The Bruins just signed Alexei Zhamnov to a three-year deal. Pretty nice signing... not a marquee name, but an ideal second-line center. Excellent passer. This cements Dave Scatchard's place on the checking lines, and Patrice Bergeron's apparent spot on the right wing, as opposed to the pivot. Presumably Shawn McEachern has been bumped to the third line, unless they play him on the left, in which case Brad Isbister gets bumped all the way down to fourth-line duty behind P.J. Axelsson. Based on Isbister's recent history (injuries, no goals) it might be wise not to count on him anyway. Hell, given that the P-Bruins have 37-goal-scorer Andy Hilbert steaming up his tail, he may not even be a regular.
While the left seems solid, presuming Axelsson and Sergei Samsonov sign, the B's are awfully weak on the right. Glen Murray is a beast, but then you have Bergeron playing out of position, 37-yo Tom Fitzgerald, and (if I had my druthers) 223-lb grinder Colton "For The Last Time, No Relation!" Orr. The center position is looking deeper, with Thornton, Zhamnov, Scatchard, and probably Brad Boyes making the jump from the Pruins... he popped in 33 last season, not too shabby. Hilbert is an ex-center as well, so he should be in contention for that spot as well. Defense is still a nightmare, although I don't know who Providence's defensive prospects are. Kevin Dallman is a familiar name, but I have no idea whether he's any good.
So, the other thing worth mentioning is that the Rangers just signed villainous Ville Niemenen to replace Bobby Holik on the Vicious Prick Line. I hear Ville refers to his stick as the "big tomahawk," and opposing players as the "little scalps."
While the left seems solid, presuming Axelsson and Sergei Samsonov sign, the B's are awfully weak on the right. Glen Murray is a beast, but then you have Bergeron playing out of position, 37-yo Tom Fitzgerald, and (if I had my druthers) 223-lb grinder Colton "For The Last Time, No Relation!" Orr. The center position is looking deeper, with Thornton, Zhamnov, Scatchard, and probably Brad Boyes making the jump from the Pruins... he popped in 33 last season, not too shabby. Hilbert is an ex-center as well, so he should be in contention for that spot as well. Defense is still a nightmare, although I don't know who Providence's defensive prospects are. Kevin Dallman is a familiar name, but I have no idea whether he's any good.
So, the other thing worth mentioning is that the Rangers just signed villainous Ville Niemenen to replace Bobby Holik on the Vicious Prick Line. I hear Ville refers to his stick as the "big tomahawk," and opposing players as the "little scalps."
posted by Jeff at
2:06 PM
1 Comments:
Thornton hasn't signed yet. He wants upper tier cash in exchange for his patented playoff temper tantrums, and for some reason the B's don't want to pay for that. He'll sign but I wouldn't rule out a sign-and-trade deal coming down... Zhamnov isn't an championship-caliber first-line center, but he's enough to survive if they wanted to trade Bananaman.
By
Jeff, at 9:22 AM
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