Bruins' Depth Will Be Tested with Seidenberg Injury

Terrible news emerged from Black and Gold this weekend as defenseman Dennis Seidenberg has a torn ACL/MCL and will miss the rest of the season. Seidenberg has been a key component of the team's success as the number 2 defenseman. He plays in all situations and is a prototypical "big game" player, elevating his play in the playoffs and in key moments.

Luckily for Boston, the program has a deep list of options in the system to help fill in the gap. David Warsofsky, Marshfield native and BU alum, was brought up and has played in 3 games with the big club. Though undersized, he is skilled and speedy and got to highlight his skills with his first career goal Friday night.

Then there is Zach Trotman, another Providence call-up who came up this weekend and filled in seamlessly. He played a great game Saturday night with the big club and then played a game with Providence yesterday and recording an assist.

RIP Danny Vasselian

Sgt. Danny Vasselian from Abington, MA was killed this week in duty in Afghanistan. It was his third tour in the Middle East. Rest in peace to a true hero.

First Annual Sports Recycled a Success

 

Overall, Sports Recycled was a major success and I'd like to thank everyone who contributed. Like I said, 100% of the proceeds went to Big Brother, Big Sister, who came by Tuesday morning.

As you can see from the picture, we got a whole bunch of hockey sticks, boxing pads, lacrosse equipment, and more.

If you have some more stuff laying around, please don't hesitate to call BRBS or visit their website and arrange a pick up. It's a great charity year-round.

Hopefully this is the start of an annual tradition that can expand every year. It's important to remember that there are always the less fortunate out there.

I hope everyone had a very happy holidays and here's to 2014!

Linus Klasen with the Goal of the Year (Decade?)

Watch this absolute brilliance by Swedish Elite League standout Linus Klasen in a shootout last week. It's like combining the creativity of Kane and the hands of Datsyuk. What a fun goal to watch and that'll be on top 10 lists for years to come.

 

Shanahan, League got the Thornton Suspension Right

In the Penguins/Bruins game last weekend, there were more than just a couple of incidents of egregious unsportsmanship and players crossing the line. However, and you may not like to hear it, what Shawn Thornton did is one of the most revolting, illegal, and violent acts on NHL ice in years.

It all started when Brooks Orpik laid out a defenseless Loui Eriksson and steamrolled him, giving him his second concussion in a month. Despite challenges from Thornton, Orpik declined his right (responsibility) to answer for his hit, as he often does.

Then, after James Neal gave Marchand his knee to 63's face, Thornton lost his cool, skated across the ice, pulled down Orpik from behind by slew-footing him, and punched the helpless Pittsburgh defenseman several times, knocking him out cold.

It was a violent, terrible act.

Bear and the Gang

If you haven't yet, check out this year's first episode of Bear and the Gang. It features players like Chara, Marchand, Paille, and Iginla, plus of course Coach Julien and the Bear himself. Hilarious as always.

http://video.bruins.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=167717

Worst Weekend in Recent Boston Sports History

I might be being a little dramatic as the Bruins won two games and the Patriots executed a brilliant, but sloppy come from behind victory over Cleveland today.

But, at least personnel-wise, this was a tough weekend on the city.

Let's start with the Bruins. Just Thursday Johnny Boychuk took an illegal hit from Max Pacioretty and gave the fan base quite a scare afterwards as he was unable to move for over 10 minutes. The hit was dirty but Pacioretty won't be facing supplemental punishment nor should he. Luckily, Boychuk is only supposed to be out 7-10 days with a lower back injury. It could have been much worse.

Sports Recycled

We're happy to announce the birth of a new charity, Sports Recycled. It's very basic- we're looking for households and families with old sports stuff laying around. Things maybe you or your kids used when they were younger but now they're too small, or out of style, but still in good condition.

We've been partnered with  the Massachusetts Bay division of Big Brother, Big Sister and 100% of donations will go directly to them.

