The best of Boston's long, exciting, harrowing journey to the Cup through the eyes of this Bruins fan. I tried to avoid generalities in making this list (i.e. “Bruins sweep Flyers") and while I inevitably omitted certain things as a result, I thought it best to zero in on specific moments that struck me as particularly crucial or memorable. Feel free to re-order my list or post other pivotal moments that you would include--there are plenty of candidates. 

10) Round 4, Game 3 vs. Vancouver: Tim Thomas decks Henrik Sedin

The Sedins more closely resembled twin pillows than pillars in the finals, shying away from bodily contact, standing pat during post-whistle scrums and flopping on a dime to draw penalties. They couldn’t back up their soft play on the scoresheet; thus, they quickly invited scorn from viewers and media on both sides. Bruins fans were exceptionally satisfied when Henrik incurred the wrath of Thomas in Game 3, reaching for a puck in midair near the crease and receiving a punishing check from Boston's plucky hero in the process. It was a defining moment for both players in the series: Thomas, the ultimate battler, lashing out to protect his cage, and Henrik, down on the ice looking for a call while play continued around him.

9) Round 1, Game 5 vs. Montreal: Michael Ryder’s "Glove" Save

Boston’s depth emerged in unexpected ways this postseason, from the fourth line’s grinding, gritty performance in Game 7 of the finals, to Rich Peverley’s stellar fill-in work after Nathan Horton went down, to Chris Kelly’s sudden penchant for clutch goals in the first round against Montreal. But Ryder--not exactly a Selke nominee--assumed perhaps the most unexpected role of all in Game 5 against Montreal: goaltender. Planting his body in front of an empty net after Mike Cammalleri lured Thomas out of the crease halfway through the first period, Ryder stonewalled a point-blank shot by Tomas Plekanec with an impressive hand save, keeping Montreal off the board in a tight game that the Bruins ultimately won in overtime.

8) Round 3, Game 2 vs. Tampa Bay: Tyler Seguin’s Breakout Performance

The youngster was banished to the press box through the first few rounds, forced to look on as his teammates waged war against two hated rivals. When he was finally thrown into action in place of the concussed Patrice Bergeron against Tampa Bay, he took the opportunity and bolted, almost singlehandedly lifting the Bruins to victory in a key Game 2 at home with four points, including a spectacular game-tying goal, in the second period. While Seguin cooled off over the next few games and was neutralized by Vancouver, his electric play out of the gate set the tone for a high-scoring Conference Finals and left Bruins fans drooling over what appears to be a limitless future.

7) Round 4, Game 6 vs. Vancouver: Four goals in 4:14

Reports of Roberto Luongo’s turnaround were greatly exaggerated after a 1-0 Game 5 victory in Vancouver that put the Canucks one win away from their first Cup. Luongo returned to Boston and delivered Meltdown 3.0 in Game 6, allowing three goals in a span of 3:04 in the first period and exiting to the cheers and jeers of a torturous Garden crowd that reveled in his misfortunes throughout the series. As he did so often in the playoffs, Brad Marchand ignited the fire, whipping a gorgeous wrist shot over Luongo’s left shoulder and opening the floodgates for subsequent goals by Milan Lucic and Andrew Ference. The Bruins threw in a fourth goal for good measure on Corey Schneider just 1:10 later--meanwhile, Luongo sat firmly on the pine, stewing in his own doubt. Fra-gi-le is Italian; fittingly, so is Luongo. 

6) Round 2, Game 4 vs. Philadelphia: Milan Lucic buries the Flyers

Lucic, along with Tomas Kaberle, stands out as one of the more maligned Bruins from a mostly magical postseason. Injuries hindered his play in the early going and fans grew frustrated with his lack of physicality and loss of quickness; while he was clearly playing hurt, many still expected more than zero goals and three assists by the time Game 4 against Philadelphia rolled around. Luckily for those who feared a repeat of 2010, Lucic delivered two goals in the series-clinching game, thrusting the dagger in Philadelphia on a partial breakaway with 4:57 remaining to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead.

5a) Round 1, Game 5 vs. Montreal: Tim Thomas robs Brian Gionta

The Bruins’ three overtime victories against Montreal provided plenty of memorable saves, opportunities, and goals, but Thomas stood tallest with a dazzling stop on Gionta in double overtime of Game 5. Sliding laterally across the crease with cat-like agility, Thomas robbed Gionta on a 2-on-1 with his left pad and arguably saved Boston’s season in one fell swoop. Had Gionta scored and brought his team back home up 3-2, the Bruins may not have been able to recover.

