Ference back as Bruins shift focus to Leafs
Ference/By S. Bradley
WILMINGTON, Mass. — As head coach Claude Julien explained yesterday, Andrew Ference took a maintenance day while his teammates practiced.
Today Ference returned to the fray at Ristuccia Arena.
Ference’s return gave the Bruins seven healthy defensemen, 13 forwards and two goaltenders.
They’ll leave after today’s practice to start a home-and-home series with Toronto Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
More later.
Hey Cormac,
Your in the minority on your own board. I get along fine with the commentators on this board. If you don’t like it, maybe it’s time to find something else to do with your time.
Hey RD,
Find a hab board where they appreciate your blathering.
@George
Agree 100%. I don’t see why the Bruins should change anything. They overpower teams that try to go toe to toe and squeak past the faster teams. Either way, the Bruins are in winning form at the moment. No need to self destruct just to grab the dangling carrot.
And no worries about mentioning Cooke. Bringing it up to point out the fact that the rule didn’t exist is fine. Drawing parallels like Shanahan did on the other hand is something else.
Hey Cormac,
Why you gotta spoil the nice atmosphere?
Why don’t you go drink 6-7 gallons of apple juice. I read it has arsenic in it.
I remember the hit clearly. It wasn’t pretty but he wasn’t suspended for it. Clearly this is the benchmark for you guys. Was Lucic dirty on Miller? No. Was Chara dirty for the stanchion hit? Positively no because nobody was suspended.
@RD speaking for myself the Cooke hit itself was different than Max’s, I agree on that. The reason I brought it up was because of JPT asking why Cooke was not suspended and Max was. I also agree on that the league is still being inconsistent with the discipline concerning headshots.
Trading for Bobby Ryan makes no sense to me, dismantling this team after what they have done in November is nuts. Wait until the deadline and look to upgrade Pouliots’s spot on the 3rd line LW.
MattK,
Any quarterly report on the Bruins players???
I hope Ference is playing tonight because we could certainly use him against a strong Toronto team.
John,
You’re reference to Pacioretty’s dirty hit on Eaton went by the boards, wonder why?
The deal with Cooke is that he would smugly sit there and act like ‘Well, I didn’t break any rules so la-tee-da’. To boot, he was a serial offender.
Bruins16, re: PK. He’s never going to win a popularity contest in Boston. Honestly, if Gill ended up between Horton, Lucic and PK, it was probably on orders from Martin. Martin would rather PK not fight (or anyone for that matter). PK is going to be a great player and we forget that he’s only had 1 season. When was the last time you saw multiple heavyweights from a team chase after a rookie like that? PK stands his ground when he has to and Hal steps in when he thinks he needs to. It might not be popular in your eyes and I can understand that but the club has an asset to protect.
Look at Souray. Here was a guy who could do it all. His shot was just about as hard as Chara’s, he could fight and he had size. What happened to him? Fractured hand? Fractured wrist before that?…how? Fighting.
So you take a 65 pt, 26 goal a year defenseman and lose him completely because a goon wants to fight him? I see the logic in protecting PK. The only problem I have is that sometimes PK feels he needs to prove himself and does end up having a fight. If he breaks that hand, his opponents are laughing because the habs lose a 26 min/game defenseman with offensive upside. The habs are crying because Josh Gorges becomes your #1 defenseman.
RD
You’re right I believe I misspoke when I said second suspension. I was thinking of his dirty hit on Mark Eaton a year ago, and I thought there was a suspension for that, but maybe there was not.
RD
Sometimes the best deals you make are the ones you don’t. I don’t think that Ryan is a good fit for Boston, especially if the asking price is what I read in the Bleacher Report. Regarding P.K., he brings it on himself. I have seen him hide behind linesman and Gil, when Lucic or Horton have been in hot pursuit.
But I do like Beaulieu, and I think the Habs got a real good pick with him as the 22nd pick over-all.( You guys will probably trade him before he gets to the NHL)
Frankly, Cooke should be out of hockey for his hits.
