Bruins rookies

E (the wife) and I arrived late but took in the Babiest Bruins game today. The rooks beat the NJ rookies 5-1. The kids in B spoked dominated play from the half I saw. Highlights for me were off the ice as I was able to tell Don Sweeney thank you for all his hard work through the years. I also quickly introduced myself to Bish the bostonbruins.com beat writer. I kept it quick with the Bish as he needed to do the real from game updating to the internets. I will probably post on this more later including pics, but have little time now, so check back later.

By the way, thats not me in the Bish pic, I think that was some other guy like me who wanted to say Hi and bug the Bish while Bruins nation was waiting for an update at Bostonbruins.com.



Ok as promised here are some more photos from the rookie game on Sunday:





this is young netminder, Courchaine.



and Lucic baring down to make a check.............






There was some unknow "suit" watching from its perch. I think this is a Jersey suit as most of the Bruins guys were down near the snack area and I did not notice any guys I pegged as Jersey guys in the public areas.



Another of Bish, a friendly guy, who seemed happy to talk hockey.

playing with the kids

you heard the bumble b's buzzing about playing with the kids all year. at what cost? hannu got to play. he failed miserably. kessel looked like a boy among men for large sections of the season. wetting their feet at the ultimate level may pay dividends down the road, but it may have also stunted their growth. perhaps the k kids, lashoff, the mark stuarts should be allowed a couple seasons with the p bruins to get ice time, form bonds and get cracks at the cup light.

funny thing about the handling of the kids. almost ten years ago when pat burns road joey thornton's bottom on the bench - he was marked a skilled coach, as he nursed the youngster into a real nhl player. meanwhile this year as kessel was asked to earn his ice time just like joe was many years ago, there was a much larger contingent screaming for the kid to play and the coaches head? people seemed to not notice that in his home debut kessel missed his check in the slot and maybe cost his team a game and certainly a goal. why couldn't these mistakes be made in providence or practice where the price is not so high.

would the idea of being out of the playoffs this spring be more palpable if we had seen the likes of kessel, lashoff, kalus, karsums, m. stuart and krejci lose game after game, instead of the likes of b. stuart, donovan, mara, murray, axelsson and tenkrat? personally if i wanted to see the first group lose - i would have been driving to providence all winter.

do not get me wrong i would love for all these youngsters to bring tremendous skills and energy to this line up at low prices. but lets not forget this is big boy hockey. inexperience like kessels costly defense lapse early in the season could be even more costly. krejci i seem to remember being nearly killed in buffalo (while his barely know him teammates politely watched). sure it was cheap shot from behind, but his youth certainly did not protect him either. lets let the kids play sure but down in the ahl until they are ready to contribute to our team not the competitions. ill take a roster stocked with nhl caliber talent please.

Baby and Newfoundland

- Congrats to fellow site contributor, Doobie, on the birth of his daughter, Grace, today!!!
Whoo Hoo - one more Bruins fan in this world!!!!

- Robin Short reported in "The Newfoundland Herald" yesterday that The Bruins are to play an exhibtion game against The Islanders in September at Mile One Stadium in St. John's. To my knowledge this is The Bruins first time ever playing in my province!