Bruins doing Good Things, but...
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by user Xinoph
I may have to reconsider my placement of Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs in one of the lower rungs of hockey hell (it's cold, not hot, down there). While actual results on the ice remain to be seen, of course, so far the Bruins are having a good offseason.
New head coach Dave Lewis and new GM Peter Chiarelli are both good additions to the franchise. Jacobs made the right move by hiring smart hockey guys who won't be after the media limelight too much. If he lets these two run the team and doesn't meddle too much, the Bruins might actually have a chance next year. Given Jacobs' past history, there's no reason to think that will happen, but I am nothing if not optimistic.
The B's made a great move yesterday by signing the Ottawa Senators' Zdeno Chara to a five-year, $37.5 million contract. Chara was widely considered the NHL's top free agent; adding him to the team could give them the powerful veteran leader they need. The B's other major free-agent signing, Marc Savard, was a great deal as well. The former Atlanta Thrasher is coming to Boston for a four-year, $20 million contract. Adding these two players as free agents may make up for the loss by trade of Sergei Samsonov and Joe Thornton last season. Though they are all very different players, and comparing them would be unfair, these signings make it clear the team isn't in total long-term rebuilding mode. Whether that's a good thing remains to be seen.
The B's also had a decent draft, though that's too big a topic to tacle in any kind of depth here. Besides the draft, they're apparently agressively pursuing BC's Chris Collins, a rookie free agent who registered 34 points and 29 assists as BC skated their way to the NCAA finals last year. The 22-year-old 5'8" Collins ended a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top college hockey player.
So, the Bruins are doing some Good Things. Does Jacobs get a free pass if they make it back to the playoffs this year? Hardly. While their last-place finish last year was the straw that broke the camel's back, Jacobs has been a terrible owner for a long time. He's been such a business-oriented owner that EA Sports' NHL 2005 - which gives each franchise a goal for the season - pegged the Bruins' goal as the second round of the playoffs and a certain number of ticket sales.
The Bruins need an owner who has a real thirst to bring this Original Six franchise back into the NHL's elite, who wants to bring the Cup back to Boston. Signing a few free agents doesn't magically turn Jacobs into that guy. If he has turned a new leaf, and really does care about the Stanley Cup now, then it will be self-evident in the months to come. I don't expect the B's owner to turn the team immediately into a Cup contender, but I do expect him to want them to be a Cup contender. If it becomes clear that Jacobs is that guy, that he can care enough about the team and the city, then I may owe him an apology. A few good moves don't change my opinion because, frankly, we've seen this from Jacobs before. Having a decent team that finishes around the same place every year isn't good enough. Having a franchise whose mindset, led by the owner, is constant improvement is good enough. Until we clearly have that in Boston, my call for a new owner stands.
Date
Mon 07/03/06, 7:20 am EST