5b) Round 3, Game 5 vs. Tampa Bay: Tim Thomas robs Steve Downie

Unorthodox is the name of Thomas’ game, and this save was anything but textbook, a miraculous flail at a puck that seemingly couldn’t not go in. Downie faced a gaping net on the left post halfway through the third period of Game 5, but Thomas never quit on the play, diving backwards and preserving a one-goal lead with a mere few inches of stick. The save was a microcosm of Thomas’ playoff performance--even when he was down and out, he never gave up, and always brought his team back to where it needed to be.

4) Round 4, Game 7 vs. Vancouver: Patrice Bergeron’s backbreaking shorty

Bergeron’s shorthanded tally late in the second period of Game 7 was the death knell for the Canucks, the play that really ignited the party back in Boston. As far as goals go, it was downright ugly: three players piling up in the crease while momentum somehow carries the puck across the line. But the resilience Bergeron showed in pushing to the net--out-hustling two Canucks in a shorthanded situation and finishing the play despite being pulled down from behind--encapsulated the very fiber of Boston’s character in the postseason. The Canucks may have been faster, more dangerous, and more skilled than the Bruins, but they lacked the grit, smarts and determination necessary to outlast Boston in a seven-game series. 

3) Round 3, Game 7 vs. Tampa Bay: Nathan Horton’s series-winning goal

Arguably the tightest, most thrilling contest of the postseason from start to finish, Game 7 against the Lightning featured adrenaline-filled, back-and-forth action with few whistles--and no penalties. Thomas and Dwayne Roloson delivered virtuoso performances, hoisting their respective teams on their veteran shoulders with one spectacular save after another, forcing the pinkest of hats to the very edges of their seats as the game remained scoreless well into the third period. Horton's tiebreaking goal with less than eight minutes remaining was nothing short of cathartic; exuberant fans across New England collectively exhaled as the Bruins bottled up the Lightning and ran the clock down to their first Finals berth since 1990.

2) Round 1, Game 7 vs. Montreal: Nathan Horton’s series-clinching overtime goal

It’s amazing how one shot in the NHL playoffs can change the course of history--how a grueling seven-game series can boil down to one simple play. One bad bounce the other way, one break, and everything could have been different. The Bruins would have fallen in the first round, ensuring a third straight year of Game 7 devastation, and Claude Julien and Peter Chiarelli would be lining up for the proverbial guillotine. But Horton, who already proved himself capable of clutch performance with a double-overtime goal in Game 5, took charge, forever entrenching his name in Boston sports lore with a low slapper from outside the circles that beat Carey Price just over five minutes into overtime. Jubilation erupted inside the Garden as the Bruins finally seized that elusive Game 7 victory--over their most hated rivals, no less. This was truly the game that the Bruins couldn’t afford to lose, and this time, they delivered. And they never looked back.

1) Round 4, Game 7 vs. Vancouver: Zdeno Chara raises the Cup

Finally, a symbolic moment of pure joy and release after a tense, thrilling and downright exhausting two months. Words can’t possibly describe how Chara must have felt as he lifted the chalice high into the air, simple awe and elation etched in his grizzled face. It was a moment for all Bruins fans to cherish and share together--especially the ones who suffered through years of frustration and bitter disappointment, always clinging to the hope that this franchise could one day put it all together again. Well, that time has finally come. The Boston Bruins are the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions, the cream of the crop, the very best of the best. 

With the decade coming to a close, I decided to rank each Bruins team from the past 10 years, worst to best. Feel free to comment, disagree, lambast my stupidity, etc. etc. 

10) 2004-2005 (Lockout)

Hey, a bad season is better than no season, right?

9) 2005-2006 (29-37-16, 74 points, 5th in Northeast, 13th in Eastern Conference)

Ah, the twilight of the Mike O’Connell era. It’s difficult to determine which of the first two post-lockout seasons was worse, but this one seemed all the more putrid because of the expectations heading into it. The Bruins were supposed to build off their successful '03-04 campaign: 104 points, a division title, and a Calder-worthy performance from Andrew Raycroft. O’Connell pegged the B’s as surefire contenders, delivering a confident endorsement prior to training camp: 

This team, the way it’s set up with the rule changes, I think that we have to be considered one of the favorites for the Stanley Cup.

The Bruins proceeded to burst out of the gate like that kid at practice who hops onto the ice with his skate guards still on, only to fall flat on his face. Raycroft was quickly exposed as a one-year wonder, losing his starting job after just two months. The free-agent departures of Brian Rolston, Mike Knuble, Michael Nylander and Sergei Gonchar--all of whom went on to flourish elsewhere--could hardly be atoned for by an injury-prone Alexei Zhamnov and an aging Brian Leetch. A bunch of losses and one “Jumbo” trade later, it was already time to rebuild. Thankfully, the Bruins were able to parlay the cap space created by Joe Thornton’s departure into dually important free-agent acquisitions: Marc Savard and Zdeno Chara. Thus, the future became a little brighter with some incoming talent to complement Patrice Bergeron.

