NHL Back In Winnipeg

"True North Sports and Entertainment has completed its deal to purchase the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers, clearing the way to move them to Winnipeg, a source tells ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun. True North has scheduled a news conference for noon ET on Tuesday at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, at which a "significant community announcement" will be made (ESPN)."

We have been hearing these rumors for awhile now, and it seems the deal is finally done. I am glad this is happening. Atlanta should never have had a team, and I think there should be more teams in Canada, because they actually care about hockey. Saying that, I still think the best thing for the NHL would be to lower the number of teams, so that they should have a better product to put on the ice. I also think they should shorten the season, because there is really no reason to be playing hockey in June.

Bruins 3, Thrashers 2

Atlanta is not a good team. Atlanta played a very flat game. The Bruins played 45 flat minutes, and 15 minutes with energy. That's why they won. And this team continues to frustrate the hell out of me, even when they win.

Michael Ryder scored a goal on a penalty shot, and that's great. He's been playing well lately, and that's great. He has had some good playoff series in the past, and that's great. But he's not consistent. He might go on a tear and score some goals in the first round. Then he'll disappear. He's my least favorite player on the Bruins because even when he scores, he pisses me off. I mean, where was it 2 weeks ago, Ryder?

The last time the Bruins played at their best, and beat a legit team that was also playing at their best, was February 26th in Vancouver. That's too long ago. The Bruins now have 4 games left to build good habits, and get ready for the postseason.

Tonight will be a good test, as they play the Rangers, who only have a 2 point cushion between themselves and 9th place Carolina.

-The Commodore

Breaking News: Bruins Trade For Peverley

"According to a source, the Bruins have swung a deal with the Thrashers that will send forward Blake Wheeler and defenseman Mark Stuart to Atlanta in exchange for center Rich Peverley and defenseman Boris Valabik. TSN's Bob McKenzie was the first to report the deal. Peverley, 28, has another year remaining on his contract that carries a cap hit of $1.325 million. He has 14 goals and 20 assists this season for 34 points. Wheeler has 11 goals and 16 assists on the season for 27 points. He will be a restricted free agent at season's end (WEEI)."

I'll be honest, I had no idea who Peverley was until this deal was made. I don't know how I feel about this deal and will still be very upset if Kaberle isn't on the Bruins by the trade deadline. Saying that, I am glad Wheeler is gone, he has had enough chances. He has all the talent/size in the world, but plays like he is tiny or something. What is interesting is that Peverley is a center, and the Bruins already have too many of those, so it'll be interesting to see if this trade leads to another trade.

Thrashers 3, Bruins 2 (SO)

I really can't criticize the Bruins much for their loss last night. They played well in all three zones, they got 44 shots on net (18 in the 3rd alone), they just ran into a wall in goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who had a truly top notch game in net.

There was also a set of officials that called some ridiculous ticky-tacky stuff. I only wish Tommy Heinsohn were there to see it. The Bruins did get one power play from this soft kind of officiating, but Atlanta got three, and scored on two of them.

And it wasn't even like the Bruins PK unit played poorly when they allowed the goals. Nor did Atlanta's PP unit excel. They were token shots on net that found their way through Thomas.

The one criticism I did have was the fact that Thomas was in net. He looked sluggish against Tampa Bay, and in my last post I mentioned that Rask should have played this game. Would that have changed the results? Would a fresh Tim Thomas stop one of those goals, or do better in the shootout? Who knows.

But I do know this. The Bruins can't ride Thomas into the ground the way they have been. He's 36. He's played 27 games, on pace for 59. He only played 43 last year, and hasn't played more than 55 since 06-07. He's the Bruins' most important asset, and he shouldn't be playing 3 times in 4 days.

The Bruins are in Buffalo Saturday night. They're also ahead of Montreal by 3 points, with 2 games in hand.

-The Commodore

Bruins @ Thrashers Preview

The Bruins are in first place in the Northeast Division and started this five-game road trip with consecutive one-goal victories. The Bruins haven't been playing "great", but I guess "improved" is the better word.

The good news is the Bruins have a really good chance to do a lot of damage on this road trip. They have already won the first 2, and their next 3 are against the Thrashers, Sabres, and Maple Leafs. None of these teams are very impressive, and it is a great opportunity for the Bruins to gain a lead in their division and get some momentum for the rest of the year.

