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By Jack Cinquegrana | Follow me on Twitter @bruinschewy
Three times in the past decade the Boston Bruins have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, only winning one year but is a testament to the Bruins organization to return each year with a chance in the playoffs. Though we lost the last two, one in 2013 and one in 2019, making the finals three out of ten years is very impressive and establishes that Boston is a strong and prominent team in the NHL. We are spoiled as Bruins fans because we get to see our team in the playoffs year after year.
Sometimes though, being a Bruins fan can be a struggle. Each team has its strengths and personally, I have seen the Bruins as a defense-first team with a strong back-end as our identity. And even though the saying, “defense wins championships” can be backed up by many examples, the Bruins have a hard time scoring, especially in the playoffs. With defense being our strength, our scoring options are limited. David Pastrnak and the rest of the top line are responsible for 47% of the team’s goals this season, and yes they are superstars, but we need more secondary scoring.
Three Players That Need to Have Breakout Playoff Performances
The first player that comes to mind when it comes to secondary scoring for me is Charlie McAvoy. This kid broke onto the scene in 2017 against Ottawa in the first round. Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo were both out after getting injured one and two games before the playoffs began. Mac opened many eyes with the immediate impact he made in the defensive end. “At the time, he was listed as a player who not only would soon be starring in the NHL but one with the potential to be a perennial all-star,” said Mike G. Morreale on NHL.com when Charlie first got into the NHL.
The same cannot be said for his offensive game three seasons later. You will see little spurts of his playmaking ability and passing here and there but the scoring is not up to par with the expectations and his abilities we see on a game-to-game basis. His puck-carrying ability, hockey IQ, and playmaking are something special, but he needs to score more goals and reach that potential as a perennial all-star.
( Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images )
The next player I have many high hopes for would be Tuukka Rask, the beloved Boston goaltender. Tuukka is a superstar goalie each and every year he suits up for the Bruins. He dominated the playoffs last year with a .934 save percentage and in six seasons he has played in the playoffs he has an average of a .927 save percentage and has only been below a .920 once. That is sustained success if I have ever seen it. But with Rask’s contract coming to an end, his age getting up there, and rumors swirling that he will retire after his contract is complete, how much can we expect from our perennially prolific goaltender.
If this is another shot at the Cup for Tuukka, I think he is going to play better than we have ever seen, he wants the Stanley Cup more than most of the league, especially after sporting a .929 save percentage and 2.12 goals-against average in 2019-2020, both among top five in NHL goalies this season.
( Photo Credit: Matthew J. Lee/GLOBE STAFF )
Last but not least is David Pastrnak or Pasta as the fans love to call him. Pastrnak was dominating this year, tying the goal tally with the annual winner Alexander Ovechkin at 48 and “co-winning” the Rocket Richard, and also leading the Bruins in points with 95 in 70 games. Though his scoring talent in the regular season has been breathtaking, and even being in the conversation for the MVP is well-deserved, his playoff scoring has been inconsistent. Granted, he has only played in the playoffs three times, but he has been either very good or bad. His first playoffs against Ottawa had a subpar performance and there was talk about maybe he is not a superstar. The following season the Bruins beat Toronto and lost to Tampa Bay in the second round. In only 12 games Pasta accumulated 20 points.
Last season when we lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to St. Louis, through 24 games, twice as many played as the year before, Pastrnak only has 19 points in that run. He had three more goals than the year before and that can be looked at as a positive thing because goals are the only thing that really matters but it shows the progression of how going into the playoffs and getting deeper every year, you just are not used to playing 106 hockey games in the season and playing into June. David Pastrnak has experienced a deep playoff run and he is going to be prepared physically and mentally for another potential Stanley Cup Final appearance.
(Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 184 that we recorded below on 6-28-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
Playoff hockey is on the horizon, and with the Boston Bruins 2019-20 regular season concluded, there’s plenty to look forward to as the Bruins will make another run at the Stanley Cup.
But let’s not forget about everything that led up to the break. The Bruins were the best team in hockey and had so many great memories along the way to a President’s Trophy victory. A mix of highlight-reel plays and touching moments made up some of the best of the Bruins’ 2019-20 regular season.
Pastrnak Scores 4 Goals
All it took was six games into the season for David Pastrnak to make history.
Pastrnak and The Perfection Line roasted the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 19, with Pastrnak tallying all four goals in a 4-2 win. He became the third player in Bruins’ history to score at least five hat tricks in the regular season before turning 24 years old, joining Barry Pederson and Cam Neely.
Surprisingly, at that point, Pastrnak was the third player in the NHL to score four goals in a game this past season. Anthony Mantha and James Neal had already completed that feat in the first week. Nonetheless, Pastrnak’s four-goal game was certainly foreshadowing of the season he would have, as he was recently named co-winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy for the NHL’s leading goal scorer.
Pastrnak Goes Between the Legs
What’s better than David Pastrnak highlights? More David Pastrnak highlights.
Just over a week after his four-goal performance, Pastrnak was in the headlines again with his between-the-legs goal on Michael Hutchinson and the Maple Leafs.
His 300th point in the NHL was an absolute beauty. With his back to Anderson, Pastrnak went full-finesse mode to beat Hutchinson between the legs. It’s the kind of goal players might practice but rarely use it in a game, let alone have it actually work.
Chara Plays In His 1,500th Game
Zdeno Chara just keeps on churning on.
The 43-year old captain played in his 1,500th career game on Nov. 5 against the Montreal Canadiens. And even the bitter rivals of the B’s couldn’t help but recognize the accomplishment of Big Z with a standing ovation at the Bell Centre.
Chara is sixth on the all-time career games played list for defencemen and 15th out of all players. With 1,553 total games under his belt, he is 12 games shy of passing Nicklas Lidstrom to move into the top 5 of all-time for defencemen.
The Bruins later would honor him with a ceremony in February at the Garden for his accomplishment.
