The Ides of Marchand

The Bruins are in Calgary to face the Flames tonght at 9:00PM on NESN.

• Brad Marchand has emerged as a cornerstone of his Bruins team. A Hart Trophy would be nice recognition, although making the playoffs at all is job one. Boston Globe
• The Flames are on a hot streak, and the Bruins would do well to put a damper on them through the neutral zone. Ryan Spooner may return tonight. Boston Herald
• Bruce Cassidy has had to carefully manage Tuukka Rask’s workload. Expect to see Anton Khudobin tonight. WEEI
• With all due respect to Claude Julien, the coaching change now appears to have been the right move. Key changes in the way the Bruins play have paid off. WEEI
• Shhhhhh! Might the Bruins become (gasp) contenders? NBCSports

Elsewhere around the rink:

• The state of Bruce Boudreau’s necktie has everyone tied in knots. The Score
• What pressures keep Maple Leafs tickets in the stratosphere while the Coyotes receive revenue sharing to shore up their bottom line? Before you answer “the free market,” think again. Globe and Mail
• Read up on the history surrounding the iconic Stanley Cup- blemishes, secrets, and all. (With videos) NHL
• The Oil Barons have been a bright spot for the city of Fort McMurray as the community rallies following the devastation of last year’s wildfires. Sportsnet
• A new focus on speed and skill has reversed a trend, opening up opportunities for smaller NHL players. Sports Illustrated
• Lightning coach Jon Cooper has a secret- he’s a Bruins fan, and has been since childhood. A chance meeting later with Bobby Orr sealed his fate. NHL