Offseason Review: Bruins

The Bruins line up will look fairly similiar to the team that suffered a second round defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Bruins re-signed forwards Byron Bitz and Mark Recchi and defensemen Matt Hunwick (minus spleen) and AHL standout Johnny Boychuk.

Key losses, and I use that term loosely, include defensemen Steve Montador and Shane Hnidy, forwards PJ Axelsson and Stephane Yelle and goaltender Manny Fernandez. Montador was a trade deadline acquisition that never quite panned out for Boston. He did have quite a few assists in the conferene semi-finals against the Hurricanes... unfortunately they were passes to Eric Staal.

Hnidy was a Boston fan favorite, Sheriff Shane as he was called, but has slowed considerably over the past few years, and Boston is trying to get younger and faster on D.

Axelsson was the longest tenured Bruin remaining on the team (this title now belongs to Tim Thomas). While he was never an offensive force Axelsson had a great hockey mind and was great on the penalty kill, forecheck and backcheck. Hopefully some of the younger Bruins (Lucic, Bitz, Wheeler, etc) picked up some of PJ's traits. PJ heads back home to Sweden.

Yelle was a fourth line role player, but was great at what he did. He and Thornton (Shawn, not Joe) were a disruptive team on Boston's fairly successful fourth line.

Fernandez was part of the Jennings winning tag team with Vezina winner Tim Thomas, however he had injury trouble during much of the second half of the season. The Bruins decided not to re-sign him in the off-season and instead promoted Tuuka Rask to back up Tim Thomas.

Or did they? The Bruins signed free agent goaltender Dany Sabourin and GM Peter Chiarelli claims "Sabu" and Rask will compete for the back up job. Expect Rask to win the back up job. Sabourin has stated he wants a chance at a starting position... but he may not even have the talent to be an AHL starter full time.

The Bruins also signed forward Steve Begin to add even more toughness for the fourth line. The former Hab will spend time watching Savard's back instead of breaking it.

The Bruins traded another fan favorite (and former Scott Walker punching bag) Aaron Ward to Carolina for Patrick Eaves and a draft pick. Ward was another casuality in the Bruins effort to get younger and faster. Many thought this trade was a move to free up cap space to sign Phil "Thrill" Kessel, but the Bruins signed free agent defenseman Derek Morris. Morris is certainly younger than Ward, but will have to prove to fans that he is enough of an upgrade over Ward to earn that 3.3 million price tag. Jacobs' cheapness then raised its ugly head again when Eaves was bought out, further reducing Boston's cap number for players not on the roster.

The Bruins also signed defenseman Rob Kwiet, Zach McKelvie and Drew Fat, and forwards Drew Larman and TrentWhitfield, all of whom are expected to provide depth for the baby Bruins down in Providence.

The team should expect a boost in the scoring department with the return of Marco Sturm, who missed the majority of last season after having surgery on his left knee to repair a torn meniscus. He had 7 goals and 13 points through the first 19 games of the season.

The only remaining piece of business for the Bruins is restricted free agent Phil Kessel. Kessel had a break out season last year, scoring 36 goals despite missing time with both mono and a shoulder injury. Kessel's agent has said in interviews that negotiations are at a stand still. Chiarelli may not be in a rush to re-sign Kessel, as he will be on the Long Term Injured Reserve listed to start the season due to off-season shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and will not count against the team's cap number until he returns.

The Bruins would certainly have to clear cap space in order to re-sign Kessel. Various rumors focus on either Kobasew, Sturm, or Savard being traded. Both Sturm and Savard have no trade clauses and Savard was by far the Bruins best forward last year. Though he only has one year remaining and would get a decent trade return, the Bruins Cup hopes reduce considerably if Savard is traded.

The hesitation with Kessel seems to be what is perceived as a lack of work ethic and desire to be better. Other GMs around the league have said that Kessel is not, and may never be, a player who gives a team a better chance to win on his own. While he did score 36 goals many wonder whether Kessel can build on that and continue to score high totals, or if he will be like so many others (Cheechoo anyone?) and see a dramatic reduction after a break out campaign.

Even without Kessel the Bruins start the season with a good lineup, an improved defensive corps, and a great chance to finish near the top of the conference for the second year in a row.