8) 2006-2007 (35-41-6, 73 points, 5th in Northeast, 13th in Eastern Conference)

This Bruins team was saved from the bottom of my rankings by the fact that it somehow flirted with playoff contention as late as March despite subpar offensive production (23rd in goals for) and abominable defense (29th in goals against). The wheels officially fell off over the final 12 games of the season, in which the Bruins posted a 1-10-1 record--effectively dropping the guillotine on one-year coach Dave Lewis, our favorite Hitler look-a-like. A further look at the statistics reveals how brutal this team truly was: they scored just 219 goals while giving up 289, their second-highest total allowed since 1986. The goal differential of -70 was Boston’s worst since 1967. Seventeen players recorded a -10 rating or worse; five cracked the -20 barrier.

Of course, it isn’t always the coach’s fault. This team was beset by inexperience, underperformance, and shortcomings in talent that were likely beyond Lewis’ grasp. Hannu Toivonen was a complete flop, Chara struggled in his first season in Boston, and Brad Boyes, coming off a superb rookie season in which he put up 69 points, managed just 34 points in 62 games before being shipped off to St. Louis. On the bright side, Marc Savard put up 96 points, Bergeron continued to blossom offensively, and in came Claude Julien to save the day.

7) 1999-2000 (24-39-19-6, 73 points, 5th in Northeast, 12th in Eastern Conference)

The Bruins kicked off the century with a whimper, following up an appearance in the conference semifinals with a disappointing 12th-place finish--thanks in part to key injuries to Byron Dafoe and Jason Allison. Despite staying out of contention all season, the ’99-00 squad didn’t stay out of the headlines: veteran defenseman and noted pugilist Marty McSorley garnered infamy in February of 2000, mistaking Donald Brashear’s head for an oversized baseball in one of the NHL’s all-time ugliest instances of goonery. McSorley earned a one-year suspension and a criminal trial in which he was pegged with 18 months of probation.

The most significant moment of the season occurred at the trade deadline, when the Bruins granted Ray Bourque’s wish to depart in search of his first Stanley Cup. On March 6, 2000, Boston waved goodbye to its longtime franchise player, trading him to the Avalanche alongside Dave Andreychuk in exchange for Samuel Pahlsson, Martin Grenier and Brian Rolston. While Grenier never suited up for the B’s and Pahlsson played just 17 games the following season before being traded, Rolston proved a valuable asset for the Bruins moving forward. The Bourque trade, combined with the rise of Thornton and Sergei Samsonov, would usher in a new era of abbreviated pre-lockout success for the Bruins.

6) 2000-2001 (36-30-8-8, 88 points, 4th in Northeast, 9th in Eastern Conference)

My final Bruins team on the countdown to miss the playoffs, the '00-01 squad was narrowly edged out for the eighth seed by a Hurricanes team with the same number of points, but more wins. Those sneaky ‘Canes always ruin it for everyone else. The sting of just barely missing aside, this campaign served as a significant springboard for a strong run the following season. The Bruins turned Anson Carter’s contract dispute into a trade for Bill Guerin, who became a centerpiece in the offense upon his arrival from Edmonton, scoring 28 goals in 64 games. The Pat Burns era came to an end as he was fired just 8 games in, and Mike Keenan, the NHL’s neighborhood bicycle, took over for the remainder of the season--though the Bruins decided against retaining him, apparently due to his unpopularity amongst the players. No surprise there. Robbie Ftorek, who did awesome things like this, would replace Keenan behind the bench for the '01-02 season. 

On a side note, Bruins fans still got to enjoy the playoffs by adopting the Avalanche as a surrogate team for the second straight postseason. Bourque’s long-awaited championship was the NHL’s best moment of the decade, hands down. 

5) 2002-2003 (36-31-11-4, 87 points, 3rd in Northeast, 8th in conference

Fun fact: this squad, 19-4-3-1 through the first 27 games, sported a record practically identical to that of the '08-09 team through as many games (19-4-4). But, alas, 27 games does not a season make, and these pretenders flat-out collapsed, going 17-27-8-3 the rest of the way and barely clinging to the eighth seed. Ftorek didn’t last the season despite the fact that the Bruins remained in playoff contention throughout; unsurprisingly, O’Connell didn’t make things much better when he took over. Scoring certainly wasn’t the problem--led by Glen Murray’s 44 goals and Thornton’s 101 points, the Bruins boasted the second best offense in the conference. But they gave up lots of goals, too, thanks in large part to the porous goaltending trio of John Grahame, Steve Shields, and Jeff Hackett, who combined for a save percentage well below .900.