Rask Makes Potential Save of the Year
Talk about down and out. Evan Rodrigues of the Buffalo Sabres was staring at an empty net against the Bruins on Nov. 21. It looked like the Sabres were about to cut the score to 3-2 when all of a sudden, Tuukka Rask flashed his blocker hand and made the tremendous save.
You could see Rask flexing his right hand afterwards, as he basically caught the puck with his right hand to prevent the goal.
There’s not much more touching than a father-son moment of national TV.
In his hometown of Edmonton, Jake DeBrusk and his father, Louie, shared a heartwarming moment on the ice before the Bruins and Oilers game on Feb. 19. Louie, a former professional hockey player himself, is now one of the main color broadcasters for Hockey Night in Canada and got the rare chance to interview his son.
This may just be the best father/son interview out there. 💛🖤
This moment also was a finalist for the NHL Fan Choice Award category of “Best Feel-Good Moment”, coming in third behind Bobby Ryan’s return and David Ayres EBUG win.
But seriously. “Thanks, Dad, love you.” What’s not to love more than that?
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 184 that we recorded below on 6-28-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
Every year the Providence Bruins (AHL) hosts their awards for their players who exemplified excellence and leadership throughout the season. If you followed Providence in any way this season, then you’ll recognize a few of these names and might have predicted who would win a particular award. Some players won more than one award and blew away people’s expectations. There is a good chance some of the players you see here today might crack the Bruins roster for the 2020-2021 campaign. Here are the winners of Providences’ awards!
Rookie of the Year Award – Jack Studnicka
(Photo Credit: Boston Globe | Bostonglobe.com)
The ‘Rookie of the Year’ Award presented by Cross Insurance goes to the one obvious choice, Jack Studnicka. Since graduating from juniors and getting the promotion to Providence, the 21-year-old forward has showcased his talents at the AHL level and even at the NHL level when called upon for two games where he also collected his first career NHL point.
Studnicka not only produced offensively 5-on-5 and on the power-play but was an absolute brute on the penalty-kill unit and led the AHL in shorthanded goals this season (seven). He also led Providence in goals, assists and points this season. He took the professional hockey world by storm this year, and I believe if anybody deserves a chance in the Boston Bruins lineup this upcoming season, it is Studnicka. Congratulations, Studnicka!
The winner of the Cross Insurance Rookie of the Year Award, given to the outstanding rookie of the 2019-20 season, is #23 Jack Studnicka. Studnicka posted an impressive season, leading the team in goals, assists and points, and setting a new team record with 7 short-handed goals. pic.twitter.com/lwhkxotu8Y
The ‘Fan Favorite’ Award presented by Electrical Wholesalers goes to goaltender Dan Vladar. He has been apart of the organization since being drafted by the Bruins in the 3rd round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He has split his time between the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) and Providence since his career in the organization but had his most stellar campaign in 2019-2020.
The 6’0, 185-pound goalie led the AHL in goals-against average (GAA) with 1.79 and in save percentage with a whopping .939%. Vladar also set a career-high 14 wins at the AHL level while collecting three shutouts. He has seemed to find his game this past season. With Jaroslav Halak and Tuukka Rask holding down the goalie tandem for 2020-2021, Vladar will be looking to spend another year in Providence, given he re-signs his soon-to-be expired contract after the NHL season. Congratulations, Vladar!
The winner of the Electrical Wholesalers ‘Fan Favorite’ Award, as voted by P-Bruins fans for the 2019-20 season, is #30 Dan Vladar. Vladar was part of a solid tandem for the P-Bruins, posting an impressive 1.79 GAA and a 0.936 save %, with 3 shutouts on the season. pic.twitter.com/ezHnKq33GE
The ‘Three Stars’ Award presented by AAA Insurance is an award for the player with the most ‘Three Stars’ nominations this season, and it goes to Brendan Gaunce. He led the team in first star, second star, and overall nominations this season. The 6’2, 207-pound forward was a spark plug for his team all season long and placed third in points with Providence (18-19-37 numbers). Gaunce has been very reliable for Providence, and when he was called up to the Bruins for a game and was able to produce a point.
Gaunces’ contract expires at the end of the NHL season and will be a restricted free-agent (FA). I believe another one-year deal will get done, and they will be able to rely on Gaunce to help with the development of their younger prospects and serve as a depth piece for the Bruins. Congratulations, Gaunce!
The 1st of 4 more Team Awards today: The winner of the AAA Insurance ‘Three Stars’ Award, given to the player with the most ‘three stars’ nominations this season, is #16 Brendan Gaunce. Gaunce led the team in first star, second star and overall nominations this season. pic.twitter.com/x9hYHMkrxj
The ‘Leading Scorer’ Award presented by National Grid is awarded to Jack Studnicka. As mentioned above, Studnicka led Providence in goals (23), assists (26), and points (49) this season. Averaging 0.81 Pt/G with three power-play goals and seven shorthanded goals, there is no doubt Studnicka will be the offensive spark the Bruins have been looking for within their young pool of prospects.
If Studnicka doesn’t crack the Bruins lineup the next campaign, then expect for him to be putting up even more points than this past year with Providence. At this rate, he will be a point-per-game player at the AHL level and can produce 40-50 points within his rookie year in the NHL, in my opinion. The opportunities and possibilities are endless for this rising star. Congratulations, Studnicka!
The winner of the National Grid ‘Leading Scorer’ Award, given to the team’s leading scorer for the 2019-20 season, is #23 Jack Studnicka. The rookie forward led the team with 49 points, while also leading the team in goals, assists, and shots. pic.twitter.com/fcz1F451Po
The ‘Plus/Minus’ Award presented by RI Medical Imaging goes to the player who led the team in plus/minus, Josiah Didier. New defensive addition, Didier, has done a tremendous job of holding down the blue-line for Providence this season and has earned this reward for finishing with an impressive +32 rating. The 6’3, 207-pound defender has been consistent throughout his first campaign with Providence and is a solid depth piece for the Bruins blue-line.
