Milan Lucic is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

MILAN LUCIC | #17 | Left Wing

HEIGHT: 6-4 WEIGHT: 220 SHOOTS: Left
BORN: June 7, 1988 – Vancouver, British Columbia
DRAFT: 2006 – 2nd round (50th overall) by the Boston Bruins
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2012-13 ($4.08 million cap hit)
2009-10 STATISTICS: 9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points in 50 games

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

As the calendar turned to 2010, it was almost time to chock the year up as a total loss for Milan Lucic. The beloved winger had suited up for just ten games before finally returning to action on Jan. 7, a game in which B’s fans gleefully welcomed him back only to see center Marc Savard hit the deck on the opening shift with a partially torn knee ligament.

Together, Lucic and Savard were expected to forge ahead without Phil Kessel on the right flank. Unfortunately, the dynamic duo sparingly spent time together on the Bruins’ first line and their prolonged absences proved costly. After missing over a dozen games with a broken thumb early on, Lucic’s return to the Black and Gold was short-lived. The hulking left winger suffered a high-ankle sprain in late November on the road in Minnesota, keeping him from participating in the Winter Classic a month later.

Lucic finished the season strong, picking up 10 points in 22 games following the Olympic break. While his passion for pugilism had to be restrained due to his array of injuries, Lucic came through as a clutch performer for the second straight postseason. The 6-foot-4 forward scored five times in 13 playoff games, including two big tallies in an eventual crushing defeat in game seven against the Flyers.

FIVE FACTS

1. Lucic now has 20 points in 30 career playoff games.
2. After dropping the gloves 23 times in his first two seasons, Lucic was whistled for just four fighting majors in 2009-10.
3. Despite missing 32 games, the Vancouver native still finished third on the team with 141 hits.
4. Lucic is now just 11 points shy of 100 for his NHL career.
5. Lucic didn’t score a goal at the TD Garden this year until the final home game of the regular season against the Hurricanes.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

Healed and healthy after being bothered by the ankle injury throughout majority of last season, Lucic will look to resume his role as the young, bruising Bruin that the fan-base has grown attached to since his debut in 2007. The 22-year-old winger is expected to return to the top line alongside Savard, where they should be accompanied by newcomer Nathan Horton.

If everyone can perform up to snuff, the unit should prove to be extremely dangerous to opposing defenses. Lucic’s ability to intimidate defenders and knock them off the puck will create a world of space for Savard to set up Horton, much like the way the two worked together to aid Phil Kessel in his 36-goal campaign in 2008-09.

With the addition of Horton and rookie Tyler Seguin expected to make the squad, a number of wingers may prevent Lucic from getting significant time on the power play. Mark Recchi’s inclusion is basically a formality, Michael Ryder has been a mainstay on the man-advantage and Blake Wheeler saw a good chunk of ice time on the PP in 2009-10. Julien may be undervaluing No. 17’s potential impact on either unit a bit as, shy of Wheeler’s late-season attempt at setting up shop in front of opposing netminders, no one outside of Recchi and Lucic have shown any consistency when it comes to parking at the top of the crease.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

With another year of experience under his belt and a new sniper expected to join him on the top line, Lucic should be in position for a breakout season in 2010-11. Nothing astronomical nor lending support to the old theory that he’s the second coming of Cam Neely, but a major statistical jump nevertheless. My prediction: 24 goals, 33 assists, 57 points for “Looch” this year.

