5 things you should know about 2009-10 Providence Bruins
11:29 AM Sat, Oct 03, 2009 | Permalink | Write the first
comment
Email
 |
 |
Projo Bruins Blog |
September 27, 2009 - October 3, 2009 Archives
« September 20, 2009 - September 26, 2009 |
Front page |
Archives
| October 4, 2009 - October 10, 2009 »
October 3
By MARK DIVVER Two seasons ago, the Providence Bruins won 55 games and ran away with the Atlantic Division. Last spring, they reached the Calder Cup semifinals. This year, there's every indication that the good times will roll again. The Bruins have replaced one top goalie, Tuukka Rask, with another, Dany Sabourin. The defense -- even without Johnny Boychuk, the best defenseman in the league last year -- is deeper. The offense will miss high-scoring Martin St. Pierre, but should reap increased production from an impressive crop of good young forwards. As long as they aren't decimated by injuries, callups or trades, Providence should be in the hunt for the division title. Before the puck is dropped Sunday afternoon at the Dunkin Donuts Center, here are five things you should know about this year's team: PROSPECTS From Quebec to British Columbia, Finland to the Czech Republic, Alaska to New England, Boston's scouting and drafting department is on a hot streak. The big league roster is sprinkled with homegrown talent like David Krejci, Milan Lucic, Mark Stuart and Matt Hunwick. And there are more players in the pipeline. No P-Bruins team in recent memory has had as many good young prospects as this year's team. There are top 10 draft picks like Zach Hamill out of the Western Hockey League, and late-round picks from Eastern Europe such as Vladimir Sobotka. Jeff Penner was playing college hockey in Anchorage before signing with Boston as a free agent. No team in the Atlantic Division has as deep a list of prospects: Sobotka, Hamill, Penner, Brad Marchand, Jeff LoVecchio, Mikko Lehtonen, Jamie Arniel, Adam McQuaid. GOALTENDING As good as Rask was the past two years, he never won the AHL's best goalie award, as Sabourin did in 2005-06. The 6'4'' netminder spent a good part of last season in the NHL -- he played the bulk of the games while Pittsburgh starter Marc-Andre Fleury was injured. Still only 29 and on a one-year contract, Sabourin should be motivated to have a big year and try to earn another shot in the NHL. COACHING If there were an award for rookie coach of the year in the AHL, Rob Murray would have been a strong candidate last season. Murray's assistant, Bruce Cassidy, was an NHL head coach in Washington at age 37. There aren't many coaching tandems as good in the AHL. TOUGHNESS WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION Brad Marchand drives opponents nuts with nonstop trash talk. Just ask the Worcester Sharks, who were thrown off their game by his antics during last spring's playoffs. Marchand can play the game, too. He has better than average hands and might be the team's fastest skater. Expect the 21-year-old winger to see some time in Boston this year. 
October 2
By MARK DIVVER PROVIDENCE -- Of course Vladimir Sobotka would rather be in the NHL. What 22-year-old hockey player wouldn't? Sobotka was the best player on the ice at Friday morning's practice, according to coach Rob Murray, despite his disappointment over being demoted to the Providence Bruins. Afterward, Sobotka said all the right things about the front office's unexpected decision to send him down to save some salary cap dollars. "We are over the cap and that's why they send me down,'' Sobotka said. "They said I'll be back soon.'' Sobotka got the bad news from general manager Peter Chiarelli and coach Claude Julien on Tuesday. "I have to start here, and we'll see,'' said Sobotka, a native of the Czech Republic. "It's just business, not hockey. They tell me I play good. When I started (the exhibition games), it wasn't that good, but I finished really well. That's what they said. It's not about hockey, it's about business.'' Sobotka said the temporary setback won't deter him from someday being an NHL regular. "I always want to play in NHL, you know, so I'm not gonna stop now. I'm always going to play 100 percent.'' "We're working on getting those two players signed. I would anticipate, hopefully, working something out with them" by Sunday's opener, said Boston assistant GM Don Sweeney, who was on the ice with the P-Bruins at Friday's practice. MacDermid, 20, was a fourth-round draft pick in June. A physical 6'3'' 200-pound left wing, MacDermid had a couple of fights in the exhibition season. He'll probably play a fourth-line role in Providence. Goulet, 21, was a sixth-round pick in 2007. He's a 6'3'' 195-pound right-shooting offensive defenseman. Goulet projects to be a number six or seven defenseman in Providence until he gains more experience. Some players might be chosen to wear the letters for Sunday's game, but a final decision probably won't be made until next weekend, Murray said. Trent Whitfield, signed as a free agent by Boston over the summer, was captain last season in Peoria. Murray has said that Adam McQuaid, who turns 23 next week, is possible captain material. Murray said he didn't know what plans Stuart and Fraser have, but that if they end up in the East Coast Hockey League, they could get another chance in Providence. "We liked Fraser. He's a guy we'll keep in mind for future,'' Murray said. "We'll keep tabs on (Stuart), if we ever had to get a veteran guy who's been around and can step right back in your lineup.'' "He's a good soldier. He wants to do whatever it takes to be here. He understands right now he might not be in the lineup right off the hop. He wants to work hard and this is where he wants to be. He was willing to sign a PTO and we'll go from there," Murray said. The Sobotka-Hamill-Marchand line is the first power-play unit, followed by Whitfield-LoVecchio-Lehtonen.
