1. Thomas. Without a solid goaltender you've got no chance to win.

2. Chara.     Presence on D and a freak of nature who can play more minutes than almost anyone in the league without exhausting himself. Plus it's rare to have a D who can add 15-20 goals.

3. Savard. Every team needs a highly skilled sniper/playmaker. Without Savard the B's are a pretty ordinary team.

4. Krejci.  The other type of offensive player every team needs--a brilliant assist man who makes everyone around him better. On-ice intelligence, vision, and the upside of being a young kid who's got a lot of potential to improve over time. Critical.

5. Kessel (or a comporable replacement, which they aint gonna have if he's gone). I know Lucic is the popular pick here, but i'm not buying it. The elite teams (Pittsburgh, Washington, Detroit) have multiple scoring threat lines. The Bruins' achilles heel in the past has always been being a 1-line team (think the 1990 squad that leaned on Neely for the lion's share of its scoring punch). With Kessel in the fold you have youth, speed, and another serious scoring threat that will wear other teams down. Consider the fact that Kessel led the team with 36 goals last season AND he missed two huge chunks of time due to injury and a case on mono! The guy could have poured in 45-50 had he been healthy all year. Plus he has some of the best wheels in the game. Speed kills. Sign him...somehow, some way, or get ready for a reduced offensive output in 2010.

Honorable mentions:

Blake Wheeler....youth, potential, smarts.

Matt Hunwick....same, but on D.

Lucic...go ahead, Looch...show me you're the next Neely. (Or at least the next Roenick). Then I'll Mea Culpa up down and backwards

Kobasew: Can't beat his grit and 2-way game. Good for 20-25 goals if he stays healthy.

On the fence:

Derek Morris.
I liked this signing at first glance but then I read he can't skate anymore. Great. Just what we need--the 2nd coming of Hal Gill.

Mark Recchi.
Love the guy. Love his game. But he could be hockey's version of John Smoltz by next year.

1. Yelle
2. Hnidy
3. Axelsson
4. Fernandez
5. Montador

timmy thomas
timmy thomas
timmy thomas
timmy thomas
all other US born players on the bruins roster

lol

In Response to Re: Give me your TOP 5...:


quite shocked.  I would have predicted Kanes would have said
1 TT
2 TT
3 TT
4 TT
5 TT
6 TT
7 TT
8 TT
9 TT
10 TT

signed
Drunk Data Entry Clerk

TryToBearIt - one flaw with your philosophy - The Bruins have 3 highly talented lines right now that can put goals in. All 3 line have 2-3 20+ goal scorers which is scary for opposing teams. In order to keep Kessel you will lose some of that depth you have thru your 3 lines.

My top 5:
Thomas - all starts from the crease
Chara - Capt and shut-down man
Savard - Highest offensive skilled player - makes others around him better (Yup I'm looking at 81)
Krecji - Also makes players around him better and is a great #2 center
Lucic - I'm buying it - because he can change the momentum of a game, can put the puck in the net and strikes fear in opposing D going back into there own zone chasing a puck in the corner.

Honorable Mention:
Sturm returning from injury - has potential to be a 40 goal scorer, Morris stepping in as the #2 D-man, Bergeron - great complete package player - has a lot to prove this season.

1) Marc Savard
2) Zdeno Chara
3) Patrice Bergeron
4) Tim Thomas
5) Milan Lucic

To BradyBruin:

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on Lucic vs. Kessel, but I'll say this: I hope you're right and I'm wrong, because it does seem likely Kessel will not be a part of the 2010 team.

Agree as well w/an honorable mention on Sturm...w/out making excuses, I would like to have seen that series w/Carolina with him in the line-up for Boston...here's hoping he's healthy all season in 2010-11 and can make up for Kessel's absence.

1)Thomas
2)Lucic - Passion
3)Savard - creativity (best passer I have seen since oates)
4)Chara - Tall
5)Stuart - most consistent

In Response to Re: Give me your TOP 5...:


Beautiful!

It's all about the centers and a couple of make or break years no order necessary...

                                    Marc Savard
                                    Patrice Bergeron
                                    David Krejci
                                    Marco Sturm
                                    Dennis Wideman

PS. Don't have to worry about Wheeler because finesse players don't have to fight!

Gotta go with :

1.Chara
2.Savard
3.Lucic
4.Thomas
5.Kessel/Krejci (who to put in that spot, hey now I know how PC felt this off season : )

1) thomas
2)chara
3)savard
4)krejci
5)lucic

1) Zdeno Chara
2) Tim Thomas
3) Marc Savard
4) Milan Lucic
5) blake wheeler

wheeler needs to prove that he can play a full season in the nhl

This post has been removed.

lucic, savard,chara,thomas, (kessel if signed  lol)not signed then, reccie

1) Savard
2) Thomas
3) Chara
4) Krecji
5) Lucic

1a. Tim Thomas
1b. Zdeno Chara
3. Mark Savard
4. Milan Lucic
5. David Krejci