On a crisp September day, training camp for the Chicago Blackhawks has officially begun.
Goalie Spencer Knight was the first player to hit the ice this morning, followed by Drew Commesso to warm up. Knight recently extended for three more years with the team, and looked laser focused during the scrimmage and drills new coach Blashill had them run.
Within 15 minutes of practice for group one, Blashill dropped a few expletives and had the boys do board to board skate. The first goal of the scrimmage went to #93, defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin. Notable guys like Bedard, Vlasic and Donato looked right at home, gliding around and connecting passes, while guys like Moore stumbled around a bit before finding their footing. Bedard had a sweet goal against Commesso deking out the Ice Hog’s Fitzgerald.
New PTO Matt Grzelcyk was not on the ice this morning with group 1, but he will have familiarity with captain Nick Foligno and Ryan Donato as well as assistant coach Mike Velucci. He hit the ice later with group 2 wearing his usual #48.
Oh boy a lot has happened since my last post hasn’t it?
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Brad Marchand is now a 2x Stanley Cup Champion; in 2011 with the Boston Bruins and now 2024 with the Florida Panthers. The last remaining member of that 2011 team is now a Panther. Chris Kelly is still a part of the team but in a coaching position, but now the Bruins are left without a captain to guide them into a new season. As of right now, it looks like both David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy will be the two Bruins wearing the “A” this season.
New coach Marco Sturm is making his return home, as he played for the Bruins from 2005-2010 as part of the return of the Joe Thornton trade. Many remember Sturm for his heroics in the 2011 Winter Classic, helping Boston become the first home team to win the Winter Classic with his game winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton in overtime.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Along side the departure of Brad Marchand, the Bruins also said goodbye to some key players, while welcoming some new (and old) faces to the team.
NEW PLAYERS VIA TRADES
Player
Previous Team
Trade Info
Casey Mittelstadt (C)
Colorado Avalanche
Charlie Coyle was shipped out in return
Viktor Arvidsson (RW)
Edmonton Oilers
Bruins gave up a 5th round pick in 2027
Marat Khusnutdinov (C)
Minnesota Wild
Bruins gave up Justin Brazeau and welcomed back Jakub Lauko (who is currently a FA)
Henri Jokihariu (RD)
Buffalo Sabers
A 4th round pick in 2026 went the other way to Buffalo
Fraser Minten (C)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Brandon Carlo was sent in return
Victor Soderstrom (RD)
Chicago Blackhawks
Prospect Ryan Mast and a pick went to Chicago
Free agency saw the Bruins make some decent signings as well as add some question marks for this upcoming season.
Player
Team
Key Information
Matฤj Blรผmel (RW)
Dallas Stars/Texas Stars
Led in goals for the Texas Stars last season with 39
Tanner Jeannot (LW)
LA Kings
Signed a 5yr contract, $17M contract
Parker Wotherspoon (LD)*
Pittsburgh Penguins
Signed a 2yr, $2M contract with the Penguins
Jordan Harris (LD)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Signed 1yr, $825k contact
Ian Mitchell (RD)*
Detroit Red Wings
Signed a 1yr, $775k contract with the Red Wings
Sean Kuraly (C)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Signed a 2yr, $3.7M contract for a 2nd tenure with BOS
Mikey Eyssimont (C/LW/RW)
Seattle Kraken
Signed a 2yr, $2.9M contract
Alex Steeves (LW)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Signed 1yr, $850k contract
Cole Koepke (LW)*
Winnipeg Jets
Signed a 1yr, $1M contract with the Jets
Brandon Bussi (G)*
Florida Panthers
Signed a 1yr 2-way contract with the Panthers
Vinni Lettieri (C/RW)*
Toronto Maple Leafs
Signed a 1yr, $775K contract with the Leafs
Fan favorite Sean Kuraly is back for a second tenure with the team, hopefully he can electrify the team this upcoming season with his energy and never quit mentality. Tanner Jeannot missed the last few games and all of the Kings postseason games with a groin injury, but is known for his size and has gotten pretty crafty at finding the back of the net recently.