October 1
By MARK DIVVER PROVIDENCE -- And then there were three. Goalies, that is. Adam Courchaine, 20, has been sent to the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, where he will be an overage player, said Providence coach Rob Murray. That leaves netminders Dany Sabourin, Kevin Regan and Matt Dalton in Providence. Zach Hamill, Brad Marchand and Dany Sabourin were no-shows, too. That's because coach Rob Murray gave the team the day off. The P-Bruins will practice two more times -- Friday and Saturday -- before the opener on Sunday afternoon. Murray, though, said that he's not at all concerned that Sobotka will report to Providence with the wrong attitude. "Vladdy's the type of kid, I don't care how disappointed or how pissed off he might be, when the game starts, he goes hard. I'm not worried about that,'' Murray said.
Read the rest, write another...
September 30
In a surprise move, Vladimir Sobota was sent to Providence by the Boston Bruins on Wednesday afternoon, according to Providence coach Rob Murray. Sobotka played very well late in training camp and all indications were that he had won a job as Boston's fourth-line center. Sobotka had 1-6-7 totals in 48 games in Boston in 2007-08. He had 1-4-5 totals in 25 games in Boston last season, but spent most of the year in Providence.
"He got caught in a tough situation,'' Murray said. "Another contracted player is coming down and the numbers don't gibe. (Pineault) did everything he could in camp. He played well."
Read the rest, write another...
By MARK DIVVER PROVIDENCE -- No cuts. No signings. No decisions. No changes. In other words, says Providence Bruins coach Rob Murray, it's "Groundhog Day.'' Though Wednesday at The Dunk was the much like Tuesday, there was one exception. Twenty-six players skated, instead of 27. Goalie Adam Courchaine took a sick day. "We're just waiting to see how a few things shake out,'' Murray said. "In the big picture, you want the answers yesterday, but . . . . there's no hurry.'' Among the issues that are still undecided: And while Murray said that he and assistant Bruce Cassidy will probably go to the game to get a look at the Falcons, they will probably travel in separate cars. Murray, who lives in South Kingstown, will take backroads through Connecticut. Cassidy, who lives in Providence, will head north to the Mass. Pike.
September 29
By MARK DIVVER PROVIDENCE -- Twenty-seven players strong -- 5 lines, 4 defense pairs and 4 goalies -- the Providence Bruins practiced at the Dunkin Donuts Center this morning for the first time this season. Coach Rob Murray worked his players for a total of about 90 minutes, with a short break in the middle while ice was made. As of shortly after noon, Murray had not heard from Boston on any personnel changes or contract negotiations with unsigned players.
