Tim Thomas is an Elite Goaltender

I started this blog a couple of years ago basically for one reason: I kept reading ignorant comments from a bunch of juveniles on various forums and blogs who knew nothing about the Bruins and even less about Hockey. I wanted to provide a more grown up perspective. That's why I chose "The Old Bruins Fan" for the name. And at the time, most of the nonsense I was reading had to do with one person: Tim Thomas.

Here are some of the things that were written over the last few years:

"Tim Thomas is not a true No. 1 goaltender." (repeated often by many)

There's no way, shape, or form TT's as good as a Giguere. Not a chance in hell. Toskala, perhaps, since he's still not a proven entity. Fernandez is an upgrade, but to what level is in question.

No, I'm simply providing proven, factual stats to back up my argument that TT is not a #1 goaltender.

I believe Thomas's # 1 problem is He's overweight. I think the Goalie pair is strong now. Unfortunately Thomas as backup.

Can we please stop saying that Thomas is a #1 goalie, because he clearly is not.

"...who wants to pay $1M per for a guy who’s going to play 30 games behind an established #1?"

But he is a backup goalie. He IS NOT a cup caliber winning goaltender.

Hahahahaha; hahahahahaha !!!! Boston is the only place, on this planet, where Thomas is consider as a #1 goaltender.

And here are some of the things I said:

(2007) I *knew* he had it in him to be a No. 1 goaltender. There was no question in my mind. I saw it last year. You combine his impressive play with the Bs with his extraordinary play in Providence, Finland, and his minor league record in general, and there should be little surprise.

Mark my words, if the B's do get a goaltender and somehow keep Timmy in the process, Timmy will end up the No. 1.

I've seen many a goaltender come and go, and like I said he's just as good a Gigeure or Taskala or Fenandez for that matter. All he needs is a team that doesn't sell him out every night, and a night off once in a while.

I knew it from late in the 2005/2006 season. I knew it when some jerk taunted me relentlessly when I said Thomas was an elite goaltender in every way that mattered. I knew it when the childish dolts who post at a certain "Rumors" blog adopted the mantra, "Tim Thomas is not a true No. 1 goaltender." I knew it when I read a story by some nitwit who claimed that O'Connell signed Thomas out of revenge when he realized his days were numbered. I knew it when PC picked up Fernandez this summer and many fans assumed he'd be the No. 1. I knew it all along: Tim Thomas is the best thing to happen to the Bruins in a long time.

Even the sportscasters do it. How many times have we heard it said this past season that Thomas has improved his game? By people like Mike Milbury, who wasn't even around to see Thomas play regularly in is early years with the B's. Even Brick, who I admire, has been caught buying into this idea that somehow Thomas got over his tendency to "flop." But I don't agree. The thing is that Thomas never gives up on the puck until it's in the back of the net. It has always been more important to him to make the stop than to look good doing it. When the defense breaks down in front of him he will make that last effort--sometimes making himself look comical--to make the stop. This is the "flop." Why did the flop go away? Because his team started playing decent defense in front of him. This made it much less necessary. Timmy was asked by a reporter earlier this season if he thought he was playing better. His response was no. He thought he had been playing at this level for a long time. While it may save face for those who didn't recognize Thomas' skill earlier on, I believe this idea that he has improved his game in the last two years is way off the mark.

Vezina Winners for the last decade:

2000-01 Dominik Hasek
2001-02 Jose Theodore
2002-03 Martin Brodeur
2003-04 Martin Brodeur
2005-06 Miikka Kiprusoff
2006-07 Martin Brodeur
2007-08 Martin Brodeur

and...

2008-09 Tim Thomas

'nuf said.

And So It Ends

The Bruins lost in the second round to the Canes last night in game 7 in overtime. I am sure there are Boston sports fans who are angry and upset. But not me.

You see, I got a lesson in playoff perspective last week. I missed the critical game four and the first thing I did upon returning home was to see how the B's had done. It was a 4-1 drubbing! And from the articles I read it sounded like the Bruins played terribly and were never even in it. I wasn't just disappointed, I was angry! How could they come this far only to turn in a half effort? I started a post with the title, "Sharks in Bears Clothing" but was too angry to finish it. I even considered closing this blog. All seemed lost, and in the worst way.

But then I actually watched the game. They didn't play particularly well in game 4, but they hadn't played nearly as badly as had been reported. And then of course they came back with a roar in games 5 and 6, forcing game 7, where they took it to overtime. So in the end am I disappointed? Yes. Am I upset and angry? No.

