Bruins Drop Last Preseason Contest
(AP Photo/Lisa Poole)
Rangers Drop B's For Second Straight Game, 5-3
Season Opener, 6 Days and Counting...
What Do You Know About Tuukka Rask?
(Getty Images)
Kirk Luedeke Talks About The Elite Goalie Prospect
Some say that B’s prospect Tuukka Rask is the best goaltender not playing in the NHL, and the Finnish native will get a chance to solidify that reputation this year with his SM-Liiga club Ilves Tampere.
The lanky (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) cat-quick puck-stopper has made a living in recent seasons of carrying his teams. He first came to prominence in December 2003, at the Viking Cup in Camrose, Alberta. I still remember talking on the phone to a Red Line Report scout who was at the tourney, about him. I was interested in how Paul Stastny looked, but all he wanted to talk about was Rask.
“Awesome kid – he’ll be a first-round pick for sure in ’05,” he said.
Clearly the most dominant goaltender of the tournament. And that was a full 18 months before the Toronto Maple Leafs snagged Rask out from under Boston’s nose with the 21st overall pick.
Fast forward one year, and all Rask has done since his draft year was to establish himself as the Ilves starter, prompting Jeff Gorton to put on a major push to get Rask’s rights from Toronto at the June draft. He’s poised to play even more in 2006-07, the last season he’s expected to play in Finland. Although the Bruins have yet to sign him, barring a collapse of Evgeni Ryabchikov-ian proportions, the deal is but a formality and will be done prior to the June 1 deadline.
Rask is an outstanding athlete who plays a hybrid butterfly/stand-up style. He’ll drop to the ice quickly a la Hannu Toivonen, but he’s also not afraid to stay up on his skates and come out aggressively to challenge shooters and cut down the angles. This, I’m told, is the biggest difference between the two, immensely talented goaltenders.
Look for Rask as the key to the Ilves season. The Tigers will go as far as Rask carries them, and he’s been outstanding for them since breaking into the elite league as a part-timer in 2004-05. As a junior in the Under-20 league that year, he was on another planet, compiling a sub-one goals against average (0.87) in 10 playoff games, including 6 shutout. And that was following a regular season in which he posted a 1.86 GAA and .945 save percentage.
He’s set the bar pretty high, though. He posted a 2.09 GAA and .926 save percentage in 30 elite league games last year, then carried Team Finland to a bronze medal at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Vancouver after being named the tourney’s top netminder. If anyone can duplicate and even surpass those feats, it’s Rask.
In 2006-07 he’ll be a second year starter in Finland’s highest league, and he gets the chance to compete in the WJC for a third consecutive season. All at the tender age of 19, too.
“He doesn’t ever get too high or too low,” said Rask’s agent Bill Zito, who also represents the current B’s tandem of Toivonen and Tim Thomas. “He’s down to earth and gracious; he understands he’s good, and doesn’t care. He doesn’t let that stuff go to his head. He does know that he’s not good enough that he can stop working and putting his time in like everyone else.”
The B’s have a gem in Rask, and fans of the Providence Bruins ought to reserve their ducats for the 2007-08 season right now- the kid is a treat to watch!
Sending An Early Message
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Dave Lewis Wants Bruins in Front of the Net
The message, issued by coach Dave Lewis via whistle and words, was clear: Get in front of the net. Cut down the goalie's vision. Take some cuffs to the head. Get your nose bloody if you want to score.
Bruins Won't Rush Bergeron Into "C"
Glen Murray Has New Outlook
The Golden Years
What About Kalus?
(Boston Herald Photo)
Bruins Want Petr Kalus in Providence, But He May Have to Return to Juniors
“There’s a gray area whether he will be able to go to Providence, or he has to go back to junior,” general manager Peter Chiarelli said. “It’s not as clear-cut as we thought. It depends on from where you’re drafted. He was drafted while still with a European (Czech) club. The intent at one point when they were doing a new agreement between the NHL and the CHL (the Canadian junior organization), was to have those players, once they had signed CHL contracts, regardless of where they were drafted from, to fall under that CHL agreement. But that’s not necessarily the case." - GM Peter Chiarelli
Bruins Profile: Marc Savard
(BostonRinkRats/ Jaclyn Donahe, WickedBruinsFan.com)
Height/Weight: 5-10/195
Birthdate: 07/17/1977
GLS AST PTS +/- PIM TOI
28 69 97 7 100 20:30
Marc Savard #71
Look on the ice and you'll see number 71.