What’s Bruin: James Hagens
With the Bruins 7th overall pick in this years draft, Sweeney and co had James Hagens fall into their lap. The New York native center is committed to Boston College and was hailed as one of the standout picks. The 5″11 center won gold at the past World Juniors in 2025, recording five goals and four assists. He was projected as a two way center noted for his fast skating and light edges.
As of June 29th of this year the PHF was purchased by Billie Jean King and Mark Walter, thus bringing an end to the Boston Pride era. Working together with the PWHPA, a newly rebranded PWHL was announced on August 29th. Thankfully, Boston was gifted a team in the new league, along with New York, Minneapolis, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. Mark Walter purchased the Boston Pride name, which he noted that he did not like “the double meaning of the team name” so it seems unlikely that the new Boston team will continue on with the name that has three championships and tons of dedicated fans to it. Below are some potential name suggestions for the new Boston team.
#1.) Boston Beans/Boston Baked Beans
When you think of what makes Boston its own entity, baked beans comes to my mind. This classic dish was created here, and flourished to other parts of New England, like Maine. Boston is also affectionately known as “Beantown”, as well as the Beanpot tournament is held every year.
#2.) Boston Bears
While Boston does have the Bruins, the Boston Bears were also a American Football team who played one season in 1940 out of Fenway Park. Black bears are also common in Massachusetts and a team named after these terrifying creatures could instill fear into their opponents.
#3.) Boston Bayonets
A bayonet is a knife or dagger-like object at the end of a rifle or musket used for offensive or defensive tactics between the 17th-20th century in the war. Today, bayonets are often used as a weapon of last resort, and are a symbol of military power.
#4.) Boston Dames
Dame is the title given to a women which is equivalent to the rank of knight. In sports, there are a few teams that have taken on Knights as their name, for example the Vegas Golden Knight’s of the NHL, but none that have branded themselves after the female equivalent.
#5.) Boston Riders/Lanterns
Paul Reveres “midnight ride” is a piece of Boston history as well as American history. This event kicked off the start of the American Revolutionary War, in which the US won. Similar to the New England Patriots, this name could help add to Boston’s rich history.
The Boston PWHL team has announced the signings of three players to their roster; goaltender Aerin Franklel, defender Megan Keller, and forward Hilary Knight. They have all agreed to three year contracts, with all three winning goal at the 2023 IIHF World Women’s Championship for team USA.
What do you think about Boston getting a new pro hockey team for women? What do you think they should be called?
I made a similar post to this one last season, and with the Boston Bruins starting out this year with a historic 9-1-0 record I thought it was only right to do a follow up to see how this team has changed from last season.
The Boston Bruins currently have all 12 zodiac signs represented on the team, with the most common sign being Sagittarius which is a fire sign. I also included six potential/ common callups from the P-Bruins as well.
Zodiac Breakdown
HEAD COACH: Jim Montgomery (June 30th) is a Water sign, a Cancer. Represented by the crab, Cancer’s are highly intuitive to their surroundings, as well as emotional and creative.
THE CAPTIAN: Patrice Bergeron (July 24th) is a Fire sign, a Leo. Accurately represented by a lion, Leo’s are confident, loyal, and consistent. They are known for their fierce ambition and determination, and love to see their close ones thrive.
Brandon Carlo (July 24th) is another fire sign, a Sagittarius. Represented as an archer, this sign is optimistic, full of passion, intensity and adaptability. Carlo has worn the “A” on his jersey at times.
A.J. Greer (December 14th) is a Fire sign, a Sagittarius.
Charlie McAvoy (December 21st) is a Fire sign, a Sagittarius. He has also worn the “A” on his jersey.
Jeremy Swayman (November 24th) is a Fire sign, a Sagittarius.
Connor Clifton (April 28th) is a Earth sign, a Taurus. Represented by the Bull, these signs are noted being hard-headed, reliable, and loyal. They can, however, be resistant to change, inflexible and stubborn.
David Krejci (April 28th) is a Earth sign, a Taurus. He does wear one of the “A’s” on his jersey.
Brad Marchand (May 11th) is a Earth sign, another Taurus. He also wears an “A” on his jersey.