Once the postseason rolled around, the Bruins were ripe for the picking, like Matty Niskanen in the corner against Sheriff Shane Hnidy. Top-seeded New Jersey brushed them off in the first round en route to their third Stanley Cup in nine years. Exeunt Bruins in five games.

4) 2007-2008 (41-29-12, 94 points, 3rd in Northeast, 8th in conference)

Not much was expected of the Bruins heading into the ’07-08 campaign, and the immediate future seemed bleak when Patrice Bergeron suffered a season-ending concussion just seven games in. But the Bruins rallied around Claude Julien’s system and squeaked out an eighth-place finish on the strength of staunch defense and stellar goaltending from Tim Thomas and Alex Auld. Chara shook off his disappointing ’06-07 season, improving his +/- from -21 to +14 to go along with a career-high 51 points. Marco Sturm potted a career-high 29 goals, and David Krejci and Milan Lucic stepped up with compelling rookie campaigns.

The Hockey Gods obviously felt it necessary to match the Bruins with the top-seeded Canadiens come playoff time. Montreal--8-0 against Boston in the regular season--was heavily favored to steamroll the Bruins in the first round. But the B’s erased a 3-1 deficit in what was, in my opinion at least, the most entertaining series this team played in all decade--regardless of the final outcome. Game 6 was one of the wildest, most exhilarating games the NHL has seen in recent years. While the B's went on to lose the series, much of the magic from Games 5 and 6 carried over to the following season.

3) 2003-2004 (40-19-15-7, 104 points, 1st in Northeast, 2nd in conference)

The Bruins bounced back from their ’02-03 collapse by earning points in 17 of their first 19 games, going on to clinch the Northeast Division and exceed 100 points for the second time in three years. They were a force in tight games, finishing 22-7-7 in one-goal contests--thanks in large part to Andrew Raycroft, who delivered a superb rookie season in net with a 29-18-9/2.05/.926 line. While Thornton and Murray saw their production dip under new head coach Mike Sullivan, Nick Boynton emerged as the team’s top defenseman and Patrice Bergeron registered 39 points in 71 games as an 18-year old rookie. The Bruins bucked their trend of trade-deadline stinginess by acquiring playmaking center Michael Nylander and high-scoring defenseman Sergei Gonchar in hopes of making a strong postseason run.

Facing the seventh-place Canadiens in the first round, the Bruins took a seemingly invincible 3-1 series lead on Murray’s deflating double-overtime goal in Game 4 that made a complete goat out of Alex Kovalev. Unfortunately, the goal served as a wakeup call for the Habs, who shockingly forced a seventh game, battering the Bruins by a combined score of 10-3 over the next two contests. Theodore went on to post a shutout in Game 7 in Boston, marking the second time in three years that the Bruins had fallen victim to the underdog Canadiens in the first round--except this time, Boston allowed Montreal to win a series in which it trailed 3-1 for the first time in franchise history. Ugly indeed.

2) 2001-2002 (43-24-6-9, 101 points, 1st in Northeast, 1st in conference)

Everything came together for the ’01-02 squad in the regular season. The offense thrived: Guerin posted 40 goals for the second straight season, Samsonov and Thornton each produced at a point-per-game clip, and Rolston set a team record with 9 shorthanded goals. The Bruins were further boosted up front when Jason Allison’s holdout produced a trade to Los Angeles for Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel; Murray put up 35 goals and Stumpel dished out 47 assists after the exchange. Sean O’Donnell anchored the blueline with a +27, P.J. Stock became everyone’s favorite 5-10 pugilist, and Byron Dafoe returned to form with 35 wins and a 2.21 GAA. All in all, Robbie Ftorek’s first season in Boston was a smashing success--until the playoffs, of course.

The Bruins looked as if they’d pounce all over the eighth-place Canadiens, who snuck into the postseason on the shoulders of MVP candidate Jose Theodore. But Boston struggled in the first three games, falling behind 2-1 while allowing 14 goals to a team that averaged just 2.5 goals per game all season. The Bruins seemed poised to turn the series around in Game 4, running down the clock on a 5-2 victory that would send them back home with a fresh start, when Kyle McLaren unnecessarily clotheslined Richard Zednik in the final minutes of the game. McLaren’s services were lost for the remainder of the series after he was suspended by the NHL, and the Canadiens seemed to find some spark from the situation; Theodore held the Bruins to just two goals over the next two games as Montreal went on to win the series 4-2--a disappointing finish to an otherwise strong season.

