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CLAUDE JULIEN Making a difference |
Hockey Notes
The Bruins sent four players to this weekend's NHL All-Star festivities in Atlanta, which should tell us that things are on the upswing along Causeway Street - not to be mistaken for the Canyon of Heroes of late. Zdeno Chara, Marc Savard, and Tim Thomas suit up for the varsity today, and hard-rock rookie Milan Lucic had his twirl yesterday with the junior varsity.
Nice. Sort of.
For all their star power, the Bruins went into the break in a footrace with about 10 teams for the final two or three playoff spots in the East. Parked in the seventh slot in the standings, with 55 points after 49 games, they stand to finish with 88 points if they go .500 for the remainder of the season. Considering they have gone 8-9-2 since Dec. 13, something around .500 the rest of the way sounds about right - unless the long list of injured players shortens dramatically, or general manager Peter Chiarelli can work some magic around the Feb. 26 trade deadline. Possible. But not probable.
What we know so far of the Chiarelli regime is that his best and worst hires were at the coaching position. Dave Lewis is a good guy, but if he had a system, no one could follow it, either on the ice or in the press box. Claude Julien didn't arrive here with any magic game plans, but his simple, steadfast, and accountable defensive approach is the main reason the club hasn't gone into the freefall it was in this time last season.
Given all the injuries, this roster arguably is inferior to the one of late January 2007. But the results and, most important, the club's shift-to-shift competitive edge, are better. That's coaching, beyond all reasonable doubt.
As for Chiarelli's ability to improve the roster, and make his squad more playoff-viable, the results have been uneven - though injuries to key players factor heavily in that assessment.
The team has been without Patrice Bergeron since Oct. 27. A hip flexor has had Glen Murray out since before Christmas. Manny Fernandez, acquired to be the No. 1 goalie, surrendered to season-ending knee surgery last month. Valued and versatile P.J. Axelsson went down two weeks ago with a foot fracture. Andrew Alberts, though he never suffered a concussion from a hit in the Nov. 26 game at Philadelphia, hasn't played since Dec. 15 because of post-concussion-like symptoms.
That makes five core players unavailable in the thick of the season. Credit to Julien for keeping it all afloat. Credit to the aforementioned All-Stars. Credit to the plug-in-and-use kids such as Petteri Nokelainen, David Krejci, Vladimir Sobotka, and Pascal Pelletier, all of whom were promoted from Providence (AHL). And let's not forget Glen Metropolit, who arrived here in September with only a tryout invitation in hand. He made it as a walk-on, and on many nights has led the club in passion and pluck, qualities that have at times overshadowed his understated skill set.
The issue for Julien and crew will be to keep it going at crunch time, with a roster that has been in survival mode for nearly six weeks. Not an easy task, folks. Bergeron is not close to returning. Murray had another setback last week. Fernandez is gone, at least until April or May. No one knows about Alberts. Axelsson, a valuable role player, should be back within a couple of weeks. As much as he means to the Bruins, they need more.
Which brings us to Chiarelli. With less than a month to go before the trade deadline, he will have to find some help if his squad hopes to remain in the race.
"Realistically, I don't see us getting a top six forward," he said Friday. "There are just too many people looking for a top six forward, and they're not out there - not in the numbers to meet the demand. So that puts our focus more on guys who maybe are specialists - someone, say, for the power-play or penalty-killing units. Beyond that, I think we have to rely on Murray and Alberts getting back."
Is that enough? Possibly, but only if Murray, Axelsson, and Alberts are all back soon, able to play with purpose and impact. Not a good bet. The margins are simply too thin, no matter the résumés that the Fab Four carried to Atlanta this weekend. And no matter how defensive-minded and focused Julien can keep everyone.
There are only so many hits any team can overcome. The 2007-08 Bruins need help in a hurry to avoid their third straight postseason DNQ - a "shutout" stretch they haven't endured since the '60s.
Decision time for Bergeron?