Charlie Coyle (March 2nd) is a Water sign, a Pisces. Represented by a fish, this sign is charged by its emotional side. They are able to identify with anyone, have great adaptability and are resourceful. Coyle sometimes will wear the “A” on his jersey.
Derek Forbort (March 4th) is also a Water sign, a Pisces. Darla’s dad could be viewed as adaptable, which is important especially while playing defense, being able to change on a dime while the game is going on.
Jakub Zboril (February 21st) is also a Water sign, a Pisces.
Jake DeBrusk (October 17th) is a Air sign, a Libra. Represented by the scales, this sign is known for being well-balanced, intuitive, and strive in a group dynamic.
Nick Foligno (October 31st) is a Water sign, a Scorpio. Represented by a scorpion, this sign is known for its loyalty and devotion. Similar to Taurus, they can be resistant to change, inflexible and stubborn.
Taylor Hall (November 14th) is a Water sign, a Scorpio.
Trent Frederic (February 11th) is a Air sign, an Aquarius. Referred to as the water-bearer, this sign is highly intellectual, prides itself in communication and can have quite a rebellious streak.
Hampus Lindholm (January 20th) is an Air sign, an Aquarius.
Matt Grzelcyk (January 5th) is a Earth sign, a Capricorn. Seen as the Goat, Capricorn’s are hard workers, determined and relentless. I believe Grz has also worn the “A” on his jersey as well.
Tomas Nosek (September 1st) is a Earth sign, a Virgo. Virgo’s are flexible, adaptable, and logical. This sign is a perfectionist at heart, and their main goal is to help out.
Craig Smith (September 5th) is a Earth sign, another Virgo.
David Pastrnak (May 25th) is an Air sign, a Gemini. Gemini’s can be seen as “two-faced” due to being represented by twins but this is not always the case. They are adaptable, quick witted and creative. Pasta has worn the “A” on his jersey this season. I am also a Gemini.
Mike Reilly (July 13th) is a Water sign, a Cancer. This sign is emotional, loyal, and dynamic.
Anton Stralman (August 1st) is a Fire sign, a Leo. They are loyal, confident, and determined to get things done their way.
Linus Ullmark (July 31st) is a Fire sign, a Leo.
Pavel Zacha (April 6th) is a Fire sign, an Aries. Portrayed by the Bull, this sign is categorized as passionate, motivated and confident.
Potential/Common Call Up Options:
Jack Ahcan (May 18th) is an Earth sign, a Taurus
Jakub Lauko (March 28th) is a Fire sign, a Aries
Marc McLaughlin (July 26th) is a Fire sign, a Leo
Fabian Lysell (January 19th) is a Earth sign, a Capricorn
Oskar Steen (March 9th) is a Water sign, a Pisces
Chris Wagner (May 27th) is a Air sign, a Gemini
Compatibility:
Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) vibe well with other Earth signs and Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces).
Air signs (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius) match up well with other Air signs and Fire signs (Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries).
Line Chemistry*
Below is a typical line up for the Bruins, although injuries* can change around these lines.
The NHL has released the latest edition Reverse Retros for all the teams this season and for the Boston Bruins itโs a blast from the past. The โPooh Bearโ from the 1995 season is back, this time on a crisp white background not the stunning gold like on the third jerseys in โ95. 1995 was also the year the league introduced the concept of having a special third jersey in addition to the typical home and away jerseys. The โPooh Bearโ jersey stayed around for eleven seasons before being retired in 2006.
1995 Third Jersey
Players, like Matt Grzelcyk, have been waiting for this jersey to come back. โEither you love it or you hate it, I love itโ Grzelcyk told reporters.
2022 Reverse Retro Jersey
The Bruins will wear these jerseys six times during this season only, all at home.
Nov. 7 vs. St. Louis Blues
Nov. 19 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Nov. 25 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Nov. 29 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Dec. 3 vs. Colorado Avalanche
Dec. 31 vs. Buffalo Sabres
โDonโt Poke The Bearโ.
