Bruins Season Preview

[gclarke]

2046 Bruins had two problems last season. While they were top ten in the league in both shot
generation and shot prevention, shooting percentage was bottom 5 and save percentage bottom
10. Power play was a woeful 15% and penalty killing was a respectful 82%. To combat this
Lines have been shuffled and new powerplay systems brought in.

Forwards
Top Line
Krikunov-Gill-Aubin

This year Gill showed up looking amazing to training camp for his make or break season and
there will be no excuses. The coaching staff will start the season having him flanked
by the team's top 2 scorers from last season the Russian sniper Krikunov and the hulking
Aubin. If Gill plays to his potential this could be one of the league's top lines (no
pressure) and is the only way this team is in the playoff hunt.

Second Line
K Cech-Jurica-Gusmanov

The second line is a makeshift line thrown together from the most creative and best shooting
players left on the team. Hoping for this line to gel and take some of the scoring pressure
off the top line. Defensively this line could turn out to be quite the adventure and strong
defensive play behind them will be a must.

Third Line
Boutin-Pilon-MacDonnell

This season's starting third line is a speedy crashing line that will dole out punishment and
push play to the net. Tough physical play will be the order of the day for this line and it's
unlikely they will be involved in any pretty goals (on the offensive end), opposition
defensemen beware.

Fourth Line
Ruff-Francis-Gordon

The Fourth line is shooting-speed-power, unfortunately this thrown into a blender line is
likely to give the coaching staff fits. Any production will be a surprise and just limiting
+/- will be the main goal.

Defense
First Pairing
Hansson-Chapman

These two recent additions to the D core are holding down the tough minutes and expect to be
playing against top lines all season long. This pair can do it all, but not flashy good in
all facets, but not stars in any.

Second Pairing
F Cech-Chambers

Another season of mentorship from Cech on the blue chip prospect Chambers. All jokes aside
Florian Cech, when healthy, if quite an asset to the team and Chambers learning the ropes from
him set him up well in the future. Chambers aggressive style and willingness to drop the
gloves has made him a fan favorite, but curbing that aggressive play and learning when to
engage is what Cech is teaching this budding star player.

Third Pairing
Manninen-Cruickshank

Manninen's BRUTAL season last year is in the rear view mirror and pairing him with a vet like
Cruickshank will hopefully provide some stability for his erratic game. Merely cutting his
dreadful +/- in half would be a massive improvement. Foot speed will be an issue for this
pairing and if caught out vs many top lines the statistical line will not be pretty.

Goaltending
Pryor-Kennedy

Management has put much of the blame for last season's team's inability to make the playoffs
on the shakey goaltending that the team recieved. The trade for Pryor was heralded as an
improvement between the pipes, but got off to a rocky start with Pryor being unable to stop a
beach ball in his first set of starts. The GM's closed doors attack on Pryor led to him
sitting over a month. Once returned to the net Pryor's skill was obvious and the starting job
was his. Kennedy was a revelation at the start of last year, but as the season wore on his
play sagged requiring the team to go out and get Pryor. Kennedy is expected to play
approximatetly 30 games this year in a backup role and is expected to produce at a better
level than last year.

Overall the Bruins will continue with the coaching staff's philosophy of reducing shots
against and increasing quality shots taken. As the team's talent level increases, with the
imprint of this play already on the team wins will come and the playoffs will be in reach
again.