wrote, 5 lines, 4 defense pairs and 4 goalies... Read the rest, write another... September 28
By MARK DIVVER Just six days before Sunday's season-opener against Springfield, the Providence Bruins roster is still a work in progress. Free-agent forwards Adam Pineault, Jimmy Fraser and Brett Clouthier are being offered 25-game tryouts, coach Rob Murray said. "I like what he brings as far as scoring ability,'' Murray said of Pineault, who played for Syracuse and Rockford of the AHL last season. Fraser, a Harvard co-captain last season, is a gritty center. Clouthier, who had four fights in the exhibition season, brings toughness. The Bruins released forwards Jason Lawrence and T.J. Fox and sent defenseman/forward Scott Fletcher and defenseman Jared Ross to Reading of the East Coast Hockey League on Monday. That leaves 27 players in camp -- 15 forwards, 8 defensemen and 4 goalies. Unsigned draft picks Alain Goulet, a defenseman, and forward Lane MacDermid are also without contracts, so where they start the season remains to be determined. Free-agent defenseman Mike Stuart, older brother of Boston's Mark Stuart, has not been offered either a PTO or a contract, but remains in camp. The roster: Forwards -- Brad Marchand, Zach Hamill, Drew Larman, Guillaume Lefebvre, Trent Whitfield, Jamie Arniel, Matt Marquardt, Jordan Knackstedt, Mikko Lehtonen, Jeff LoVecchio, Kirk MacDonald, Adam Pineault, Jimmy Fraser, Brett Clouthier, Lane MacDermid Defensemen -- Andrew Bodnarchuk, Jeff Penner, Drew Fata, Andy Wozniewski, Rob Kwiet, Adam McQuaid, Mike Stuart, Alain Goulet Goalies -- Dany Sabourin, Kevin Regan, Matt Dalton, Adam Courchaine
Read the rest, write another...
The six players waived by the Boston Bruins for assignment to Providence went unclaimed by the noon deadline. Drew Fata, Drew Larman, Lefebvre, Dany Sabourin, Trent Whitfield and Andy Wozniewski worked out off the ice at the Dunkin Donuts Center while waiting to hear if they'd been claimed, said Providence coach Rob Murray. They will practice on the ice with the team on Tuesday.
Read the rest, write another...
BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Bruins are honoring late play-by-play announcer Fred Cusick by naming the home TV broadcast booth at the TD Garden in his honor. The "Fred Cusick Broadcast Booth" will be dedicated during the second period of the Bruins game Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The club will also install a silver microphone in a black and gold frame on a facade beneath the broadcast booth -- similar to a microphone that exists in honor of former Boston Celtics broadcaster, Johnny Most. Cusick began his career with radio broadcasts of the Bruins in 1952. He moved to television in 1971 and retired from calling games in 1997. He died Sept. 15 at age 90 after battling cancer.
The Providence Bruins opening night lineup just got a lot stronger. Zach Hamill and Brad Marchand were assigned to Providence by Boston this morning. Providence's opener is Sunday at 4 p.m against Springfield at The Dunk.
September 27
The Providence Bruins cut five players after Saturday night's 5-1 loss in Springfield in the final exhibition game. Released were Tyson Marsh, Nick Tuzzolino, J.F. Boucher, Danick Bouchard and Chris Stevens, according to coach Rob Murray. Marsh and Tuzzolino are headed to Alaska of the East Coast Hockey League, while Boucher, Bouchard and Stevens will join Reading of the ECHL. Earlier on Saturday, the Boston Bruins promoted Don Sweeney to assistant general manager and trimmed their roster to 24. Forwards still in Boston from last year's P-Bruins team are Vladimir Sobotka, Brad Marchand and Zach Hamill. As expected, Tuukka Rask won the backup goalie job and Johnny Boychuk is the seventh defenseman. Boston waived six players for the purpose of assignment to Providence: Drew Fata, Drew Larman, Lefebvre, Dany Sabourin, Trent Whitfield and Andy Wozniewski. If they are not claimed by another NHL team by midday Monday, they will report to Providence. Mikko Lehtonen, Jeff LoVecchio, Adam McQuaid and Kirk MacDonald also were sent to Providence. Providence will make additional cuts on Monday, Murray said. Here's how Providence's roster shapes up as of Sunday morning: Providence players under contract: Forwards -- Jamie Arniel, Matt Marquardt, Jordan Knackstedt, Mikko Lehtonen, Jeff LoVecchio, Kirk MacDonald. Defensemen -- Andrew Bodnarchuk, Jeff Penner, Rob Kwiet, Adam McQuaid. Going through waivers: Drew Fata (D), Drew Larman (F), Guillaume Lefebvre (F), Dany Sabourin (G), Trent Whitfield (F) and Andy Wozniewski (D). The following free agents are still in Providence's camp: Adam Pineault, Jimmy Fraser, Brett Clouthier, T.J. Fox, Jason Lawrence, Scott Fletcher, Jared Ross, Mike Stuart and Brian McGuirk (injured). Unsigned draft picks in Providence: Alain Goulet, Lane MacDermid.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New photos
Authors
New posts
Projo blogs
Archives