Don't look now, but the Boston Bruins resemble an NHL hockey team. As the league creeps toward the All-Star game in Dallas, it seems that the patience of GM Peter Chiarelli has paid off: the once struggling Beantown club has found a groove.
Not too long ago, the Bruins found themselves in the basement of the Eastern conference, with goals and good goaltending nowhere in sight. The cries for action in the form of trades were loud as the dwindling crowds at home games were quiet. This was particularly true in the case of the team's goaltenders. The team hoped that young prospect Hannu Toivonen would shine in his new staring role. However, Toivonen has been disappointing on the ice and has struggled with injuries throughout his young career.
Fortunately for the Bruins, the void at net left by Toivonen's fall from grace has been, for the time being, filled by unorthodox stopper Tim Thomas. The 31-year-old second-year goalie has put in a string of solid performances, fueling Boston's rise in the last 12 games and silencing, at least temporarily, the cries for Chiarelli to start mining the transfer market.
Coach Dave Lewis also deserves credit for the team's excellent play of late. Boston's defense has been organized and rejuvenated and no longer looks incapable of stopping even a pee-wee team. The Bruins owe part of the revival to the strategy of keeping their star defensemen on the ice as much as possible. Zdeno Chara has averaged nearly 30 minutes per game on the ice and fills multiple roles on special teams. He also has a way of making the players around him better, evidenced by the great improvement of the team's younger defensemen.
However, the Bruins' timing is a bit off; as they have stepped up their game, a few other teams that struggled early have also raised their level of play. The most notable of this group are the Ottawa Senators and the New Jersey Devils. In Ottawa, Ray Emery has settled in as the No. 1 goalie, leaving off-season acquisition Martin Gerber in a backup role. Emery's play and the continued strong play of Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza have given the Senators eight wins in their last 10 games as they climb the ladder in the East.
The Devils' rise, as it has been for the last 10 years, can be attributed largely to Martin Brodeur. Brodeur won his 461st game on Wednesday, tying Ed Belfour for second place behind Patrick Roy for career wins. With Brodeur between the pipes, the Devils have the edge in close, low-scoring games. While it might be working now, the close-call method may hurt them down the road if they don't ratchet up the offense.
As Dallas readies itself to host the All-Star game in January, the hockey-watching world is gearing up for the selection process. The decision between good players having great seasons and perennial favorites who are talented but aren't necessarily producing will replay again as the cutoff approaches.
The game will likely feature many of the big names, including the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Joe Sakic, Jaromir Jagr, Brodeur, and others. But more interesting will be the selection of the fourth line on each team. Great performances by players like Thomas Vanek in Buffalo or youngster Kari Lehtonen in Atlanta can't be ignored.
The NHL has learned that its younger rising stars provide great marketing opportunities for a league that is still trying to widen its fan base. The All-Star game gives the league an opportunity to show off the new stars of the game. So give the small-market teams a few bids. Reward the players that are standing out this year. After all, although we may miss it from time to time, that is the point of the game.