1) 2008-2009 (53-19-10, 116 points, 1st in Northeast, 1st in conference)

116 points. A first round sweep of the Canadiens (extended footage featuring Jack Edwards here). Coach of the year. Defenseman of the year. Goaltender of the year. Things didn’t quite go as planned in the end, but this was one of the NHL’s marquee regular-season teams of the past decade, and, without contest, the best Bruins team we’ve seen in recent years. No need to say anything more--it’s pretty fresh in everyone’s memory.     

At the quarter mark of the season, none of the following--complete with nicknames capturing their ineffectiveness--are on pace to crack the 40-point barrier. They'll certainly need to pick it up over the last 3/4 of the season if the Bruins hope to overcome their poor start:

Mark Recchi: He's morphed into the second coming of Glen Murray during his final stages with the B's--an old, tired, and frequently invisible spare part. While Recchi is a highly respected member of the NHL community and an extremely tough cookie--he played Game 7 within 24 hours of kidney stone removal last year, for Christ's sake--one has to believe that he's on his last legs. Mark "Train" Recchi is only appropriate as the former star barrels downhill into the twilight of his career. Mark "Tyrannosaurus" Recchi also received votes for the old-timer, as he appears to be better suited for the set of Jurassic Park than an NHL rink these days.

Michael Ryder: The enigmatic winger was just as ineffective at the beginning of last season as he is now, scoring just 3 goals in his first 22 games. The difference is that Ryder had the "fortune" of struggling while the rest of the B's were gaining steam last November; this season, now that the losses are beginning to pile up a little, he can hardly fly under the radar. While he provides the occasional flash, he usually proceeds to disappear for shifts at a time--earning himself the nickname, Michael "Ghost" Ryder. After all, Bruins fans have recently received him about as well as movie critics received the Nicolas Cage flop back in 2007. Honorable mention Michael "Easy" Ryder also enjoys tokin' it up with Peter Fonda before games, which may explain his sluggish skating on the forecheck.

Marco Sturm: Sturmy--normally dependable for 25 goals and 40-50 points over a full slate--deserves a bit of a break after coming back from a completely lost season, but I can't say I expected him to struggle this much. He went a month between goals, with his second goal of the season coming on October 8th, his third on November 7th. And, after scoring 25 combined goals on the man-advantage in his first three seasons in Boston, he still hasn't scored on the power play this season. The bottom line is that Marco "Infertile" Sturm just seems unable to produce anything these days. Marco "The Perfect" Sturm also received votes because, much like George Clooney's crew in the movie, he vanished long ago and still hasn't returned. Then again, the same can be said for the rest of the Bruins at this point. 

The start of the season has certainly been plagued by unexpected concerns--inconsistent scoring, sloppy puck control, inability to win physical battles, shaky goaltending and downright abysmal special teams play. I haven't seen much of the intensity and mental toughness that carried the Bruins to their best record in decades last year.

That being said, it would be ludicrous to say that the Bruins are screwed at this juncture of the season. True, they mustered just two wins out of a season-opening homestand in which they surrendered 19 goals in five games. True, one of those wins came against the Islanders in the shootout after erasing a three-goal, third-period deficit--one of the Bruins' few exhibitions of intensity and desperation this season, and all that stands between them and a 1-4 record.

But we must remember, as the season is in its infant stages, that there is plenty of time for the kinks to be worked out. In the long run, the first five games mean virtually nothing. There are too many experienced members of the organization--from the players on up--to allow mediocrity to set in for any length of time. Lest we forget, the Bruins have last season’s coach, goaltender, and defenseman of the year, and those honors were not unjustly awarded. But there's plenty of work to be done.

The power play is clicking at an anemic 4-for-29 rate so far. In fact, if you throw out the 7-2 romping of Carolina in their second game (which is a stupid concept but I still find the resulting fact interesting), the Bruins have actually allowed more goals while on the man advantage than they’ve scored, as the power play has gone 0-for-21 in the other four games while giving up two shorthanded goals. The penalty kill has sucked too, allowing 8 goals in 26 attempts--leaving me with a shocking feeling that I actually miss PJ.

The ineffectiveness on special teams is definitely an accurate reflection of the Bruins' struggles as a whole. Their power play has sputtered because of their inability to create traffic and get the puck to the net, something that has plagued them in their failed attempts to play a cohesive, 60-minute game. When I was at today's game, I was pulling my hair because the Bruins seemed unable to penetrate the shooting lanes, dancing around the perimeter until they either lost possession of the puck or took shots from the blueline that were blocked with ease and either cleared the zone or sailed out of play.

The Bruins are underperforming in their own zone as well. They've appeared overmatched in one-on-one battles, either getting outmuscled or losing races to the puck. The defensive corps has been burned multiple times by the speed of opponents’ top lines, particularly in the blowout losses to Washington and Anaheim. Neither Thomas nor Tuukka Rask has been overly impressive in net; then again, neither netminder has received great support from the five guys in front of him.