The story behind the bear on the jersey was inspired by a print done by Guy Coheleach, which team president Harry Sinden had in his office. The bear held a double meaning; donโt fool with me, I can be friendly but also bite your head off. A bruin is a European brown bear, and they normally do not attack people on sight unless scared or provoked.
Reverse Retros for 2022-23 Season
I personally like this jersey, although the mostly all white background can be tricky when it comes to stains. Having “Bruins” on the shoulders gives me a retro feel to it, and the integration of the gold at the bottom and on the sleeves is a nice touch. I wouldn’t say it’s the best reverse retro out of all the 32 teams (looking at you Coyotes and Islanders) but it’s not the worst (sorry Detroit and Chicago). You can preorder your own “Pooh-Bear” jersey now at the ProShop and they will be available November 15th.
Let me know what you think of the “Pooh Bear” jersey and what other retros you enjoy!
On June 6th, 2022 the Boston Bruins fired Bruce Cassidy as the teams head coach. This came as a shock to many fans, with the fear of Patrice Bergeron not resigning with the team looms in the distance.
YEAR
Games Played
Wins
Losses
OTL
Points
Placing
Playoff Result
2016-17 (midseason)
27
18
8
1
37
3rd in Atlantic
L in R1 against OTT
2017-18
82
50
20
12
112
2nd in Atlantic
L in R2 against Tampa
2018-19
82
49
24
9
107
2nd in Atlantic
L in SCF against STLย
2019-20*
70
44
14
12
100
1st in Atlantic
L in R2 against Tampa
2020-21*
56
33
16
7
73
3rd in East
L in R2 against NYI
2021-22
82
51
26
5
107
4th in Atlantic (WC1)
L in R1 against CAR
Bruce Cassidy’s overview as Bruins head coach
In the six seasons of head coaching, the Bruins did not miss the playoffs, and only got bounced in the first round twice while Cassidy was head coach. He was awarded the Jack Adams award at the end of the 2019-20 season, which is given to the best NHL coach annually.ย
In 399 regular season games, Cassidy’s Bruins put up a 245-108-46 record and a .672 winning percentage.
Less than a week after Cassidy was let go from the Bruins organization, he found a new home with the Vegas Golden Knights. Some say that Cassidyโs communication style got him canned, with him being blunt and not sugarcoating things, but who wants a coach that isn’t honest about their players.ย
The current VGK roster is made up of multiple star level players; Eichel, Stone, and Pietrangelo to name a few, and are hungry to win after failing to qualify for postseason play for the first time in the teams five year history. To my knowledge none of the current players have been coached under Cassidy for an extended time. Cassidy did coach a few of them for the 2020 ASG; Eichel, and Weber as representatives for the Atlantic Division.
Here’s hoping for success for Bruce Cassidy in his coaching future, but not at the expense of the Boston Bruins.
Jake DeBrusk was drafted by the Boston Bruins 14th overall in 2015, the second of Boston’s three straight picks that year. Fast forward five years, the left winger has requested a trade from Boston. Currently this year, DeBrusk is playing on the Bruins top line with Marchand and Bergeron and has 15 goals and which includes his first career hattrick in 51 games. Let’s take a look at what kind of player DeBrusk is and who the Bruins could get in a reasonable trade.
Player Overview:
His scouting report listed him displaying very good hands, decent wheels and a nose for the net. He is more offensively creative than his enforcer father (Louie DeBrusk) was while sharing the same determination and spirit. His willingness to go to dirty areas to score is a noted strength in the 25 year old Edmonton native.
His career statistics are: 244GP, 67G, 67A, 134PTS
Current contract: signed a two year deal in 2020 ($7.35 mil, with a cap hit of $3.675 mil)
Trade Options
Kasperi Kapanen (Pittsburgh Penguins)
The 25 year old winger is back with the original team that drafted him after a few years in Toronto. In 242 NHL games, Kapanen has 52G, 68A for 120PTS and is noted for his speed and quick puck release. His contract is very similar to DeBrusk is terms of money and length.
