Projo Bruins Blog

October 2008 Archives

The Boston Bruins are the seventh most-valuable franchise in the National Hockey League, according to the annual list released yesterday by Forbes.com.

Last season was the most successful for the league in the 10 years that Forbes has been tracking team values, according to the report. The improvements were attributed to higher ticket prices and a stronger Canadian dollar.

The Bruins, a team that Forbes notes charges among the highest ticket and concession prices in the NHL despite having won just one playoff series in the past 14 years, are valued at $263 million. Rumors continue about a possible sale of the team, but owner Jeremy Jacobs denies that he is shopping the Bruins.

The five highest-value franchises in the league are (in order): Toronto, New York Rangers, Montreal, Detroit and Philadelphia. The five lowest-value franchises are (least valuable first): Phoenix, New York Islanders, Columbus, Atlanta and Washington.

Providence Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk is the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week after recording a goal and six assists over three games for Providence this past weekend.

The 24-year-old Boychuk had three assists in Friday's win over Springfield, a goal and an assist -- both in the third period -- in the P-Bruins' overtime loss to Worcester, and two more assists in Sunday's win at Portland.

Boychuk, acquired in the offseason fro the Colorado Avalanche, is tied for second in the AHL with 10 points.

Tonight's Boston Bruins game is set for a 7:45 puck drop, after the host Montreal Canadiens celebrate their 100th season opener. The game, a rematch of last year's NHL playoff series, won by Montreal, pits the Bruins against goalie Carey Price, whom they have never beaten in the regular season.

Bruins head coach Claude Julien told The Boston Globe that his team is honored to be a part of the festivities tonight, even if they are focused on an archrival: When they asked us if we wanted to participate in it, I wanted our team to be part of it. "It's a great occasion, not just for the Montreal Canadiens but for hockey. One hundred years is unbelievable. It's a big night for them and we respect that. We'll be part of it as well. I'll be glad to be part of it and be here for the occasion."

Former Rhode Island Reds and Boston Bruins Ferny Flaman, Ross Brooks and Don McKenney will lead a panel discussion and question-and-answer session at Saturday's fall meeting of the Society for International Hockey Research. The event is at the Hampton Inn & Suites, on Post Road in Warwick.

The panel discussion is set for 1:15 p.m. The day will also include "What International Ice Hockey Teaches us about the Cold War," a lecture by John Soares, a Notre Dame professor originally from Bristol, at 2:45; and a preview of "When the Reds Ruled the Roost," a made-for-TV video history of the old R. I. Reds, at 3:25. n

The meeting is open to the public at a cost of $20, including lunch. The day begins with registration at 8 a.m.

The Boston Bruins have recalled defenseman Matt Hunwick and center Vladimir Sobotka from Providence. Both players are expected to join Boston today and travel with the team to face the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night.

Hunwick, 23, earned two assists in his two games this season in Providence. The blue-liner is coming off of a rookie season split between Boston and Providence, notching one assist in 13 games over four call-ups to the big club and 23 points (2g, 21a) in 55 contests for the P-Bruins.

Sobotka, 21, posted back-to-back multiple-point games in a pair of P-Bruins victories this year, and has two goals and four points overall. The second-year center scored the game-winning-goal Sunday afternoon in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Springfield Falcons. Sobotka split the 2007-08 campaign between Boston and Providence, appearing in 48 regular season games with the big club while amassing seven points (g, 6a). He played in six playoff games for Boston, scoring two goals against Montreal.

The Boston Bruins today traded defenseman Andrew Alberts to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Ned Lukacevic and a fourth round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. The 2009 fourth round pick becomes a 2009 third round pick if the Flyers resign Alberts at the end of his contract which expires on June 30, 2009.

The 22-year-old Lukacevic played 61 games for Reading of the East Coast Hockey League and tallied 17 goals and 19 assists last year. In three-plus professional seasons split between Reading (ECHL) Manchester (American Hockey League) and Philadelphia (AHL), the 6-0, 200 pound Podgorica, Serbia native played in 126 games, recording 25-36-61 totals and 99 penalty minutes. Originally drafted in the fourth round (110th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Lukacevic was dealt to the Flyers on June 30, 2008 along with Patrik Hersley in exchange for Denis Gauthier. He did not see any action in the first two games of the 2008-2009 season for the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL).

