The Boston Bruins are for Real

A lot of people are wondering whether the Big Bad Bruins are for real or not. Well, I'm here to tell you that, yes, they are for real.

I've been a fan of the Bruins for the past 40 years, and I can tell you that I can be hard on them because of some of the numerous past disappointments.  But let me tell you, this year's edition is different. They seem to have all the ingredients needed to be successful in this league.

First off, their goaltending is superb. Everyone is waiting for Tim Thomas to fall on his you know what, but it's not going to happen. He has been solid since he came into the big leagues, and this year he has been unbelievable. Just check his numbers. 

As for Manny Fernandez, he also has been stellar, and together with Thomas, he forms the best goaltending tandem in the league.

Next, the Bruins' goal scoring is not coming from one or two players like in the past, Ala Cam Neely and Ray Bourque. It is coming from everywhere. Whether it's Savard or Lucic, Kessel, Ryder, Wideman, Kobasew, or even Hunwick, it is spread out all over the place—and that is a good thing, for sure.

Next and maybe the most important is that the coach, Mr. Claude Julien, has instituted a defensive system that all the players have bought into and are committed to. They have the best goals-against average in the league. Combine it with the most goals in the league, and you know this is a serious contender for Lord Stanley's cup.

Right now, I think the Bruins are the class of the Eastern Conference, but some other teams are starting to emerge as tough competition for the Bruins.

First is the Washington Capitals. They have had a ton of injuries this year but are starting to get healthy, with Semin, Green, and Federov returning this week. With these guys back in the lineup, the Caps could be scary and seem to be improving every game.

Also, Philadelphia is starting to play some really good hockey lately, and if Daniel Briere comes back and returns to his normal self, the Flyers could do some damage down the stretch.