Category Archives: Boston

Former Bruins Land With New Teams

Posted by Tyler Murry on

With all the chaos that is July 1st of NHL free agency, numerous players that wore black & gold now find themselves in new colors.

The day began with B’s winger Benoit Pouliot signing a 1 yr $1.8 million deal with the lightning after being trade last week.  At just 25 years of age, Pouliot scored 32 points including 16 goals (both career highs) for the Bruins last season.

Joe Corvo was also on the move today and will return to Carolina on a 1 year deal.  Corvo registered 25 points in 75 games for the black & gold, despite dwindling playing time due to poor play on the back-end.  In the end, Boston’s depth on the blueline with youngsters Torey Krug, Dougie Hamilton, and Matt Bartkowski left no spot in the lineup for Corvo for the 12-13 season.

And finally, rental Greg Zanon has landed with the Colorado Avalanche after recording 8 points in 56 games last season.

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Why Bobby Ryan Would Look Good in Black & Gold Next Year

Posted by Tyler Murry on

It’s no secret that the B’s could use some goal scoring following their embarrassing first round exit to the seventh seeded Washington Capitals this spring.  The Black & Gold scored just 15 goals in  the duration of the seven game series and if you are doing the math that is just over 2 per game.  That is not going to cut it and Peter Chiarelli has come to realize that a change needs to be made.

The B’s are reportedly in the market for a pure 30+ goal scorer and 25 year-old winger Bobby Ryan seems to fit the bill.  Ryan recorded 31 goals and 57 points last year as a duck and has netted at least 30 goals the past four years including a career high of 35 in the 09-10 season.  Ryan has been linked to the bruins in possible trade rumors over the past few weeks and has been on his way out since the beginning of last year.  Other names swirling are Zach Parise and Rick Nash to Boston.  Out of these three Ryan is the best fit for numerous reasons. Nash’s cap hit of 7.8 million automatically makes life difficult for the cap-stricken B’s and Parise is likely to command around 7 million this offseason. Parise and Nash would likely be the highest players on the B’s, which simply is not their style.  Chiarelli loves to find the diamonds in the rough and get guys cheap hoping they will grow into stars.  This makes Ryan that much more appealing due to his reasonable cap hit of $5.1 million.  In addition Ryan is much younger at age 25 than Nash (28) and Parise (27), and will improve even more as he begins to enter his prime.

Perhaps the most underrated reason that Ryan is perfect for the bruins is his efficiency while on the ice. last season he scored 31 goals in just 18:21 time on ice.  Parise and Nash recorded 21:29 and 19:05 TOI with similar scoring results.  In Boston, Claude Julien loves to roll all four lines meaning that few players will receive large amounts of minutes.  Players therefore need to capitalize on the time they get and Ryan can do that better than anyone else in the league.

Names like David Krejci and Milan Lucic have been floating around as possible trade chips due to their poor performances last spring. The next few weeks could decide where Ryan lands and that destination could very well land him in Boston this summer.

Follow me on twitter for all sports news and updates @Tyler_Murry

Off and Running

Posted by Tyler Murry on

After a slower start than any other team in recent NHL history coming off a Stanley Cup win, the Boston Bruins are poised for a record-setting year.  Since starting off a dismal 3-7-0, the Bruins have posted and astounding 22-2-1 record.  During this stretch, the B’s went through the month of November without posting a regulation loss and are currently on a 7 game win streak while sitting atop the Eastern Conference.

A big credit to the hot streak has to be the phenomenal goaltending.  Both Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas are on pace to have personal records shattered.  Thomas currently has a 1.81 GAA and a .943 S% while Rask has a 1.61 GAA and a .945 s%.  Last year Thomas was the guy, he posted big numbers and played the majority of the games.  Not so much this year as Rask continues to earn time between the posts for the Black & Gold.

“When there are not many shots, you have to find ways to stay sharp. It becomes a mental thing, but, in the end, good teams find ways to win,” said Rask after Thursday night’s win against the Phoenix Coyotes.

When Rask’s number has been called upon, he has stepped up and this versatility in net will be a vital advantage as the B’s approach the stretch run.

But the goalies can’t get all the credit for allowing just 64 goals against (Fewest in NHL).  In fact the Bruins are on pace to surpass the record set by the 03-04 New jersey Devils for the fewest goals against in a season of 164. Defense has been spectacular.  Team defense is stressed upon for the B’s and has become the team’s biggest obstacle.  Players like Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand have stepped up each with a +25 giving the Bruin’s an edge in all three zones.