NEXT PREVIEW (9/4): Zach Hamill

The Bruins have officially released both the training camp schedule for September and the names of 57 players set to participate. Here’s the rundown:

SEPT. 7-10
- Captains’ practices will be held at Ristuccia Arena (public availability TBD)

SEPT. 12-14
- Rookie practices and fitness testing at Ristuccia Arena (fitness testing on 9/12 closed to public)

SEPT. 15-16
- Rookie games held each night vs. Islanders at 7:00pm at TD Garden
- Captains’ practices held at Ristuccia each morning at 10:00am

SEPT. 17
- Veteran fitness testing (closed to public/media)
- Optional skating (1:30pm, TD Garden)

SEPT. 18-21
- Group A practice at 10:00am (TD Garden)
- Group B practice at 12:30pm (TD Garden)

SEPT. 22
- Game Players Morning Skate, TD Garden, 10:00 a.m. ET
- Non-Game Players Ice, TD Garden, 11:30 a.m. ET
- Bruins at Montreal Canadiens, Bell Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET (1909 Ave. des Canadiens, Montreal, QC, H4B 5GO)

SEPT. 23
- Game Players Morning Skate, Blue Cross Arena, 11:30 a.m. ET (One War Memorial Square, Rochester, NY 14614)
- Non-Game Players Ice, Blue Cross Arena, 12:30 p.m. ET
- Bruins vs. Florida Panthers, Blue Cross Arena, 7:00 p.m. ET

SEPT. 24
- Practice at TD Garden, 11:00 a.m. ET

SEPT. 25
- Non-Game Players Ice, TD Garden, 9:00 a.m. ET
- Game Players Morning Skate, TD Garden, 10:30 a.m. ET
- Bruins vs. Florida Panthers, TD Garden, 7:00 p.m. ET

SEPT. 26
- TBD

SEPT. 27
- Practice at TD Garden, 11:00 a.m. ET
- Media day

SEPT. 28
- Game Players Morning Skate, TD Garden, 10:00 a.m. ET
- Non-Game Players Ice, TD Garden, 11:30 a.m. ET
- Bruins at Washington Capitals, Verizon Center, 7:00 p.m. ET (601 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004)

SEPT. 29
- Game Players Morning Skate, TD Garden, 10:00 a.m. ET
- Non-Game Players Ice, TD Garden, 11:30 a.m. ET
- Bruins vs. Washington Capitals, TD Garden, 7:00 p.m. ET

SEPT. 30 – OCT. 1
- Practice in Belfast

OCT. 2
- Morning Skate at Odyssey Arena, 11:00 a.m. local/ 6:00 a.m. ET
- Bruins vs. Belfast Giants Select, Odyssey Arena, 7:00 p.m. local/ 2:00 p.m. ET (2 Queens Quay, Belfast, UK, BT3 9QQ)

OCT. 3
- Travel to Prague

OCT. 4
- Practice in Prague

OCT. 5
- Morning Skate at O2 Arena, 10:00 a.m. local/ 4:00 a.m. ET (Ocelarska 460/2 190 00, Prague, CZE)
- Bruins vs. HC Liberec, Tipsport Arena, 7:00 p.m. local/ 1:00 p.m. ET (Jeronymova 570/22, 460 07, Liberec, CZE)

OCT. 6-8
- Practice in Prague

OCT. 9
- Morning Skate, O2 Arena, 9:30 a.m. local/ 3:30 a.m. ET
- Season opening game, Bruins vs. Phoenix Coyotes, O2 Arena, 6:00 p.m. local/ 12 noon ET (Ocelarska 460/2 190 00, Prague, CZE)

OCT. 10
- Morning Skate, O2 Arena, 8:30 a.m. local/ 2:30 a.m. ET
- Bruins vs. Phoenix Coyotes, O2 Arena, 4:00 p.m. local/ 10:00 a.m. ET (Ocelarska 460/2 190 00, Prague, CZE)

Here’s how the roster looks:

FORWARDS
Jamie Arniel, Patrice Bergeron, Gregory Campbell, Jordan Caron, Joe Colborne
Craig Cunningham, Zach Hamill, Nathan Horton, Jordan Knackstedt, Jared Knight
David Krejci, Jeff LoVecchio, Milan Lucic, Lane MacDermid, Kirk MacDonald,
Brad Marchand, Levi Nelson, Daniel Paille, Tyler Randell, Mark Recchi, Jeremy Reich
Yannick Riendeau, Antoine Roussel, Michael Ryder, Max Sauve, Marc Savard,
Tyler Seguin, Wyatt Smith, Ryan Smith, Shawn Thornton, Blake Wheeler, Walker Wintoneak

