Boston Bruins Mid-Season Report Card: Part 1 of 2
Boston Bruins: 35 PTS, 4th in Eastern Conference,
2nd in Northeast
Nearly
every team in the NHL has reached the midpoint of the 2013 campaign. The Bruins
are 16-3-3 through 22 games. It is time to assess Boston’s performance thus
far. Here are my grades for each member of the black and gold.
Goalies
Tuukka Rask: 12-2-3/1.97GAA/.927SV%/2
SHO Grade:
A
Rask
is in his first year as a full time goaltender and has sparkled in manning the
Boston crease. When Tim Thomas announced he would be taking a season off,
Tuukka Rask immediately was propelled into the spotlight. The Finnish net
minder has always been viewed as Boston’s goalie of the future. This ringing
especially true following the spectacular run he took the Bruins on in 2010.
Rask
has looked calm, poised, and in control this season. In watching him on a nightly basis, one cannot help but
notice his maturity level and short memory. Serving as Tim Thomas’s understudy
for the past few years surely helped mold him into what he is today. He ranks
among the top goalies in every statistical category. Rask ranks second in wins,
fifth in shutouts, sixth in GAA, and sixth in save percentage. These are marks
that bode well for Boston moving forward.
Heading
into the 2013 campaign, the expectations for Rask were high, maybe unreasonably
high. Facing several question marks, Rask has gone above and beyond the call.
The Bruins have to be more than pleased with his efforts and his teammates seem
to be feeding off of his success.
Look for the Bruins to go on a deep playoff run if Tuukka
Rask can continue at the pace he has been on now for several weeks.
Anton Khudobin:
4-1/2.41GAA/.910SV% Grade:
B+
Khudobin
has had little experience playing at the NHL level. He made one appearance for
the Bruins a year ago and was victorious in a win at Ottawa. Prior to being
acquired by Boston, he spent two seasons in the Minnesota Wild system. Khudobin
saw minimal NHL game action while there, only playing in six games.
In
Providence, Khudobin posted respectable numbers. Boston was in need of a
serviceable back up once Tim Thomas walked and he has been just that. In the
games Khudobin has started the Bruins have not missed a beat and are nearly
unblemished. He is a tremendous compliment to Tuukka Rask. He will be
invaluable down the stretch as the season heats up. Khudobin has earned the
respect of the Bruins coaching staff, dressing room, and management.
If
Anton Khudobin continues to be consistent in his back up duties, look for Claude
Julien to utilize him more. A rested Tuukka Rask will go a long way.
Forwards
Milan Lucic:
4G/10A/14PTS/+7 Grade:
A-
Lucic,
one of Boston’s biggest and most physical players, has had a respectable start.
Checking in at 6’3, 230lbs, the rugged winger has game changing ability based
on his size alone. Lucic, a tremendous checker, provides a dominant net front
presence, exhibits the ability to disrupt opposing teams in the neutral zone,
and is a whale of a fighter. He also has terrific passing ability for a bigger
man.
One
of the fan favorites, Milan Lucic plays with his heart on his sleeve and
epitomizes what it means to play in Boston. He brings unwavering grit and
toughness each and every shift. The Boston power play has struggled for long
stretches this season and it has been Lucic that has assisted in getting it
rolling. The chemistry he has had with line mates David Krejci and Nathan
Horton is a big reason for the success Boston has had.
Because
Lucic is such a precious piece to Boston’s top line and power play, look for
the points to come in a hurry. This especially true if he can continue to pass
the puck with playmakers mentality. The Bruins would become nearly unbeatable
if Milan Lucic could find the back of the goal on a more frequent basis.
David Krejci:
6G/13A/19PTS/+6 Grade:
A-
Krejci
has been one Boston’s most productive players thus far. He excels offensively
and feeds off of power forward wingers Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton. He is
steadily evolving into one of the games top passers. With the puck on his
stuck, Krejci is lethal if left unaccounted for. He has demonstrated wizardly
stick handling skills, elite vision, and deadeye shooting accuracy.
On
the defensive end, Krejci has shown the ability to be physical when need be.
His board play has improved and seems to be winning more puck battles. He has
shown confidence in playing alongside a pair of bruisers and Krejci is destined
for continued success moving forward.