Patrice Bergeron, tanned and looking rested, took in Thursday night's Bruins-Islanders game from the ninth floor of the TD Banknorth Garden. A week in Aruba allowed him to unplug from the daily grind of wondering when, or if, he will be able to get back in the lineup this season.
"It was nice just to sit on the beach and relax, and not think about anything," said the 22-year-old Bruins center.
Bergeron last month slowly began a light stretching and exercise routine, his first steps back after being sidelined by a Grade 3 concussion Oct. 27. After a couple of encouraging days, he was hindered by exercise-induced headaches, common for athletes who are attempting to recover from concussions. His progress stagnant, he headed for the islands for some R&R at the club's suggestion.
"Some things are better, and that's important," said Bergeron. "I'm driving my car again, and I can go for longer walks. I have to stop thinking that that stuff isn't a big deal. All that stuff shows improvement. I'm getting better."
According to Bergeron, he expects to attempt those light workouts again soon, possibly in the next day or two. Now three months after the blow to his head, both he and the team are approaching a time when they'll make a decision on whether to pursue a return for this season, or target 2008-09.
"He had a good week, got to clear his mind a little," said general manager Peter Chiarelli. "I know he wants to come back this season, and he's feeling refreshed. All that is encouraging.
"I've said from the outset that I'm assuming he won't be ready, but let's see how he progresses. At some point we will make a decision collectively - if it makes sense for this year, or to give him the whole summer to get ready for next year."
Realistically, that decision probably will be made in the next 2-3 weeks, if not sooner. If Bergeron gets back on the exercise bike this week and the headaches resume, all parties could come to a quick decision to shut him down for the season.
Ex-Williams captain headmans the pucks for NBC
Plans haven't been finalized for how the NHL will springboard off of its Winter Classic success, but nearly a month after the snow show in Buffalo, NBC coordinating producer Sam Flood is confident the network can build interest in what he affectionately refers to as "the sport of my youth."
"Now, hopefully, I can be part of helping to bring it back to life," he said.
Flood, a former hockey captain at Williams College (Class of '83), grew up in Dedham and played for Noble & Greenough School ('79). After college, he skated for a few years in what he calls "the cocktail circuit" - a refined beer league - but gave that up because of longer work hours and a growing family. These days, he said, he regularly tools around the surrounding streets of his home in Ridgewood, N.J., on in-line skates.
In Flood's opinion, NBC commentators Mike Milbury and Pierre McGuire, who sparred on a few subjects during last Sunday's telecast of the Bruins-Rangers game at Madison Square Garden, will aid greatly in the network turning its NHL broadcasts into appointment TV.
"They showed a lot of conflict and controversy," said Flood. "I want them to be who they are, and continue that [conflict and controversy], to make sure that it's not pablum television."
Etc.
Duck hunting in Toronto?
In the days and hours leading up to - and following - the dismissal of John Ferguson Jr. as Maple Leafs general manager, just about everybody but "Slap Shot" star Paul Newman was rumored as his successor. For up to the next 19 months, Cliff Fletcher, 72, has the job. Meanwhile, his boss, Richard Peddie, has hooked up with local sports attorney Gord Kirke to hand-pick the next GM, with Fletcher providing some guidance. It just so happens that Brian Burke's deal as Anaheim GM expires after the 2008-09 season, which could provide a seamless transition for the one-time Providence College standout to go to Toronto. But a number of inside sources feel the Ducks owners, Henry and Susan Samueli, will empty out the cash drawer ($3 million a year?) to keep Burke. Look for the Leafs to exhaust every option to bring Burke east. Very few can handle the Toronto pressure cooker, where it's just as important to talk the talk as walk the walk.
Dinged Crosby
Like most everyone, Tom Fitzgerald saw the clip of Sidney Crosby sliding feet-first into the boards and found it hard to believe the collision was serious. Crosby suffered a high ankle sprain and could be out eight weeks. "That put a real damper on our organizational meetings the next day," said Fitzgerald, the former Bruin who is Pittsburgh's director of player development. "But, hey, he's a 20-year-old kid - they heal faster, right?" Fitzgerald said he was impressed to hear that Crosby would continue to do stickhandling drills while recovering from the first major injury of his career. "That's great," said Fitzgerald. "Our other young guys see that commitment, and it sends a message to all of them."