DEFENSEMEN
Yuri Alexandrov, Matt Bartkowski, Andrew Bodnarchuk, Johnny Boychuk, Ryan Button
Zdeno Chara, Matt Delahey, Ryan Donald, Andrew Ference, Alain Goulet, Matt Hunwick
Steve Kampfer, Nathan McIver, Adam McQuaid, Jeff Penner, Joe Rullier, Dennis Seidenberg
Mark Stuart, Cody Wild

GOALIES
Adam Courchaine, Matt Dalton, Michael Hutchinson
Tuukka Rask, Nolan Schaefer, Tim Thomas

Both Marco Sturm and Trent Whitfield will be inactive due to injury. For more on the new faces coming to town for this year’s camp, be sure to check out Kirk’s Call for a little background info on a few of the rookie invitees.

In need of a veteran presence down the middle, the B’s have to come to terms with veteran Wyatt Smith on a one-year deal. With Trent Whitfield likely gone for the year, the 33-year-old center should prove to be a solid replacement down in Providence.

Smith has appeared in 211 NHL regular season games to date, during which he has posted 10-22-32 totals with the Coyotes, Predators, Islanders and the Avalanche. After playing in a career-high 61 games for the Wild in 2006-07, the Minnesota native last appeared in the NHL in 2007-08 with the Avs. Smith has also appeared in five playoff tilts.

The former University of Minnesota star has spent majority of his pro career at the AHL level. In 550 games in the American Hockey League, the 5-foot-11 pivot has 160-227-387 totals for eight different squads. Originally drafted in the ninth round by Phoenix in 1997, Smith helped lead the Milwaukee Admirals to a Calder Cup championship in 2003-04, picking up 12 points in 22 playoff tilts. Most recently, the center suited up for the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre in 2009-10, scoring 13 times while adding 35 assists.

Tuukka Rask is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

TUUKKA RASK | #40 | Goaltender

HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 169 SHOOTS: Left
BORN: March 10, 1987 – Savonlinna, Finland
DRAFT: 2005 – 1st round (21st overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2011-12 ($1.25 million cap hit)
2009-10 STATISTICS: 22-12-5, 1.97 GAA, .931 Sv%, 5 SO

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

After waiting in the wings and honing his craft at the AHL level for two seasons, Tuukka Rask was finally promoted to full-time NHL duties in 2009-10. The Finnish netminder hit the ground running, starting out the campaign with a 7-2-1 record. As Rask began to inch his way closer to the top of the league in both goals against average and save percentage, and reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas continued to struggle, Head Coach Claude Julien had no choice but to give the lanky goaltender the bulk of the starts.

Rask eventually took over the starting role for the B’s, carrying the team down the stretch and into the postseason. The former first-round pick of the Maple Leafs sported a remarkable 1.77 GAA and .936 Sv% over his final 16 regular season appearances. Renown for being positionally sharp and mentally tough, Rask thrived in the team’s frantic push to qualify for the postseason, just when they needed him the most.

After coming up big in the first round of the postseason against Buffalo, including 35 saves in a thrilling double-overtime victory in game four, the 6-foot-3 backstop began to look worn down midway through the second round. Rask allowed 15 goals over the final four games against the Flyers, finishing the postseason with a 2.61 GAA and .912 Sv%.