I got the idea recently just looking in my garage and thinking I should donate it somewhere. Then I thought of my family and friends who probably have plenty of stuff of their own collecting dust in their garages, basements, and closets. So I've been handing out fliers, making phone calls, and sending emails to make it happen.

It might not escalate to much more than a few families helping out. But even the smallest donations can make the biggest differences. And maybe if it takes off, we can expand and make it an annual thing.

Do you have old sports equipment laying around not being used? Donate to Sports Recycled!

Inquiries can be made to:
Tim Wirzburger(781-308-7998)
timwirz17@gmail.com

The Age of War Films

Believe it or not, the writers at Beantown Lifestyle might have an opinion or two on topics other than sports. Once in a while, we like to articulate thoughts on other matters. Sometimes, just sometimes, they make sense.

This particular idea is something that I've kind of always thought about but never put pen to paper, so to speak. I grew up watching old black and white WWII films with my dad, and slowly my tastes evolved from watching John Wayne running around with seemingly unlimited ammo to the more shockingly vivid battle wounds depicted in modern war films (although Sands of Iwo Jima will always be a favorite).

When I was a kid, war movies were coming out every year and I remember my dad going to see them and telling me about them, but saying I wasn't old enough to see them myself. They were too violent, too bloody, too scary. I remember thinking, "Why do they have to make them so violent and realistic? Just because they can, doesn't mean they have to. Kids want to watch war movies, too."

Over the years, I grew my DVD collection and began including the same films that I wasn't allowed to see when I was younger. These movies grabbed my love of history with a penchant for action and harnessed me in over and over again.

Faith Restored

Red Sox Championship Pictures

 

I'm a little late, but here are some photos I was able to upload from the Red Sox Game 6 Championship and the victory parade. I was lucky enough to attend both events and I won't forget either one. I took more pictures, but most of them weren't able to upload for some reason. Enjoy.

 

The Celtics; What's their problem?

The Celtics started off their season hot, losing four straight to non-contenders around the league. During that stretch they found themselves playing great basketball by leading going into the fourth quarter of every game.

The real surprise with this squad is their uncanny ability to close; in each of those games where they led late, they found a way to seal the deal with a loss, which is exactly what you hope for in a team like this. After ripping off four straight losses, the Celtics hit a rough patch where they rattled off 4 straight wins to put themselves back to the middle of the pack: a place where no one wants to be.

During those wins the Celtics experienced a devastating win over the reigning champion Miami Heat which may have been just the type of win that elevates their game for the rest of the season. Thankfully, the Celtics got back on track last night as they lost to the Trailblazers which should point them back in the right direction towards a lottery pick.

With an up and down season thus far, why can't the Celtics just lose? What is their problem?

Cherington's Holding All the Chips

Ben Cherinton

The Boston Red Sox are coming off an incredible 180 degree reversal in what was supposed to be a bridging phase. The 2012 Red Sox had just completely been depleted of half of their producers and had several potential stars brewing in their farm system. The next couple years were supposed to be competitive enough to keep the fan base interested while the real cream of the farm rose to the top of the system. Well that all changed when the island of misfit ballplayers came together in beantown and took home the 2013 World Series Championship.

The Red Sox have a little bit of everything: A surplus of pitching, great young players with MLB experience, and a deep farm. So now that the Sox hold all the chips, where do they go from here?

The Bruins Problem that Nobody is Talking About

It's a good time to be a Bruins fan. They've gone to the Stanley Cup twice in the last three years, have been perennially among the top teams in the league, and they have a well-built core that suggests they will be contenders for years to come.

Most, if not all of the credit to this must be to GM Peter Chiarelli. His vision and knack for talent has given him the tools to build one of the deepest, most well rounded teams in hockey.

However, there is a problem that nobody is talking about.

Lackey's Opportunity is the Stuff of Legends

You can feel it in the air. The city is alive with hope, confidence, and expectations today. With a rare historic opportunity tonight, the Sox can clinch the World Series at home for the first time since 1918.