Despite all of these issues, the Bruins have the coaching and the talent to overcome their slow start. The fact that the offense has shown improved chemistry--at least in 5-on-5 situations--in the past few games is encouraging. The fourth line continues to be a silver lining with its gritty play, and Patrice Bergeron and Marco Sturm have shown that they are ready to make a difference this year.

For the rest of the team, much of the struggle seems to be mental. Thomas has been fighting the puck, looking oddly uncomfortable, and many of the skaters have been far too hesitant to get physical in the corners and take offensive risks. It's almost as if there's a hangover from last season--as if the players expect the success of 2008-09 to just present itself on a silver platter alongside a free playoff berth. Simply put, the Bruins need to prove that they are hungry, because they aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year.

So, my general advice is not to panic, but to exercise some patience--a rarity for Boston sports fans, myself included, who live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of world. Look for the Bruins’ upcoming road trip to serve as a wakeup call--a chance to return home with a fresh look next week--and expect a strong performance from an angry Thomas in net on Friday night in Dallas. This team is too good to fumble away its high expectations, and we all know that, once they string together a few wins, the good vibrations will return to the TD Garden. It's just a matter of translating skill into effort, intensity and focus.

1) Fri, Jan 1 vs Philadelphia: The Winter Classic

The Winter Classic is the marquee event of the NHL regular season, and Fenway Park is the perfect venue for its continued success. The traditional appeal of the old ballpark will combine with the blustery winter weather to create a dynamic recipe for old-time hockey, and Chris Pronger and Zdeno Chara will be relied upon for some equally chilling physical play. Just like last year’s Classic at Wrigley, the buzz of the crowd and intensity of the game will further indicate the rebirth of an Original Six city that had recently struggled to keep professional hockey on its radar. 

2) Sat, Dec 5 vs Toronto

Obviously, the focal point of this matchup will be Phil Kessel’s return to Boston, assuming he has fully recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. It will be interesting to see how the exiled sniper is received by the hometown faithful, as his departure was less than amicable, and it will be even more intriguing to see how he plays against his former teammates. Considering his tendency to avoid body contact, he probably won’t like the idea of going one-on-one in the corners against Chara’s 6-9, 255-pound frame.

3) Thu, Jan 14 @ San Jose

Through two periods of Joe Thornton’s much-anticipated return last season, the game was shaping up to be everything we expected--the B's led 2-1 in a tight defensive battle between the league's top teams. Then they suffered a most uncharacteristic collapse: San Jose came out firing in the third, and Boston surrendered four more goals in a frustrating exposure of defensive weaknesses that catapulted the Bruins into their worst slump of the season. The Bruins head to the Shark Tank for a redo this January, and the matchup should again serve as a clash of elite teams. Hopefully, the boys are better prepared this time. 

4) Thu, Nov 5 vs Montreal

While I endorse any Bruins-Canadiens contest as entertaining television for even the most clueless of sports fans, this one will be particularly important in setting the tone for the season series. In the first of six games between the division rivals, Montreal will be seeking payback after its embarrassing playoff performance, and its revamped offense appears ready to create problems for the Bruins. The game should feature plenty of scoring, and it should also contain plenty of the post-whistle scrums and chatter that make this rivalry one of the best in sports.

5) Thu, Oct 1 vs Washington

Thursday’s season opener in Boston features two hungry, powerful Eastern Conference teams left unsatisfied by shortened playoff runs last spring. The Bruins and Capitals face heightened pressure and expectations heading into the new campaign, and the atmosphere in the Garden will be booming come game time. What better way to kick off the new season than a clash between Ovechkin, the league’s most electric player, and Chara, its most prominent shutdown defender?

While the end of summer brings school and cold weather, it also brings us gloriously close to puck time. Training camp commences in little more than a month, so here are some general questions for Bruins fans to ponder heading into the 2009-10 campaign:

What becomes of Phil Kessel?

Contract negotiations with Boston’s only 30-goal scorer remain at an impasse. Kessel is due to miss a decent chunk of the season after shoulder surgery anyways, but one has to wonder if his future beyond that lies somewhere outside of Boston--especially considering the lack of available cap space and the need to retain other high-profile free-agents after 2009-10 (Lucic, Savard, Wheeler). Chiarelli has stated that he’ll match any offer sheets from other teams, but who’s biting? And if Chiarelli is set on Kessel’s return, which player is heading out the door to make room?

How will the new faces fit in?

