Felger & Mazz: Bruins Cooler With Bob Beers
With Massarotti out of the studio for the day, Felger was joined for Tuesday's show by legendary Bruins announcer Bob Beers. After biding time at the beginning of the show, and discussing the Red Sox and Patriots, Felger and Beers finally gave listeners what they had been asking for, and dove head first into a "Bruins Cooler."
The guys were so thrilled to get back to talking hockey that they actually ran over the time they had allotted to discussing the Bruins, spilling over into hour three of the show. However Mike and Bob took full advantage of the bonus segment, using it to discuss everything from the status of Brad Marchand's contract negotiations, to whom they believe should be chosen as the Bruins second assistant captain heading into the upcoming season.
Andrew Ference was first on tap in the bonus cooler, and like several other Bruins, his case for the second A is strong. Despite the fact that many questioned Ference when he was signed to a contract extension early on last year, he ultimately proved the skeptics wrong and shined throughout the Bruins Stanley Cup run. Undoubtedly that managerial play, like many made by Peter Chiarelli, is looking considerably shrewder to fans in hindsight.
With that in mind, how then should Chiarelli go about negotiating with Bruins star, and restricted free agent, Brad Marchand? While Beers fully expects that a deal will be done in the near future, and most likely will be completed before the start of training camp, there is still some uncertainty that surrounds those negotiations. Marchand is a gritty player, who was an indispensable component of the Bruins plan of attack throughout the playoffs, so why have the Bruins not been quick to offer him an extension when they were so willing to offer them to other players? Are there concerns about Marchand and his lavish celebration after the Cup victory, or do the Bruins simply want Marchand to reiterate that he is, in fact, the "real deal" before they pony up the cash and bind themselves to a long term contract?
In much the same way that there are questions surrounding Marchand's contract, it also to remains to be seen who will assume the role as the Bruins second assistant captain in the upcoming season. Who do you think is most deserving of the A on their jersey? Should Shawn Thornton be rewarded for his grit, leadership and resilience on the fourth line? What about Seidenberg, Horton or Ference? Or perhaps an even younger option like Lucic or Krejci?
There are many routes the Bruins can take in choosing a new captain, but given their lack of activity in free agency, fans can only hope that this Bruins team, which remains primarily in tact, will be able to recreate the magic they crafted last post-season, and continue to build from the inside out. To let us know where you stand on this upcoming Bruins season, give us a call at 617-779-0985, or tune in now to hear what Mike and Bob have to say on all things Bruins!