Didier also re-signed with Providence on a two-year deal before the season ended and will be looking to repeat that same success in the next two seasons. Players like Didier exemplifies leadership in the locker room, and that presence alone can help take Providence to the next level, especially during the playoffs. Congratulations on your hard work, Didier!
Team Awards Week continues with the @rimirad ‘Plus/Minus’ Award, given to the team leader in plus/minus each season. #44 Josiah Didier is the 2019-20 season winner, as he led the team with a +32 rating. pic.twitter.com/YlWc65mGJ3
Hendricks Memorial Fan Appreciation Award – Paul Carey
(Photo Credit: The American Hockey League | theahl.com)
The Hendricks Memorial ‘Fan Appreciation’ Award goes to the player who shows exemplary leadership & on-ice performance, and this award goes to Providence captain, Paul Carey. There is no doubt, returning captain Carey deserves this award. He plays a significant role in molding and teaching the younger prospects in the organization and remains productive as a forward as well, finishing second on the team with points.
The 6’1, 196-pound forward appeared in 60 games this season while racking up 22 goals and 39 points with a +9 rating. Carey also played in 30 games with Providence in 2018-2019 and produced 33 points during that time. Carey serves as a leadership role for the young prospects as well as an offensive plug for Providence. The 31-year-old has one more year left on his contract and will most likely serve that time with Providence unless he is called upon by the Bruins. Congratulations, Carey!
2019-20 Team Awards week begins with the Hendricks Memorial Fan Appreciation Award, given each season to a player for exemplary leadership & on-ice performance. This season’s winner is #28 Paul Carey, who was 2nd on the team in points & team captain for the division winners. pic.twitter.com/K3UrgrQqi2
The ‘Best Defenseman’ Award presented by Dunkin’ Donuts goes to Didier, who collects his second award. Along with being team-best in plus/minus, he also led the AHL in that same category. Didier played in 61 games this season and contributed 3-12-15 numbers with 79 PIM.
Didier will be a crucial piece to Providence, especially during the playoffs next season because of his experience after winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers in 2018-2019. He collected four assists in 19 playoff games during that championship year. With his defensive skills, leadership, and physicality, he will be able to help Providence to their first Calder Cup Championship since 1999. Congratulations, Didier!
Today’s @AHLBruins Team Award: The winner of the @dunkindonuts ‘Best Defenseman’ Award, given to the outstanding defenseman each season, is #44 Josiah Didier. Didier’s solid defense and leadership helped the P-Bruins allow the fewest goals in the conference. pic.twitter.com/ZsZCu6OdR0
The ‘Team MVP Award’ presented by Metlife is awarded to Jack Studnicka. The 21-year-old forward walks away with three team awards from the 2019-2020 campaign and rightfully so. In his first year in the AHL, he led his team in goals (23), assists (26) and points (49), while leading the entire league with shorthanded goals (7) and setting a new team record in that category.
If Studnicka remains healthy and performs well at camp this year, I expect him to be slotted into the Boston Bruins lineup almost immediately. I don’t think his rookie year was a fluke, and his hard-work ethic is going to reward him soon. There is no question Studnicka deserves this award. Congratulations, Studnicka!
The winner of the MetLife ‘Team MVP Award’, given to the most valuable player as voted by the team, is #23 Jack Studnicka. Studnicka led the team in goals (23), assists (36) and points (49) in his rookie campaign, and set a new team record for short handed goals in a season (7). pic.twitter.com/hCELJusx1Y
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 183 that we recorded below on 6-14-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
PHOTO CREDITS: (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj
At the end of each season, the Boston Bruins hand out numerous awards within the organization to the players who best exemplify the criteria. Today, June 18th, the Bruins released the 2019-2020 winners of these team awards.
Eddie Shore Award – D Brandon Carlo
Eddie Shore was a 14-year veteran of the Boston Bruins during the late 1920s and early 1930s, winning two Stanley Cups and being selected to eight All-Star games. Shore was the embodiment of a hard-working, tough Bruin and for that reason, the organization created an award in his name. The Eddie Shore Award, presented by the Gallery Gods, is awarded to the player who best demonstrated “exceptional hustle and determination throughout the season”. This year’s winner – defenceman Brandon Carlo.
Carlo, 23, played in the third full season of his young career and in only 67 games, set a new career-high in goals, assists, and points with 4-15-19 numbers. Playing 20:29 minutes per-game, Carlo has become a pivotal piece to Boston’s defensive core and will be a solid defensive defenceman of the future as well. This award goes to show the effort he puts in on a night-to-night basis and how he put his all on the ice to help the Bruins win. He joins forward Jake DeBrusk who won the award last season.
John P. Bucyk Award – F Patrice Bergeron
John Bucyk is one of the greatest Boston Bruins of all-time. Having played 1436 career regular-season games (2nd-most in franchise history) and his 21 seasons as a Bruin along with his 1369 career points and two Stanley Cups, “The Chief” is a perfect image of the Boston Bruins, having been apart of the organization for 62 seasons now. For that reason, this award is named after him and is awarded to the player with “the greatest off-ice charitable contributions”. This year’s winner – forward Patrice Bergeron.
𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗣. 𝗕𝘂𝗰𝘆𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 – presented by Johnny Bucyk to the Bruin with the greatest off-ice charitable contributions.
Bergeron, 34, is not only one of the most respected Bruins, but most respected NHL players, and part of that is due to his incredible off-ice contributions to his community and people who are in need. While Bergeron has often been involved in great charity work, it is a recent gesture that showcased his class. Following the death of George Floyd, Patrice Bergeron made a lengthy, heartfelt statement regarding racial inequality and donated $50,000 – $25,000 to the Boston NAACP and $25,000 to Centre Multiethnique de Quebec in Canada.
In addition to the award, Bergeron will be awarded $1,000 from the Boston Bruins Alumni Foundation to donate to a charity of his choice. Throughout his career, the Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec, Canada native has truly exemplified class and respect to everyone on and off the ice and is very well-deserving of this award. This is his second time winning the award, (other in 2006-07) and joins Zdeno Chara who won the award last season.
Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy – F David Pastrnak
The Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy is commonly awarded in the final home game of the regular season, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that is not possible. However, for many years, this trophy has been awarded to the Boston Bruin “with the most outstanding performance during home games”. This year’s winner – forward David Pastrnak.
𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝘂𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆 – presented by the Boston Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the Bruin with the most outstanding performance during home games.
Pastrnak, 24, has emerged as one of the top scorers in the National Hockey League, winning the Maurice Richard Trophy for most goals in the league this season (tied with Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin). According to Hockey Reference, Pastrnak scored 28-21-49 numbers in 35 games on TD Garden ice in 2019-20, showcasing how dominant he is when at home. This is the first time Pastrnak has been awarded this trophy, ending Brad Marchand’s three-year streak.
Bruins legend Raymond Bourque won this trophy seven times (a franchise-best), while Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr each won it five times and Milt Schmidt and Rick Middleton won it four times each. While he has a long way to go to get there, David Pastrnak is proving at a young age that he can be a dangerous player for years to come in the NHL.
98.5 The Sports Hub Three Stars – F Pastrnak, G Rask, F Marchand
Finally, the Boston Bruins Three Stars that go to the top three players that were the team’s best performers during home games this season. The winners – forward David Pastrnak, goaltender Tuukka Rask, and forward Brad Marchand.
𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 – presented by @985TheSportsHub to the team's top performers in home games.
David Pastrnak was awarded the first star for his 28 goals, 21 assists, and 49 points at home in ’18/’19. Pastrnak finished as the 3rd Star last year, showing his improvement as a young forward in the league. The second star goes to Tuukka Rask who finished with a stellar 14-2-6 record on home ice with a 2.15 GAA and a .926 save percentage to go along with his three shutouts. This is the sixth time Rask has been named one of the Three Stars on the Bruins.
Finally, Brad Marchand scored 14 goals and a team-high 27 assists for 41 points in TD Garden this campaign and once again proved how dangerous he is when at home. This is Marchand’s fifth time being named in the top three stars of the Bruins and his fourth-straight season as well.
All in all, it has been a successful regular-season for the 2019-2020 Boston Bruins and the chase for the greatest prize in hockey, the Stanley Cup, is about to get underway.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 183 that we recorded below on 6-14-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
With the 2020 NHL regular season in the books, and everyone gearing up for the hopeful return of playoff hockey, it is time to take a look at some of the “individual” awards Bruins players will be up for. The center of today’s topic? The Vezina and why it should once again belong to Tuukka Rask.
Having previously won the Vezina back in the 2013-2014 season, the Finnish netminder has proven once again why he’s a top “tendy” in the league and has put himself in another position to potentially take home some hardware. This year the Bruins’ top goalie was on fire at virtually every moment of the season. Giving Rask haters all but no room for criticism.
But before we can dive too far into Rask’s fabulous season (and it was just that) there may be some questions that need answering. Like “what is the Vezina trophy?” Or “Didn’t Rask already win an award?” First, yes, Rask and Halak won the Jennings trophy for the 2019-2020 season. The Jennings trophy is not a voted on the award and instead is awarded to the NHL goalie tandem that allowed the fewest goals all season.
Andy Moog and Reggie Lemelin. Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak.
For the third time in history, a Bruins goaltending duo has won the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league.#NHLBruinspic.twitter.com/R4amIxErew
The Vezina, on the other hand, is awarded annually to the goalie who is considered the best at the position. This is determined by the 31 NHL general managers each voting for who they believe is best. The voting is based solely on regular-season performance and is not affected by playoff performance in any way.
While it is true Rask benefited from splitting time with his 1A/1B tandem partner Halak, rest does not always correlate to premiere performance in the world’s top league. This is especially true for goalies, whose hot and cold streaks can baffle even the most tenured experts. So this brings us to the ultimate question, was Tuukka Rask’s season actually Vezina worthy?
Having played in just 41 games, before the season’s pause and eventual end, the former first-round pick still boasted 26 wins and only 8 regulation losses. Meaning the Bruins got at least 1 point in 33 of Rask’s 41 starts. That’s 80% for you math lovers out there. 80%! To compare with other Vezina caliber goalies, Tampa’s Vasilevskiy got points in 73% of his 52 games and Connor Helybuck posted a 64% through 56 starts.
Looking at Rask’s season from an even more statistical point of view (whether advanced metrics or otherwise) he is always a top name on the list. The veteran goaltender’s goals-against average (GAA) sits at 2.12, which is good for sole possession of first in the NHL(among goalies who played at least 23 games). While his save percentage (SV%) .929 is second only to his former teammate – and current Dallas Stars backup goalie – Anton Khudobin. Tuukka also ended the season with 5 shutouts, tied for second behind Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck (6).
I know goalies are a lot more than just stats. I agree that SV% and GAA are not always the most accurate depiction of a goaltender’s performance. But we can use them to help us indicate one thing: Tuukka Rask was an animal in the net. A man possessed if you will. Just check out this save of the year candidate. No paddle? No problem.
While Rask may not be on every highlight reel making the exciting diving save like above, there is something to be said for goalies who can make the game come to them, especially in the extremely fast pace of the NHL.
In the Vezina race, there’s still a very strong case to be made for Connor Hellybuck, as his defense was non-existent for much of the season. Yet I can’t help but feel this year belongs to Tuukka. If you don’t want to take my word for it, maybe some of the experts can sway you.
Right now, the @NHLdotcom writers have @tuukkarask leading the pack for the Vezina Trophy! Who do you think is most deserving? 🤔
Tuukka Rask IS an elite goalie. It’s not up for debate. But will he win his second award of the year? Will he win his second Vezina trophy ever? I guess we will all just have to wait and see. Two U’s, two K’s, two Vezinas, please.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 182 that we recorded below on 6-7-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
With the NHL’s return to play approved with the 24-team playoffs voted in by the NHL and the NHLPA, that means playoff hockey is on the horizon. And as always, comes the opportunity for the infamous Black Aces to be called upon.