The Thrashers are not a good team at home, they are only 1-2-2 in their last five at Philips Arena. Then again, the Thrashers beat the Bruins last time they were in Atlanta back in the beginning of the year. Still, the Bruins are among the best road teams in the league at 11-5-1, so I have to pick the Bruins.

Bruins wins 3-2
Player of the Game: Horton
Game starts at 7pm on NESN.

Bruins 4, Thrashers 1

The Bruins played Atlanta Thursday night, and they thoroughly dismantled them. The Thrashers came into the game with a powerful and aggressive offense, and the Bruins came in with no offense at all, an inept power play, a mistake-ridden defense, and a head coach in jeopardy.

And for a few days, the B's made their fans forget all about their struggles. Bergeron started the scoring with what must be his first breakaway goal since he was a rookie. Shawn Thornton scored a pair, thanks in no small part to Daniel Paille, who had his best game in a Bruin uniform. And Michael Ryder scored his 10th on a power play.

The exclamation point was a 3rd period brawl...



While I had no problem with Meyer's hit, it was good to see Ference stick up for his teammate, to see Horton drop the gloves, and to see Savard throwing down. Lucic was fined $2,500 for punching Meyer while he was being held by referees, and another $1,000 for an "obscene gesture" toward the Atlanta bench. There were no suspensions.

Speaking of Savard and Horton, putting them on a line together should prove fruitful. Horton could have scored 3 goals easily, if only he'd anticipated what Savard was doing with the puck. Once these two get some time together, and learn each other's mentalities, they could be very dangerous.

As great as this game was to watch, I've seen this all before. The Bruins struggle for 6 or 7 games, they hit rock bottom, then they have an effort like this and everything seems fine. But why did they hit rock bottom in the first place? More importantly, why does this up and down cycle constantly reoccur? Why can't this team put up a consistent effort for a dozen straight games?

The Bruins start a 5 game road trip tonight against the Panthers. After swinging down south, they'll have some big games against Montreal, Pittsburgh, and Philly.

-The Commodore

A Hockey Team for Christmas

After years of over expansion and team movement, the NHL has recently done a complete 180, and now abjectly refuses to move any of its teams. This is despite the fact that attendance is consistently low in certain markets, whether or not the on-ice product is any good.

Then there are markets which see steady attendance, despite poor results. Typically, this kind of loyalty is found in Canada.

The Maple Leafs, for instance, have the 3rd worst record in hockey. Yet also draw the 4th most fans to their games. Even on the road, they attract 18,319 per game, 3rd most in the NHL.

Then there's the Coyotes, who are 10th in the West, only 2 points out of a playoff spot, yet are dead last in attendance, drawing 10,282 fans per game.

The Thrashers are 5th in the East, and have scored the 2nd most goals in the NHL. Yet nobody in Atlanta cares. They're 28th in attendance.



The Dallas Stars have the 2nd best record in the NHL and are 12-3-2 at home, despite only drawing the 26th most fans per home game.

These markets don't care about the game. Why should they? In Canada, the Northeast, and the Midwest, hockey is part of the culture. There are countless youth teams, high school teams, college teams, amateur teams, and so on. Do you think they play high school hockey in central Texas? How about Arizona? To them, it's probably like rugby or cricket is to us: an unfamiliar, obscure, sideshow attraction played by a bizarre subculture of people from another land.

So why not bring the game back where it belongs? A few weeks ago, 1,100 Quebecois traveled via bus to Long Island to watch the Islanders play the Thrashers, and make a statement that Quebec City wants the NHL back. Why not move a team up there?



Why not give Winnipeg their Jets back? Why not send a team to Hamilton?

If the Thrashers or Predators won a playoff series, would those cities stop to celebrate? Would the people even notice? No. So play the top level of hockey where people actually give a damn about the game.

-The Commodore

Bruins Go Down in the South

The Bruins started the season 7-2-0, and are since 5-6-2. Offensive inconsistency has been the primary culprit for this mediocrity. At the start of the season, there were several forwards (plus Chara) that were red hot. Those hot streaks have cooled down, and now the Bruins have to work desperately for goals. And when they do score, it seems to be more luck than skill.