Considering his history against the Bruins (most notably his hit on Savard), Steve Begin is an interesting locker room addition. That being said, he’s the type of player anyone would want on their team, providing plenty of grit and energy on the fourth line. Aside from Begin there aren’t any new forwards of note, although a healthy Marco Sturm will be a welcome sight. Much like Bergeron's return last season, Sturm's presence is akin to having added another forward in the offseason.

On the defensive end, signing Derek Morris at 3.3 million for one year raised plenty of eyebrows considering his decline in offensive output since the lockout. Morris hasn’t cracked the 30-point barrier since 2002-03 and is a career minus player. He’ll need to do better than that in order to justify his lofty contract, but he is clearly an offensive upgrade over Ward. There's no doubt he could have provided the skill and acuity with the puck that the Bruins' defenders frequently lacked against the Hurricanes. 

What players should we keep an eye on?

I'm particularly interested to watch Hunwick, Wheeler and Bergeron play this season. The pressure will be on Hunwick and Wheeler to avoid the "sophomore slump," but I think Hunwick has a solid combination of poise and skill and could break the 40-point barrier over a full slate. Wheeler wore down as the season progressed, but I've heard he's been working out extra-hard this offseason, which bodes well for continued improvement and more consistent play. Bergeron is the player I'm really curious to watch. I'm unsure of whether or not he can return to form as the prominent scorer he was a few years ago, but I often forget that he's only 24. A strong start to the season offensively would be key in putting him back on his feet as a potential 30-to-40-goal scorer to complement his reliable defensive presence. I think he'll put at least 20 in the net this season; in my opinion, anything more would be gravy.

What’s the outlook for the division rivals?

The soap opera that is the Montreal Canadiens can expect plenty of media scrutiny after overhauling in lieu of a disappointing season. Or should I say, a centennial season in which hockey's most celebrated franchise was expected to win its 25th Cup but instead bumbled its way to an eighth-place finish--only to be humiliated in a four-game sweep by its rival. So farewell, Koivu, Komisarek and Kovalev, and welcome, Cammalleri, Gionta and Gomez, to a season of renewed expectations under Montreal’s unforgiving microscope. If everything breaks right, Carey Price still has a chance to be the next Patrick Roy.

Elsewhere in the division, Toronto and Ottawa continue to be franchises in upheaval, so I don’t expect them to keep pace with the Bruins this season. The Sabres are potential spoilers, particularly head-to-head, but I think the Bruins hold a pretty clear advantage both offensively and defensively; the Sabres lack scoring depth and depend too heavily on their goaltending. In my opinion, the Canadiens are once again the main concern.

Lastly--can the Bruins improve?

The Bruins’ regular season was nothing short of marvelous and will be difficult to replicate, let alone improve upon. Thomas, Krejci, Wideman, Lucic, Wheeler, Hunwick, Kobasew and maybe even Kessel will be expected to build on career-best seasons--a notion that isn't out of the question based on their combined youth. Last season also took a costly physical toll on key players. Krejci and Kessel, should he return, are both expected to miss months of action, so who knows how their play will shape up upon returning? Fortunately, I think the Bruins have the offensive depth to cover for those losses; I just don't expect another November and December like last year.

But the real issue for me isn’t improvement in the regular season--I fully expect the Bruins to qualify for the postseason whether or not they perform at the same level as last season, so I'd rather they didn't waste energy padding their record late in the season only to succumb to injuries and sloppy play in the postseason. Their runaway first place finish did nothing to prevent me from feeling sick after leaving Game 7. So hopefully, a tougher mental and physical approach to the upcoming season will prepare them for the battles further along the line that matter most. And these growing pains are to be expected from a young team, so I'm thinking that us Bruins fans have to be pretty excited about the future.

Since I’m still not over the fact that it’s the offseason, I figured I'd look back at the year in Bruins hockey and put together my favorite moments. I probably left a few things out, but anyone who closely followed the team should remember these ten incidents and milestones from a pretty damn good season. Of course, many of them involve our buddies in the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge:

10)  Patrice Bergeron isn’t known for dropping the gloves, so I wasn’t the only one caught off guard during Boston’s 5-1 disembowelment of Montreal in Game 2. Josh Gorges was apparently surprised as well--after a few provocative prods from the Canadiens’ defenseman, Bergeron answered the bell with a quick knockout that served as a fitting prelude to the series outcome and launched Jack Edwards into thoroughly hyperbolic excitement. For the first time in his NHL career, Bergeron was assessed a five-minute major, and fans were delighted to witness it.

9)  Back when the Bruins could do no wrong--losing just twice in regulation through November and December--Phil Kessel was the catalyst for their offensive success, recording 14 goals and 14 assists over an 18-game span. His point streak was the longest by a Bruin in over a decade; Adam Oates registered at least a point in 20 straight during the 1997-98 season. More importantly, Kessel’s streak marked his arrival as the premier sniper the Bruins were seeking when they selected him fifth overall in 2006. Here’s hoping Chiarelli finds a way to keep him in black and gold for at least another season.

