There’s an odd dichotomy bubbling up around the 2013 Boston Bruins. On one hand, this team currently boasts a record of 18-4-3, good for 5th overall in the NHL while tied with Calgary for the fewest amount of games played. At the same time, there’s a sense that the Bruins are not playing their best ...
Offseason attention may have been devoted to big free agent signings Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, but there should be no mistaking that veteran goaltender Niklas Backstrom is a vital piece of the puzzle for the 2013 version of the Minnesota Wild. Backstrom was an important part of the Wild team that reached the postseason ...
The Minnesota Wild are currently outside of the Western conference playoff spots with an 8-7-2 record through 17 games. This is not the position that many fans expected to find their Wild in after the big summer free agent signings of Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, though it should be noted that Minnesota are only ...
Earlier this week, Minnesota Wild back-up goaltender Josh Harding had to sit out a game due to conditions relating to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Harding was diagnosed with MS in October, but has been a remarkable story with his unwavering determination to continue his NHL career. Earlier this season he notched a shutout with a 24-save ...
The Minnesota Wild haven’t got off to the start that was expected of them in the 2013 NHL season. They are stuck at .500 with a 6-6-1 record and their biggest concern once again is a floundering offense. The hype for the 2013 Wild roster started on July 4 when GM Chuck Fletcher announced the ...
There isn’t much to say about the 2013 Boston Bruins that hasn’t already been said—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Prior to Tuesday night’s 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Rangers, the team was off to its best ten-game start in franchise history (8-1-1) behind a torrid goaltender tandem, contributions from all four lines and shrewd coaching from Claude Julien. For right now, the players are clicking and the Bruins are quickly becoming powerhouses of the Eastern Conference. So why does it feel like something is missing?
Because there is.
The Minnesota Wild ended a disappointing two-game road trip against Pacific division opposition still searching for a first win away from the Xcel Energy center. They struggled to a 3-1 defeat against the Anaheim Ducks, and were once again sporadic and stunted offensively on Monday night in a 2-1 loss against the Phoenix Coyotes. Mike ...
A recent article written by Minneapolis Star Tribune writer Michael Russo suggests that some panic buttons are being pushed. Russo commented on sloppy mistakes in terms of physical battles, defensive zone coverage and line changes. He slammed Minnesota’s fragility at the defensive end of the ice and suggested that the scoring depth issues needed to ...
The New Jersey Devils have had the best start possible to the 2013 season, which is obvious by their 2-0-0 record, but is that good start because they have out-played their opponents or have they out-smarted them? It could be possibly both, but (my) gut feeling says the latter. Aside from the absence of Zach ...
It’s possible that in six months, when the 2013 NHL season is said and done, the Boston Bruins will have won their second Stanley Cup in three years.
It’s also possible that the Boston Bruins will fail to win the Northeast Division and will have to face a stacked team such as the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2013 NHL Playoffs.
Realistically though, the expectations for the 2013 Boston Bruins team should be somewhere between legitimate Stanley Cup contenders and strong front-runners for first place in the Northeast Division, making them among the top three teams in the Eastern Conference. If all goes well, then yes—the Boston Bruins have a real shot at playing deep into June for Lord Stanley’s Cup. If injuries begin to surmount and deplete the team’s offensive depth and Tuukka Rask is unable to stay healthy than the Bruins could very well see the latter of the scenarios listed above.
