BT's 2008/09 NHL Season Preview: Boston Bruins

Side note: I'm past the stage of calling Marc Savard underrated, but you want to know what is? The fact that Charlize Theron was in Mighty Joe Young. Yeah, I had forgotten it too, but it was probably the best casting move ever made by Disney and I was too young to appreciate it. Granted she's hotter at 33 than she was at 23 (the longer hair has a lot to do with it) and she was starring opposite a Gorilla (which a 10-year-old BT would have been more concerned with) but she's still in it, which is kind of hot in and of itself. Yep, these are the kinds of things I think you should know.

Marco Sturm, meanwhile, is one of those players who benefits greatly from being paired with a smart playmaker. Acquired in the deal sending the aforementioned Thornton to San Jose, Sturm has never registered fewer than 22 goals in a season for the Bruins.  He is coming off back-to-back 27 goal seasons, making him a solid 25-goal threat that Bruins' opposition should keep an eye on.  If he's allowed to go unnoticed on the ice, he has the potential to come back and bite them.

David Krejci is another player for the Bruins who could turn into a solid playmaker down the road, but he needs a bit more NHL experience. In his 56 games in the NHL last season, Krejci looked especially at-home plying his trade on the power play, where he picked up nine assists. If he can somehow wiggle into an expanded role for the Bruins this season, he may or may not flourish—but look for him to really come into his own in two or three years.

Chuck Kobasew had a solid season in Boston, bouncing back to the 20-goal plateau, bookending a disappointing 2006-07. Kobasew may not turn into a superstar in Boston, but he'll definitely be able to light the lamp, and he could be a 45-point, 20-goal player for a few years in his career.

As far as depth goes, the most useful player the Bruins have is Stephane Yelle. Probably one of the most under-sought free agents of this offseason, Yelle brings quality experience, leadership, and faceoff skills. Granted he'll never produce a ton of points, but he's invaluable in getting to and playing in the playoffs—a useful tool if Boston has expectations of making noise in the post season.

Peter Schaeffer, meanwhile, will offer the Bruins a solid two-way presence while P.J. Axelsson offers the same—except with a bit more scoring aptitude—while Blake Wheeler and Vladimir Sobotka will be interesting players to watch if they can find their hands at the NHL level.

 

Wouldn't it be great if the Bruins also signed the shortest defenseman in the NHL?

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