Not having Krejci and Savard is a big factor. But there really are too many non-scoring forwards on the roster. And last night in Atlanta, Boychuk, Seidenberg, and Chara were the Bruins' leading shooters. Three defensemen, outshooting all other forwards. That shouldn't happen.

Hopefully, when Krejci and Savard return, the goals will also return. Even then, those two are playmakers, not play-finishers. I fear the inconsistency will remain.

For now, the Bruins have to be more disciplined on defense. They're not scoring, but their defensive lapses in the neutral zone make their offensive issues so much worse. They've got to play smarter, and try to get through the offensive droughts without allowing 3 or 4 goals. They've got to find ways to win 1-0 and 2-1. Though, that doesn't frequently happen in the NHL these days.

They're at Philadelphia Wednesday night, and the Flyers are likely the best team they've faced this season. Perhaps that will inspire some focus.

-The Commodore

The Definition Of Karma

Matt Cooke was the guy who ended Marc Savard's season with a dirty hit. Well, let's just say he got what he deserved, and Evander Kane will never have to buy a beer in Boston ever again.

Bruins 4, Thrashers 0 (Really?)

If it weren't for the buffoonery of Dennis Wideman, I would've thought NESN were broadcasting a game from last season. Lucic and Krejci were back to form, Wheeler was solid, Chara was a threat from the point, it was great.

I'll take this with a big chunk of salt, though. Atlanta just isn't that good. As I mentioned in my preview, the Thrashers had won 4 straight, but that came after 6 straight losses. That team down there is more bipolar than the Bruins.

And the Thrashers played like complete crap. Their fans showed up more than they did, which is saying something. Why the hell is there a team in Atlanta anyway? You're talking about a warm weather city that barely supports its warm weather teams when they're good.

This was another big win for the standings though. Two points for Boston, 0 for Atlanta. That creates a 3 point cushion between teams, with the Bruins having an extra game to play. It also puts the B's only a point behind Montreal and Philly. And there is a HUGE difference between the quality of opponent the 8th seed will play compared to the 6th.

And I'll give some accolades to Tuukka Rask. He made some tough saves early in the game, and even stopped a penalty shot. It was his 4th shutout of the season, and he's clearly the #1 goalie going into the playoffs.

Bruins host Tampa Bay Thursday night.

-The Commodore

Bruins/Thrashers Preview

Atlanta is the streakiest team in the NHL. They've won 4 in a row, but that's right after losing 6 straight. They've got offensive talent, but not nearly as much since they traded Kovalchuk. Their goaltending's mediocre and their defense is far from stifling. They've allowed the 3rd most goals in the NHL.

On paper, the Bruins are clearly superior. But which Bruins team will show up each period?

I think the Bruins will play well for 30 to 40 minutes in this game, which should be enough to score 3 goals against the Thrashers. It'll be closely fought, as both teams are playing for a playoff spot, but the Bruins are simply a better team. And I can see this game going to overtime. But Rask pushes the Bruins over the top.

Bruins 4, Thrashers 3, shootout win for the B's.

-The Commodore

Devils Land Ilya Kovalchuk

The New Jersey Devils have finally ended the Ilya Kovalchuk sweepstakes. They traded for the star forward yesterday in a package that included rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya, prospect Patrice Cormier and a first-round pick in this year's draft. There are basically 2 ways to look at this...

Short term: The Devils might have a team that could win the Cup now. Kovalchuk gives them exactly what they are missing, a star goal scorer that has the ability to carry a team offensively. When you add a player like this to a team that has a goalie like Martin Brodeur, you are going to be a very dangerous team.

Long term: This is really up in the air. If the Devils can find a way to sign Kovalchuk long term then this is a great deal, but that is going to be really hard to get done, since he has turned down many offers from the Thrashers. If this becomes just a rental the Devils better win the Cup, or they might have really hurt their team for future seasons.

I fucking can't stand the fact the Devils got him. I hate New Jersey, they single handily ruined hockey for about 8 year with their stupid "trap defense". The Devils are basically the reason for a lot of the rule changes (like no 2 line pass rule), because the NHL had to find a way to break the trap. Honestly, if you can remember that style of play it was like watching paint dry.

