Wheeler

No. 6: There were plenty of conventional unrestricted free agents set to become available last July 1, but the Boston Bruins’ first order of business was to ink one that hit the open market through a different route.

Forward Blake Wheeler, a three-year standout at the University of Minnesota, had made it clear that he was going to use a clause in the collective bargaining agreement to become a UFA July 1. From the time the spring semester ended until the week leading up to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, numerous NHL general managers attempted to woo the 6-foot-5, 208-pound former first-round pick (fifth overall in 2004) of the Phoenix Coyotes. Wheeler’s picking of the Bruins made a big enough impact to earn a place among the top 10 Bruins stories of the calendar year 2008. (more…)

It looks like just as the Montreal Canadiens are ready to get winger Andrei Kostitsyn back in the line-up, captain Saku Koivu is going to be out for a stretch.

In today’s Montreal Gazette, Pat Hickey reports that Koivu did not depart with the Habs for the start of their four-game road trip and is unlikely to join the club before its stops in Pittsburgh, Florida, Tampa Bay and New Jersey are completed.

MK: The Habs got plenty of practice playing without Koivu last season and still hung on to the top spot in the East. But now their organizational depth is again going to be tested the way the Bruins’ has so often these last couple of seasons. It should be interesting to see if the Hamilton pipeline is as powerful as the Providence one.

The Boston Bruins will try to not be intimidated by the “Men in Black” tonight in Raleigh, as the Carolina Hurricanes will wear their black alternate uniforms during the match-up at SBC Center.

Unlike the Bruins, who are undefeated (4-0-0) when wearing their black alternate sweaters, Carolina has managed just a 3-2-2 record in the new threads — including two straight shootout losses. (more…)

Little

The Boston Bruins will have their hands full Sunday night with Atlanta’s young sniper Bryan Little.

Little will go into the game at Philips Arena fresh off scoring five goals in his last two games, including a hat trick in a loss to Carolina Friday night, as Mike Knobler of the Journal-Constitution described.

In Friday’s paper, the Journal-Constitution had an interesting Q&A with Thrashers GM Don Waddell, who addressed the attendance situation, as well as the personnel situation, with his club. It’s worth a read.

Staal

The Boston Bruins could be catching a break tonight when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, as the ‘Canes not only played last night in Atlanta but also played an emotionally-charged game — a contest they won, 5-4.

Eric Staal had to score a third-period hat trick to off set Bryan Little’s hat trick for the Thrashers (the Bruins’ opponent Sunday) and lift Carolina to victory, as Chip Alexander of the News & Observer describes.

Reading about the Phoenix Coyotes’ disastrous financial situation in a story this week by David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail got me thinking about players currently wearing a Coyotes sweater that the Bruins might want should Phoenix decide it has to cut payroll.

During a quick glance down the Coyotes’ roster only two names jumped out, and really neither works too well for the Bruins. (more…)

Ryder

No. 7: There were any number of way Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli could’ve spent his free agent money last summer.

He could’ve cleared some cap space to go for a huge fish for up front like Marian Hossa, he could’ve addressed the defense with a pursuit of Wade Redden or Brian Campbell, or he could’ve held onto the money and waited to see if the exact same team from last year would improve on its own.

What he opted to do was lure winger Michael Ryder to Boston. And that decision, along with the impact Ryder has had on the 2008-09 edition of the Bruins, is important enough to earn its spot on the list of Top 10 Bruins Stories of ’08. (more…)

Rask

WORCESTER, Mass. — With the Boston Bruins out of town, I decided to take in the future of the franchise at the DCU Center, as Providence visited the Worcester Sharks.

While the shot count might’ve been a little skewed toward the home team, Providence goaltender Tuukka Rask still had a standout night with 46 saves during regulation and overtime, and four saves in the shootout, in a 3-2 win.

“There was a lot of shots. But our guys blocked most of those shots pretty well. And I saw most of them well,” said Rask, the prized Boston prospect. (more…)

St. Pierre

He’s only skated for a little more than 20 minutes combined in the two games since he’s joined the big club, but Providence call-up Martin St. Pierre has done enough to reaffirm the positive beliefs Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien had about him dating back even before training camp.