FIVE FACTS

1. Rask’s 1.97 GAA was significantly better than second-place finisher and Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller (2.22).
2. Thomas was pulled on six occasions last year, but Rask failed to kick-start any comeback victories in those opportunities.
3. Including his totals for Providence in the regular season and playoffs, as well as his lone start in Boston, Rask made 74 appearances in 2008-09. He saw action 58 times in 2009-10.
4. Rask had 22 victories last year, just one win less than Andrew Raycroft — for whom he was traded — has compiled in the past three seasons.
5. In eight appearances during day games, Rask went 4-1-2 with a 1.57 GAA and .946 Sv%.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

It’s been eons since a Bruin netminder followed up a sensational rookie season with anything but a forgettable flop in their second NHL campaign. Tuukka Rask will attempt to shy away from following in the footsteps of the Raycrofts, Blaine Lachers and Hannu Toivonens that have come and gone in the blink of an eye in the Hub of Hockey. While each member of the aforementioned trio got off to great starts in their careers, the lofty expectations the B’s have had for Rask simply blows away anything that was ever anticipated of them. For the past few years, the organization and its rabid fans have eagerly anticipated his arrival and the dawn of a new era. Surely it came quicker than expected, as Rask was supposed to be eased into the starting gig, but the fact remains that — thus far — he has lived up to the hype.

Doing so again, and even coming close to the astonishing numbers he posted in 2009-10 will be a nearly impossible feat. Rask certainly got the lion’s share of starts down the stretch, but his competition wasn’t even capable of putting up a fight, as Thomas was ailed by a hip injury and virtually serving as a decoy at the end of the B’s bench. That won’t be the case when camp opens and a hungry Thomas
looks to re-grab his old job as the go-to goaltender in Boston. Can Rask handle the role-reversal and block out all the hype that has him penciled in as a perennial Vezina Trophy candidate? Is the book out on the Finnish netminder, as opposing shooters, video experts and astute scouts have had an entire offseason to try to find chinks in his armor? That all remains to be seen but, for now, the role of starting goaltender for the Boston Bruins will be his to lose.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

Barring a super-human effort, Rask likely won’t be able to top his rookie totals in year two. While in for a statistical downswing, that shouldn’t stop the young, Finnish netminder from having an even greater impact on the B’s than he did a year ago. My prediction: 30-14-6, 2.28 GAA, .926 Sv% for Rask in 2010-11.

NEXT PREVIEW (9/3): Milan Lucic

Following word from Larry Brooks of the NY Post that made no mention of Marc Savard’s contract being in any imminent danger, the center’s agent Larry Kelly appeared on Team 1200 in Ottawa this morning to firmly let the league know what kind of wrath to expect if they decide to take action against his client’s pact.

Savard's agent Larry Kelly believes keeping Gary Bettman around would be a "huge mistake". (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images for NHL)

Kelly, present as a guest on the radio show, admitted that he does not expect the NHL to revoke the deal, but indicated things could get really messy if the league decides to void contracts they have already approved. “You can imagine the lawsuits that would ensue,” Kelly said, alluding to a drawn-out legal battle that could turn into a major sideshow for the sport of hockey. Kelly, a longtime player-agent based out of Savard’s hometown in Ottawa, also took the opportunity to call out commissioner Gary Bettman during the interview.

““I’d really like to see a true-commissioner -style , someone who has the best interest of the game in mind rather than the situation they have now,” he said. “Bettman is (more like) the president of the league and he clearly is on the owners side on every issue. I really think it should be a commissioner. With a commissioner you have somebody who is totally independent and I think it would be a much less acrimonious situation.”

While the league looks to lash out at those who found a loophole in the CBA, Brooks did make mention of the Savard situation this afternoon, citing that the status of the pivot’s pact is unclear. Meanwhile, there are other media outlets insisting that no ultimatum has been given to the Players’ Association, currently being headed by former MLB big-wig Donald Fehr. Just when you thought it was over, the Savard saga continues to drag on.

After launching an investigation into a number of long-term contracts believed to be circumventing the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the National Hockey League is reportedly on the verge of laying the hammer down on three guilty parties.

According to the New York Post, the New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks may be in a world of hurt if the Players’ Association fails to comply with the following rules:

1. That the cap hit on future multi-year contracts will not count any seasons that end with the player over 40 years of age. The cap hit would be calculated on the average of the salary up through age 40 only.
2. That the cap hit on future contracts longer than five years will be calculated under a formula granting additional weight to the five years with the highest salary.

