Boston Sports Then and Now

Bruins will (hopefully) get another superstar on Friday.

This Friday the Bruins have the second overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. At the end of the night either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, two highly touted prospects, will be wearing a black and gold sweater.

There is excitement in the air in Boston.

Generally such a high pick is reserved for a team that performed poorly during the regular season, but in the Bruins case they are a team coming off a second round playoff exit and will still get to pick a player with great potential and perhaps a player who can step in and contribute immediately.

Bruins fans can thank Phil Kessel for that. We’ll never know if Kessel just wanted out of Boston or if Bruins management botched a potential deal with the two time 30+ goal scorer. Regardless, Kessel’s exit provided the opportunity for the entry of a potential super star.

The debate between Hall and Seguin, and who will be a better NHL player, rages on and won’t be decided for years. As far was who the Bruins end up with, chances are we will not know until Edmonton steps up to the podium and announces their pick.

It has been 13 years since the Bruins had a pick in the top two, and 4 years since they had a pick in the top 5. How have the Bruins fared in the past with top 5 picks? Let’s take a little look back at some Bruins draft history.

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Talking Bruins-Leafs with Jason from Pension Plan Puppets.

I thought it would be cool to get a Toronto Maple Leafs fan’s perspective about the Bruins-Leafs rivalry amongst other hockey topics.

“Chemmy” from Pension Plan Puppets was nice enough to take a few minutes to talk some hockey.

BST&N: Do you live in Toronto? How did you become a Leafs fan?

“Chemmy”: To start off I don’t live in Toronto. I’m actually from New England but after the Whale left I began following the Leafs as my goalie coach at the time was from Toronto.

BST&N: What do you think about the Bruins-Leafs rivalry?

“Chemmy”: To me this “rivalry” feels very one sided. Boston has a player that wasn’t fitting well into its system and got two first round draft picks in exchange. Toronto didn’t send Kessel an outrageous offer sheet and Kessel was a young player who didn’t like playing for Claude Julien. I’m not sure why Boston fans are so mad about losing a player they claim not to have liked for two good picks that Toronto fans are happy to have given up.
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The Bruins-Leafs rivalry is in full swing.

The rivalry between the Bruins and Leafs is not even in the same stratosphere as the one with the Habs, not yet anyways.

But it definitely is picking up steam.

The Bruins and Maple Leafs haven’t had any reason to really hate each other since Toronto’s return to the Eastern Conference (why were they ever in the West is beyond me).

They are division rivals.

They are an “Original Six” franchise.

But when you think Bruins rivals, you think the red, blue, and white of Les Canadiens.

Sure Montreal and Boston has some ties, Claude Julien, Michael Ryder, and Glen Metropolit.

However, Toronto and Boston will be connected for the foreseeable future.

It reminds me of the Jets-Patriots rivalry.

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Seymour had 2 sacks and 6 tackles in his debut with Oakland.

Over the past few weeks, two popular Boston sports stars have been traded from the Hub of sports.

Richard Seymour was shipped off to the Black Hole in Oakland for a first round pick in 2011.  With only a few days with his new team, Seymour shined with 2 sacks and 6 tackles versus San Diego.  He still has plenty in the tank at age 29.

On the other hand, the Patriots missed him against Buffalo. It seems the Bills ran where Richard used to be. With Jerod Mayo being lost from 6-8 weeks, Seymour’s presence and veteran leadership will be sorely missed.

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Milan Lucic has quickly endeared himself to the Boston fans.

Wing- the thing that helps things fly
Wing (hockey definition)- the thing that makes pucks fly, most frequently when pointed at a goalie.

We don’t have much space or time to waste here, so let me jump right in with clever sarcasm, rapier wit, and barring that, beer soaked wisdom and bad analysis:
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