Preseason Projections

Scout extraordinaire Kirk Luedeke has been busy with his preseason reviews of the Bruins, and we have some reading to catch up on!

• First in Luedeke's sights, the goaltenders. [ScoutingPost]


• Second, he continues on to the defensemen.  [ScoutingPost]


• Thirdly, he addresses the centers.  [ScoutingPost]


• Is Alexander Khokhlachev about to face the same fate as Matt Fraser and Craig Cunningham?  [CausewayCrowd]


• Brian Ferlin does looks the part and appears on the cusp to make the jump to Boston. One selling point is simply who he is NOT...  [CausewayCrowd]


• Projecting the Bruins' third line, how about Loui Eriksson (on the left wing) with David Pastrnak centered by Ryan Spooner ?  [HockeyBuzz]


• Lots of youngsters are getting their chances around the NHL thanks to cap constraints, the Bruins are a prime example.  Will Don Sweeney be able to make the most of what he has left?  [TooManyMenOnTheSite]


• Point/counterpoint: Zane McIntyre will be Tuukka Rask 's backup.  [CausewayCrowd] No, actually, Malcolm Subban will be.  [CausewayCrowd]


• The Bruins and Predators are still talking about defensemen, now that Christian Ehrhoff is off to the LA Kings.  Could the target actually be Shea Weber rather than Cody Franson ? At what cost?  [HockeyBuzz]


• A trio of neighbors who happen to be NHLers are enjoying what seems like yearly summer celebrations with the Stanley Cup at home in Trencin, Slovakia. You may recognize the tall one... [WEEI]


• This photographic study of the symmetry of Zdeno Chara 's face is... interesting.  [imgur, REddit]

Elsewhere around the rink:

• Curb your enthusiasm. Here's the reason your Eastern Conference NHL team won't be winning the Stanley Cup this season.  [USAToday]


• Cheer up, Las Vegas and Quebec have both moved ahead to the third (and final) step of being awarded and NHL franchise.  [TheBostonGlobe]


• Harvard defenseman Sarah Edney was selected first in the inaugural CWHL Entry Draft.  [PensionPlanPuppets]


• The IIHF has fined the Russians for leaving the ice after Canada's victory at the world championship, finding that captain Ilya Kovalchuk deliberately signaled his team to do so. [BostonHerald]


• Former Providence Bruins (and Islanders) coach Scott Gordon is back at the helm in the AHL once more... Bonus: An increasing number of NCAA players are making it to the NHL, and goalies such as Zane McIntyre are foremost among them.  [TheBostonGlobe]


• Check out this graphic demonstrating each NHL teams' goal differential over time. Compare and contrast! Notably, the arrivals of Bobby Orr and Nicklas Lidstom were clearly watershed events for their teams.  [TheHockeyNews]


• There is a handbook now available for parents and players that will help identify concussion symptoms, when speed in diagnosis and treatment is key in recovery.  [TheHockeyNews]


• Daniel Alfredsson isjustthisclose to returning to Ottawa and to the Senators ' organization.  [TSN]


• Featured midway through this podcast on the theme of  "Game Face," Act 3 is the sobering tale of goalie Terry Sawchuk , whose face stopped a LOT of pucks, and who died unexpectedly by misadventure. (Transcript linked here, audio link also available) [ThisAmericanLife]


• Which states produce the most hockey players (by state of birth) and how has that changed over time? Have a look at this graphic. [QuantHockey]

Joe Haggerty can kiss our ass