BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has acquired forward Chris Bourque from the Washington Capitals for center Zach Hamill.
always a good thing to have a Bourque in a Bruins uniform
With the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom becoming official on Thursday, the Detroit Red Wings not only have to fill a pretty big hole on their blue line, they also have to find a new captain.
Lidstrom spent the past six seasons wearing the "C" in Detroit, taking over the honor after current Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman retired following the 2005-06 season.
The list of possible candidates to replace Lidstrom in that leadership role is a short one, and was pretty much limited to just three players by general manager Ken Holland: Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Niklas Kronwall.
"Three come to mind: Z, Pav and Kronner," said Holland, via Brendan Savage of Mlive.com. "They've got the A's. It's hard to think you're going to take someone without a letter and go past guys with letters. It's hard to think you're going to bring somebody from the outside to be your captain. So in all reality, one of our assistants will probably be the captain."
There's also these words from veteran forward Dan Cleary:
"We'll be in great hands," Cleary said. "We'll have a great captain in Zetterberg. Z is the ultimate ... he's like Nick, but a little more vocal. Ultimate team player, all he cares about is winning. Great work ethic."
So he already has the support of some of his teammates.
It's long been assumed since he signed his 12-year contract to remain with the club that Zetterberg would be the heir apparent to Lidstrom and eventually slide into that role. He's been with the club since the start of the 2002-03 season, and has been one of the better two-way forwards in the league for most of his career. He's viewed as a leader in Detroit, and has consistently come up big for the team in the playoffs, including the 2007-08 postseason when he become the second European-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Lidstrom, of course, was the first.
Zetterberg is signed through the 2020-21 season.
So, for now, it appears that the biggest question for the Red Wings this summer isn't who is going to replace Lidstrom as captain, but rather who is going to replace on the ice defensively. The answer to that question might already have some folks in Nashville a little nervous right about now.
I don't think there's much doubt that Z will be captain.
So, for now, it appears that the biggest question for the Red Wings this summer isn't who is going to replace Lidstrom as captain, but rather who is going to replace on the ice defensively. The answer to that question might already have some folks in Nashville a little nervous right about now.
This was written with a hyperlink to a picture of Ryan Suter. We can only hope. [-O<
BOSTON -- Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed Friday that goalie Tim Thomas is considering taking next year off for family reasons.
The news was earlier reported by ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.
"Tim came to me via his agent toward the beginning of May and said he was thinking of taking the year off," Chiarelli said in a conference call Friday. "The reasons are ... I'm not exactly sure but he did give reasons why regarding the family, which obviously I respect."
The GM says Thomas, 38, has given no indication of when he will make a final decision, and as a result, Chiarelli must proceed as if the two-time Vezina Trophy winner won't be with the team in 2012-13.
"I almost have to operate under the discussion he isn't coming back," Chiarelli said. "I've had some discussions with Tim and he's told me that he wants to play in the Olympics the following year, so I'll have more discussions with him later on. But we've got two very capable goalies in (Tuukka) Rask and (Anton) Khudobin, so I'd be more than satisfied if that's who we have to go with."
Thomas is heading into the final season of a contract that will pay him $3 million but will carry a $5 million cap hit for the Bruins.
Lidstrom posted a full page ad in the Free Press thanking the fans. I don't think I've ever seen a guy carry himself with as much class as he did for so long. So proud he was on my team and I got to watch him play.
On Saturday night, Tim Thomas posted a link on his Facebook page to a story on TheBlaze.com that had a former hedge fund manager predicting "the biggest economic shock the world has ever seen."
"See why hockey's just not that important right now?" Thomas posted above the link.
Well on Sunday, Thomas made a direct reference to his possible decision to skip the 2012-13 season, and from the sounds of it, the decision is now final. Here’s what Thomas said on his Facebook page Sunday:
From the earliest age I can remember, I've wanted to be a hockey player. I've been blessed in my life to not only be able to live that dream, but to achieve more than I ever thought possible.
The single-minded focus that is necessary to accomplish a dream of this magnitude entails (by necessity) sacrifice in other areas and relationships in life.
At the age of 38, I believe it is time to put my time and energies into those areas and relationships that I have neglected. That is why at this time I feel the most important thing I can do in my life is to reconnect with the three F's.
Friends, Family, and Faith.
This is what I plan on doing over the course of the next year.
On top of this, I will continue to train using the ARP/POV system www.ultrafitevosport.com and work with G-Form www.g-form.com in the development of protective equipment.
What does this portend for the future?
We'll see ... God's will be done.