The Bruins played a nearly flawless game 7. They controlled the puck, made smart breakouts for the most part, and forechecked very well. Tim Thomas was sharp and made some truly game-saving stops. But in the end my hockey instincts were right on this one. Hockey is a game of ebb and flow, of momentum shifts. And the team that storms back to force a game 7 usually seems to lose. Overtime is the same way: teams take turns dominiating the play. In the end the game is usually decided by the bounce of a puck, and so it was decided last night. Timmy went into his cocoon to smother the puck on a routine shot and it appeared to clip his stick on the way in. The puck deflected upward spinning end over end, and he wasn't able to contain it. As it fell in front of him Walker (of all players) tapped it into the net out of mid air.

So who do we blame for this loss? Timmy? The D-man who let Walker in front of the net? I say, nobody. The Bruins played their best, but in todays NHL it's not like the 70's and 80's. No team can dominate to the point where they can expect to win it all, no matter how good they are. It takes talent, hard play, great coaching, and yes--luck, to win a cup. It was the Hockey Gods who decided this one, and I am good with that.

Anybody who is angry about the way the Bruins played should stop and think about what it must feel like to be a Sharks fan right now.

On a final note, there was one player who I thought really stepped up in game seven: Lucic. People say he's no Cam Neely, but... what a force he was in that game! His stickhandling, the way he crashed the net protecting the puck, and his defensive play was outstanding! At one point he took on the role of the defenseman in his own corner and looked completely at home. He was a force on every shift, a one-man team. In short, his play was truly impressive! We are so lucky to have him in a spoked B!

Loooch!

If somehow the Bruins win in Carolina and take the series in seven, and if somehow they go on to eventually win the cup, there are some moments that should be remembered along the way. I think one of those happened in game five last night when Looch put on a big hit in the first period. With that hit the crowd came alive, his linemates suddenly remembered how to play hard and sharp at the same time, and the rest of the lines followed their example. The result was a 4-0 win.

Not to take anything away from the awesome play of Chara and Savard, but when people talk about leaders and leadership it comes in all forms. Milan Lucic for playoff MVP!

Can the B's win this series? After more seasons than I can recall I have developed a sort of hockey instinct. This instinct told me that after their loss in game four the B's would take it to seven games only to lose, perhaps in OT. But logic says otherwise. If the Bruins can find a way to win in Carolina then logic says they will win at home because in the end they are the more talented team overall. That, and Claude has pulled exactly this scenario off before (as we recall all too painfully).

But who knows? This is definitely not your classic playoff series. Usually both teams battle game in and game out. But this series has been marked by one team dominating the other (and then they switch roles). It's really difficult to tell if one team is making the other look bad, of if one just didn't show up to play. It's a weird series. So who knows what will happen? I guess that's why they play the games.

I just hope the Bruins give it their best effort tomorrow night.

Sneaky Canes

The Bruins lost to the Canes in game two of the series--their first loss of the playoffs.

I did some reading of the Carolina media prior to the game, taking note of what the press, coaches, and players were saying after their loss in game one. Some phrases kept appearing over and over. One in particular was that the Canes would need to play "mistake free hockey" in order to beat our B's. At the time it sounded sort of desperate, like they didn't really know how to beat the talented Bruins except to hope that they could play smarter. Now I see what they really meant, and I have a lot more respect. These Canes are a sneaky lot--they can play very good team defense and take advantage of the scoring opportunities that come their way.

I knew the B's were in trouble late in the first period. Although they carried the play for much of the period the Bruins were unable to score. Every time they got a scoring opportunity a Cane would be on their back or have their stick on theirs. In short, it was an impressive display of last line defense in front of the net. Hockey can sometimes be a game of frustration, and I felt the frustration level grow toward the end of the first. When a team gets frustrated sometimes they lose their jump and their edge. This is exactly what happened as the B's came out in the second and the Canes were ready to pounce.

In the third the Bruins once again carried the play, turning up the heat in the offensive zone. But they seemed unaccustomed to such intense play and several players made mistakes with the puck. It seemed they were thinking ahead to the next move and forgetting to take care of what they were doing at the moment. This, combined with the sound defense in front of the net and excellent goaltending led to their failure to score.

One thing for sure: the Bruins are going to need to work on their power play if they expect to win this series.

So now the playoffs start in earnest! The Canes are going to be a formidable opponent. Now we get to see what happens when they have to step it up. With all the talent the B's can bring to (ahem) bear, I still believe they have an excellent chance to win the series.

It's the Canes

The B's will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, starting Friday night. So how did the B's do against them in the regular season?

December 20 in Carolina: Bruins win 4-2. Fernandez in goal. Scores by Savard, Krejci, Thornton, and Yelle. Three stars: Thornton, Thomas, Brind'amour.

December 27 in Boston: Bruins win 4-2. Thomas in goal. Scores by Wheeler (2), Ryder and Kobasew. Three stars: Wheeler, Ryder, Babchuk.