Whenever that first game of the resumed season finally kicks off, here’s a projection of what the lineup will look like for Boston.
Forwards
Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk – David Krejci – Ondrej Kase
Nick Ritchie – Charlie Coyle – Karson Kuhlman
Anders Bjork – Sean Kuraly – Chris Wagner
Defensemen
Zdeno Chara – Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug – Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk – Connor Clifton
Goalies
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak
Joakim Nordstrom or Par Lindholm will see time on the bottom lines and are expected to be on the roster. On the defensive side, John Moore would be my selection as the seventh defensemen. Those three would be the extras.
The Black Aces
So with 21 skaters selected above, that leaves seven open spots to fill out the 28-skater roster, in addition to however many goaltenders the Bruins want. The Black Aces group will be, in my opinion, five forwards and two additional defensemen.
For the forwards, I see Anton Blidh, Brett Ritchie, Jack Studnicka, Trent Frederic and Paul Carey being called upon to fill out the roster. Ritchie has seen more NHL time than any other forward in Providence this season and should be slotted in the lineup if injuries occur to a wing position. Blidh was called up right before the season was suspended and could potentially fill in a role on the bottom line if nothing is clicking with the current forwards.
Studnicka and Frederic provide relief at center, but shouldn’t see any time, barring any injuries, of course. Studnicka is coming off a fantastic AHL season and by next season, should be competing for a starting role night in and night out in Boston. But for now, he shouldn’t be thrown into the fire.
Carey is on here because in my opinion, the guy deserves it. He took on the leadership role in Providence this season, helping groom the youth there that most likely will take a job in the NHL that Carey was hoping for. Similar to this whole group, he most likely won’t play in a game, but give the Weymouth guy a spot.
If Cassidy wants to go younger, then Zach Senyshyn could replace either Ritchie or Carey. If Cassidy would rather have a left winger, Brendan Gaunce would be a fit, as well.
On defense, Steven Kampfer and Jeremy Lauzon fill out the roster on the back end. Lauzon has made significant strides this season and gotten some increased NHL playing time. Kampfer has spent most of his time in Providence, but could be asked to answer the bell like he did last season in the NHL playoffs.
Urho Vaakanainen may be taken over Kampfer. He’s in a similar spot as Studnicka, where he could make an impact if given the opportunity, but there’s no need to rush it. Vaakanainen is a better player than Kampfer, but Kampfer has the NHL postseason experience, so that’s why he gets the nod here.
For the goalies, with the ability to bring as many goaltenders as you need, backing up Rask and Halak should for sure be Dan Vladar, who enjoyed a stellar season in Providence.
But if the Bruins want to add a fourth goaltender – and I mean, why not if you can – it’s really a toss up between Kyle Keyser and Jeremy Swayman. Keyser has experience in the pros, but Swayman took home the Mike Richter Goalie of the Year award as the best goaltender in college hockey, and the Hockey East Player of the Year. A nightmare situation in the crease would have to occur for Cassidy to be turning to either of these two, but I think Swayman gets rewarded for his stellar season and will be on the playoff roster.
So the Black Aces for the Bruins for this upcoming playoff would be: Anton Blidh, Paul Carey, Trent Frederic, Steven Kampfer, Jeremy Lauzon, Brett Ritchie and Jack Studnicka, in addition to adding Dan Vladar and Jeremy Swayman.
If all goes well and no injuries occur, there shouldn’t be any reason to believe any of the forwards would be utilized in these upcoming playoffs. Kampfer and Lauzon could slide in as the sixth or seventh defensemen instead of Moore or Clifton.
But the Bruins, as does the rest of the NHL playing in these upcoming series, now should not have to worry about bringing in players from the outside into the hub city once everything starts.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 182 that we recorded below on 6-7-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
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( Photo Credit: AP/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward )
By Joe Chrzanowski | Follow Me on Twitter @jchrz19
Whenever hockey fans get together to discuss whether a certain player’s number should be retired, the conversation is bound to get hot and heavy. When that player happens to be a goaltender, the discussion seems to be even more heated than it normally is for some reason? I’m not sure whether it is as simple as because goalies wear such a limited range of jersey numbers (so people don’t want any retired) or because goaltending statistics seem so much harder to quantify than skaters who play out of the net?
Whatever the reason, there are only 17 goalie numbers that have been retired in the history of the NHL (Patrick Roy’s #33 is retired twice, for both the Canadiens and the Avalanche). The Bruins are the only Original Six franchise that does not have at least one netminder’s number hanging in the rafters. Toronto (Broda and Bower), New York (Giacomin and Richter), and Montreal (Roy and Plante), have two each. Detroit (Sawchuk) and Chicago (Esposito) have one apiece.
In recent months, with the NHL season suspended, many sports channels have taken to replaying past series and games in order to fill in the gaps left by the lack of hockey. NESN was no exception and they recently replayed the Bruins memorable Stanley Cup playoff run in 2011, highlighting Boston’s first championship since 1972. There were many key contributors during the run to the Cup, but the most valuable was deemed to be Tim Thomas. In 25 games, Thomas posted a .940 Save Percentage, a 1.98 GAA, and had four shutouts en route to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
The recent re-airings of these Cup classics have people talking about Thomas again and many have brought up the question of whether or not Thomas’ #30 jersey is worthy of being raised to the Garden rafters. On the surface, it would appear that perhaps a goalie like Gerry Cheevers is just as/more deserving, and what about Tuukka Rask? Let’s take a deeper look at Thomas and some of the other potential candidates the B’s have to offer.