8)  While the Bruins’ magical regular season was just getting on its feet, their only date with the Stars back in October provided for one of their most entertaining affairs. Complete with a 5-1 victory, viewers were treated to an array of fisticuffs triggered by notorious agitators Steve Ott and Sean Avery. Ott, whom Edwards animatedly referred to as a "knee-seeking missile," did his best Claude Lemieux in refusing to drop the gloves after a series of questionable hits, eventually receiving his comeuppance in an open-ice collision with Andrew Ference. The tension climaxed when Avery hit Milan Lucic from behind, sparking a full-out brawl that featured a beatdown by Shane Hnidy on Stars defenseman Matt Niskanen.  

7)  Tim Thomas received all sorts of accolades for his career season--a Vezina Trophy is no small feat--but his role as a leader and competitor shouldn’t be overlooked. In a Jan. 13 tilt with the Habs, Andrei Kostitsyn plastered Aaron Ward in the numbers, drawing the ire of the Boston faithful and, in particular, the Bruins goaltender. Thomas proceeded to deck Kostitsyn as he skated by the crease, adding a little fuel to the simmering rivalry, and cementing Thomas’ place among the more fiery, blue-collar goaltenders in league history.

6)  Blake Wheeler's incredible individual effort against St. Louis on Dec. 21 was arguably one of the best goals all season. With the Bruins shorthanded and linemate David Krejci heading for a change, Wheeler entered the offensive zone with three blue shirts and a goalie planted between him and the twine. Instead of dumping the puck, he reduced St. Louis’ skaters to pylons with a series of spins and fakes, deked netminder Manny Legace and potted his own rebound, leaving the Blues’ power-play unit thoroughly embarrassed.

5)  Glass is frequently cracked by an errant slapper--but shattered by a forceful body check? In perhaps the most lasting image of the season, Milan Lucic did just that, slamming Mike Van Ryn into the next universe with a brutal hit that showered the front row with glass and sent the rest of the crowd into a frenzy. Fortunately, no serious injuries were sustained, although Van Ryn was visibly shaken. The clip is sure to be a mainstay on highlight reels for years to come; I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

4)  Speaking of Looch, his growing rivalry with Mike Komisarek finally came to fruition early in the season with a memorable pummeling of the pugnacious Habs defenseman. Staked to a 5-1 third-period lead, Lucic engaged Komisarek and didn’t disappoint, thrashing him with so many right hooks that Komisarek actually went on the shelf with resulting injuries. Furthermore, the fight was the defining moment in a game, and a season, in which the Bruins finally seemed to turn the tables on their loathed rivals.  

3)  There’s no doubt in my mind that NHL Awards Night helped ease some of the devastation caused by Hurricane Walker. The Bruins swept the three major awards for which they were nominated: Zdeno Chara won the Norris, Thomas won the Vezina, and Claude Julien took home the Jack Adams. Although Thomas was the clear favorite for netminder of the year, Chara and Julien overcame staunch competition in capturing their awards, and deservedly so. I was particularly pleased to see the Norris handed to Chara and not Mike Green; after all, it’s an award for best defenseman. Green, while splendid offensively, does not have the type of shutdown prowess that Chara possesses.

2)  I’m beating a dead horse here, but the Bruins demolished expectations with their best regular season in nearly 40 years. And while they ran away with the conference for much of the year, they were finally rewarded on Apr. 4 when they clinched the top seed with a 1-0 victory over the Rangers. Thomas was stellar, defense was smart and tight, and scoring was timely--a recipe for success that they seemingly coasted on for much of the year. The win marked the Bruins’ first Eastern Conference championship since 2001-02.

1)  Obviously, the Bruins’ first playoff series victory since 1999 is the most memorable moment of the season--at least in my opinion, and especially considering the opponent. It was surely satisfying for Michael Ryder, who thoroughly deflated his former team with two goals and an assist in the series-clinching game in Montreal. And, while listening to scathing mock cheers from the locals was a treat, nothing sounded better than the silence that filled the building when the sweep was complete and Les Habs bid adieu to their overhyped centennial season. It’s really too bad that Komisarek couldn’t stick around for the traditional postgame handshake. Classless, indeed.

Honorable Mentions: Krejci’s hat trick, Thomas’ brilliant save vs. New Jersey, Thomas’ All-Star game performance, Bitz! Bitz! Bitz!, Tuukka’s goose egg.

If I forgot anything and/or you disagree with me, feel free to comment.