Dutch treat for Grinnell
Former Boston College goalie Tim Kelleher is in Holland, on the Vadeko Flyers roster, recovering from a knee injury. Meanwhile, Ryan Grinnell has the Flyers net covered. Grinnell, 31, played on the same Junior B team, the Richmond Hill Riot, that provided the kick-start to Glen Metropolit's career 15 years ago. Via e-mail, Grinnell wrote, "[Metropolit] is truly one of the nicest people I have met in my life. I am proud to call him a friend." Grinnell left hockey after his Riot days, only to have a puck renaissance in his late 20s, hooking on with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues for four years. At age 31, just out of college, he reported to the Muskegon Fury, got cut, and then hooked on with Vadeko when Kelleher was injured. "Best disguised blessing I ever had," said Grinnell, commenting on getting cut in Muskegon. "I finally got my 'Rudy' moment [with the Flyers]." According to Grinnell, Kelleher is close to recovering from the knee injury, and the two will compete for the No. 1 job.
Getting a foot back in the door
Peter Forsberg, 34, is expected to meet with Phoenix foot specialist Bertil Romanus this week, but is generally encouraged by the improvement in his reconstructed right foot. Aftonbladet, a Swedish newspaper, reported that Foppa skated for 90 minutes and the foot held up well, though he felt as if he "was carrying around 200 pounds of dead meat." Provided he keeps making progress, he said, he will try to play in a Feb. 7-10 tourney in Stockholm. "But I am not going to rush things," said Forsberg, noting that a setback will mark the end of his career. Forsberg is free to sign with any NHL club. Likeliest suitors are Detroit, Vancouver, Anaheim, Philadelphia, and perhaps Colorado.
Samsonov falls in line
Former Bruin Sergei Samsonov, plucked off the scrap heap by Carolina, was a point-per-game player (2-5 -7) in his first seven games with the Hurricanes. As the All-Star break approached, coach Peter Laviolette had him on a line with Erik Cole and Rod Brind'Amour. "I think everyone knew that that was in him," Laviolette told the Raleigh News & Observer. "This was an opportunity to get it out of him." Samsonov on his new line: "There's a certain chemistry with the three of us." Brind'Amour perennially wins more faceoffs than anyone in the league. His knack for winning draws plays well into Samsonov's strength. The less he handles the puck, the better.
Maple Leaf mouthpiece
The laugh of the week was the news conference in Toronto, introducing Fletcher's return to the front office. As Fletcher spoke, Peddie, seated immediately to his left, silently mouthed along with Fletcher's words in perfect unison. Check out the brief trip to bizarro world on youtube.com . . . Will Fletcher deal franchise icon Mats Sundin prior to the Feb. 26 deadline? Many expect it to happen, despite Sundin maintaining a public posture that he wants to retire a Leaf. Truth is, he can do both, and the Leafs can provide the wink-wink, nudge-nudge as he leaves, promising to sign him over the summer as an unrestricted free agent. The most logical landing spot would be Detroit. But don't rule out Anaheim, where he could work for Burke, maybe win a Cup, then play for Burke again next season in Toronto . . . Phoenix energizer bunny Daniel Carcillo, sidelined five weeks with a bum knee, is tuning up with San Antonio and is expected to join the Coyotes this week . . . Ex-Harvard forward Craig MacDonald, who left the Square in 1997 and now plays with the Lightning, last month fractured nine teeth and chipped a 10th when he was struck by a puck. He missed only two games but continues to undergo extensive dental work (he hopes to salvage five of the 10 teeth). The first trip to the dentist necessitated three root canals, along with 50 stitches to his gums, lips, and tongue.
Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
