By Liam O’Brien
The redemption of the Bruins’ brutal defeat last June at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks began last Saturday night. The newly improved Bruins kicked off with a 3-1 win over the Lightning at the Garden, ready to avenge the heartbreaking end of the team’s Stanley Cup run last season.
The B’s enter the 2013-14 campaign with a fresh mindset, as new additions Jarome Iginla and Loui Eriksson look to bolster the forward position and replace the holes left by departed superstars Tyler Seguin and Nathan Horton.
Seguin, a controversial but fan-favorite player, was traded to the Dallas Stars for Eriksson, who will likely be playing alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the second line. The 28-year-old right-winger will get his first taste of a hockey mad city, bringing his shooting and defensive prowess to Boston.
Eriksson looks to be a sure improvement over Seguin, as his proficiency on both sides of the puck stacks up with some of the game’s finest. Iginla, who drew the fire of B’s fans by choosing to play for rival Philadelphia Penguins over Boston last season, will fill in Horton’s old spot on the first line aside David Krejci and Milan Lucic.
Iginla provides the veteran leadership essential for a deep playoff run, which will hopefully aid to Krejci and Lucic’s performance.
Other departures from the 2012 B’s include Rich Peverley, traded to the Stars after slumping last season, in exchange for Reilly Smith. The 22-year-old showed sparks of potential during his rookie year in Dallas and looks to fill in nicely on the third line aside Chris Kelly and Carl Soderberg, who were both impressive during the Stanley Cup Final.
The fourth line, essential to last spring’s playoff and run by bringing energy to the bench, consists of the warrior Gregory Campbell, Shawn Thornton, and Daniel Paille.
On the defensive side, 6 ft 9 captain Zdeno Chara remains the anchor of the first line, entering his eighth season in Boston. Accompanied by sharpshooter Johnny Boychuk, whose coming off an incredible playoff stretch, Chara will look to establish the B’s as the league’s toughest and most physically defensive team, despite the loss of Andrew Ference to the Oilers.
The consistency of fresh faces such as Torey Krug and Dougie Hamilton, defensemen who emerged during last season’s run, will be crucial to the team’s success. Krug, who was called up from Providence in an emergency situation during the first round, wowed fans with a fantastic performance throughout the playoffs, recording four goals in his first five games. He’ll be paired with shutdown defender Dennis Seidenberg on the second line.
Although his only playoff experience was from the bench, Hamilton proved to be a solid presence during the regular season last year. The 20-year-old promises to reach even greater heights during this campaign alongside Adam McQuaid.
Perhaps the best goalie in the NHL, Tuukka Rask has his eyes set on bringing the cup back to Boston. Rewarded with an eight-year deal after recording an astounding 94 percent save percentage in the playoffs, Tuukka looks to impress B’s fans further with his play in net. Only 26 years old, the illustrious netminder rejected 46 of the 49 attempts he faced during preseason play.
Stocked with an immense amount of talent and an outstanding leader in Claude Julien, the Bruins are a team fans await with a significant amount of enthusiasm this season, as hope and confidence in the formidable B’s is evident throughout the city.