Fuck the Devils, fuck New Jersey, I hate them more then the Canadiens...

Bruins 4 Thrashers 0

The Bruins ended this game in the first 17 mins, as they racked up 3 goals quickly. I would like to give the Bruins all the credit in the world, but the Thrasher simply looked like they didn't want to be there. Boston beat them to every puck, and the Thrashers really didn't even fight to get back on defense throughout most of the game.

The Bruins got 4 goals from 4 different players (Byron Bitz, Marco Sturm, Steve Begin, and Patrice Bergeron). Tuukka Rask stopped all 18 shots he faced for his 2nd shutout of the season. Rask is now 10-3-2 in games he starts, and is looking like he could be one of the better goalies in the NHL. There were rumors that the Bruins could send Wheeler, Rask, and one other player for Ilya Kovalchuk, but right now I wouldn't trade Rask for anyone. It is just that hard to find goalies this good (like good starting pitching in the MLB).

Anyways, the Bruins should be in good shape for the Winter Classic tomorrow (if it doesn't get rained out) against the Flyers.

Thrashers @ Bruins Preview

The Bruins are the league's lowest scoring team. That puts a lot of pressure on the defense and goalies Rask and Thomas. Both goalies for the most part have stepped up to the challenge, but Boston is going to need to get that offense rolling if they want to be considered one of the better teams in the NHL.

The good news? The Bruins are looking for their 8th straight victory over the Thrashers (who shouldn't even have a hockey team). Boston is only 6 points back of Buffalo for 1st place in the Northeast Division, so these points are important.

Coming off Saturday's 2-0 loss to Toronto (the Bruins' 4th shutout defeat of the season) Boston was able to snap an 0-2-2 slide with a 2-0 victory at Ottawa on Monday. Patrice Bergeron and Marco Sturm scored for the Bruins, who are last in the NHL with 85 goals. Boston will look for Thomas to play well again tonight, as he gets the nod over Rask once again.

The Thrashers are a mess. Ilya Kovalchuk looks to be on his way out, as they were not able to settle on an extension. Boston should roll over this team, and close the gap with Buffalo.

Game starts at 7pm on NESN.

Bruins 6, Thrashers 4

It's happened so many times the last two years. The Bruins go up by 3 goals, and THEN my worrying starts. Why? Because this might be one of the worst 3-goal-lead teams in hockey history.

A 6-4 win, and you expect some back and forth. But the Bruins never trailed in this game, and led the game for 40:16 straight. Then you look at a guy like Patrice Bergeron, who had a goal and 2 assists, yet was -1.

Atlanta has some offensive talent, but when you go up 3-0 in 68 seconds in the mid-1st, the game should be a laugher. There's no such thing as prevent hockey, but you can play a high percentage, low risk game. Or you can choose to be more aggressive. A 3 goal cushion gives you this allowance.

The Bruins get 3 goal leads then seem to want to run out the clock. That is impossible in hockey. It takes 1 second to score. Everyone who saw D3: The Mighty Ducks knows that all too well.



It was nice to see the Bruins turn things back on, and re-extend their lead from 3-2 to 5-2. But it only allowed them to once again make things too close.

Wins are nice, and they're what the Bruins need to get to the next level, but they also need to mature and play a full 60 minutes of hockey, even if they go up 3 goals.

Bruins @ Panthers Sunday evening (5pm). Florida right now is tied for 8th in the Eastern Conference.

-The Commodore

Ilya Kovalchuk To Flyers?

"It looks like teams are lining up to grab Ilya Kovalchuk in case he goes on the market. The latest team lining up might be the Philadelphia Flyers. ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun writes that the Flyers would be interested, if the Thrashers and Kovalchuk can't agree on a deal (ESPN)."

Though these are just rumors at this point a trade here would make a lot of sense to me. The Flyers have some good young talent, and Atlanta has been unable to sign Ilya Kovalchuk to an extension. The Flyers have been underachieving all season, but adding a goal scorer like this could really have a huge affect. Keep an eye on this Philly fans, but also keep an eye out for KHL who might come in and try to steal him with a huge deal.