( Photo Credit: Brian Babineau/NHL via Getty Images )
Thomas is a pretty familiar story by now to most B’s fans. He played hockey for the University of Vermont (along with fellow future-NHLer Martin St. Louis), and was drafted in the 9th Round by the Quebec Nordiques, but was never signed by them. From 1997-98 through 2005-06 Thomas kicked around a number of leagues including the IHL, AHL, SHL, and Finnish Liiga before playing in the NHL for Boston. His season for Jokerit during the lockout in 2004-05 was what likely catapulted him to finally getting a legitimate NHL opportunity. With a lot of NHL talent playing in Finland that year, Thomas dominated the goaltender position playing 54 games with a 1.58 GAA and .946 save percentage during the regular season. In the playoffs, he was nearly as good with a 1.83 GAA and .938 save percentage, leading his team to the finals.
It must have been quite a transition in 2005-06 for Thomas to go from a European powerhouse to one of the worst teams in the NHL when he became a regular in Boston, and eventually took over the starting job from teammate Andrew Raycroft. The Bruins finished as the 5th worst team that year and 8th from the bottom the following season. Despite the horrible team in front of him, Thomas put up respectable numbers. The 2007-08 season would bring a number of changes, including new head coach Claude Julien, whose defensive style was much more “goalie-friendly” than the prior regime. Thomas’ stats would reflect that as the B’s returned to the playoffs.
From that year through 2011-12 (his last with the Bruins), Thomas was a monster in net for Boston, winning a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe, and two Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s best goaltender. He was, without a doubt, the league’s best during that period of time. During his eight years with the B’s, he played in 378 regular-season games, winning 196 with a 2.48 GAA and .921 save percentage. Generally speaking, those are fantastic numbers, and even more impressive when you add the hardware.
The knock against Thomas (when you are talking about retiring his number) is and has always been his longevity. He did not become a regular in the NHL until the age of 31, and while he made up for his lack of quantity in the league with a great deal of quality, there are people who will always hold this against him. If you want to compare him to some peers, he’s middle to the low end of the pack for NHL games played. Of course, that was out of his control to a large extent due to circumstances.
The two names that I hear mentioned the most in comparison to Thomas when it comes to potentially retiring numbers are Gerry Cheevers and Tuukka Rask. Of the two, the far easier comparison is Rask, because he played in the same era as Thomas. It is extremely difficult to compare players from two different eras and even more so when it comes to the goaltender position because the position has evolved more than any other in the game in my opinion.
In these situations, I think the only fair thing to do is to look at the player’s stats and rankings among their peers of that era. In my opinion, this is a far more relevant way of looking at it, as opposed to just comparing the two players, regardless of when they played. Cheevers played a total of 418 games (171 in the 60’s, 247 in the ’70s) over an NHL career that spanned 13 years (compared to nine for Thomas). If this seems a little low, it’s probably because Cheesy left the B’s for four years in the mid-’70s to play in the newly formed WHA, registering nearly 200 games there.
( Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images )
When you dig a little deeper, Cheevers ranked 14th for games played in the 1960s. His 2.97 GAA was good for 19th place, while his .907 save percentage placed him 18th. If we do the same for the 1970s, he is 23rd for games played, 14th for goals-against average (2.97), and 23rd for save percentage (.895). Personally, I tend to look more closely at the save percentage numbers because goals against can be reflective of the strength of the team in front of a goalie. To be perfectly honest, before I started this article, I expected Cheever’s stats to be better than they were, relative to his era. In his defense, if he had stayed with the Bruins, the four years he was in the WHA likely would have been some of his best and bolstered his numbers considerably. For intangibles, Cheevers has two Stanley Cups, including the first in 29 years for the B’s in 1970.
Thomas’ teammate Tuukka Rask is a much easier comparison when it comes to the numbers. Through this year, Rask’s career has spanned 13 seasons and he has played in 536 games (50 in the 2000s and 486 in the 2010s), surpassing both Cheevers and Thomas. His statistics are impressive when compared to his peers. Just looking at this decade, Rask is 1st in GAA (100 games or more), with a 2.29 mark and 2nd for save percentage at .921 over a span of almost 500 games. The only black mark over this period (and it’s huge for some) is that he has been unable to lead Boston to a Cup as a starter, losing in the Finals in both 2013 and 2019.
If we do the same for Tim Thomas at his stats for his era, they are very good for the most part. His 2.61 GAA in the 2000s was 35th among goalies with more than 100 games played. I think this number is largely reflective of the two years the Bruins were awful when he became a regular. His save percentage (.918) is much better placing 8th. In the 2010’s his 2.38 GAA is good for 4th and his .924 save percentage is 1st (ahead of Rask).
( Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images )
We have looked at three goalies and to me, they represent three different situations. Cheevers has the worst stats by far among his peers, but he has the most Cups with two and has four prime years missing to the WHA. Thomas has very good numbers in his era, along with a lot of hardware (one Cup, one Conn Smythe, and two Vezinas). Rask has the best statistics of the three men, also has a Vezina Trophy, but lacks a Stanley Cup.
I can see why some Bruins fans think that Cheevers number 30 should be retired (he also wore 31 earlier in his career), despite the lack of great stats. I can also see why a lot of B’s faithful think that Thomas’ number 30 should be retired (obviously problematic) despite his lack of longevity. This may be somewhat controversial, but I don’t believe either of those guys should have their numbers raised to the rafters. If I had to choose one, it would be Rask, who has been statistically the most dominant goalie of this decade, despite him not having a Cup. I say this because in both playoff runs where he went to the finals, Rask has been nothing short of phenomenal (1.88 GAA, .940 Save% in 2013 and 2.02/.934 in 2019). He could not close either series out, but the Bruins don’t get there if not for Rask in both instances. Agree? Disagree? That’s why discussing sports is so much fun.
( I want to thank both QuantHockey and Hockey Reference for their invaluable statistics)
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 181 that we recorded below on 5-31-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
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As many of you probably know, a new NHL team located in Seattle will be entering the league in the 2021-22 season. This means that in June of 2021, there’ll be another expansion draft. According to this article from NHL.com, the rules will remain the same as they were for the 2017 Vegas expansion draft, so we know exactly what it’ll look like. If you need a refresher, read through the linked article, as it details everything that’s important. So, what does this draft mean for the Bruins? As the linked article states, teams have two options in terms of protecting players. They can protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie, or a total of eight skaters and one goalie. Back in 2017, Bruins’ general manager Don Sweeney chose the 7-3-1 format. This is almost certainly the format the organization will choose again given the current team. Even so, when looking at the roster, it seems like the Bruins will lose a really good player for nothing. However, when you take a closer look, you’ll find this may not be the case.