As far as mandate No. 1 goes, the Bruins can breathe a huge sigh of relief knowing that center Marc Savard’s seven-year pact will expire just a month or two before he celebrates his 40th birthday. Whew! No mention of No. 91′s contract was made in the article, indicating that the B’s should be in the clear. According to the Post, the Players’ Association has until 5:00pm on Friday night to comply or the league will promptly move to reject Ilya Kovalchuk’s latest proposal (a 15-year deal), void netminder Roberto Luongo’s current deal that will keep him in Vancouver until 2022 and embark upon a formal investigation into the Blackhawks’ deal with Marian Hossa (which would keep the Slovak winger in Chicago until 2021).

The NHL has certainly backed up its bark with a whole lot of bite. Thankfully for both Savard and GM Peter Chiarelli, it appears as though the B’s are going to walk away unscathed.

Blake Wheeler is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

BLAKE WHEELER | #26 | Wing

HEIGHT: 6-5 WEIGHT: 205 SHOOTS: Right
BORN: August 31, 1986 – Robbinsdale, Minnesota
DRAFT: 2004 – 1st round (5th overall) by the Phoenix Coyotes
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2010-11 ($2.2 million cap hit)
2009-10 STATISTICS: 18 goals, 20 assists, 38 points in 82 games

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

After an impressive start to his NHL career in 2008-09, Wheeler seemed to hit a wall coming down the stretch in his first season with the B’s and has struggled to consistently produce ever since. Scratched thrice and held pointless in eight postseason tilts in 2009, Wheeler was eventually reunited with David Krejci and Michael Ryder this past season, but the trio failed to click the way they had the year prior. The former University of Minnesota standout dropped from 45 points to 38 points. After finishing second behind Krejci (plus-37) with an astonishing plus-36 rating for the league lead, Wheeler plummeted all the way down to minus-4 in 2009-10.

The 6-foot-5 winger almost looked like an entirely different player in his second NHL season. Having notably bulked up during the offseason, Wheeler gave the impression that he’d be far more physical last season but that seemingly never proved to be the case. The 24-year-old winger seemed to lack the confidence he possessed at the onset of his first season in the Hub of Hockey. The dazzling stick-handling abilities he should in his first few months in Black and Gold, his quick acceleration and ability to create offense on his own all seemed to have vanished in year two.

After a stretch in March that saw him pot four goals in five games, Wheeler went ice cold. The young winger had just one goal and one assist to his credit over the B’s final 13 regular season games. Just as it was in 2009, Wheeler’s performance in the ensuing playoffs was hardly spectacular. While he did pick up five assists, the former fifth overall pick scored just one goal in 13 playoff games and finished with a minus-6 rating.

FIVE FACTS

1. To date, Wheeler has just one playoff goal in 21 tilts.
2. Wheeler’s 45 points was the sixth most among rookies in 2008-09.
3. The winger was whistled for 22 minor penalties last year, more than any other Bruins’ forward.
4. After scoring four times in seven chances in 2008-09, Wheeler went 2-for-13 in the shootout last year.
5. Wheeler equaled his total of three PP goals in 2008-09 last season, despite jumping from 0:55 to 2:04 of TOI per game on the man advantage.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

After failing to come to terms on a contract, Wheeler’s tenure as a restricted free agent came to an end when he and the Bruins agreed to an arbitration award of $2.2 million for the young winger. Wheeler will have a lot to prove in 2010-11. Far too prone to lengthy goal droughts, consistency is undoubtedly atop the Minnesota native’s checklist. For a player of his stature, Wheeler should be able to frequent the “dirty” areas of the ice at a higher rate and come away victorious in far more battles in the corner and along the boards. Often indecisive with the puck in the offensive zone, Wheeler has pledged to be a more proactive shooter in the upcoming campaign.