Hey John, well you know we’re a sensitive bunch up here so we’re generally offended by this. Max made a mistake, he’s been up front about that and has repeatedly apologized indicating he’s at fault. For the league to take this kid, who’s had a bad injury himself from a head shot and compare him to the poster boy for injuring people on purpose is unfair (at least in my book). They could have picked a number of guys to compare him to without bringing up Cooke.
Also, I’m not aware of any previous suspensions. This is his first to my knowledge. Reputations start somewhere though. He now has 1 suspension on his docket but considering karma, I don’t think he should push his luck in this department. Just about everyone that has a bad concussion becomes more susceptible to the next so he should probably keep his head up and his play clean.
@RD, I think the intention of using the Cooke hit on Savard as a comparison was that the head was the principle point of intentional contact. You’re right, beyond that the similarities aren’t there. Although Pacioretty might be getting a bit of a reputation now with his second suspension.
The general consensus in Montreal was that Pacioretty was going to be suspended.
What didn’t go over well was the comparison to Cooke-Savard.
1) Savard never saw Cooke coming. Letang is clearly seen facing Max before taking his shot and therefore that element of surprise is not there.
2) Letang’s head position changed very late resulting in the head shot.
3) Cooke is a cheap shot artist that is out to injure guys. Max is tentative to even hit people now because he is unsure if he would end up being concussed.
The other thing that is frustrating is consistency. For me personally, when I look at the Malone Campoli hit, I see it as much more late and much more deliberate. Suspend one, suspend them all. Big picture, headshots have to go.
Ah man. Am I too late to this party?
Trading for Ryan:
Getting rid of Pouliot will probably get you a bag of pucks and a 7 month pregnant islander ice girl (with cigarette in mouth). There’s no way Ryan comes along for that little. Montreal would have to get rid of a lot more than Darche and Paluchaj. I’m thinking Anaheim would ask for either PK or Pacioretty in the deal. You would have to give up a young good player with a small salary. Sure, Ryan is not doing well right now but he’s regarded as a young marquee player and Anaheim knows people are eyeing Ryan.
Darche is a great team player but to be honest, he really isn’t producing this year. It’s hard to tell what has happened from one year to the next but he only has a single point this year and doesn’t seem to be playing well at all. Since he’s been a borderline minor leaguer all these years, it may be that he peaked with his performances the last couple years. If the Bruins want him, go ahead and make a decent offer:) (not that the trade would ever happen)
I know you guys like to pick on PK but I don’t think he really hides behind Gill. He’s had a few fights now and to be honest, he’s a better fighter than big Hal. Remember when Chara the senator obliterated Gill the Bruin?
As for drafting 5’8 defensemen, not true at all. This past year we drafted Nathan Beaulieu 6’3, last year Jarred Tinordi 6’6, and sadly not that long ago Ryan McDonaugh of the rangers (for GOMEZ!!!).
We have big defensemen on the way. We tend to somehow pickup up mini-defensemen from the swiss league. Diaz and Weber today, Streit a few years back…
Looks like I missed all the fun.
But let me add to it a little, if I’m not too late. My money says that if Ryan is traded, he’ll end up with a leaf on his chest. Let’s not forget it was Burke who drafted the kid, and this is just the kind of deal Burke lives for.
How they package the picks and bodies… I won’t pretend to know that team well enough to venture a guess.
JPT
George said it pretty well. It seems like you want to go back to the Wayne Cashman/Yvon Lambert days. I enjoy your posts as well! You do fit the definition of a Hab fan, “you can always tell if there is a Hab fan around, you just can’t tell him very much”. The second definition, “nobody ever beats Montreal; they just didn’t play well”.
P.S. I’m sure the Habs won’t part with P.K. until Hal Gill retires, then he won’t have anyone to run behind. You guys keep drafting those 5’8″ defenseman who skate like the wind, but mail it in during the playoffs and the Bruins will be fine. Darche must have been a free agent, he plays too hard to be Hab draft pick.
I have to say that I find it unlikely after watching replays of the Lucic hit that Miller was actually concussed by Lucic. I suspect that he was injured when Seguin was pushed into him.