I'll keep this short and sweet. Lackey's got the ball tonight and what a perfect scenario it is. Few have been more alienated and knocked around by their hometown media than number 41, who has struggled mightily since signing a big contract years ago. Not only did he pitch well all season, he's been phenomenal this post-season.

Regardless of how tonight goes, Lackey's won back the confidence and respect of the fan base. But if he goes in tonight and deals, holding back the Cardinals offense and delivering a win, he will become a legend.

Where is the Love? Reviving Respect in the NHL

The culture of the NHL has always been different than other leagues, and for the most part it's things to be proud of. Due to a hard salary cap, they aren't quite the spoiled, overpaid patricians that you might see in the NBA or MLB. Their pedestrian, blue-collar work ethic has always made them more approachable and relatable to the average American than the spoon-fed superstars you see taking up all the air-time on SportsCenter.

They also have an unmatched willingness to sacrifice their bodies for the game and their teammates. Is that to say that football players and baseball players don't play through injuries and pain? Of course not. But in hockey it's taken to an entirely new level. Think of how often you hear a pitcher's start has been reschedule due to a hang nail, or a Lebron James being carried off the court because a cramp.

Now think of Gregory Campbell throwing himself in front of a shot that broke his leg, but still hobbling around for another 45 seconds and even blocking more shots because

Fantasy Hockey Free Agent Frenzy

What a start to the season it's been! Fantasy seasons are neither won nor lost in October, but those quickest to the waiver wire often reap the benefits. Some of these hot starts are just a lucky streak that will quickly fade, while others are the mark of a true breakout season for players that will carry you to a championship.

We're now two weeks or so into the season and it's time to check out which players are worth a look in your leagues. Take a look at your free agent list and see if these guys are available. If so, it's not too early to start making some GM decisions.

Lars Eller, MTL
He's already picked up 5 goals and 2 assists in 5 games, putting him among league leaders. Finally, the Halak trade seems to be really paying off for the Habs. He's super talented, so he's a good candidate to have a strong year on Montreal's top line.

30 Teams, 30 Crazy Predictions

Hockey starts tomorrow. No further explanation is necessary. Every year I try to make 30 bold fantasy predictions for a player on each team. Keep in mind these are meant to be "out there", predictions that might seem ridiculous at times but that's what makes it fun.

Make your own predictions in the comments! At year's end we'll come back and take a look and see how we fared.

Anaheim Ducks: Cam Fowler will finally break out, posting 15 goals and 55 points, 20 of which came on the power play. His offensive upside has never been in question. It's just a matter of him developing the confidence and being in the right situation. This is the year for both.

Boston Bruins: Torey Krug, not Chara, leads their defensive corps in goals and points this year with 15 and 48, respectively. Bergeron showcases his underrated offensive skills and puts up career high numbers just under a point-per-game.

Buffalo Sabres: Neither Vanek nor Miller finish the year on the team. Miller will be traded to either the Penguins, Flyers, or Islanders. A good, completely uneducated guess for Vanek would be Minnesota or Carolina.

Experts League Draft Results

Hey guys, in case you haven’t been following @Buccigross on Twitter, hockey starts this week! Which means it’s another season of fantasy hockey and be sure to check right here for the best

fantasy analysis on the web.

My league drafted a few days ago, so I figured I would post it along with some comments to give you all an idea of where players are getting drafted. I posted who I considered to be the best and work pick of each round, as well as my thoughts on the players I drafted and why. I would love to hear your own analysis on the comments below!

Round 1

1.      Mark- Crosby

2.      Ryan- Stamkos

3.      Alex- Malkin

4.      Sam- Ovechkin

5.      Joe- Tavares

6.      Brandon- Rask

7.      Steve- Kane

8.      Dave- Lundqvist

9.      Roto- Kessel

10.  Tim- Giroux

Fantasy Hockey Preview: Forwards

We’re now three weeks away from puck drop, which means some of you probably have already your teams drafted and are anxiously awaiting opening night. For those of you who still have yet to draft, these are some of the forwards I’ve got my eye on this year. Again, whether they’re sleepers, bounce-back candidates, breakout players, or just simply guys I love this season, they’re all worth stashing on your draft sheets.

Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks

Everyone seems down on the ‘Nucks this year, but Kesler might be one of the bright spots who’s still trending upwards in fantasy. A young player nagged by injuries these past years, Kesler has made it known that he has felt the healthiest he has in two seasons. Anyone remember what he did two seasons ago? I’ll tell you. 41 goals. If he can stay healthy,

Fantasy Hockey Draft Primer: Defense

Let’s keep it rolling with the Draft Day preparations and look at defense: an all too important but often underrated position in fantasy hockey. All of these players are of great interest to me going into my drafts, whether they’re sleepers, breakout candidates, guys who will out-perform their draft rankings, or just guys I’d love to have on my team. So, without further ado…

Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks

This uber-talented young defenseman was projected by many to go in the top 5 in the 2010 draft, but slipped until the 12^th pick when Anaheim snagged him for his offensive upside. He has many flaws in his game defensively, but luckily those don’t matter for fantasy. With Selanne back for another year, and Souray to miss the first half of the season to a torn ligament, Fowler will have the chance to be the go-to guy on the Ducks powerplay. Will he finally break out?

TSN Got It Wrong

Earlier this week, the writers at TSN published a list of their projected starting lineup for the 2014 Team Canada Olympic roster. Co-authors on this piece included Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, James Duthie, Pierre Lebrun, and Ray Ferraro. In the world of hockey, these guys are considered among the very best in their knowledge of players, teams, and the game itself.

So how did they get it so wrong?

Here's what they projected the lineup to be: 

Fantasy Hockey Draft Day Prep

The anticipation is over. After weeks of research, mock drafts, player analyzing, and stat checking, Draft Day has finally come. DDay is one of the most exciting, nerve-racking, and suspenseful days of the year. If you do it right, you’ll go to bed a happy man. If you don’t, you’ve got the trade offers going out within minutes.

There are many different DDay strategies or methods of approach that people like to use to build their teams, and I’ve used several of them over the years. The truth is, there is no one “right” way of doing it. It all depends on your style as a manager and what you value the most. Let’s take a look at some approaches some people like to take.

Fantasy Hockey: A First Look

Don’t look now but we’re less than five weeks away from the return of NHL season, which means it’s time to start thinking about your fantasy drafts. Yahoo! typically releases their rankings and mock drafts in late August or the first week of September, which is about the same as we can expect from ESPN.

In the coming weeks, we’ll take a look at player profiles, rankings, break out candidates, sleepers/busts, and more. There are plenty of exciting storylines to be considered this year and lots to talk about.

But before I get ahead of myself, I’m just going to start by looking at a player that I have been on my mind this offseason that I will be targeting on all of my teams this year. There will be more, but this one has me salivating at the thought of drafting him, especially in a keeper leagues.

Athlete Profile: Tim Harrison, Calgary Flames

 

Every year, hundreds of the world’s most talented young hockey players funnel into a redressed NHL arena with their friends and families donning their nicest ties and hope in their hearts. They sit in anticipation for what could be hours waiting to hear their names called.

It’s the dream for any hockey player to be drafted by an NHL team for a chance to pursue a professional career. That dream is becoming a reality for Duxbury native Tim Harrison, who was selected in the 6^th round of the NHL Entry Draft in June.

Harrison didn’t expect to be chosen, so he didn’t

Defining a Superstar

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What defines a "superstar"? Personally, I think the word gets thrown around too much in sports media and commentary. You'll hear announcers proclaiming a guy as a superstar as if that's the title assigned to every team's best player.