In all likelihood, the “WKR” line should be reunited at the start of the season. With Krejci healthy, Ryder pressing to stay in Boston and Wheeler’s dreaded sophomore slump now in the rear-view mirror, the trio should be collectively more productive than they were in the first half of 2009-10. No one would ever expect Wheeler to suddenly morph into a power forward, but if he can continue to take a page out of Mark Recchi’s book by parking his big frame in front of opposing netminders and turn his grit level up a notch or two, it would be a major boost for the Bruins as they hope to get reliable production from the top three lines.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

Wheeler was oft-criticized throughout the year and the subsequent offseason for his often-times meek play and overall subpar performance in his second year in Boston. The intelligent, well-spoken winger will undoubtedly be motivated to to do whatever is necessary to take the next step in his young career. My optimistic outlook for the motivated forward: 25 goals, 31 assists, 56 points in 2010-11.

NEXT PREVIEW (9/2): Tuukka Rask

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

DENNIS SEIDENBERG | #44 | Defense

HEIGHT: 6-1 WEIGHT: 210 SHOOTS: Left

BORN: July 18, 1981 – Schwenningen, West Germany

DRAFT: 2001 – 6th round (172nd overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers

CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2013-14 ($3.25 million cap hit)

2009-10 STATISTICS: 4 goals, 28 assists, 32 points in 79 games

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

Displeased with the makeup of his defensive corps, GM Peter Chiarelli orchestrated multiple trades on deadline day to shake things up. Derek Morris was jettisoned before even completing his first year in Boston. Chiarelli turned to the Panthers to fill the vacancy, acquiring Seidenberg in hopes of finding a better fit alongside Zdeno Chara.

The two gelled instantly. Seidenberg, renown for being a hard-hitter and shot-blocker extraordinaire, picked up nine points and sported an impressive plus-9 rating in his first 17 tilts with the B’s. The newcomer elevated his partner’s level of play as well, as Chara picked up seven points and was plus-11 during the stretch. Unfortunately the magic was short-lived. An errant skate damaged tendons in the defenseman’s forearm in a game up in Toronto on Apr. 3, sidelining Seidenberg indefinitely. The German olympian had resumed skating during the Bruins’ second round series against the Flyers, and likely would have returned to action had Boston advanced to the conference finals.

FIVE FACTS

1. Seidenberg finished 2009-10 with 215 blocked shots, more than any other player in the NHL.
2. Only Steve Begin (184) was credited with more hits than Seidenberg (166) among players who suited up for the B’s last year.
3. Seidenberg, who debuted with Philly in 2002-03, had only suited up for 70+ games in an NHL season once prior to 2009-10.
4. The German defender set career highs in assists (28) and points (32) in 2009-10. His career high for goals is five (Carolina, 2008-09).
5. Seidenberg is two assists shy of 100 for his NHL career.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

Despite his brief stint in Black and Gold last year, Chiarelli saw enough in Seidenberg to ink the 29-year-old blueliner to a four-year deal worth $3.25 million annually. Head Coach Claude Julien was undoubtedly thrilled by the success he and Chara enjoyed together, a pairing highly reminiscent of Chara’s days with Aaron Ward, but may be tempted to balance the B’s pairings out after seeing Johnny Boychuk click with the captain as well.

Seidenberg’s lone sore spot throughout his career has been health, as the rugged defender’s fearless style has cost him a number of games throughout his career. Over the course of three NHL season from 2005-06 to 2007-08, Seidenberg was absent for 84 tilts due to injury. When healthy, however, the 6-foot-1 blueliner fits the prototype for a tough-as-nails, shutdown defender to a tee.