Bruins 4, Thrashers 3 (SO)

Thrashers are a group of small bird species, not unlike mockingbirds. There are 15 species of thrashers. They're called thrashers because they quite literally thrash their beaks through dirt, leaves, and grass on the ground, searching for food (insects and berries). Perhaps the least intimidating and lamest nickname for a sports team EVER.

And I'd like to meet the brain surgeon who decided to put a hockey team in Atlanta. Not only is it warm down there, but Atlanta fans are some of the worst in sports. The Falcons depend on day-of-game walk-ups to sell out, and we've all seen how empty Turner Field is for PLAYOFF games.

Anyway, to the game. Normally, a 4-3 shootout win in Atlanta is hardly anything to rave over. But Atlanta won 4 straight coming into this game. They've got some very talented players like Kovalchuk, Antropov, and Peverley. And we all know how much the Bruins have been struggling.



This was so close to yet another blood-curdling loss. The B's were up 2-0 in the 1st, but the Thrashers tied it at 2-2. Michael Ryder, who had one of his best games of the season with 2 goals, scored his second shortly thereafter to make it 3-2. The B's killed 5 penalties in the 3rd, but an unfortunate bounce from a shot blocked by Derek Morris set-up Afinogenov for the tying goal.

Then Tuukka Rask shined in the shootout. Thomas has an undisclosed injury (broken brain from all the wins he's been robbed of), and being able to put a guy like Rask between the pipes is a nice insurance policy. Rask stonewalled all 3 Thrashers in the shootout, no easy task.

It's up to Buffalo Friday night in an important divisional game. Savard might be available. Lucic played in this one buy was hardly the player we're accustomed to seeing.

-The Commodore

Bruins @ Thrashers Preview

The Bruins got some good news today as Lucic will rejoin the team tonight to face the Thrasher. Boston really needs some help on offense, and a guy who is great at crashing the net can only help. Lucic is not a flashy guy, but he is disruptive and physical.

Savard doesn't sounds like he will play tonight, but he is real close to returning also. Anyways, tonight Boston needs to come out and play physical hockey. They have their tough guy back, and I would just like to see a little more fight in the Bruins.

Boston has got 9 games this season without scoring more then 1 goal (you know why I think that is so I am not going to go there). The Bruins are getting their shots, but are failing to put it home on rebounds. Hopefully this is where Lucic can have the biggest impact.

Another thing I would like to see tonight is better passing coming out of their own zone. Too many times this year I have seen a defenseman make a silly pass that ends up as an open look for the other team.

Game starts at 7pm on NESN.

Another Kovalchuk to Boston Rumor

So maybe this is why the Bruins made those Kobasew/Kessel trades...

"Every day Ilya Kovalchuk doesn't sign an extension with the Thrashers, there are rumors that he'll be traded elsewhere. One possible destination is Boston, James Murphy of NESN reports. The Bruins -- after trading Phil Kessel -- have nine picks spread over the first two round of the 2010 and 2011 drafts, so they will have plenty of assets to deal with. That said, Kovalchuk told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun he likes it in Atlanta and that he's going to try to get something done soon (ESPN)."

I am a huge Kobasew fan. It really hurt me to see him go, but he was a free agent after this year, and with these trades the Bruins have a shit load of draft picks. Myabe all this is being done, so they can make a big move (like trading for Kovalchuk). Kovalchuk already has 7 goals on the season. I still don't see this trade happening, but man it would be great to see this guy in the Bruins uniform...

Bruins To Sign Ilya Kovalchuk?

"If the Thrashers fail to re-sign Ilya Kovalchuk, the Boston Bruins might get in on the action and sign the star away from Atlanta. WEEI's Joe Haggerty writes, "Pay close attention to the Bruins' interest level throughout the season after they stockpiled draft picks in the Phil Kessel deal. Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli now has eight coveted picks in the first two rounds of the next two drafts, and he owns five of the first 60 picks in next summer's well-stocked draft rife with blue-chip talent. There's nothing too concrete yet, but it could be the beginnings of a big deal to come (ESPN)."

This is very interesting. The Bruins obviously lost some production when they dealt Kessel, though I think a lot of that will be negated by the younger guys on the Bruins maturing. Still, this would be amazing. Kovalchuk had 43 goals and 38 assists last season, and he could be what the Bruins need to be "over the top" in their quest for the Cup.