get back there too, although they've got some work to do.

[BoSox21]

In the end, a competitive NHL team in Boston with passionate fans is good for the league and the sport and that's what I want to see

[TheKilo]

How can you include college hockey when Boston has about 185 universities?

 

Narrow it down to the top four then

 

BC

BU

Harvard

Northeastern

[rician blast]

In the end' date=' a competitive NHL team in Boston with passionate fans is good for the league and the sport and that's what I want to see[/quote']

 

Agreed.

[CrespoBlows]

You gonna have an excuse for every argument? It can easily be argued that everyone in Boston is a sports fan to some degree whereas not everyone in Montreal is a sports fan.

 

Serious logic fail.

 

 

You went from "huge" to "very large" in a matter of one post. You're cracking sooner than I expected a poster of your caliber to.

 

Dude, look at your quote above.

[schillingouttheks]

I would seriously love it if the fans got back into it. I can't stand going to Habs-B's games and seeing a sea of red every time I go.

 

Last year against the Devils in January was a lot of fun, basically because the NJ fans thought they, for whatever reason, had a right to own the place because they were considerably better than the Bruins at that time during the season. Watching them leave with their heads down was amazing.

 

I love hockey, mainly because I'm a huge BC fan and grew up with the Bruins, as my parents are huge hockey fans. If the fans came back, that would be a huge boost for the team, as players like Chara wouldn't have to hear boos every time he gets near the puck. Not that I think he can't tune them out, but athletes have been on record as saying a large opponent fan base in their own building is annoying.