January 10 in Boston: Bruins win 5-1. Thomas in goal. Scores by Krejci, Yelle, Stuart, Ryder (2). Three stars: Krejci, Ryder, Thomas.

February 17 in Carolina: Bruins win 5-1. Thomas in goal. Scores by Wheeler, Hnidy, Krejci, Kobasew, plus a shorty from Bergeron. Three stars; Krejci, Chara, Thomas.

It's never easy in the second round. But as long as the B's want it badly enough they certainly have the tools they need to win this series. My prediction: Bruins win in 5.

Sharks Tank

Longtime Bruins fans have a connection to the San Jose Sharks through the Thornton trade. At the time the experts around the league claimed the trade of Thornton for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart was an embarrassment for Boston. That and the race for the President's trophy this season between the B's and the Sharks has led me to keep one eye on the left coast during the playoffs. Some even believed it may come down to the Sharks vs. the Bruins in the cup final.

My view of the Sharks mirrors my view of Joe Thornton. They don't have what it takes to go deep in the playoffs. I watched Thornton play and he just floated around the zone waiting for the puck to come to him. You can't do that in the playoffs. You have to get in there along the boards and fight hard for the puck, and when you do get it you have to skate as hard and as fast as you can 100% of the time. I've said it here before: Thornton only has one speed. He has no "playoff gear" and neither do the Sharks as a team.

When I saw that San Jose had matched up against Anaheim in the first round my thought was that Anaheim was going to eliminate them. San Jose has a long history of disappointing results in the playoffs, and Anaheim has just the right hard-playing style to bring them down. But since I didn't see much of the western conference this season I must admit that this was probably 40% history and 60% wishful thinking. I had read that the Sharks had changed--that like the Bruins they had become a complete team. But when put to the test this proved to be an empty claim. And as for Anaheim, they are the first team I have watched this season that seemed familiar. They play very much like the Bruins, playing a hard complete team game. But one other thing I noticed was that they lacked the size and especially the talent of the B's. Their finish near the net just wasn't there. Time and again they would force a turnover or win the puck along the boards only to flub the pass or miss the shot.

So where does that leave our sleeping Bruins? Most observers around the league expect Boston to follow the Sharks lead, once they meet a real opponent. But those of us who have watched them all year know differently. They may not win the cup, but I'd be very surprised if the Bruins embarrass themselves in the playoffs. I have no doubt that they can beat any of the remaining teams in the eastern conference, and it does not matter who they match up against. The one worry I have is this: do they want it enough? Aside from the almost daily claims to the contrary, does this team feel they have already accomplished their goal for the season? We will find out... but only after this long excruciating wait is over.

Looch Suspended

The NHL has announced that the B's Milan Lucic has been suspended for game three of the series against Montreal.

Many Bruins fans are up in arms, complaining of everything from inconsistency to a conspiracy by the NHL to help the Habs or lengthen the series. Many Habs fans are gloating, saying that this proves that Looch is the goon they have claimed him to be all along. My take? Both are off the mark.

The way I see it is this: both the NHL and the Players Association have been preaching that they want to crack down on blows to the head (partly as a result of Bergeron's concussion). It's like when a player gets his stick parallel to the ice and and hooks the blade around the midsection of the guy in front of him. It doesn't matter if he pulled hard enough to interfere with the progress of the player--it's going to be called every time. The NHL is looking to make a statement here, and what Looch did looked like a violent cross check to the face. Nevermind the fact that nobody was hurt, that he was only defending himself, that it has been the Habs all along who have acted like goons after the whistle not the Bruins, and that it was only his glove that made contact. It looked bad enough that they had to make the call.

In two or three games--when the Bruins are waiting for their next opponent--this will be forgotten.

In fact, I think this works in the Bruins favor. First it gets Byron Bitz into the game. He's got to be chomping at the bit to play and he knows this may be his only chance. I expect him to play like a monster out there. Second, it gives the B's something to get fired up about going into the likeliest game of the series for them to lose. And third, the league did send a message. Not just to Looch but to everyone. This hardly gives the Habs a free ride to continue being goons by raising elbows and bloodying players after the whistle. Rather, I think they may be looking over their shoulder at the referee.

Lastly, for anyone who hasn't followed the Briuns closely I want to say something about Lucic. I've watched all but a handful of his NHL games. Looch is no goon. He will dance when asked and usually win. He will hit hard along the boards. He does not set out to injure anyone. Rather, his hard hits are often beautifully timed to create a turnover or scoring opportunity. Unlike Laraque or some of the other journeyman goons, Looch can skate and score. No--he's not Cam Neely, at least not yet, but he is an impact player with considerable skill.