The Cup

Here’s one you’re not likely to see on the Jacobs family’s letterhead or in any of the Bruins’ season-ticket literature: Chicago’s Stanley Cup win leaves the Bruins’ 38-year drought as the second-longest among pre-expansion franchises behind only Toronto.

Judging by the surge the Bruins made from 2007-08 to the next season, and then the steps back they took in the winter of ’09-10, there’s no telling which way the franchise will go next season and beyond. But there are some ways the Bruins can follow the Blackhawks’ lead and end a lengthy drought. (more…)

Wideman/By S. Bradley

No one was a bigger poster child for all of the Bruins’ struggles this season than Dennis Wideman. Sometimes unfairly, and mostly fairly, Wideman was targeted by fans and media alike for his costly, lackadaisical play at the defensive end.

In some ways, Wideman was a victim of his own success. When a player returns from a 50-point, plus-32 season and drop off to 30 points and a minus-14, it’s extremely frustrating to watch in light of that athlete’s proven ability to be a better contributor to his club’s success.

(more…)

Wheeler/By S. Bradley

Was it a sophomore slump or a sign that Blake Wheeler’s not going to live up to the type of expectations that made him the fifth overall pick in ’04 and then a coveted free agent out of Minnesota in the summer of 2008?

Wheeler dropped to 18 goals from 21 as a rookie this season — a dip actually better than those of some of his more-experienced teammates. But his lack of consistency was truly disturbing. (more…)

Kaberle

The answer comes down to assets, of which the Bruins don’t really have — or can’t afford to part with — much that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be interested in acquiring in exchange for the contract-year-entering star defenseman Tomas Kaberle. (more…)

Thornton/By S. Bradley

On a team wanting for “glue guys” all season long, Shawn Thornton was a “super glue guy” through the thick and thin of the Bruins’ inconsistent 2009-10 campaign.

No one paid a bigger physical toll for the benefit of the Bruins, as Thornton racked up an amazing 21 fighting majors in just 74 games (the Bruins were 13-4-3 in games Thornton fought). His leadership and work ethic were a rare constant on an up-and-down club, even if his offensive game non-existent.

(more…)

Thomas

Tim Thomas fell from grace so hard this season, he found himself on the bench watching Tuukka Rask lead the Bruins to the second round of the postseason and then under the knife undergoing hip surgery once the season was over.

Once a fairy tale to tell the kids, the “Tim Thomas Story” has now taken a more serious turn that might be more fitting for a weeknight drama on FX. (more…)

Ramsay

Two years ago he was a key component on a Bruins coaching staff that earned head man Claude Julien the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year.

In 2009-10, he orchestrated a penalty kill that led the league in efficiency most of the season and finished third overall.

Now there’s a chance Craig Ramsay might parlay his recent success with Boston into another chance to be an NHL head coach. (more…)

Sturm/By S. Bradley

Congratulations are certainly in order for winger Marco Sturm. He was the leading scorer on the league’s worst-scoring team this season. That’s kind of like finishing in last place in an ugly contest.

And the way Sturm ran his total of goals up to 22 this season was as ugly as could be. His two two-goal games meant that he only scored in 20 of his 76 games played in the regular season. He seven of his goals in December, and then just four in March and April. His playoff performance was worthy of an award for best impersonation of a ghost, with no points in the six-game win over Buffalo. (more…)

… to your regularly scheduled blogging.

Wow, a lot happens while you’re in surgery-induced pain and Percocet fog. First Shawn Thornton re-signs, and now Dennis Seidenberg is back in the fold with a four-year deal worth a reported $3.25 cap hit. That general manager Peter Chiarelli got that done is impressive because Seidenberg would’ve had numerous suitors come July 1. (more…)

Stuart/By S. Bradley

There were high hopes that Mark Stuart’s third full year in the NHL would be the season he ascended to the Bruins’ top four on the back end and assumed a major leadership position.

The injury bug had other ideas.

(more…)

Sobotka/By S. Bradley

This season was supposed to be all about earning a permanent home  in Boston and establishing himself as an NHL regular for Vladimir Sobotka.

Well, one out of two isn’t bad.

(more…)

Seidenberg

On the surface, it looked like Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli’s dealings on trade-deadline day swapped out oranges for oranges on the club’s back end.

In his only two moves, Chiarelli shipped Derek Morris to Phoenix and acquired Dennis Seidenberg from Florida. The GM talked about Seidenberg being a better fit alongside Zdeno Chara on Boston’s No. 1 pair — and in just 17 games in black and gold, Seidenberg proved Chiarelli right. (more…)