“We take pride in our defensive game without the puck,” said Bruins head coach Claude Julien  ”Confidence grows with each game, and we believe 99 percent of the time, we will get great goaltending.”

The next commodity that sets the B’s apart is their depth ant ability to roll four lines.  Depth has always been a strongpoint but this year the B’s have truly stepped up their game with nine players with 20 points or more (leads NHL).  All four lines are producing and as a result the B’s currently have 121 goals for this season second only the western conference leading Chicago Blackhawks.

“We have great depth throughout the whole lineup and that helps a lot,” said assistant captain Patrice Bergeron “You can’t say enough about the importance of that, because if one or two lines are off you still have others you can rely on. You look at the teams who have won the Cup, that’s a common denominator.”

No doubt the B’s have been great so far but can they keep it up?

“However, we know there will be challenges ahead, so we have to guard against overconfidence,” noted Julien.

If the B’s can stay grounded and put their head down and play their brand of hockey there is no reason why we shouldn’t see the Bruins roster engraved into the side of Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Red Sox Acquire Andrew Bailey

Posted by Clayton Collier on

According to Buster Olney via twitter, the Boston Redsox have acquired all-star closer Andrew Bailey and outfielder Ryan Sweeney from the A’s in exchange for 24-year old Josh Reddick, and minor leaguers Miles Head and Raul Alcantara, pending physicals.

Bailey, despite battling injuries, has slowly emerging into one of the game’s top closers. Over his first three seasons, the 27-year old hurler has compiled a 2.07 ERA, 0.954 WHIP and saved 75 games. The two-time all-star and 2009 AL Rookie of the Year is arbitration eligible and will be under team control through 2014.

Sweeney, also being shipped to Boston, batted .265/.346/.341 in 299 at-bats for the A’s in 2011. The 26-year old Iowa native plays all three outfield positions and will be under the Redsox control through 2013.

Ranked as one of Boston’s top young talents, Reddick started to put it together in 2011 batting .280/.327/.457 with 18 doubles, 7 homers and 28 RBIs in 254 at-bats. The doubles are bound to decrease after leaving the Green Monster and Fenway Park behind, but once he reaches his full power potential, the move to the Coliseum shouldn’t be much of an issue. Reddick will become a free agent in 2017.

Head was a 26th round pick for the Sox back in 2009. The 20-year old third baseman batted .299 with 22 homers and 82 RBIs and 50 walks, probably one reason why Billy Beane traded for him.

19-year old hurler Raul Alcantara has enjoyed success as well. In his short career, Alcantara is 6-7 with a 2.72 ERA over 26 starts. The only problem with this is, only four of these outings were above rookie ball, and they weren’t pretty. The Dominican native went 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA in low A ball.

This deal gives the Redsox a replacement to their recently departed closer, Jonathon Papelbon, who skipped town to join the Phillies. Now along with newly acquired set-up man Mark Melancon, the Red Sox have a solid 8th and 9th inning going into 2012.

Bruins Ink Marchand to 2 Year Deal

Posted by Tyler Murry on

On wednesday, the Boston Bruins announced the resigning of forward Brad Marchand toa 2 year deal worth $5 million. The 5’9″ gritty winger posted 21 goals and 20 assists last year in his rookie year for the B’s.  Marchand spent the majority of the year including the stanley cup playoffs on the second line playing alongside centerman Patrice Bergeron and winger Mark Recchi.  With Recchi gone, fellow youngster Tyler Seguin will fill the spot on  that line.

No doubt both Seguin and Marchand showed a lot of promise in their rookie seasons and there is no doubt that they are poised to break out.  With this much talent, there is no shot for a sophomore slump for either of these players.

Team to Beat in the NHL

Posted by Tyler Murry on


With all players moving around in the offseason, its hard not to get excited about teams like the Washington, Los Angelas, and others.  However, I firmly stand by the fact that the previous champion of any league is always the team to beat.  Therefore the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins are without a doubt the team to beat until proven otherwise.

How can they not be the favorite, the Bruins are perhaps to the most all-around team in the NHL, and have 17 of the 20 players on the Stanley Cup roster returning for the next season.  In fact the past two cup champs, Chicago and Pittsburgh, have lost 6-8 players from their respective clubs after each of their cup wins. Also, the players lost can be replaced by prospects such as Steven Kampfer, Jordan Caron, Zach Hamill, etc. or by offseason additions such as Joe Corvo. With all the talent in the Bruin’s system, they can be confident in rolling four lines and knowing that they will get the job done.

