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…)

Colborne

No. 10: As a first-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins, Joe Colborne might have wanted to avoid comparisons to another “Jumbo Joe” on draft night last June.

But the 6-foot-6, 196-pound native of Calgary didn’t shy away from the comparisons to Joe Thornton or the nickname after the Bruins selected him 16th overall in Ottawa.

“A few guys on my team would call me that too. But I definitely look up to him as a role model, as an idol,” Colborne said of the since-jettisoned captain of the Bruins. “So if I could have anything near the career that he’s had, I would be more than happy.”

Even a peek at Colborne’s pro career might be two or three years away, but the Bruins’ decision to use their first-round draft pick on the current University of Denver forward was big enough to be the No. 10 Bruins story of 2008. (more…)

Thomas

Well, that was a brief slump for Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas.

The veteran puck-stopper, who lasted just two periods and allowed five goals in an 8-5 win in his last start Dec. 18, returned to form after just that one off game and shut out the New Jersey Devils, 2-0, tonight with 25 saves.

The shutout was his 10th of his NHL career and his first against New Jersey. Thomas is now 11-1-1 in his last 13 starts.

•Phil Kessel’s point-scoring streak ended at 18 games. As Versus told us incessantly tonight, that tied the record by a U.S.born player set by Eddie Olczyk in 1989-90 with Toronto.

•But Milan Lucic is now on a streak of his own. His goal gave him an eight-game point streak, during which he’s posted 4-4-8 totals.

•Merry Christmas to all readers of thebruinsblog.net. While I’ll be resting up a bit, I’ll still be posting plenty of Bruins stories, including a look at the top 10 Bruins stories of 2008.

Wheeler

When July 1 rolled around, there were a number of ways Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli could’ve gone into the free-agent pool and a potpourri of unrestricted free agents he could’ve pursued.

But in the week leading up to the opening of the free-agent market, Chiarelli had already secured a talented, large player with the ability to play both wing and center, play both ends of the rink, and score in any number of ways. Although Blake Wheeler didn’t have the NHL pedigree of fellow unrestricted free agents Marian Hossa, Michael Ryder, Andrew Brunette, Sean Avery, Wade Redden or Brian Campbell, the Bruins’ scouts obviously saw the potential.

Wheeler, a former first-round pick of Phoenix, had become a UFA after his junior season at the University of Minnesota by using a glitch in the collective bargaining agreement. By the end of training camp, the Bruins’ front office personnel and coaching staff had witnessed the maturity, skill and strength Wheeler possessed … and the rest, as they say, is history. (more…)

The Boston Bruins might have written the book on busting through to the playoffs despite a rash of injuries to key people — including star center Patrice Bergeron — last season, but this year the New Jersey Devils are rewriting that tome and making the tale even less believable.

No one could have predicted the success the Devils have had since future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur went out of the line-up with an elbow injury after the Devils’ Nov. 1 win. But heading into tonight’s home date with the Bruins, New Jersey is still sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference, just one point out of fifth. Since the loss of Brodeur, New Jersey has compiled a 13-7-1 record, mostly with former Boston College standout Scott Clemmensen (11-1-1 in his last 13 outings) filling in between the pipes. (more…)

Vanderbeek

There will be plenty of defense tonight at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., because, as Mark Everson in the New York Post points out, the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils are one and two, respectively, in the Eastern Conference in goals allowed heading into the game.

Meanwhile, even in these terrible economic times, New Jersey owner Jeff Vanderbeek expects his club to be profitable for the second straight year, according to Rich Chere in The Star-Ledger.

Sobotka

If you want to take a break from texting in your votes for Marc Savard, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron (not to mention your write-in votes for Tim Thomas) to represent the Boston Bruins at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal, you can log on and show some love for the Providence Bruins who are candidates for the 2009 AHL All-Star Game in Worcester.

Center Vladimir Sobotka, currently with the parent club, is a forward candidate for PlanetUSA. Sobotka has put up 10-11-21 totals in 17 AHL games this season.