JPT, I like reading your posts so I hope you keep them coming. The reason why Cooke was not suspended was because the rule Pacioretty broke did not exist at the time. Paille was suspended 4 games for IMO almost the exact same hit, which is more than Max got even though he has a dirty hit on his resume and Paille did not. Just like when Colin Campbell explained that the rules at the time did not warrant a suspension on Cooke, the rules now do. Lucic did not hit Miller in the head, Chara did not hit Max in the head either. Paille and Pac hit someone in the head and they were suspended.
Bruin16,
Plus I didn’t even mention the Chara farce. So I guess it is OK to break someone’s neck and get no suspension but if you break someones nose, the league will throw the book at you. Does Shanahan and Campbell just pick the suspension out of their…you know what.
Bruin16,
I was not surprised one bit by Paciortty’s suspension. The only thing that surprised me is that he didn’t get more. It is further evidence that the NHL has turned into a MickeyMouse league and that Jeremy Jacobs is controlling Campbell and Shanahan like a bunch of puppets.
Shanahan compared Parioretty’s hit to Cooke’s on Savard. If it was like the COoke hit, well COoke got no suspension so why did Pacioretty. Ryan Malone did the same type of hit to Chris Campoli with no suspension. Lucic concusses Miller with suspension. Ference elbows Halpern to the head with no suspension. You are a good poster Bruin16 so I think you would admit that the league has turned into a joke.
As for PK going west, I think that is wishful thinking on your part as you probably don’t want PK playing the Bruins 8 times a year.
Bruins16,
Pouliot has been adequate, I feel the same way about him as you. At this point, CJ will give him every opportunity to succeed.
JPT
P.S. You don’t want to throw in Darche, he’s one of the few Habs I like.
JPT
Glad to see your still around! I thought after Shanahan threw the book at the “Twitter Thug” Paciorety, you might have gone underground. I don’t think Anaheim is going to jump at the deal I proposed, but I’m not that enthused about getting Ryan. Some nights he checks about as much as some of your Habs. The deal you proposed, you might reconsider and keep your third round pick and throw in P.K. Subban. He’d love the Western Divsion, since he wouldn’t have to see the Bruins that often.
JPT, that’s exactly what the Ducks would ask for
Bruin16,
No way The Ducks would trade Ryan for Pouliot, Hamill and a third. If they are that crazy, I hope Pierre Gauthier gets on the phone ahead of Cheerioselli and offers Mathieu Darche, Aaron Palushaj and a third for Ryan.
Any talk with Anahiem for Ryan would start with Hamilton or some mix of Marchand plus other high prospects.
George
I am not a big Pouliot fan. If you’ve followed by comments to this blog, you may have noticed. Pouliot for Bobby Ryan, throw in Zach Hamill, and a third round pick, that sounds okay.
@Bruins16, I totally agree with you. The only move I would make is upgrade Pouliots spot using picks and prospects not named Hamilton. Making a major move makes no sense to me with the team playing so well and a group of players that proved they can win a cup together. I should have added that to my post.
George
I do not want to see them send Hamilton out for Ryan. The Bruins thought they were lucky to get him where they picked at, in fact it was rumored that they had him 5th on their board, overall. Also, we have been playing very well and I don’t think they want to make any drastic changes.
McTeagle- you’re right about the B’s. Plenty of time for PC to see what they ‘might’ need between now and the trade deadline.
LOL about that Canes PMD.
I am a huge Bobby Ryan fan, but I would hate to see the Bruins changed much at this point. Ducks ought to talk to Carolina. I understand they’ve got a certain PMD they’re willing to part with.
Ducks are in desperate need of defensive help. Maybe Selanne won’t waive his no trade clause. I wonder if PC at least called to see what they want for Ryan, I’m sure their list would start with Hamilton or McQuaid.
Good news on the B’s health.
I’ve heard rumblings that Bobby Ryan may be on the trading block, since his move off of the Ducks top line. Pretty hard to believe. I’d expect a Selanne move before Ryan.