Stanley Cup Finals 2011: Exorcizing the Boston Bruins' Demons

"I HAVE EXORCIZED THE DEMONS!  This house is clear!"

Ace Ventura, Pet Detective

The vital scene of Ace Ventura putting Lois Einhorn in her place has bounced around my head ever since the Bruins ended their 39-year Stanley Cup drought. 

Once you run through the usual thrills of seeing your team win it all (disbelief, joy, complacency, hunger for another title), it's staggering to realize your mentality towards your team has changed overnight. 

You have a sports epiphany; seeing the Bruins win it all turned me into a raging optimist.  A touch of complacency kicks in, but that changed quickly.  Oh hell, by the time next year rolls around, I want to see the Bruins chug champagne from the Cup again. 

39 years of mental baggage has been purged, and it's the greatest thing. 

The nagging sense that Jeremy Jacobs didn't care about winning and just wanted to make money?  Gone. 

It's great to see the team spend up to the cap ever since the '04-'05 lockout, but does the front office have the good judgment to kill it in the draft, make intelligent trades and target the right kind of free agents to win the Cup? 

I used to think they didn't have what it takes.  Now I'm happy to say Peter Chiarelli is the right man for the job. 

Shouldn't they fire the coach and remake the roster after they couldn't close out the Flyers?  You'd think it would be the right move; it's fair to wonder if the team lacked the killer instinct necessary to win the Cup.  Now we know Chiarelli was right to stand pat.  Go figure. 

Initially I just wanted the Bruins to win a few playoff series after Philly rolled them.  In retrospect talk about setting the bar low!  Last year's loss was a morale-draining kick in the crotch, kind of like the Red Sox losing to the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS. 

Winning the Cup gives you a sense of confidence you never had before.  If you'd told me the Bruins would win it all after last year I'd say you were crazy.  Now I think winning the Cup again is realistic. 

This year I was ready to fire Claude if they didn't get out of the second round.  He wasn't one of those coaches that inspired you to have confidence in him.  He was the polar opposite of Scott Bowman. 

None of his press conferences made you feel good, but now I have to admit he has been 100 percent vindicated.  I'm sorry I ever doubted him.  Seriously, he pushed all the right buttons, knew when to make changes and kept his team confident and motivated.  In Claude we trust!

The future is bright.  Tim Thomas is a little old for a goalie, but he didn't make the NHL until he was 28.  He doesn't have the wear and tear on him that other 36 year old goalies would have on their bodies. 

If God forbid he did get hurt and couldn't play anymore, the Bruins could survive losing him.  Tuukka Rask could step in and play well. 

The defense is in fairly good shape and the core guys on this team are fairly young. 

GO BRUINS!