The 2007-2008 Boston Bruins: Many Faces, One Team

The Bruins have shown many faces this year; both figuratively and literally.  The first part of the season began with striking similarity to last year's squad as they started off pretty well and then accelerated for awhile.  They were fun to watch. They were exciting. Then injuries started to come.

Talented center, Patrice Bergeron, met an untimely end to his season not long after it began when Philadelphia Flyer, Randy Jones, hit him from behind and planted Bergeron's face into Plexiglas.  Fans gasped and prayed that Bergeron was alive and would at the very least walk again.  Yes, it was that bad.  Bergeron sustained a grade three concussion along with a broken nose and only started to lightly exercise a few weeks ago.  But, a team must press on.

The Bruins did press on and under new head coach, Claude Julien, played with more cohesiveness than in the previous two seasons under Mike Sullivan and Dave Lewis respectively.  Julien was hired to provide accountability and he has seemingly done that. The team banded together, put more effort into defense and started to win many games.  They were looking impressive, but again those pesky injuries started to have a negative effect on the B's.

In addition to Bergeron, another sniper, Glen Murray, has recently been sidelined.  What is a team to do when their firepower is down and out?  Well, this Bruins squad has become a group of scrappers who put in the effort night after night.  Behind the lead of goalies Tim Thomas and Alex Auld, guys like Glen Metropolit have sparked the team with goal after goal.  Also contributing is the up and coming, Milan Lucic, who fans have gravitated toward due to his determination, grit, and hard-nosed play at the ripe age of 19.  Another young, impressive player who has sustained the team is Mark Stuart.  He has allowed the absence of the injured Andrew Alberts to go virtually unnoticed as his play improves on a nightly basis.

What is the face of a team that has so many faces coming and going from the Providence B's to the big club?  Names like Krejci, Lashoff, Hunwick, Rask, and Nokelainen have been shuttling back and forth because they've been needed.  These young guys combined with seasoned veterans like Chara, Savard, and Axelsson have become a team of heart, determination, and above all - resiliency.  When they recently hit a six game losing skid due mainly to lack of offense, they stormed right back and won three in a row.  When they played the Pittsburgh Penguins in December they were down by three goals in the first period.  Miraculously, they came all the way back to tie the game, sending it to overtime and then a shootout.  Although they lost the shootout, their resiliency was displayed yet again.

So, as crunch time nears in prepping for the playoffs and making the final push, should General Manager, Peter Chiarelli, trade for someone?  I really don't think he should.  Sure the Bruins could use more offense, but why alter the chemistry now?  This team has been tested and has proven thier worth not only to fans, but to one another.  So many players have been traded in the past few years and it hasn't helped.  I say leave the team as it is and hope for the strong return of the guys that are currently hurt.  This is a team worth keeping together and the offering up of young talent isn't worth it in the end.  Kessel, Lucic, Stuart, and the rest need to stay here.  They are the future of the Bruins; a club that finally looks on track.