Embracing the Underdog

Two more sleeps, Bruins fans, just two more!

• For any number of reasons, the Bruins missed the playoffs last year. As he approaches record-setting tenure in Boston, Claude Julien has considered his options and re-strategized. [TheBostonGlobe]
• So the new look Bruins are all about the old "if you can't beat 'em, join em," now? [ProvidenceJournal]
• Every dog has his day, and the Bruins have gone from the hunted to the hunters. Complacency will not serve them well. [TheBostonGlobe]
• Prepare for the Bruins to live and die as a team by the quality of their defense. Bonus: Why the Bruins will likely stick with Julien through the season. [WEEI]
• The formerly very stable Bruins lineup will feature a number of new faces this season, and we finally get a good look at the ageless Brett Connolly . [BostonHerald]
• Providence College has fed the Providence Bruins a number of players, Noel Acciari is just the most recent example. [AlongTheBoards]

Elsewhere around the rink:

• The new 3-on-3 overtime format makes puck possession critical for a number of reasons, and allows puck-handling goalies to give their teams a leg up. [NewYorkTimes]
• And yet the shootout is not gone. Take a look at exactly what we've learned about the skills competition over ten years. [CopperNBlue]
• Marc Staal explains shot blocking, and why a shooter simply pounding pucks into defenders' pads is counterproductive. [TheScore]
• In his final installment, Sean McIndoe identifies the Stanley Cup contenders. [Grantland]
• If you can't say something nice... check here for one very kind thought about each NHL team. [Sportsnet]
• #FreeRaffi? Are you kidding me? A landmark suspension is already a day late and dollar short for serial headshot artist Raffi Torres . [TorontoSun]
• Fluto Shinzawa lists his NHL superlatives in several carefully crafted categories. [TheBostonGlobe]
• The NHL is blown away by reports of increased cocaine abuse among players, although they have admittedly not been screening for it in drug tests... [TSN]
• ...while a Maple Leafs senior executive has met with Toronto police about their players associating with cocaine users. [PensionPlanPuppets]
• When they're not duking it out in a player lockout, the NHL and a "strong and unified" NHLPA are finding common ground and making strides in areas of common interest. [BrandonSun]
• We NHL fans may not be the largest pro sports fan base, but with our social media and tech savvy, we lead in "Second Screen Consumption..." [SportsIllustrated]
• ...and what finer examples are there than the Dallas Stars ' witty Jumbotron along with theirs and other teams' Twitter accounts? [SportsIllustrated]