(Photo: NESN.com) Don't point the finger at this guy for the Bruins' lack of goals.
The Bruins recent drought in goals is nothing new this season for the boys in Black-and-Gold.
Up until the final minute of last night's 2-1 loss, Boston had gone nearly seven playoff periods without hitting the back of the net. Akin to the regular season where the Bruins finished dead-last in the NHL with 2.39 goals-for per game, their anemic sniping-sticks have come out of hibernation once again.
Along with the recent riposte of struggles to light the lamp comes many excuses and finger pointing to why. Some people yelp in the direction of non-contributing players such as Michael Ryder and Blake Wheeler, while others pull the “injuries” excuse. Some even accost the Bruins' management for not bringing in a goal-scorer on the NHL's trade deadline.
The latter of excuses cannot be further from the true reason. In fact, it's completely bogus. At the NHL trade deadline on March 3, there were a handful of players whose stocks were rising after the big fish – Ilya Kovalchuk – was dealt from Atlanta to New Jersey, roughly four-weeks prior. For many Bruins' fans, the next-best goal-scorer was on everyones radar – when in all actuality it was added depth at defense that was the No. 1 concern.
Here are three “big names” that were thrown around on the third of March.
- One-time 20+ goal-scorer, forward Lee Stempniak [$2.5 M cap-hit] was dealt on the Mar. 3 NHL trade deadline. The 27-year-old was traded from Toronto to Phoenix in exchange for 26-year-old Matt Jones and a fourth- and seventh-round draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Stempniak finished his tenure with the Coyotes with 0-2-2 scoring totals and 14 SOG in the seven-game-series against Detroit. This was his first career post season appearance.
- Another Maple Leaf who was dealt was 30-year-old Alexei Ponikarovsky [$2.1M cap-hit]. The 6'4” left-winger was traded to the Pittsburgh penguins for 21-year-old prospect Luca Caputi and defenseman Martin Skoula. In 11 playoff games with the reigning Stanley Cup Champs, Ponikarovsky registered a pedestrian 1-4-5 totals and 20 shots on goal, while being a healthy scratch for Games 5 & 6. career post season: 34 GP, 2-7-9, minus-1, 16 PIM, 50 SOG.
- And last but not least – my most favorite one of all – a hot commodity at the trade deadline from Columbus to help provide some goals and grit, Raffi Torres [$2.25M cap-hit]. The 30-year-old forward was shipped to Buffalo for defenseman Nathan Paetsch and a second-round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The payoff: Scratched in Games 5 & 6, 0-2-2 scoring totals, 12 penalty minutes, and seven shots on goal in four post season games for the Sabres. Career post season: 30GP, 4-11-15, 30 PIM, even, 53 SOG.
So I ask you, would any of these three aforementioned players have really helped in Games 4-6? I doubt it. Bruins' general manager Peter Chiarelli stood pat and made no such moves for a contributing forward to push them over the top in the playoffs. And looking back with 20/20 hindsight, it's a damn good thing he didn't for these impending unrestricted free-agents.
How many times have we heard NHL players – including the Bruins – say something along the lines of:
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