Coming off a very successful 2008/09 season, in which they finished first in the Eastern Conference, much was expected of the Bruins in 2009/10. After all, they had the reigning Vezina, Norris and Jack Adams award winners. However, the season did not go as well as planned. They finished a disappointing 6th in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated in the Conference Semi-Final by Philadelphia. In fact, they joined the 1942 Detroit Red Wings and 1975 Pittsburgh Penguins as only the third team in NHL history to lose a Best of 7 series after winning the first three games. This should serve as motivation for 2010/11.
Expectations remain high in Boston. A collapse of that magnitude did not sit well in a market where the Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics have all won championships in the last few years.
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Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas will give the club Vezina-quality goaltending every night. Thomas, who won the 2009 Vezina Trophy, plays every game like it might be his last. While his style might not be pretty, you cannot argue with results. Rask blossomed in 2009/10. He led the league with a 1.97 GAA and .931 Save Percentage. Having both of these goaltenders under contract through 2012 creates a solid foundation between the pipes. A Jennings Trophy type season will help the cause.
Up front, the availability of Marc Savard will be uncertain. The concussion he suffered at the hands (shoulder) of Matt Cooke has created long term problems for the crafty centre. David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron will lead the way up the middle in his absence and rookie Tyler Seguin (2nd overall pick in 2010 NHL Draft) will gain valuable experience he might otherwise not have. On the wing, Nathan Horton should be able to finally reach the 30-40 goal mark after years of anonymity in Florida. Much will also be expected of Milan Lucic, Blake Wheeler and Michael Ryder. Add in 15 goals and 40 points (along with 20 years of experience and two Stanley Cup rings) from Mark Recchi, and there should be enough offense to go around.
On defense, they are led by former Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara. At the age of 33, he shows no signs of slowing down. Two years ago he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, so physical condition will not be an issue when the playoffs arrive. Dennis Wideman will be working the point on the power play in Florida this season so it will be up to Dennis Seidenberg to fill that void. The Boston crease will be a tough place for opposing forwards to live in with Chara, Johnny Boychuk, Andrew Ference and Mark Stuart nearby.
If the 2010 Eastern Conference Final proved one thing, it’s this … just get in. Philadelphia and Montreal were the 7th and 8th seed respectively. Expect the Bruins to get in, and make significant noise when they get there.
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