Winger Martins Karsums, who earlier this month skated in one NHL game for Boston, and Mikko Lehtonen are also a candidates at forward for PlanetUSA . In 31 games with the P-Bruins, Karsums is the team’s second-leading scorer with 12-18-30 totals. Lehtonen has put up 7-7-14 totals. (more…)

Jones

There’s just something a little eery about Philadelphia defenseman Randy Jones returning to the Flyers line-up, as Ed Moran reports in the Philadelphia Daily News, one day after Patrice Bergeron has to exit the Boston Bruins line-up due to his second concussion in 14 months.

It was Jones, of course, who started Bergeron’s troubles with a hit from behind in October 2007. Bergeron suffered a Grade 3 concussion and missed the remainder of the season, including the playoffs. Jones has had his own injury problems and underwent hip surgery this October.

I guess these two players will always be interlocked. And now the awaited match-up between Jones and the Flyers and Bergeron and the Bruins for Feb. 4 is questionable because of Bergeron’s iffy status. It’s a shame.

The New Jersey Devils are pretty hot and should present a stiff challenge to the Boston Bruins, who will visit the Prudential Center Tuesday night.

Sunday the Devils prevailed in a shootout, 3-2, over Philadelphia, as Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger reports. Chere also reports on Johnny Oduya getting ticked off enough to attempt to drop the gloves.

The Bergen Record reports that former Bruins forward Brian Rolston, a New Jersey free agent signee last summer, is starting to feel like his old self. And Mark Everson of the New York Post lauds goaltender Scott Clemmensen, who is 11-1-1 in his last 13 starts.

Krejci

With offensive superstars like Marc Savard and Phil Kessel ahead of him in the Boston Bruins’ line-up, it can be difficult for center David Krejci to get some attention.

Well, if he keeps having weeks like last week, he’ll always be in the same sentence as his more famous cohorts. In three games during the week that ended Dec. 21, Krejci posted 4-3-7 totals and a plus-3 rating. For his efforts, he is the Bruins of the Week. (more…)

Ryder

Michael Ryder’s power-play goal 9:34 into the second period broke a 3-3 tie and put the Boston Bruins ahead to stay en route to a 6-3 win at Scottrade Center. Here’s the game story from Yahoo.

Ryder is now officially on fire. The veteran winger now has seven goals (three game-winners) in the Bruins’ last eight games.

•Meanwhile, rookie winger Blake Wheeler won the battle of the Calder Trophy candidates by scoring two goals in the game’s opening4:59 and finishing the night at plus-1. (more…)

Bergeron

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli released the following statement at 3 p.m. today about the status of center Patrice Bergeron, who left Saturday’s game after a collision with Carolina’s Dennis Seidenberg.

“After first being treated at the TD Banknorth Garden yesterday, Patrice was diagnosed as having sustained a concussion, and was admitted to Mass General Hospital under the care of Dr. Peter Asnis.

Since being admitted to MGH Patrice has undergone extensive testing, and all of the results have come back normal. When examined this morning, his condition had improved greatly over last night, and he was released from the hospital. There is no timetable for his return to the ice.”

Leach

The Boston Bruins will be in New Jersey for a date with the Devils Tuesday. That game will give them a chance to face former Bruins bluliner Jay Leach, who seems to have found a NHL home with the Devils according to Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger.

Leach, of course, is also the nephew of former Bruins forward Steve Leach.

Wideman

It’s two months shy of the two-year anniversary of the trade-deadline-day deal Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli made to acquire defenseman Dennis Wideman from St. Louis for forward Brad Boyes.

Tonight, for the first since that trade, Wideman will get the chance to skate against his former team in his old home arena, the Scottrade Center, when the Bruins square off with the Blues.

“I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be a little bit exciting there,” Wideman told thebruinsblog.net before the Bruins left for St. Louis. “I still have some people there I keep in contact with. It’ll be good to get back there. But it’ll be nice going in there.” (more…)