Age may catch up with team

OK, birthdays don't show up on the stat sheet, but they do factor significantly into the NHL's disintegrating collective bargaining agreement. Murray, who was back in the lineup for last night's 2-1 overtime victory over the Canucks on Causeway Street and had an assist, remains a man without a contract for next season, grouping him with a large number of teammates who are on course to become unrestricted free agents July 1.

Consider the potential mass Black-and-Gold exodus come the first week of July: Murray, Brian Rolston (who scored the winner in OT), Mike Knuble (who assisted on Rolston's score and had the other Bruins goal, his team-leading eighth), Ian Moran (who also assisted on the game-winner), Dan McGillis, Felix Potvin, Sean O'Donnell, Sandy McCarthy, Rob Zamuner, Travis Green, and Michal Grosek.

All are eligible to drift down the Charles and out of sight as of July 1 -- with nothing floating back Boston's way. Like a large number of the league's 30 teams, the Bruins have positioned themselves to be salary-lean with the hope that a new CBA, post-Sept. 15, will dramatically drive down wages across the board.

Another matter of dire concern is Joe Thornton's contract, which calls for a base salary of $5.5 million this season. He won't be an unrestricted free agent next summer, but he will be arbitration-eligible. Jumbo Joe easily could be awarded an annual salary in the $8 million-$10 million neighborhood.

The only club ever to walk away from arbitration decisions -- first Dmitri Khristich in 2000 and then Bryan Berard last year -- the Bruins wouldn't set Thornton free and get nothing in return. But at numbers that high, they might go looking for a suitor.

Different stripes

Ex-NHL referee Paul Stewart made his much-anticipated broadcast debut with the NESN crew last night. No penalty shots were called. Stewart, who wisely opted not to wear a black-and-white-striped sports jacket, said he felt the Canucks' "one hole" could be their lack of toughness. For Exhibit A he offered a first-period episode in which Finnish forward Jarkko Ruutu attempted to square off with Marty Lapointe. At some point, Stewie will have to explain his critique to Mssrs. Todd Bertuzzi and Ed Jovanovski, the Canucks' bruise bros. . . . Lapointe finally got a bout early in the second, squaring off with Bryan Allen. Prior to engaging, Lapointe twice was speared in the abdomen by goalie Daniel Cloutier, and then he absorbed a couple of whacks from Allen . . . Vancouver rookie pivot Jason King popped in his 10th goal -- tops among freshmen -- to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead in the first. King, the 212th pick in the 2001 draft, entered the evening tied with Boston rookie Patrice Bergeron for most points (11) among first-year players. It was King's fifth power-play goal; four of Bergeron's five strikes have come on the man advantage . . . Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, prior to the weekend, flirted with the idea of going with one goalie in the back-to-back games. However, after watching Felix Potvin blank the Blue Jackets Friday night, Sullivan went with Andrew Raycroft against the Canucks. "Our goalies have been our two best players all year," said Sullivan . . . Often starved for offensive production from the back line since the departure of Ray Bourque, the Bruins now have 24 points -- 5 goals, 19 assists -- from their defensemen. Moran and McGillis each picked up assists vs. Vancouver . . . The Bruins had a sizable shot advantage, 39-24, with Rolston (6) and Nick Boynton (5) leading the way . . . Boynton and Rolston joined the Dropkick Murphys on guitar during the local band's postgame performance.