No, it's not Jiri Slegr back in a Bruins uniform. It is the new B's playmaker Marc Savard. Signed as a free agent by the Bruins on July 1st, 2006, the 2006-2007 Boston Bruins welcome who they hope will become a key cog in the new offense. Savard figures to play the pivot on the 2nd scoring line centering the offense between speed burner Marco Sturm and sniper Glen Murray.
Having a legitimate center anchor the 2nd line in Boston should give the Bruins the scoring depth they have lacked in recent seasons. The Bruins signed him to a five year deal almost immediately upon becoming a free agent.
"Marc is one of the top playmaking centers in the game today," then interim GM Jeff Gorton said. "He will fit in well with the skill players we have on our team and the direction in which we are headed."
Although he stands at only 5'10", Savard isn't afraid to rile up his opponents. Racking up 97 points last year, Savard also managed to log 100 PIM. Savard is extremely nifty and sees the ice well. He is known to possess tremendous offensive zone instincts. An excellent playmaker, he finds his teammates with pinpoint precision. Something Glen Murray could certainly benefit from. Once Joe Thornton was traded to San Jose, Murray all but disappeared. Savard hopes to change that and help Glen Murray find his way back towards a 40-goal season.
Rangers Snap Streak
(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Lundqvist Blanks B's as NY wins 1-0
Round#2: Sept. 30th, 2006
Tonight's Lineup
Kessel on Top Line
Youth Unites?
(BRR Photo Illustration)
Kessel May Join Bergeron and Boyes on Top Line
A Bigger, Faster Blueline
TSN Preview of the 2006-2007 Boston Bruins
(For in-depth hockey news, TSN dominates ESPN)
ESPN Pessimism
(yahoo photo)
Espn.com doesn't think the B's have what it takes to stay out of the Eastern Conference cellar
Fans stay away in droves in this Original Six city, put off by arrogant owners and an underachieving product on the ice. It'll take more than a big defenseman to get them back, something like winning a playoff series. Projection: 12th Place
Straight to the Point
(yahoo photo)
Big Man to Run the Power Play
With the amount of talent the Bruins have on defense, Dave Lewis expects Bergeron to move down low on the man advantage
Buccigross' Eastern Conference Preview
Notorious Bruins' Critic Tossing Around Praise?
Heading Down 95
(yahoo photo)
Bruins Send Twelve Players to Providence
Assigned to the minors were forwards Martins Karsums, David Krejci, Pascal Pelletier, Tyler Redenbach, Nate Thompson, Kris Versteeg, and Ben Walter; defensemen Bobby Allen, Matt Lashoff, Jay Leach, and Jonathan Sigalet; and goaltender Brian Finley.
Good Times in Boston
(BRR Photo Illustration)
New B's Coach Dave Lewis Keeps Fun in Game
“It’s a serious business, but you also have to enjoy yourself. Your career is short and you want to have great memories.”
Connect 4
(AP Photo/Tim Krochak,CP)
Bruins Sweep Up Second Set Of Mini-Series
Toivenen Stops 23 In Winning Effort
3 In A Row
(Photo by Charles Laberge/Getty Images)
Bruins Continue To Roll, Win 5-1
Timmah Solid With 30 Saves
Different Night, Same Result
(AP PHOTO/CP, Ryan Remiorz)
Bruins Have A Good Hab-it: 2 Wins in 2 nights
Chara Continues To Shine, But Leaves After 1st With Foot Injury
Sin Bin Still Being Visited Too Many Times
B's Beat The Habs Finally!
(Photo by Phllip MacCallum/Getty Images)
Sure It's Pre-season, But We'll Take It
B's Jump Out To Early Lead And Never Look Back
Power Play Leads The Way: 3 PP Goals In 1st Period
No Chara, No Savard, No Win
(AP Photo/Rick Silva)
B's Drop First Preseason Game
5-0 To The Devils
Elect To Sit Chara And Savard
B's Can't Stay Out Of The Box:
Devils Make B's Pay For Their 13 Sins
Fitz Calls It Quits
(Boston Bruins Image)
Tom Fitzgerald Retires To Be
A Bruins Studio Analyst
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