Seattle has been granted permission to apply for an NHL expansion team. https://t.co/jJOX9ImR0Q
Given the contract statuses (all information in this article about that comes from CapFriendly) of many of the team’s key players, if Sweeney plays his cards right, the Bruins could end up getting very lucky. David Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Jaroslav Halak will all be unrestricted free agents in the 2021 offseason, as will formidable fourth-line center Sean Kuraly. Zdena Chara is also going to be a UFA (in the likely event that he plays next season), so even if he doesn’t retire, he won’t need to be protected (not that Seattle would pick a then-44-year-old player anyways). While Seattle will be able to take any of these players if left exposed, it wouldn’t make any sense for them too. They’d have no rights to the player and the player will be able to sign with whoever they want to come July 1st, 2021. If they were to be picked, the Bruins could easily just resign them then. So, the Bruins will be able to leave these players exposed and not worry about losing them for nothing, provided they don’t give them contract extensions before the draft. Hopefully, Sweeney is smart with these players and doesn’t do that (he can still negotiate a contract though), as that will put the Bruins in an excellent position to come out of this relatively unscathed. With that in mind, here’s a look at who the Bruins are likely to protect.
Forwards
Photo Credit: Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
Starting with the forwards, it goes without saying Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand will all be protected. All three of them would be taken in an instant, much to the detriment of the Bruins. Bergeron and Marchand both have no-move clauses, so they have to be protected, but even if they didn’t, there’s just no way the Bruins would expose them. Charlie Coyle has a modified no-move clause on his contract extension that kicks in next season, so he will need to be protected unless he waives it, although even if he did, he will most likely be protected anyways, Besides them, it would be shocking to see the Bruins expose Jake DeBrusk (in the near-certain event he resigns this offseason). He’s developed into a solid, albeit streaky, top-six winger, and he’s still young, so to expose him wouldn’t be smart.
BREAKING NEWS: Gary Bettman & the Executive Committee have recommended Seattle NHL expansion. pic.twitter.com/ZaYeRHbnzd
Beyond those five, things get less clear. If Sweeney doesn’t extend the UFA forwards, he’ll be able to protect players he otherwise would’ve had to expose, including Anders Bjork (who’s a likely-to-resign RFA this offseason) and Chris Wagner. Trade deadline acquisitions Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase will both be RFAs in the 2021 offseason, but it remains to be seen how they will fit in with the Bruins in the long-term and if they will be worthy of protection. If they are, despite the long-term extension given to him this season, Wagner will likely be the one left exposed, since he is not likely to be picked given his status and the other, more enticing options that the Bruins will have available. Bjork took big steps forward in his development this season and is turning himself into a solid third-liner with the potential to become more than that. With that in mind and given how much the Bruins have invested in his development, I would be surprised to see him get exposed.
Defensemen
Photo Credit: Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Things get tougher for the Bruins when it comes to defensemen. It goes without saying Charlie McAvoy will be protected. He is the team’s number one defenseman of the present and future, and he’ll only continue to improve for the next several seasons. Exposing him would cost the team dearly, so there’s no way it happens. Brandon Carlo will undoubtedly be protected too, as he is becoming one of the best shutdown defensemen in the league, and like McAvoy, he’s only getting better. He will be an RFA in the 2021 offseason, but the Bruins will have to protect him even if they don’t sign him to an extension before the draft, because if Seattle were to pick him they would own his rights, and if he was left exposed, he would almost certainly be picked. The biggest question for the Bruins right now is what will happen with Torey Krug. He’s a UFA this offseason, and should he resign, which he has made it abundantly clear he wants to, he will be the third protected defenseman. I’m hopeful that he will resign, but if for some reason it doesn’t work out, the team will have no shortage of options surrounding who to protect.
If Krug doesn’t need to be protected for some reason, Matt Grzelcyk will likely be the third protected defenseman. If left exposed, he will almost surely be picked up, which will hurt the Bruins, as he is an excellent third-pairing defenseman who is able to play important minutes and up in the lineup. But, he is an interesting circumstance, as his contract expires this offseason. He will most likely resign with the team, but on what terms will change how the Bruins are affected by this expansion draft. He’s an RFA, but if he signs a one-year deal, it will bring him through his age 27 season, thus making him a UFA. This is without a doubt the best possible scenario for the Bruins, as it will make it so no matter what, he will not have to be protected. But, whether or not that’s likely is hard to say. If Grzelcyk wants to stay a Bruin, this is probably the only way it’ll happen, unless Krug doesn’t resign. So, hopefully, it happens, but it may not if he’s not comfortable betting on himself, or if he doesn’t want to remain a Bruin for some reason.
The Seattle NHL expansion team announced it will offer free public transit for all fans attending games at the New Arena at Seattle Center. The team begins play in the 2021-22 NHL season. https://t.co/lHdsru1KN1
In the unlikely event that neither Krug or Grzelcyk have to be protected, the Bruins will probably protect Connor Clifton, Jeremy Lauzon, or Urho Vaakanainen. Lauzon impressed this season after being called up from Providence, so much so that he stuck in the lineup once those he was called up to help replace got healthy. He was great on the third-pairing with Grzelcyk, and if this season was any indication, the future is bright for him. Meanwhile, Clifton had a shakier season, partially due to injury. He had games where he looked like a solid third-pairing defenseman, but also somewhere he hurt the Bruins more than he helped him.
