An Entire Post Devoted to Da Broonz

OK, so I've pussyfooted around it and mentioned the Bruins in like 6 posts, but I've never done an entire post devoted to letting everyone know just how awesome the B's actually are. Well, no more dancing. Here it is--the first B's only post of the year.

Let me begin with the performance of the team before I go into individual accolades. Quick: Who (statistically) is the best team in the Eastern Conference of the NHL as of today? If you guessed the Canadiens, you're a jackass. It's the Bruins, of course! They're averaging 1.5 points per game (not goals, but points in the standings), statistically better than the Rangers, who boast 2 more points than the Bruins, but in 4 more games played.

Now that you know the Bruins are the best (right now), you probably think it has to do with their typical, boring, very defensive style of play. Again, you'd be wrong. Since I've already quizzed you, it should come as no surprise that I'm about to do it again: who has the most goals in the NHL? OK, it's the San Jose Sharks. But the Bruins are #5 in G/G and tied for #3 in Total Goals For. If that's not proof enough that they've found some offense, then you're an idiot.

Of course, it always helps when we have this little thing called "a goalie playing completely out of his mind and is #2 for GAA and SV%, and #5 in Shutouts." I like to call that thing "ex-Vermont Catamount Tim Thomas." Manny Fernandez has been awesome as well, but there's just something about Timmy T that makes me all tingly. Maybe it's the fact that he doesn't care how ugly it looks when you stop a puck from going into the net, as long as it gets done. Or maybe it's the fact that he's lived a life based on proving everyone else wrong, and gets shunned ONCE AGAIN by not being on the All-Star ballot this season. That's a whole different story, but it's Bush League, at best, to leave a guy that was on the team last year, and performing above all expectations, off of the ballot. Quick: comma count--5 in that last sentence there. Literary genius, I tell you.

The fact that Timmy has been performing well doesn't take away from the defense--forcing bad shots and playing overall sound defense obviously helps any goaltender, and I'd be completely off-base if I said Thomas was making up for the defense's mistakes when it could just as easily be said that it's the other way around. There's something to be said for a defense/goalie combo that gives up a league-leading 2.12 GA/G.

As for special teams, I'll be brief. The Good: #5 in PP%, and up to #13 in PK% (they were dead last early on). The Bad: Nothing, really. Except, maybe, move Bergeron from the point to down low, where he was his entire life before this season.

Now, onto the individual accolades/performances/random facts of note.


Phil Kessel is coming into his own after that benching in the playoffs last year. His 13 goals is good enough to tie him for 6th with players such as Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Dany Heatley. I'm pretty confident that that's pretty elite company to keep (also in the 13 goal mix are Zach Parise, Jason Arnott, Devin Setoguchi, and Simon Gagne--also phenomenal players, just less well-known by the casual fan). Sure, he doesn't have as many points as many of these guys, but he was brought in to score goals and dangle the shit out of people--which he's doing as well as some of the best players in the league--at 21.

Speaking of the young'ns, how can I not mention Milan Lucic? The guy leads the NHL in hits, he destroys players in fights, leads the Bruins in PIMs, and scores points to boot (6-9-15). If that doesn't get him some love from even casual hockey fans in the Boston area, we're a goddamn hopeless excuse for a fanbase.

Staying with the yutes, Blake Wheeler has been a pleasant rookie surprise--maybe some people expected this, but I certainly didn't, and I'm loving every second of it. Sure, he has to learn some things, but he seems like a smart enough kid to know that and be able to do so. Of course, it helps when you're on the same line as Adam Oates' younger alter-ego David Krejci (another pleasant surprise--see what I did there? It was like a 2-for-1). Did I mention Krejci is like some kind of hockey genius?

Want another young surprise player? Get ready for it: Dennis Wideman. Where did this D-Wides come from? Every time I see him out on the ice, I find something else to love about him. I don't even know where to begin, so I won't. Just trust me--he's probably our best defender right now. Probably has something to do with the fact that he's +13 and is a great points-getting defender (6-7-13). Is points-getting a word? Hell no. Deal with it.

Marc Savard, as always, remains a stud in this league, and is near the top of the league with 30 points (8-22-30). No surprises there. Also non-surprising great players: Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron. Up to their usual "being good at hockey" shenanigans.

Just for fun:



Aaron Ward, one of my favorite Bruins (nice guy, also hilarious), was just named one of Boston's best dressed people in some Boston Magazine. Doesn't matter which magazine it was, really. He does interviews with WBCN all the time, also--check those out, they're pretty good.



So, if you haven't already, take notice of this team. Not only are they great so far this year, but next year? In a couple more years? They'll be downright scary, and probably the class of the East, if not the NHL. Just joining the ranks of the other Boston area teams, I guess.