It's gotten to the point where the word doesn't carry as much weight. I consider a superstar to be an elite, generational talent who excels in all facets of the game. There should only be a handful that fit into these categories in each sport. If you've got one or more on every team, or if there is even more than 10 in a given sport, I think your definition of superstar is flawed.

I'm not going to get into a rigid definition, because it can vary, but I will just say that a superstar is someone who consistently

Grading the the Red Sox 2013 Trade Deadline

SP Jake Peavy acquired at the deadline

So as we covered before, we thought the Red Sox should be both Buyers and Sellers at the 2013 Trade Deadline. Well a lot has changed since that original blog as the Sox found themselves pulling away from the pack with the Rays for the Division lead. If you had asked me weeks ago like I had said in previous blogs I would have said, BUY, but not at the expense of their "B" prospects and by "B" prospects I mean, Bogaerts, Bradley Jr., and Barnes. Those three guys (And a few others) are the future of this organization, and to deal them for ANYONE less than a Giancarlo Stanton or a Jeff Simardzija would be organizational suicide in my opinion. With that being said, given the moves the Sox made at the deadline, and given the overall quietude of the deadline, I give them a solid B+ for the moves they made.

The Great Deadline Debate: AL Part IV

This is the last part of the Great Deadline debate as Burga and I only have a few more teams to complete trades with. It is getting harder and harder to make deals happen as the bigger names come off the market. But here we go. These are the deals that have been completed so far.

The Great Trade Debate: NL Part III

 

Things are starting to pick up now on the trade front as Heat and I continue our mock deadline. We have a handful of new deals we're excited to announce so let's jump right into them.

Nationals trade prospect Matt Purke for Yankees SP Huroki Kuroda
The Nationals are a team knocking on the door this year, but they're not ready for a long playoff run yet. Adding Kuroda is a huge step for them. The veteran pitcher has defied age and sometimes logic all season long, delivering quality start after quality start and not looking back. He will take pressure off of guys like Strasburg and Zimmermann who will undoubtedly benefit from his veteran presence. Purke is a solid prospect but the Nats have plenty of young players already on their roster. This is a rental deal, so if Kuroda gives you anything more than this year it's just icing on the cake.

The Great Deadline Debate: AL Part III

This is the Great Deadline Debate: Part III as Burga and I have gone back and forth on a few trades. Here are some more of the deals as a couple small ones have been passed as well as a potential blockbuster.

The Great Deadline Debate: NL Part II

After a couple days of bartering, Heat and I have completed five deals. Without further ado, let's take a look at what we've completed so far:

Reds trade SP Tony Cingrani for Yankees OF Curtis Granderson.
This is a high risk/high reward deal for the Reds. I like really like Cingrani and I know the organization values him, but they have a sneaky deep pitching staff and some young guys they can bring up as needed. Cueto should be back soon barring a setback to round out the rotation. Granderson, though his average may have settled around .240, brings a rare power/speed combination and has seen success in the playoffs before. I really like him playing centerfield between Choo and Bruce that will be easily on of the most talented, and perhaps underrated outfields in the game. Good deal for the Reds.
 

Hypothetical Hernandez Question

After hearing all the sports talk radio stations talking about Hernandez for the last month and listening to Belichek and Brady finally speaking up about the issue, a thought popped into my head. A hypothetical question that might be difficult to answer.

If the Patriots had won the Super Bowl against the Giants in 2012, would the victory be worth what's happened with Hernandez and how bad it's been for the Patriots?

In other words, if you could see the future in 2010 and were faced with the dilemma of passing on Hernandez in the draft OR taking him, winning the Super Bowl, then dealing with everything that's going on, which choice would you make?

For the purpose of this question, let's look specifically at the football side of things. Let's assume that everything that Hernandez has done, he would have done whether or not he was a member of the Pats. As it stands, Hernandez was a fantastic player, probably the best in the league at what he does, but it was not worth it to have drafted the thug and alleged murderer that he is. It has brought negative media attention to the organization and serves as a distraction to the players.

If the Patriots had won, however, then it makes me reconsider.

