Thank Goodness For The… Bruins?
That’s right, the Boston Bruins are the saving grace of Boston right now. They are the beacon of our hopes, dreams, and desire to see a team that can actually make a solid playoff run this year. The Red Sox went in tank mode months ago, the Celtics are in no man’s land, and the Patriots are in for another year of “wide receiver who?” in a bizarro world division where Buffalo is currently on top. While I’m not writing the Pats off completely (they might make the playoffs, but this is no title team), the Bruins seem like the best bet for going all the way, and that is just plain weird.
The Bruins have a current seven-year streak of making the playoffs, though many of us try to black out 07-08 through 09-10 because those series losses make our heads hurt. In the last four seasons the Bruins have made it to the finals twice, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010-2011, and have done a great job of keeping needed veterans while gradually working in young talent at a variety of positions. The question is, what will this year bring?
If you go based on the latest USA Today polls then the Bruins look like the favorites out of the Atlantic (9 for B’s, 3 for TB), are picked to make it out of the East (four times), and even to win the title again (once). However, with young blood being forced to step up, especially in the case of whomever replaces Jarome Iginla who left for Colorado, it will be interesting to see if they can make their third trip to the finals in the last five years.
A healthy Loui Eriksson (concussions), bounce backs from Krejci and Marchand, and continued excellence from Lucic could go a long way to another great run. The Bruins do have some questions at a few positions, but this might be the first year in a while where they are the top story in Boston. Even in the title year it didn’t feel like the Bruins were the focus, as the Celtics were supposed to contend for a championship again, and the Red Sox were getting over-hyped like crazy.
It’s about time we got excited about hockey, about this Bruins team, and about the most successful Boston team the last four years running. With the NFL showing only its darker side lately, maybe the Pats fans can move to a different venue, get behind the glass, and keep the excitement going for another year. Bruins Pride, Boston Strong, It’s Stanley Cup Time.
The Fantasy Devotee's Ramblings 