In addition they still have Tim Thomas who is coming off his best season with a record of 35-11-9 a goals against average of 2.00 and record-setting save percentage of .938.  Thomas’ save percentage of .938 shattered all-time great Dominic Hasek’s record.  If Thomas can play like he did in the 11-12 season, expect the B’s to be hoisting yet another Stanley Cup.

Also, it is inevitable that many B’s players will have breakout seasons.  For instance, Tyler Seguin scored just 22 points last year but appeared to settle in during the B’s cup run.  The 19 year-old kid will likely be playing second lind wing next year due to Mark Recchi’s retirement.  With the added ice time and Seguin’s talent, expect a breakout year for the rookie star.  Also, players like Rich Peverley and Nathan Horton whom struggled at times should have a breakout year as they started to settle in and contribute late in the season.

Repeating in any sport is difficult and at times on the brink of being impossible.  In fact the
 last team to repeat as champions in the NHL was back in the 1990′s as the Detroit Red Wings were able to accomplish that feat.  It will be difficult for the B’s to win again but they appear to be even stronger than ever with an improved roster and poised for another cup run.  Until proven otherwise, the Boston Bruins are without a doubt the team to beat in the NHL.

Is Eli Manning an Elite QB?

Posted by contributor123 on

By: AJ Gersh

Over three days ago, NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning told the public that he is as elite at his position as Patriots QB Tom Brady. This comment by Manning can be interpreted in two different ways: Number one- Eli is full of himself and is definitely not an elite QB in the NFL. Is he crazy?! Or, Number two- He has gained that level of confidence to come out and speak for himself, good for him.

On the first side of this debate, people have been saying that Eli Manning cannot even compare himself to the likes of last years reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady. Manning threw 25 interceptions last year while Brady only threw four. Manning threw 31 touchdowns last year while Brady threw 36. Manning had a QB rating of just over 85, while Brady had one of 111. Manning has one Super Bowl ring, while Brady has three. So is there even a debate to this? The answer is yes.

The other side of this argument has Eli Manning’s comment as a huge sign of confidence and even a bit of truth. Manning has been known as the type of player to “keep his cool” and not one to have a big mouth. For most Giants fans, this is a huge sigh of relief. Their franchise quarterback of eight years is finally making a statement saying that he wants to win once again. This brings me to my second point. Eli came into Super Bowl XLII with the hopes that he could lead his Giants past the undefeated Patriots led by who else but Tom Brady. Manning was named MVP after he led his team to a 17-14 win. Manning not only beat Tom Brady and the undefeated Patriots, but in the most pressure-packed sporting event in US sports.

I am not saying one victory against Tom Brady automatically puts Eli Manning in the same tier as him. I am saying, though, that Manning has proof that he can be an excellent QB in pressure filled situations, which is what Tom Brady is known for best.

Also, last season, Manning can’t be completely blamed for all of his interceptions. He was leading a run-oriented team with young receivers. Half of his 25 interceptions were because of receivers not running routes correctly. His number one receiver, Steve Smith, was also injured for the majority of the season, forcing Manning to throw to players like Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. Expect for Manning to have a much better year this season gaining confidence and attention from the media from these comments made.

Now, I am not sure that Manning is at the same caliber as Tom Brady, but these arguments can lead people to the conclusion that he is an elite NFL QB.

Pats Week 2 Preseason Recap

Posted by contributor123 on

By: Shane Godek

Last night, the Pats took the fight to the Bucs.  At halftime, the scoreboard read 28-0, and they rolled to a 31-14 victory. Tom Brady gave us all a preview of what we will see this year, finding wide open receivers, and making all the throws he needed to. The first three drives resulted in touchdowns for the Patriots. Brady threw for 2 of those, a 16 yard toss to a wideopen Aaron Hernandez, and an 8 yard hook-up with Chad Ochocinco. Brady and Ochocinco looked good together, but they still need to develop some more chemistry. Chad had 4 targets, and caught 2 balls for 14 yards.  Brady threw for 118 yards and 2 TD’s in his first preseason action. He is looking primed for another strong campaign in 2011. The Patriots featured 4 different running backs that will likely make the squad. Danny Woodhead averaged over 12 yards a carry on 5 touches, and Benjarvus Green-Ellis scored twice while adding 51 yards. Sammie Morris made an appearance, only getting 5 yards, but he will be featured as more of a fullback this season. Stevan Ridley impressed again. Coming off a 100+ yard game in week 1, Ridley ran for 84 yards, albeit against a second team defense. He is playing extremely well in the preseason, and is earning a spot and a role on the team. Many fans wanted to see Ryan Mallet again after his superb week 1 performance. Mallet got most of the second team snaps in the second half of last night’s game. He threw for a 9/14 mark, good for 71 yards. He did throw an interception that was returned for 6 by the Bucs, but looked strong again. He is making a hard push to be the primary backup to Tom Brady this season.

