As always, when I’m a guest on Hockey Night in Canada, on Sirius Satellite Radio # 97, I enjoy an interesting discussion with host Jeff Marek,on a number of different topics. The most fascinating one for me, was Jeff’s question to me about what, if anything, the Boston Bruins should do in the off season, after their terrible collapse, in blowing a 3 games to 0 lead to the Flyers, and losing game 7, after being in front by 3-0, at one stage.
I drew a comparison between the current Bruins, and the Detroit Red Wings of the mid 1990’s. The Wings were favorites to win the Stanley Cup by that time, and were upset in first round playoff matches by Toronto in 1993, and San Jose in 1994. Rumors at the time suggested, that Detroit might consider trading Steve Yzerman to Ottawa, or another team. Detroit was also swept in the 1995 Stanley Cup finals by New Jersey. As it turns out, the management of the team, headed up by Executive Vice President, Jim Devellano, did the right thing. Instead of a massive overhaul of the team, the Wings made some changes, but not radical moves, that some were suggesting, like trading Yzerman. Detroit seemed to find their missing ingredient, when they added Brendan Shanahan, who was acquired in a trade at the start of the 1996/97 season. The Toronto area native, brought a little “sandpaper” as they say in the hockey business, to the Wings roster, and they would go on to win their first Stanley Cup since 1955, in June of 1997. With Scotty Bowman as coach since the /93-94 season, the Wings became a dynasty, winning the Cup again in 1998, and 2002. Bowman retired from coaching after the Cup win in 2002, and Detroit won the Stanley Cup in 2008, with Mike Babcock as head coach. Shanahan was with the Wings until 2006.
As for the Bruins, when you consider that they traded away a forty goal scorer in Phil Kessel, and will now get a possible franchise player with Toronto’s 2010 first round draft pick, the second overall, to go along with the Leafs second round pick,( #32 overall) as well as Toronto’s first pick next year, allows Boston to get a major infusion, of potentially very good players. Consider that the Bruins had significant injuries to players like Marc Savard as well as Milan Lucic, and they still made the playoffs without Phil Kessel, I think they did pretty well. If Boston hadn’t lost the series with Philadelphia in embarrassing fashion, nobody would even question the season they had. The “B’s” may need some minor changes, but a major overhaul would be completely rediculous.
When I join Terry Mercury On XM’s “Home Ice” program, ( #204) on Saturday and Sunday night, you can bet that there will be other topical discussion points, pertaining to the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the NHL in general, that many of you are also contemplating.