Julien saw enough of St. Pierre during the center’s junior days and time in the AHL to know he’d come in handy down the road. And for good measure, Bruins assistant coach Geoff Ward coached St. Pierre in the Edmonton organization and also had faith that the 5-foot-9 could boost the Bruins at some point. (more…)

Bergeron

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien confirmed today after practice at Ristuccia Arena that center Patrice Bergeron is still at home following the concussion he suffered Dec. 20 vs. Carolina.

“I know for a fact today was better than yesterday,” Julien said about Bergeron, who has been out of the line-up since his collision with Hurricanes defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.

Julien said that there’s still no timetable for a Bergeron return. (more…)

Ward

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Boston Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward didn’t join his teammates on their pre-Christmas road trip to St. Louis and New Jersey so he could skate on his own and speed his recovery from an ankle injury.

Today he went through practice with the full squad at Ristuccia Arena and said after that he will travel for the Bruins’ upcoming three-game jaunt to Carolina, Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

“My target was the day I came back in Atlanta, so we’re revisiting the scene of the crime. Hopefully I play at some point in this road trip,” he explained.

Ward was originally injured Nov. 29 against Detroit. After he missed four games he returned for the game in Atlanta Dec. 12. Two shifts in, he left with a reaggravation of the injury. He started skating again a few days later and today he double checked that he wouldn’t have a repeat of what went down in Atlanta the last time.

“We just tested it. We did what I did last time when I hurt it. And it’s fine,” he said.

Head coach Claude Julien said Ward will take the pregame skate with the team tomorrow in Raleigh and then decisions will be made.

WILMINGTON, Mass. — After the two-day, collective bargaining agreement-mandated break for Christmas Eve and Day, the Boston Bruins are back on the ice this morning for practice at Ristuccia Arena.

There are 13 forwards on the ice, including Petteri Nokelainen, who is wearing a red no-contact jersey as he continues on the road to a return from an upper-body injury. In addition to both goaltenders, there are seven defenseman, including Aaron Ward. Ward is in the usual black uniform despite the fact that he too is recovering from an injury (ankle).

I’ll have more as the day unfolds.

Wideman

No. 8: When he was acquired by the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline in 2007, defenseman Dennis Wideman became Public Enemy No. 1.

Not only had the Bruins dealt away popular forward Brad Boyes to acquire Wideman, but the blueliner’s struggles in his own end and with the puck on the breakout made a Bruins squad that was sinking toward the bottom of the league look even worse.

Well, what a difference a year made. By the time the 2007-08 season came to a close, Wideman had earned his spot as the club’s No. 2 defenseman behind Zdeno Chara. And when it came time to re-up with the 25-year-old restricted free agent, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli did what he had to do — signing Wideman to a four-year deal worth a reported $15.75 million. The commitment Boston made to Wideman, and the Ontario native’s development as a top-notch puck-mover, were grand enough to earn a spot on the list of Top 10 Bruins stories of ’08. (more…)

Thomas

No. 9: He’s always been rejected throughout this hockey career.

Before he emerged as the Boston Bruins’ go-to puck-stopper a couple seasons ago, Tim Thomas had to play in numerous leagues on a number of continents in various countries to keep his professional career going.

Although he’d proved many critics wrong ever since his return to the NHL in 2006, Thomas still couldn’t avoid the snubs. Off to a great start to the 2007-08 season, Thomas was leading the NHL in save percentage and sat ninth in goals-against average when the Eastern Conference All-Star reserves (Thomas had had no chance of starting because he was left off the ballot) were announced. But he wasn’t among those selected and expected to not be heading to the 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta.

Then just a week and a half later, he was added as a last-minute injury replacement. Thomas proudly ignored the previous insults and went to the game to represent the Bruins at the midseason classic. Thomas’ All-Star selection was important enough to earn its spot among the Bruins’ top 10 moments of calendar year 2008. (more…)

Kobasew

It’s hard to gauge Chuck Kobasew’s value to the Boston Bruins.

You can look at his five goals and 10 assists this season and get a solid idea that he’s a productive second- or third-line winger who’s received a respectable amount of first-unit power-play time.

His plus-8 rating tells you that he’s been reliable throughout the season, even if he’s been a minus-3 since the calendar flipped to December.

But the ingredient he brings to the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins isn’t a number-related element. It’s something you have to see with your own eyes. (more…)