Wideman

The groin and hip problems that hampered Boston Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman last season, and had him contemplating surgery last summer, disappeared about one month into this season.

And all it took was a tweak to his equipment.

“It came down to actually a pair of skates and that was it. As soon as I switched my skate, I never had any issues again with it,” said Wideman today.

Why did the skate change work?

“That’s a good question. We don’t know.”

Wideman, who had a career year with 13-37-50 totals and a plus-32 rating was also better able to preserve his body because of head coach Claude Julien‘s schedule.

“That’s something I think Claude’s better than most. He gives us a lot of days off and really does a great job of maintaining our bodies throughout the year,” said the blueliner. “There are some coaches around that you’re practicing a lot and by the end of the season you’re starting to get really tired. But he gives us a lot of time off. But fatigue wasn’t an issue.”