On the defensive side, the Pats looked sharp. They got to Josh Freeman early and often, rushing him to get rid of the ball. Jerrod Mayo had 2 sacks, but they were more the result of some terrible blocking than actual great defensive skill. Albert Haynesworth still has not made an appearance, and Shaun Ellis is hurt, but other players are making a push to get some playing time on defense. Andre Carter provided some solid pressure off the edge, Mark Anderson and Kyle Love both caused some disruption up front, and Eric Moore got a solid chunk of playing time. In the secondary, the Patriots have a revolving door at safety. Brandon Merriweather hasn’t been blowing any one away, but he didn’t play poorly last night. Bret Lockett left with an injury, which is a shame for a player who had a shot to steal a roster spot for his special teams play, and ability to play anywhere in the secondary. Josh Barrett got some playing time at safety last night, and he could provide depth at that position.  James Sanders didn’t play, but will likely be the guy to replace Brandon Merriweather if he loses his job. Patrick Chung is as close to a sure thing as the Pats have at safety. He is the only strong safety listed on New England’s roster, and will be one of their most consistent players this year. Last night’s game was supposed to give us some sense of position battles, but it only clouded things up. Patriot coaches will have some very difficult decisions to make when it comes time to make cuts. A lot of hard working guys will be sent packing. Don’t be surprised if a big name player is cut.

As far as preseason football goes, this game was pretty fun to watch. You could see the intensity from the Patriots, especially guys who are on the brink of being let go. They played like their jobs depended on it, because they do. It is refreshing to see 11 guys on the field fighting tooth and nail to impress the coaches, and giving 110% on each and every play. These last 2 weeks of preseason will be interesting to say the least. 89 guys are competing for 53 roster spots and 8 practice squad spots. The cuts will start coming, so stay tuned.

Who is Albert Haynesworth???

Posted by contributor123 on

By: Zach Parnes

Albert Haynesworth. He’s one of the most controversial faces in the game of football today. With his 6 and a half feet in height and his 335 pounds of pure aggression, ‘Fat’ Albert is a force to be reckoned with. From his infamous lack of effort, to the tremendous plays on the gridiron, Albert is certainly impacting the game of football. But just as he is changing the game of football, the game is changing him. These changes have taken place both on and off the field. Just last year, Haynesworth was making nearly 30 million dollars while playing for the Washington Redskins. However, several weeks ago, Haynesworth signed with the New England Patriots to a 2-year deal worth about 8.2 million dollars. This small contract caused many turned heads among experts. Was this really the same Albert Haynesworth that had just signed a 100 million dollar deal with the ‘Skins? It was unusual to see the former Tennessee Titan, take such a small amount of money when negotiating a contract. Maybe this is one of many steps Albert is taking to change his image to the face of the league and its fans. Albert was also able to pass his opening-conditioning test in New England with flying colors, something he couldn’t accomplish in Washington. Haynesworth appears to be getting his act together to play football for a team that could really use a Lineman such as Haynesworth. But the question is, how much can he bring?

Looking at Haynesworth’s over the years, many will point out his seasons in 2007 and 2008. In these seasons Albert recorded 91 tackles and 14.5 sacks combined. These numbers are very impressive for a defensive tackle. In those years, Albert was on the top of his game, yet the following year; he lacked that spark with the Washington Redskins. Is there a reason you might ask? Some point to the atmosphere that Haynesworth lived in, others point to a lack of effort. However, I think it’s time that we look deeper than Albert Haynesworth. It starts by looking at Albert’s supporting cast. While struggling in DC, Haynesworth was surrounded by a weak and young ‘Skins D-line. This Line consisted of Rookie Brian Orakpo, Andre Carter and Cornelius Griffen. None of these players, other than Orakpo had particularly good seasons. On the other side, during Albert’s most successful years in Tennessee, he was aided by DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. Vanden Bosch accumulated 18.5 sacks and 84 tackles during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  Could a supporting cast be the reasons for Haynesworth’s success? If that’s the case then, Albert should be able to flourish in Foxboro, right along side Vince Wilfork and Sean Ellis.

