The Associated Press
BOSTON BRUINS:
LAST SEASON: 54-19-9, 117 points, most in the NHL. Lost to Montreal Canadiens in second round of playoffs.
COACH: Claude Julien, eighth season in Boston (310-165-65); 12th overall in NHL.
ADDED: F Simon Gagne, G Niklas Svedberg.
LOST: F Jarome Iginla, F Shawn Thornton, G Chad Johnson.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Defenseman Zdeno Chara is 37, and it’s not clear how long his 6-foot-9 body can hold up. He played in 77 games, but had the least time on the ice (in a non-lockout season) since his arrival in Boston in 2006, and his fewest points and penalty minutes as a Bruin, too. He finished the season with a broken finger. Still, he was a finalist for the Norris Trophy, which he won in 2009.
OUTLOOK: After winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 and returning to the finals two seasons later, the Bruins posted the NHL’s best record last season but were knocked out of the playoffs by the rival Canadiens in seven games in the second round. The Bruins return essentially the same team, including Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron and Vezina winner Tuukka Rask, who led the league with seven shutouts, finished second with a .930 save percentage and was fourth with a 2.03 goals-against average.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