Look
for David Krejci to continue putting up more assists than goals. His unselfish
personality only makes Boston a closer-knit bunch. Krejci’s talent ceiling
would be endless if he shot the puck more frequently. He has all the tools to
be a goal-scoring center. For right now, lets not mess with what works.
Nathan Horton:
7G/5A/12PTS/+5
Grade: B+
Putting
statistics aside, seeing Nathan Horton back, playing symptom free hockey is a
wonderful sight. He has steadily been showing signs of returning to his old
self and that makes Boston even more dangerous. His goal-scoring prowess has
been on display and it is a thing of beauty to see Horton light the lamp. His
willingness in going to the dirty areas has been the hallmark of his game and
gives the Boston front lines added versatility.
Horton
has been the victim of some thunderous hits along the boards this season and
showing the ability to bounce to his feet like he has is more than reassuring.
It’s heart warming. The Bruins have gotten nice production from him thus far
and as the year carries on Horton will become more at ease with his game.
Look
for Horton to be an integral part of the Boston offensive down the stretch as
he packs not only a heavy shot but an accurate one as well. Hopefully Horton
will pick up his hitting game a bit more as time passes.
Tyler Seguin:
8G/11A/19PTS/+16
Grade: A
Seguin’s
slow offensive start had many questioning if he was ever going to blossom into
the elite talent he was projected to be. One aspect of hockey that does not
show up on the stat sheet is defense. Defense is what Tyler Seguin has been
playing consistently all season.
When the scoring was not there, Tyler had to earn his ice time another
way and that was to bring it at the defensive end. That he did. Seguin has
morphed into a remarkable two-way player in Claude Julien’s system. His +16
rating ranks him amongst the NHL’s best. The +/- stat goes hand in hand with
defensive efficiency.
To
the demise of many doubters, Seguin has turned his offensive game around in a
profound way. The youngster has five goals in his last five games. He hunts the
puck like no other and his capability to accelerate with the biscuit is an
added bonus. He is maturing rapidly playing alongside Selke award winner
Patrice Bergeron.
Look
for Tyler Seguin recent offensive explosion to carry on into the second half
and playoffs. Now that his defensive game is coming around, the Bruins can only
hope his physical play does as well.
Patrice Bergeron:
6G/15A/21PTS/+17
Grade: A+
It
would be foolish to start without mentioning that Patrice Bergeron is probably
the most underrated player in the NHL. His unmatched ability to play in all
three zones, stand up leadership qualities, and veteran grit, sets Boston apart
from the rest. Bergeron scores the
puck, finds open teammates, and plays shutdown defense. Patrice also anchors
the NHL’s top ranked penalty killing unit.
What
else can you ask for in a player? Nothing really. Bergeron’s veteran savvy has
rubbed off on his line mates. He centers one of the top lines in the entire
league. “Bergy”, as his teammates like to call him, has proven to be as
reliable and dependable as they come. His elite faceoff talents rank him among
the best year in and year out. Whenever a big draw comes about, it is Bergeron
who is called upon.
Look
for Bergeron to compile a monster assist total because of the snipers who flank
him. Assuming he continues on at this pace, the Bruins will have no worries.
Brad Marchand: 12G/8A/20PTS/+15 Grade: A+
In
no way discrediting anything Patrice Bergeron has accomplished to date, it’s
very hard to overlook the start Brad Marchand has had. His twelve markers lead
the Bruins and rank him amongst the league leaders. It had always been clear
that Marchand could find the net. But twelve in twenty-two games is quite
impressive. Brad’s hot start has many wondering if he could be developing into
an elite goal scorer. He has definitely shown his goal scoring touch in
previous seasons. This start is unparalleled.
His
high-energy motor, relentless defensive efforts, and pestering play make him
one of the most vital pieces to the Bruins. Not only does he score the puck, he
also gets under the skin of opposing players. He does not back down from
confrontation and plays with the swagger of a champion. He, along with
Bergeron, excels at killing penalties. This only adds to the Bruins never
ending defensive forward depth.
Look
for Brad Marchand to score more and more frequently as the year progresses. He
goes to the high traffic areas and can shoot it from all spots with precision.
Complete grades for the remaining Boston forwards and blue liners on the way!
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