Or could it be something else?

Some people point to the pressure that Albert has been placed in. It always seems when Albert makes headlines; it’s never for the right reasons. In 2006 Haynesworth was suspended for 5 times after stomping on the face of Cowboys DE Andre Gurode. The suspension was the longest for a NFL player for an on the field incident. During that season Albert played poorly in his 11 games accumulating just 2 sacks. In 2008 after his massive contract that he signed with the Redskins, Haynesworth only took down the Quarterback 4 times.

Maybe it’s the help he gets, or maybe it’s the pressure that Albert faces. There are still questions on our minds. Can he fit in with the Patriots? Is he still an attitude risk? Is this the piece of the puzzle the Pats have been looking for? Haynesworth has already addressed the media saying that he wants to be a winner and a competitor and claims he will work hard.  Haynesworth has shown that he can talk the talk, but everyone in New England, and perhaps all football fans are wondering if he can walk the walk.

Only time will tell.

Game Time!

Posted by contributor123 on

By: Shane Godek

Get your jerseys ready, and don’t forget your snack of choice, because it is football time! All across the country, people are getting ready to for the first games of the NFL preseason. Fans have been hungry for the gridiron, and the lockout only added to their thirst. Now teams are getting ready for what seems to be the most anticipated week of preseason football in a long time. The Patriots will face the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight, who will be starting rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert after only 2 weeks of practice. The Pats will look to begin to establish a rotation in their defense, and try to build some chemistry between superstar quarterback Tom Brady and newly acquired wide out Chad Ochocinco. Here are a few things to watch for in tonight’s game.

1. Belicheck Keeping the Big Guys fresh:The Patriots have depth on the defensive line, so they will be making a lot of substitutions on the line. There is no reason for a guy to get overworked and hurt himself this early in the year. Vince Wilfork is used to being an every snap player, but Albert Haynesworth hasn’t played more than 25 snaps in a game in over a year. The Pats also signed Shaun Ellis, who at 34, needs to be used sparingly. They can save him for the regular season. Other linemen who will be used tonight include Jermaine Cunningham, Mike Wright, Andre Carter and Gerard Warren.  Cunningham is a skilled player who may see a larger role this season. Wright is recovering from a concussion that kept him out most of last season, but is said to be healthy and ready to be a strong pass rusher of the edge this year. Warren saw a lot of time on the field in the 2010/2011  season, but only got 28 tackles. I expect him to be used a lot tonight with the second unit, because an injury to him wouldn’t matter to the Patriots.  He will likely be the odd man out of the rotation by the end of the preseason, and is playing for a roster spot. In the second half of their game tonight, don’t expect to see any of the guys except Warren.

2. Ras-i Dowling’s Role: The Pats used a 2nd round pick on Dowling, despite only appearing in 5 games due to multiple injuries. At 6’2″ and weighing in around 200 pounds, Dowling is built to be physical in coverage, but can still keep up with faster receivers, based on his 4.4 combine time. As of now, the starting cornerbacks are Leigh Bodden and Devin McCourty, but don’t be surprised if Dowling impresses tonight and begins the push to start opposite McCourty come the September 12th opener.

3.Which Rookie Running Back will get more touches?:  When both Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley were drafted in April, the Patriots backfield became overflowing with talent. They now have Benjarvis Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and the two rookies. Vereen is a very similar player to Faulk, but has more spring in his step than the veteran back. Ridley is more of a power runner, but has been shaky in practice. In tonight’s game, both will see time in the game, but which ever one gets the first team reps will be the early leader to see the field in the regular season.

While it’s great that football is back, remember that we are only in week 1 of the preseason. Don’t expect to see the stars for many more than 4-5 series. The Jaguars will be without David Garrard, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Mercedes Lewis, so the Pats will be facing the Jags second team. The Pats would win this game even if the Jaguars were healthy, but now this game will be like watching a D-1 college football team play a good high school team. Expect a thirty point victory in favor of the Pats, and 2 strong drives from the offense. I will be anxiously awaiting Chad Ochocinco’s  first touchdown pass. His first celebration on his new team could be worth a post of its own!