He’s a good player when he’s on his game and plays a style that can only be described as “Cliffy Hockey.” If he’s more consistent next season, he might be the one protected. Lastly, Vaakanainen, who had high expectations placed on him going into this season, was underwhelming for much of it. He still has a high ceiling, and it could easily have just been a bad year for him, so hopefully, he can turn it around next season. If he doesn’t, he makes the decision easier for Sweeney. Even if he does, I believe he is the least likely of the three to be picked by Seattle, as he has limited NHL experience, and there will be at least there good, proven, NHL player available instead. Jakub Zboril is another one the Bruins could choose to protect, as he took a major step forward in his development this season, but as of right now, he has the least NHL experience of the four, so it’s doubtful that he’d be picked.
Goaltenders
Photo Credit: John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Finally, when it comes to goalies, it’s completely up in the air as of right now. If they don’t sign Rask or Halak to an extension before the expansion draft, they’ll be able to protect one of their prospects. If they sign either of them before then, whoever gets signed will be protected. If both are signed before then, the Bruins will surely protect Rask over Halak. But, given the circumstances, I don’t see them signing both before the draft, because there’s a decent chance that Seattle would pick the one exposed due to the other options that will be available to them from the Bruins. If the Bruins are able to protect a goalie prospect, the only one who will need protection is Dan Vladar.
Seattle’s NHL expansion team made some history on Wednesday, as they named Cammi Granato as the league’s first female pro scout.https://t.co/EBrFstRgAP
Both Jeremy Swayman and Kyle Keyser will have two years or less of professional experience by the expansion draft, thus exempting them from it, and I don’t see the team resigning Maxime Lagace this offseason. Even though he took a huge step forward in his development this season and was one of the top goaltenders in the AHL, it’s doubtful Seattle would take him even if left exposed, even though they’ll be looking for promising goalie prospects. He’ll have zero NHL experience barring any serious injuries to Rask or Halak, and the Bruins will have at least one, possibly two or more, young defensemen who are proven in the NHL that will likely prove more enticing.
Final Thoughts
In short, the Bruins have no shortage of options when it comes to the expansion draft next year. Most of their choices are clear-cut, but they have some potentially tough decisions to make for the remaining spots, although a lot can change in a year that could help them. They’re extremely lucky that several of their key players will be on expiring contracts unless they sign them to extensions before the expansion draft. If it weren’t for that, they’d be almost guaranteed to lose a great roster player. Even so, they’ll most likely lose a good young defenseman for nothing, which hurts. But, the organization has plenty of depth at that position, so it won’t be detrimental. It will be very similar to the 2017 Vegas expansion draft in that way, when they lost Colin Miller, in that it was unfortunate to lose him for nothing, but in the long run, it didn’t have a huge impact. So, let’s hope that Sweeney does the smart thing and doesn’t sign too many players (if any) to extensions in the middle of next season, thus ensuring that the Bruins won’t be too seriously hurt by the upcoming expansion draft.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 180 that we recorded below on 5-25-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!
With the regular season now officially completed, the NHL had some awards to hand out earlier today. For just the third time in team history, the Bruins have won the Presidents’ Trophy for having the best record in the NHL. The Bs previously won the award in the 1989-90 season, where they lost in the Stanley Cup to the Edmonton Oilers, and in the 2013-14 season, where their year was cut short in the second round against the Canadiens.
This Bruins team was awarded the Trophy with a record of 44-14-12, ending the season with exactly 100 points. From day one, the Bs’ year felt like a revenge tour, knocking off team after team, getting contributions from each and every part of the lineup. David Pastrnak was able to share the Rocket Richard with the living legend that is Alex Ovechkin. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak split the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league. We could very well see more hardware come the Bruins way, with the Hart, Selke and Vezina trophies all yet to be decided, and David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask all looking at their respective awards.
Being awarded the President’s Trophy isn’t quite the honor you’d think however. Since its creation in 1985, the Trophy’s holder has won the Cup just eight times, and just twice in the Salary Cap era (starting in 2005). The last time a President’s Trophy winner went on to win the cup was, brace yourself, the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks. The Trophy’s winner has yet to make it back to the cup since, so it seems to be a bit of a curse the Bruins may need to break, but to say the city of Boston has a history of breaking curses would be putting it lightly.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 180 that we recorded below on 5-25-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
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By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Boston Bruins goaltenders Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak have officially been named the recipients of the William M. Jennings Trophy for the 2019-20 season, annually awarded to the goaltenders on the team with the fewest goals allowed during the regular season. Rask and Halak become the third duo in franchise history to earn the Jennings Trophy, joining Tim Thomas and Manny Fernadnez (2008-09), and Andy Moog and Reggie Lemelin (1989-90).
Andy Moog and Reggie Lemelin. Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak.
For the third time in history, a Bruins goaltending duo has won the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league.#NHLBruinspic.twitter.com/R4amIxErew
Boston’s duo allowed 167 goals-against during the regular season, the fewest in the NHL, seven clear of Dallas’ Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin (174). The Arizona Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets tied for the third-fewest goals-against with 183 each.
On the season, Rask finished with a 26-8-6 record and a 2.12 goals-against average (GAA), the best in the league among qualified goaltenders. The 33-year-old’s .929 save percentage sits second in the league behind Khudobin’s .930 marker. Rask also pitched five shutouts, one shy of Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, who led the league with six.
The Savonlinna, FIN, native made a total of 1,189 saves on the year, allowing only 85 goals in 41 appearances. Rask previously won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender for the 2013-14 season.
Halak concluded the season with three shutouts, the fourth-most in the league, to go along with a record of 18-6-6 and a .919 save percentage over 31 appearances. The 35-year-old posted a 2.39 GAA, which finishes as fifth-lowest in the league. A native of Bratislava, SVK, Halak made 905 total saves and surrendered just 73 goals.
This mark’s the second time in his career that Halak has won the Jennings Trophy, having earned it alongside Brian Elliot during the 2011-12 season while playing for the St. Louis Blues. Halak and Elliot gave up 165 goals that season. Halak becomes the tenth goaltender to win the award multiple times, joining the likes of Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, and Dominik Hasek.
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 180 that we recorded below on 5-25-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
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