Warren Foegele (Edmonton Oilers)
The 25 year old winger was acquired by the Oilers in a trade from the Hurricanes in 2021 with Ethan Bear going the other way. With a similar contract to DeBrusk, Foegele has 35G and 33A in 200 NHL games. His scouting report noted his ability to score goals and use his body to protect and knock opponents off the puck. Through this proposed trade, DeBrusk would be back home in his native Edmonton with a change of scenery to let him grow as a player.
Jesper Frรถdรฉn is an undrafted right winger currently playing for the Providence Bruins, under contract with the Boston Bruins. The 5 foot 10 winger hails from Stockholm, Sweden where he was awarded the SHL Rookie of the Year award for the 2019-20 season. During that season, Frรถdรฉn put up 22 goals and 40 points in 52 games played.
Back in 2013-14, Frรถdรฉn played with future teammate David Pastrnak in the SHL; 17-year-old Pastrnak put up eight goals and 16 assists in 36 games while 18-year-old Frรถdรฉn put up nine goals and six assists in 31 games.
Most recently, the only NHL action Frรถdรฉn has seen was against the Islanders earlier this season where he registered two shots on net and had a total of 15 shifts and was on the ice for 13 minutes.
He signed a one year, two way contract with the Bruins worth $842,500 on June 14th, 2021.
A short lived comeback from hip surgery ends a memorable era in Boston. Tuukka Rask announced his retirement from professional hockey on February 9th, 2022. Rask was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leaf’s 21st overall in 2005, but played his whole career in the black and gold.
Starting off as a backup to Tim Thomas, Rask worked his way up to becoming the Bruins backbone goaltender after Thomas’s departure in 2013. He brought the Bruins to two Stanley Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019 and holds numerous franchise records. Although his name is on the Cup, he never won as a starter. Tuukka endured a lot of crap from Boston media and fans, but never once let it affect him.
Bruins FranchiseRecords Held:
Most games played by a goaltender in Boston Bruin history
Most wins by a goaltender in franchise history
Most shutouts in playoff series-clinching games in franchise history (3)
Longest season-opening home point streak in franchise history
Most playoff wins by a goaltender in franchise history
Personally, I have always been a huge Tuukka Rask fan, I named my car after him and he was my first actual jersey. Being at the Garden and hearing people chant “TUUKK” after a huge save is an unreal experience. Now retired, Rask can enjoy raising his three young daughters, golfing and banging around on his drumkit.
The Vegas Golden Knights were founded in 2017, becoming the first professional sports franchise to represent Las Vegas. In their short time as a franchise, the Golden Knights reached the Cup Finals in their first season, and have qualified for the playoffs each season.
How did they become “golden knights”?
The main owner, Bill Foley, named them primarily after his alma mater, the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy. According to him, knights are the epitome of the warrior class. By adding golden to the name, it refers to the most precious metal as well as a nod to Nevada as the largest gold producing state in the United States.
How have the rosters changed?
2017 Team Roster
2021 Team Roster
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
Sven Baertschi
Ryan Carpenter
Laurent Brossoit
William Carrier
Patrick Brown
Cody Eakin
William Carrier
Erik Haula
Dylan Coghlan
Tomas Hyka
Evgenii Dadonov
William Karlsson
Nicolas Hague
Brendan Leipsic
Brett Howden
Oscar Lindberg
Mattias Janmark
Jonathan Marchessault
William Karlsson
Stefan Matteau
Keegan Kolesar
James Neal
Robin Lehner
Tomas Nosek
Jonathan Marchessault
David Perron
Alec Martinez
Brandon Pirri
Brayden McNabb
Ryan Reaves
Max Pacioretty
Vadim Shipachyov
Nolan Patrick
Reilly Smith
Alex Pietrangelo
Tomas Tatar
Nicolas Roy
Alex Tuch
Reilly Smith
Deryk Engelland
Chandler Stephenson
Jason Garrison
Mark Stone
Brad Hunt
Shea Theodore
Brayden McNabb
Logan Thompson
Jon Merrill
Alex Tuch
Colin Miller
Zach Whitecloud
Luca Sbisa
Nate Schmidt
Shea Theodore
Zach Whitecloud
Marc-Andre Fleury
Malcolm Subban
IN BOLD IS WHO WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED BY VGK AND STILL ON TEAM IN 2021
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