TT
Thomas was set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2013-14, so if he comes back he would no longer be a member of the Boston Bruin unless he re-signed with them or the Bruins decided to toll his contract from 2012-13 -- a $5 million cap hit that will still apply in the upcoming season -- and maintain it in 2013-14. For all intents and purposes, this could very well be the end of the two-time Vezina Trophy, 2011 Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup winner’s Bruins career.
Been real busy with cleaning my mom's house and preparing mine for sale (which I sold) and all the shit that goes with that. Been a hard month to say the least. I haven't watched any of the finals games yet. I saw the first overtime loss but that's it. Kings got this shit imo.
Comments
always a good thing to have a Bourque in a Bruins uniform
Lidstrom spent the past six seasons wearing the "C" in Detroit, taking over the honor after current Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman retired following the 2005-06 season.
The list of possible candidates to replace Lidstrom in that leadership role is a short one, and was pretty much limited to just three players by general manager Ken Holland: Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Niklas Kronwall.
"Three come to mind: Z, Pav and Kronner," said Holland, via Brendan Savage of Mlive.com. "They've got the A's. It's hard to think you're going to take someone without a letter and go past guys with letters. It's hard to think you're going to bring somebody from the outside to be your captain. So in all reality, one of our assistants will probably be the captain."
There's also these words from veteran forward Dan Cleary:
"We'll be in great hands," Cleary said. "We'll have a great captain in Zetterberg. Z is the ultimate ... he's like Nick, but a little more vocal. Ultimate team player, all he cares about is winning. Great work ethic."
So he already has the support of some of his teammates.
It's long been assumed since he signed his 12-year contract to remain with the club that Zetterberg would be the heir apparent to Lidstrom and eventually slide into that role. He's been with the club since the start of the 2002-03 season, and has been one of the better two-way forwards in the league for most of his career. He's viewed as a leader in Detroit, and has consistently come up big for the team in the playoffs, including the 2007-08 postseason when he become the second European-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Lidstrom, of course, was the first.
Zetterberg is signed through the 2020-21 season.
So, for now, it appears that the biggest question for the Red Wings this summer isn't who is going to replace Lidstrom as captain, but rather who is going to replace on the ice defensively. The answer to that question might already have some folks in Nashville a little nervous right about now.
The news was earlier reported by ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.
"Tim came to me via his agent toward the beginning of May and said he was thinking of taking the year off," Chiarelli said in a conference call Friday. "The reasons are ... I'm not exactly sure but he did give reasons why regarding the family, which obviously I respect."
The GM says Thomas, 38, has given no indication of when he will make a final decision, and as a result, Chiarelli must proceed as if the two-time Vezina Trophy winner won't be with the team in 2012-13.
"I almost have to operate under the discussion he isn't coming back," Chiarelli said. "I've had some discussions with Tim and he's told me that he wants to play in the Olympics the following year, so I'll have more discussions with him later on. But we've got two very capable goalies in (Tuukka) Rask and (Anton) Khudobin, so I'd be more than satisfied if that's who we have to go with."
Thomas is heading into the final season of a contract that will pay him $3 million but will carry a $5 million cap hit for the Bruins.
"See why hockey's just not that important right now?" Thomas posted above the link.
Well on Sunday, Thomas made a direct reference to his possible decision to skip the 2012-13 season, and from the sounds of it, the decision is now final. Here’s what Thomas said on his Facebook page Sunday:
From the earliest age I can remember, I've wanted to be a hockey player. I've been blessed in my life to not only be able to live that dream, but to achieve more than I ever thought possible.
The single-minded focus that is necessary to accomplish a dream of this magnitude entails (by necessity) sacrifice in other areas and relationships in life.
At the age of 38, I believe it is time to put my time and energies into those areas and relationships that I have neglected. That is why at this time I feel the most important thing I can do in my life is to reconnect with the three F's.
Friends, Family, and Faith.
This is what I plan on doing over the course of the next year.
On top of this, I will continue to train using the ARP/POV system www.ultrafitevosport.com and work with G-Form www.g-form.com in the development of protective equipment.
What does this portend for the future?
We'll see ... God's will be done.
TT
Thomas was set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2013-14, so if he comes back he would no longer be a member of the Boston Bruin unless he re-signed with them or the Bruins decided to toll his contract from 2012-13 -- a $5 million cap hit that will still apply in the upcoming season -- and maintain it in 2013-14. For all intents and purposes, this could very well be the end of the two-time Vezina Trophy, 2011 Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup winner’s Bruins career.