What do you think?

The Great Deadline Debate: AL Part II

So after a few days of bantering back and forth with Burga, we have agreed in principle to five trades so far. I will break down what they mean to the AL teams and why we offered, or accepted the deals that you see before you.

Gators remove Hernandez All-American Brick from Stadium

Via @ProfSpiker

With Aaron Hernandez's recent arrest and murder/gun charges, the Florida Gators have taken the initiative and have removed his 2009 First Team All-American brick from their football stadium. The brick was replaced by a blank brick and will most likely be kept that way. This is not the first move a team has made to distance themselves from the Ex-Patriot, as the Pats offered a Hernandez jersey buy-back program earlier this summer to replace fans' Hernandez jerseys with any jersey they wanted in store. This will also most likely not be the last move made by a major organization to further themselves from the murder-charged tight end.

The Great Deadline Debate: AL Part I

As previously mentioned by Burga in his breakdown of the NL Part I, we will be breaking down the 2013 MLB Trade deadline by going through each team identifying needs both present and future, and  making at least 15 deals including all 30 teams across both leagues. In order for this to be successful, we both need to make compromises in order to achieve what is best not only for our teams now, but in the upcoming future. Without further delay, let me break down which teams should buy, sell or hold.

Great Deadline Debate: NL Part I

With the MLB Trade Deadline just a week away, every team in the league is assessing their rosters, their player performance, and their position in the standings to decide which direction they will go this year. There will be buyers looking to add that extra piece for a playoff push, sellers looking to shed salary and assets for future players, and teams who are content with their situation and will stand pat.

This year, Heat and I will be trying something new. It is based off of the Trade Wars that Richard Cloutier and Travis Yost play on Hockeybuzz.com, and involves us playing GM for the MLB teams this deadline. The rules are simple: Heat will be the GM for all AL teams and I will cover the NL teams. Each team must be complete a trade with another team from the other league. Every team must make one, and only one, trade.

We've spent time assessing our teams and identifying each as a buyer or seller. Our offers to each other, rejected, accepted, and counter-offered until 15 trades are made.

Burga's US Olympic Roster

The US Olympic team has just announced the list of players who will be invited to the Olympic Camp, from which the roster for Sochi will be selected. Here is the complete list:

F: Kane, Ryan, Kessel, Kesler, Pavelski, Abdelkader, Backes, Bennet, Bjugstad, Brown, Callahan, Galchenyuk, Lewis, Okposo, Oshie, Pacioretty, Pavelski, Palmieri, Parise, Saad, C. Smith, Stastny, Stepan, Wheeler, Van Riemsdyk

D: Bogosion, Byfuglien, Carlson, Dekeyser, Faulk, Fowler, Gardner, E. Johnson, J. Johnson, Jones, Leddy, Martin, McDonagh, Orpik, Shattenkirk, Suter, Trouba, Yandle.

A look at the Bruins 2013-2014 Schedule

The new NHL realignment offers a new dynamic in assessing the Bruins schedule next season. Instead of the 6 divisions with 5 teams, there are not 4 divisions with 7 or 8 teams in them. This will give teams a chance to play other teams more often and see some teams they normally wouldn't see too much during the regular season. It also changes the way the playoffs will work, but that's a blog for another day.

The Bruins new division, the Atlantic Division, includes the Sabres, Red Wings, Panthers, Canadiens, Senators, Lightning, and Maple Leafs. Simply put, Detroit, Florida, and Tampa will join what was the North East Division. As I look at the schedule, a few things jump out at me.

Fantasy Baseball 2013 Mid Season Awards

We've reached the midway point in the season (not exactly), and the All Star Game is this week. Now is a good time to take some time to praise and evaluate how players have done so far this season. Who has emerged as an elite player, who is breaking out, who is a fluke and who is still a second half sleeper. There have been quite a few surprises this season and the rookies seem to be flying off the waiver wire faster than ever (Thanks Mike Trout). It's time for me to break it down for you.

