I know big name free agents are expensive, but the Bruins need one bad. The B's have to find a way to get the fans excited about the team, and to keep up with the other Boston sports teams. A couple big names out there are Joe Sakic and Brendan Shanahan. They may be a little old, but besides Glen Murray, who else is really a "seasoned veteran" on the B's. Both are talented veterans that could get fans excited. I know I find it hard to watch the B's after watching the Celtics and the Sox all season. Michael Ryder is talented, but not a big name that will generate more ticket numbers. Peter Chiarelli- I love ya- but make a move.

Hey we got Michael Ryder, I think that was a nice pick up!

Bradyforprez12:

Hey we got Michael Ryder, I think that was a nice pick up!

Sure, getting Ryder was a sweet move, but that doesn't count as "making big waves in the free agency market" to me. My Wings getting Hossa counts as making a few waves. Michael Ryder scored 14 goals last season...

 With all the options this free agency, the B's should have made out a lot better than they did. There were tons of superstars the Bruins could have attempted to sign, but now it's a little too late, as the best free agents are gone. Here are just a FEW of the great players the B's COULD have attempted to sign in addition to Ryder (I won't include Hossa, 'cause they actually tried to get him):

Joe Sakic (Still capable of an 80+ point season)
Sergei Fedorov (A 45+ point guy who was one of the best ever in his prime)
Mats Sundin (Consistent 80 point guy)
Peter Forsberg (The guy has bones made of glass, but if he were healthy.....)
Wade Redden (A 31 year old, 40+ point defenseman)
Miroslav Satan (A great scorer; too bad the Pens netted him)
Markus Naslund (Always scores at least 25 goals)
Ladislav Nagy (If he could stay healthy, he would be a 100 point scorer.)
Ryan Malone (A 30 goal scorer with 40+ goal potential.)
Jaromir Jagr ('Nuff said.)
Pavol Demitra (Never had a bad year)
Teemu Selanne (Probably the best playoff hired gun ever)
Todd Bertuzzi (Excellent player for cheap)

In conclusion, the Bruins' management could have done much better. I was really looking forward to seeing a great Bruins team this year.

I agree we could have done better but we gotta let the younger guys develope we got Bergeron, kessel, Krecji, Kobasew, and Lucic just to name a few. I think having A 1st line like Savard, Ryder, and Sturm could get Savard more assists than he could imagine. And Second Line of Bergeron, Lucic, and Kessel; we got a lot of potential. But the one problem I have is i'd like to see Krejci, kessel and Lucic on the same line. Last year they were our best line in the playoffs!

I still hope they can get a good puck handling defenseman.

the B's will not pay for players, with is redicious! They have a good team right kno, u guys still forget the B's force the Candians too a game 7, this year... If Bergeron was healthy and not hurt this yr! we would of had a better record.. This yr will be betta!! They do need a puck moving defender like Orr or Bourque? u are right about that! Rask will be on the team next yr, the kid from finland... If that's his last name...

I agree with what Bradyforprez12 said. I personally think that he B's should just develop the guys that they have. If they do that they'll be golden. Kessel has potential to wear a "C" on his jersey when he's older. I really think the B's should stick to the young kids they have now. Not that some more free agents wouldn't be good.\

---

Go! Go! Black and gold!

i agree it.....it wood be good to get Thorton back and im also a Wings fan bc i livve in detroit and Shannahan was great wth the Wings

The last thing the Bruins need is an older free agent like Sakic or Shanahan to eat up cap space. They are way past thier prime. The best thing the B's can do is keep grooming the kids like Bergeron, Kessell, Lucic, Krejic, Stuart and the rest of the young guys. They have a nice mixture of vets with Ryder, Sturm, Thomas, Fernandez, and Savard.

They will be better this season. Plus they have lots of young guys down in Providence who should be making the team sooner than later with Wheeler, Raask and the others.  They can always package a group of these kids to grab a veteran when the time is right, just like Ainge did with the Celtics. Everyone was complaining about having all the young kids then, but when the time was right Jefferson, West, Gomes, etc turned into KG.

So the B's can do the same, keep grooming the kids and maybe a susperstar will be born from thier or we can trade the youth for a superstar down the road. Either was the pieces are coming together.

Be patient Bruin fans and enjoy Milan Lucic kick some a$$ in the meanwhile.

Go B's !!!!!!!!!

You are the best, great post, you know what you are talking about, why even comment on idots who say B's don't spend money when there is a salary cap, stop reading old headlines and get with the program

Besides Savard the Bruins offense is weak. Sakic may be out of his prime but he still would score more points than anyone else on the Bruins.He may take some more cap space than some other players but thats better than having a bunch of average guys that will not bring your team to the playoffs. Sakic would also be a leader. The bruins have got a lot of guys that are young if you throw in someone like Sakic or Shanahan in that would help

I think you are right. This team has a lot of young players on it that are still developing and a lot of them adjusting to playing together as a team. That doesn't happen overnight. I think this season will be better than last, and the season after that will be even better as long as they keep letting these guys grow as a team and develop.

I might be wrong but I think if they can do even better this year, the Bruins will be a more attractive team for a big named free agent to come over to. With that said though, age is something to consider in bringing over a free agent. You don't want to bring over an older player with a year or two left in his career that might give you a good season. If you bring someone in like that you may have to let go of some youth that could potentially give multiple good seasons for years to come down the road.

I hope its a fun season though. I just bought one of the mini packages so I am pretty pumped up about that.

 

Go Bruins!

 

I think the bruins did good this off-season. They didnt over invest by signing some older guys that would have MAYBE produced and are more prone to injuries, which would have just wasted cap money. The last thing we needed was another has been like muzz was last season. The B's signed ryder they are young and give-em credit, they were pursuing Hossa with a vengence but he signed that one year deal with the Wings. I give the B's a B+ this offseason. They managed to get younger and deeper in the draft and signed some pretty key youngsters which is unlike the Bruins. However, we will see how the Goalie situation works out. I think the biggest need for this season was a reliable number 1 goalie. Hopefully Fernandez will step-up otherwise we are in the same boat as last year. A promising young talented team with a skiddish back-up as a starter ( Thomas) We need someone who can make key saves AND ROUTINE ONES. As we all know this team can win and that's easier with reliable Goaltending.

Kyle