If Julien decides Seidenberg would be best utilized away from the top pairing, slotting Johnny Boychuk in alongside Chara, one of Matt Hunwick, Mark Stuart or Andrew Ference will begin the season as his playing partner. With Hunwick, Seidenberg could prove to be a stabilizing presence and allow the offensively-gifted d-man to jump into the play more often. With both Stuart and Ference, the B’s could confidently rely on their middle pairing to shutdown opposing forwards on a consistent basis.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

Having appeared in only two NHL postseasons, Seidenberg has clearly played most of his career for subpar squads. With the Bruins expected to vastly improve upon their performance last year, Seidenberg could be in line for the best statistical season of his career. My prediction: 7 goals, 29 assists, 36 points for No. 44 in 2010-11.

NEXT PREVIEW (9/1): Blake Wheeler

Right Wing Michael Ryder is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

MICHAEL RYDER | #73 | Right Wing

HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 186 SHOOTS: Right

BORN: March 31, 1980 – St. John’s, Newfoundland

DRAFT: 1998 – 8th round (216th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens

CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2010-11 ($4.0 million cap hit)

2009-10 STATISTICS: 18 goals, 15 assists, 33 points in 82 games

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

After potting 27 goals in his first season with the Bruins in 2008-09, quelling incessant complaints from fans about his price tag, Michael Ryder slid back into the focus of armchair GMs with his disappointing follow-up campaign. Ryder, who tied with center Marc Savard for the team lead in points during the 2009 postseason, dipped from 53 points to just 33 last season. The 20-point drop-off was understandably eye-catching, as Ryder was the highest-paid winger on the squad.

The magic he shared with David Krejci and Blake Wheeler seemed like a distant memory by season’s end, as both wingers endured serious funks to close out the campaign. Prior to tallying twice in the season finale against Washington, Ryder had scored just once in his previous 22 games. Owner of arguably the most lethal shot on the Bruins, especially in the wake of Phil Kessel’s departure, the Newfoundland native dropped from seven game-winners in 2008-09 to just one in 2009-10.

Ryder followed up the second-worst statistical season of his career with a slightly better playoff performance. The former Hab netted four goals for Boston, chipping in an assist to boot for a total of five points in 13 tilts.

FIVE FACTS
1. Ryder has never scored against his former team, the Canadiens, in 12 regular season matchups.
2. In the past two seasons combined, no one has scored more goals for Boston than Ryder (45).
3. Ryder led Leksands IF with 48 points in 32 games during the lockout in 2004-05.
4. Only six of the 231 players drafted after the first round in 1998 have more career goals than Ryder, the 216th overall selection that year. Five of them were pick by the conclusion of the third round.
5. With seven more points, Ryder will hit the 300 mark for his career.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

While Ryder will undoubtedly be looking to rebound in 2010-11, his window of opportunity to do so may be an extremely small one. Upon Marco Sturm’s return from long-term injured reserve, the Bruins will be forced to put an end to at least one player’s tenure in the Hub of Hockey.

Due to his high salary and the fact that he significantly underperformed last year, Ryder may be forced to have his mail forwarded to the Dunkin Donuts Center down in Providence. Despite his highly-respectable resume, the B’s lone solution to their looming cap dilemma may be Ryder’s demotion to the AHL.

So what exactly will a hot start or a vicious cold streak to kick off the campaign mean for No. 73? It’s hard to tell. If Ryder rediscovers the chemistry he had in 2008-09 with Wheeler and Krejci, the B’s might be able to find themselves a trade partner or determine that removing the winger from the roster isn’t the best course of action. Should Ryder embark upon an early-season slump, sending him down to the farm will make the devastating move a little bit easier to make for Peter Chiarelli.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

Is it just me or do these keep getting increasingly more difficult? Odds are that Ryder will in fact score more than 18 goals and pick up more than 33 points in 2010-11. Whether that’s with Boston, another NHL squad or for Providence is anyone’s guess at this point. The pressure he must be under heading into the season, a contract year to boot, must be immeasurable. If forced to guess one way or the other: 4 goals, 6 assists, 10 points in 19 games before the Bruins find a willing taker or are regretfully forced to assign No. 73 to the minors.

