Projo Bruins Blog

By MARK DIVVER
Assistant Sports Editor

PROVIDENCE -- The Providence Bruins couldn't help but notice Guillaume Lefebvre last season. How can you miss a guy who keeps trying to punch you in the face?

Lefebvre fought 20 times while playing for the Springfield Falcons in 2008-09, and five of those bouts were against Providence. Lefebvre didn't pick on any pushovers, either, trading punches with Jonathan Tremblay (twice), Jeremy Reich, Johnny Boychuk and Byron Bitz.

So when Bruins management surveyed the free-agent market last summer, Lefebvre got a ringing endorsement from Providence coach Rob Murray and assistant Bruce Cassidy.

After coming to Bruins camp on a tryout, Lefebvre earned himself a one-year contract that pays him $67,500 in the AHL and $500,000 in the NHL. He may have sealed the deal with a lengthy bout in which he bloodied the face of Montreal's Greg Stewart in a Sept. 24 preseason game.

"We identified Guillaume last year and developed an appreciation for what he brings to the table, playing against him, and felt like he would be a big piece of (Providence's team) and our depth up in Boston,'' said Don Sweeney, Boston assistant general manager.

"He's a hard-nosed kid that plays a responsible game. He's been nothing but a professional with our younger players and acquitted himself great in training camp and has earned his opportunities in Boston.''

Lefebvre, 28, has been recalled by Boston three times already, but has played in only one game. In Providence, heading into Saturday night's game at Lowell, Lefebvre had a goal and an assist in nine games, along with four fights and 78 penalty minutes.

At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Lefebvre isn't a heavyweight, but he's willing to take on anyone.

"He plays hard and he's hard to play against. He seems to get under guys' skin,'' said Murray. "Every game so far, there's a lot of jawing (at him) out there. I like him. He knows his job.''

Lefebvre has scored two goals in 39 NHL games with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As a pro, his career-high in goals is 19 with the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2001-02.

"I've been trying to reward him with more ice time in offensive situations,'' said Murray. "He deserves it and he's a decent enough player he can play some extra time on the power play when other guys aren't getting the job done.''

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Heading into Saturday night's game with Buffalo, Boston's power play was the NHL's worst, at 10.9 percent. The parent team's coaching staff could do worse than to ask the P-Bruins' Cassidy for his opinion on the situation. Cassidy, a former NHL head coach with Washington, is in charge of the Providence power play, which was fourth in the AHL before Saturday night's games, at a 22 percent success rate.


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Montreal acquired defenseman Jay Leach, a Providence College grad and a former P-Bruins captain, on waivers from New Jersey. Now NESN's Kathryn Tappen, Leach's wife, will get to experience the Boston-Montreal rivalry from the other side.


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Alex Fallstrom, 19, the Swedish winger acquired from Minnesota along with Craig Weller in the Chuck Kobasew trade, is taking a regular shift as a freshman for Harvard coach Ted Donato.

"We're happy about being able to acquire this player,'' said Sweeney. "He's a big, strong kid that has a little finish and plays a North American style down below the tops of the circles in the cycling game, and has a real good release.''

 Tags  Boston Bruins Providence Bruins

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