The Boston Bruins have eleven players currently playing in the various European leagues. That’s more than any other team in the league. It’s not like we can be angry at them. With the CBA talks stalling again, the players are just trying to stay sharp and keep their skill set up. The latest in a series of talks continue today between the two sides in this ongoing saga of a lockout. Several other Bruins are looking at their options and will soon have to make a choice to continue to practice here with various college and AHL teams or take a leap across the Atlantic for hockey.
One of those Bruins that is taking a serious look at overseas play is Daniel Paille. Paille, Merlot man of leisure has been checking out his options while serving as the player’s union rep for Boston. “I’m sitting on all the conference calls and having plenty of conversations with our guys about the current situation,” said Paille. “But it might get to the point in the next few weeks we’ve got to start exploring our options. We’re holding up pretty good here. For us it’s more of a mental battle and it gets a little frustrating. But at the same time we have to do this to come back,” said Paille, of the dwindling number of NHL skaters bouncing from college arena to college arena to get their work in. “Eventually we’re going to have to play some games somewhere. We don’t know when that’s going to happen, but we’ve got to stay ready.”
It’s not just Paille. Fellow Merlot Man Gregory Campbell could very likely find himself playing for the same Czech team as Andrew Ference (HC Budejovice). Other players have yet to entertain options to play overseas. Players like Milan Lucic will likely not play in Europe as Looch the Gooch is about to become Looch the Dad. I’m glad some of the Bruins are having a great season in Europe. Seguin’s been having an amazing run in Switzerland. He’s racking up the points left and right and has learned to ask a girl out in four new languages. (Not knocking it, Mr. Seguin…just respecting the “skill set”.) As happy as I am for the players, I just want to seem them back in simple black and gold playing for us. (As opposed to those train wreck European jerseys that should come with a warning label about direct exposure and seizures.)