Adam McQuaid is today’s featured Bruin in the Black and Gold Blog’s series of player previews for the 2010-11 season.

ADAM MCQUAID | #54 | Defense

HEIGHT: 6-5 WEIGHT: 209 SHOOTS: Right

BORN: Oct. 12, 1986 – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

DRAFT: 2005 – 2^nd round (55^th overall) by the Columbus Blue Jackets

CONTRACT STATUS: Signed through 2011-12 ($575,00 cap hit)

2009-10 STATISTICS: 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point in 19 games

LOOKING BACK ON 2009-10

Whenever faced with a depleted blueline, the B’s relied heavily upon prospect Adam McQuaid to fill in with the big club. The 6-foot-5 defender, who finished his AHL campaign with 10 points and 66 penalty minutes in 32 games for Providence, appeared in 19 tilts for Boston.

Proving to be no stranger to fisticuffs during his tenure with the P-Bruins, McQuaid asserted himself quickly in Boston, dropping the gloves twice in his first eight games. While his overall numbers weren’t anything spectacular, the former Sudbury Wolves’ standout held his own with the parent club, looking far more comfortable than a number of promising defenders had in their brief appearances in the past few seasons.

The Prince Edward Island native suited up for nine playoff games, joining up with veteran defender Andrew Ference to form the B’s bottom pairing. McQuaid received 10:11 of ice time per game during the postseason, as Claude Julien depended upon the likes of Zdeno Chara, Johnny Boychuk and Dennis Wideman to carry the load. McQuaid was shutdown after suffering an injury against the Flyers in game three and went on to miss the rest of the series.
FIVE FACTS

1. The Bruins sent a fifth round pick to Columbus in May of 2007 (which turned out to be Jamie Benn, who scored 22 goals as a rookie with Dallas this year) to acquire McQuaid.
2. McQuaid’s 141 PIM narrowly edged out Jeremy Reich (139) for the Providence team-lead in 2008-09.
3. Rangers’ defenseman Marc Staal was McQuaid’s teammate during all four of his seasons in the OHL.
4. McQuaid’s lone NHL goal was of the game-winning variety, as the defender opened the scoring in an eventual 3-0 win over Montreal in February.
5. McQuaid, often referred to in hockey forums as “Lone Wolf” (coinciding with an MMA fighter also named Adam McQuaid, and undoubtedly in honor of the 1983 Chuck Norris’ flick Lone Wolf Mcquade) ironically shares a birthday with Hugh Jackman, the actor famous for portraying Wolverine.*

* Author’s note: I hereby nominate No. 5 as the most amazing factoid in Bruins, NHL and possibly even world history.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2010-11

After inking a two-year deal worth an average of $575,000 annually this summer, ending his brief tenure as a restricted free agent, McQuaid will return to the Hub of Hockey as the seventh defenseman on the depth chart. In all likelihood, the 23-year-old defender will see slightly more action than he did in 2009-10.

Proving capable of filling in at any time, Head Coach Claude Julien showed confidence in the young blueliner. With injuries always forcing the lineup to be reconfigured, and fellow d-men Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Mark Stuart all having missed a good chunk of action in the second half last season, it’ll be no surprise to see No. 54 patrolling the blueline for the B’s in 2010-11.

If McQuaid is able to build upon his experience in 2009-10 and assert himself as a shutdown defender as he has at the AHL level, it could provoke the Bruins’ brass to ship out a defenseman with a higher salary. Chiarelli could confidently free up cap space and be comfortable with the hard-hitting blueliner becoming a regular in the top six.

PREDICTION FOR 2010-11

McQuaid’s role will almost completely depend upon the health of his fellow teammates. If the blueline collectively gets off to a rock-solid start, the 23-year-old defenseman might wind up collecting dust up in the press box, much like Johnny Boychuk did in 2009-10. With that said, we’ll take a conservative approach: 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points in 22 games for the Lone Wolf.

NEXT PREVIEW (8/30): Michael Ryder