 The Boston Bruins their work cut out for them if they wish to catch up with the rest of the Boston sports scene, since the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics, have all won championships this decade. With so much talent on hand, it is entirely possible for the Bruins to complete the clean sweep of major sports championships, by once again winning the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972? Last year was an extremely successful one for the Bruins, finishing the regular season with a record good enough to earn them the #1 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston's deep lineup featured seven 20-goal scorers and they entered the playoffs as a one of the solid favorites to take the Cup. Unfortunately, they fell a little short, losing in overtime of Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and ending a wonderful season on a bit of a down note. The Bruins did not need to make many moves in the offseason, mainly because this is a youthful and up-and-coming team. There was some turnover however, as longtime Bruin P.J. Axelsson departed for his native Sweden, while Stephen Yelle left under free agency. In turn, the Bruins enhanced their lineup with the addition of free agents, defenseman Derrick Morris and forward Steve Begin, which basically made everything a wash. Boston did make headlines late, when the much-rumored trade, involving lead scorer Phil Kessel, finally came to fruition. The Bruins received two first-round picks and one second-rounder for the unhappy young superstar, but they didn't receive anyone able to step in immediately at the NHL level, thus leaving a huge hole in their attack. Despite the loss of Kessel, the Bruins still have a bunch of scoring up front; center Marc Savard is one of the truly elite playmakers in hockey and should once again play the role of Boston's leading scorer. Surrounding Savard is David Krejci, Mark Recchi, Milan Lucic, Chuck Kobasew, Blake Wheeler, and Michael Ryder, who form the foundation of an excellent set of forwards that should become one of the NHL's most productive squads this season. This is a good thing for the Boston Bruins, since replacing Kessel's 36 goals will not be an easy task. Besides their potent offense, the Bruins are also excellent at the blue line. Norris Trophy-winning defender Zdeno Chara and shifty puck handler Dennis Wideman both scored 50 points last season, while putting up some of the league's best +/- totals, and are two of hockey's best. Behind them, veterans Andrew Ference, Mark Stuart, and Morris, should pair with young Matt Hunwick to form an excellent top six on defense, and may just be the Eastern Conference's best set of defenders. Last but not least, the Bruins are also extremely solid in goal, led by Vezina winner Tim Thomas, who also won the Jennings Trophy for least goals allowed last season. The Bruins are rock solid in terms of depth with backup Tukka Rask also on hand, and giving them one of the league's best tandems. As a fan, there is an awful lot to like about this squad. They can score plenty of goals thanks to a deep forward unit, and are one of the NHL's best at preventing them, thanks to a strong defense and exceptional goalie. Get your Boston Bruins tickets now and come out to TD Garden to see the Bruins make their run at Lord Stanley's Cup.
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