Reassessing the Bruins Moves

The Bruins have been one of the most active teams in the week since the NHL Draft, which is a little surprising based on past experience with Chiarelli. However, the salary cap going down has forced the hands among lots of GMs across the league and has made for an entertaining offseason.

Buyouts have long been an option for teams looking to shed an expensive contract, but now they are more common than ever. Lecavalier, Dipietro, and Bryzgalov are the big ones this summer. We've seen some big names being traded like Bobby Ryan, Tyler Seguin, Loui Eriksson, and Jonathon Bernier. And finally, we've seen some big Free Agency signings that could possibly alter their franchises like Jarome Iginla, Daniel Alfredsson, Nathan Horton, and Mike Ribeiro.

If you remember, I wasn't too pleased with the Seguin trade when it first happened. After having some time to think it over, however, and in light of what he's said and done since then, I think it's a great move for the team. Eriksson is a professional who plays the game right, the prospects they got have a good chance to make an impact, and it cleared salary room for a big FA signing: Iginla.
 

Hernandez Out. Who's In?

As most of you have already heard, Patriots star Tight End Aaron Hernandez has been arrested and arraigned for 1st Degree Murder as well as five different gun charges. If you haven't read the full story you can read it all here.

I won't be covering the criminal aspect of the case, but rather looking at what this does to the Patriot targets this fall for Tom Brady and what the Patriots could end up doing to help out their offense.

Seguin Traded to the Stars

Well, I was genuinely shocked when I read this news. Seguin was traded along with Peverley and Button for Loui Eriksson and three prospects. My initial response was anger, feeling that we gave up too quickly on a budding superstar. To get a sense of my reaction, here's a glimpse of the Twitter rant I went on:

 

From Hockey Goalie to… Catcher?

            The Tim Thomas era displayed the classic story of an underdog paying his dues to the sport of hockey and finally displaying a historical performance in 2011 to take the team to win the coveted Stanley Cup. However, following an early playoff exit in 2012, Thomas announced in an unprecedented move that he would not be returning for the 2012-2013 season.

            Following the controversial move, Thomas has been living with his family in Colorado and his rights have since been traded to the NY Islanders. However, he has recently announced that he would be holding a press conference on Monday morning regarding a “major change in his career.”

Burga's Mock Offseason

 
Okay let's get right into it.

With just about 9.8 million in cap space, there's not a whole lot of room to maneuver. So my first move would be to ship Rich Peverley. He's a speedy, versatile player but has offered little other than depth and PK ability while boasting a $3.5 mill cap hit. That type of production can easily be replaced by someone with a lower cap hit.

Transaction 1: Trade Peverley to Columbus for a Conditional 3rd round pick (becomes a 2nd if they make the playoffs). They could use depth from a guy who can help on the penalty kill and has some offensive upside.

What's your ideal offseason?

Pretend you're Peter Chiarelli for a moment. You're General Manager of the Boston Bruins and you're entering one of the busiest times of the year. You gotta decide who to re-sign, who to let go, who to trade, who to seek in free agency, and more.

Admit it, you're always thinking, "Well if it were up to me, I would trade Player X, and re-sign player Y" and so forth. We've all imagined what decisions we would make if we were in charge. Well now you can. Using the template I've created, below, you can manage your ideal offseason.

Bruins Offseason Considerations

Though we all still have a bitter taste in our mouths, the Bruins are about to go through one of the most exciting couple weeks of the year. The NHL Entry Draft is on Sunday and is always a special event. Though the Bruins don't have a first round pick this year due to the Jagr trade, they could still trade up (unlikely) and the draft is always riddled with last minute trades.

Then Free Agency officially starts. The Bruins will have some very important tasks at hand and some difficult decisions to face. Because the cap is coming down next year following the recent CBA, GMs across the league will be in a pinch to sort out their rosters and fit them under the cap. Here are some thoughts on what options the Bruins will have this summer.