Alberts played in 181 games for the Bruins during his three-plus years with the club, notching one goal, 18 assists and 231 penalty minutes. Drafted by the Bruins out of Boston College, Alberts was selected in the sixth round (179th overall) in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Last season, Alberts saw action in 32 regular season and 2 postseason contests and contributed two assists. He was a healthy scratch in the Bruins first two games of the 2008-2009 season.

Providence Bruins rookie center Zach Hamill is expected to miss up to six weeks with a left wrist injury. Boston's first-round pick in 2007, the seventh pick overall, Hamill is to undergo surgery.

Another rookie, Brad Marchand, broke a cheekbone in practice last week but played in Wednesday night's home opener, a 4-3 win over Lowell. A fourth-round draft choice in 2004, Marchand recorded a team-high five shots on goal and assisted on Vladimir Sobotka's second-period power-play goal.

The P-Bruins' next game is Sunday at 4:05 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center, against Springfield.

The Boston Bruins announced today that forward Peter Schaefer has been released from the club and will be placed on waivers for purpose of assignment to Providence (AHL), forwards Nate Thompson and Jeremy Reich have been placed on waivers for purpose of assignment to Providence (AHL), defenseman Matt Hunwick has been assigned to Providence (AHL), and forward Carl Soderberg has been assigned to Malmo (Sweden2).

After these moves, 23 players remain on the Bruins roster.

Schaefer appeared in 63 regular season games for the Boston Bruins last year and tallied 9-17-26 totals. In the postseason, Schaefer played in all seven contests and contributed one goal and three assists. He was acquired by the Bruins from the Ottawa Senators on July 17, 2007 in exchange for forward Shean Donovan.

Reich played in 58 regular season games for Boston last season and notched 2-2-4 totals and 78 penalty minutes. He also appeared in four postseason games. Signed by the Bruins as a free agent on August 30, 2005, Reich was originally drafted in the second round (39th overall) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Thompson spent the entire 2007-2008 season in Providence and set professional career highs in goals (19), assists (20) and games played (75). Thompson was Boston's eighth round pick (183rd overall) in the
2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Hunwick spent the majority of the 2007-2008 season in Providence where he posted 2-21-23 totals in 55 games. He was recalled to Boston on four separate occasions last year and tallied one assist in 13 games. The University of Michigan graduate was drafted by the Bruins in the seventh round (224th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

In 42 games played for Malmo in 2007-2008, Soderberg notched 22 goals and 36 assists. Acquired from St. Louis on July 23, 2007 in exchange for Hannu Toivonen, the 22-year-old Malmo, Sweden native was originally selected by the Blues in the second round (49th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

In addition, defenseman Mike Egener has announced his retirement from professional hockey. Egener was signed by the Bruins as a free agent on August 28, 2008 and was waived on September 28, 2008. Selected by Tampa Bay in the second round (34th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, the 23-year-old played for four years in the AHL, appearing in 205 games and recording 6-8-14 totals.

Center Martin St. Pierre has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Providence Bruins. Providence now has 28 players in its camp, including 15 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders.

St. Pierre, 25, is entering his fifth pro season and first with Boston after being acquired in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks for Pascal Pelletier on July 24, 2008. The three-time AHL All-Star forward has registered 331 points (91g, 240a) in 309 pro games, including four points (g, 3a) in 21 NHL contests with Chicago. St. Pierre spent most of last season with the AHL's Rockford Ice Hogs, notching 88 points (21g, 67a) in 69 games to lead the Hogs in scoring and finish second in the AHL in both points and assists. The Second Team AHL All-Star also added 14 playoff points (2g, 12a) in 12 contests. His regular season totals were just shy of the career-best 27 goals, 72 assists and 99 points he posted the previous season with the Norfolk Admirals. The Embrun, Ontario, native began his pro career with the ECHL's Greenville Grrrowl and Edmonton Roadrunners of the AHL in 2004-05 after finishing up a four-year junior career with the Guelph Storm. While in the OHL, the undrafted forward scored 320 points (108g, 212a) in 257 games.

Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced Thursday that four players have been released from the club's training camp.

Defensemen Matt Lashoff and Jeff Penner as well as goaltender Tuukka Rask have been assigned to the Providence Bruins (AHL).

Center Martin St. Pierre has been placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Providence.

This leaves Boston with 27 players remaining in camp.