Excellent... Excellent

Steeling ourselves next, inevitable NHL lockout

• "The NHL's own Mr. Burns" is awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy. Bonus: other observations from around the hockey universe. [OnTheForecheck] "If by "unparalled vision" and "inspiration to the advancement of hockey and the NHL" you mean "the guy that makes NHL lockouts happen," sure, I guess that's accurate." Ouch. [BroadStreetHockey]


• And #BearTracks will visit with one of the new Bruins, Brett Connolly , first... [Bruins.NHL] ...and they're soliciting your questions to ask him via [Twitter]. Bonus: Links to previous years' #BearTracks videos.


• Meanwhile, here's an look at how they can strategize to compensate for the loss of Milan Lucic . (Video)  [NESN]


• The Bruins are in the spotlight in-depth today over at [ProHockeyTalk], where the Bruins' personnel moves are described as a "brain-full."


• Torey Krug sat with Kirk Luedeke for part two of his interview, offering high praise for Adam McQuaid and explaining how his family prepared him for life. [ScoutingPost]


• Has the sun set on the window to move Zdeno Chara ? GOOD! [TooManyMenOnTheSite]


• Vewwweyyy sneaky- the Bruins might be deliberately holding off on Cody Franson [TheHockeyWriters] because they are still in on the Christian Ehrhoff sweepstakes... [TooManyMenOnTheSite] ...which allows them to have the upper hand in negotiations (we hope.)


• In Goal magazine has ranked two Bruins goaltending prospects in the top 10 of their list of 50, and another Bruins youngster at number 38. [InGoalMag]


• The Providence Bruins' spoked logo didn't rate very high in this ranking of AHL logos (although the #TeamPooh version received praise.) The thumbnail sketch of the team's history is well worth a read.  [TheHockeyNews]


• Mark Recchi belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame. There is just no argument against this. [ESPN]

Elsewhere around the rink:

• Steve Greeley, the scout who found David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka for the Bruins, has joined the NY Rangers .  [SNYRangers]


• Jennifer Wakefield has now joined Hayley Wickenheiser, Shannon Szabados, Noora Raty, and Meeri Raisanen in a remarkable milestone.  [TheHockeyNews]


• Sami Salo will sadly have to call it a career, thanks to a nagging wrist injury. I'll always think of him holding Steven Stamkos ' hand after Stamkos broke his leg in Boston.  [PuckDaddy]


• The NHLPA has announced that it will partner with Western University to pursue concussion research.  [Sportsnet]

Joe Haggerty can kiss our ass