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With the Bruins about halfway through their summer, we’ll finish breaking down the their performances and hand out the last of our marks for the season. As a team, the B’s rode a roller coaster of highs and lows through the year. Some played better than others. Some shined brightest during the playoffs. Some may have worn out their welcomes. We’re already handed out marks for the forwards and the defense. Now, we’ll weigh in on the goaltenders and front office.
Tuukka Rask. A+.
There were questions abound whether the Fin could handle the workload once the season began. He more than delivered, calmly guiding the B’s to the Cup finals. He earned every penny of the contract the bruins gave him. Now it’s just a matter of repeating it and staying on top. Rask is one, if not the most, technically sound goalies in the entire league.
Anton khudobin. B
He didn’t get much playing time, but Dober filled in admirably when called upon and was more than capable in an emergency. Salary cap issues and depth are the only reason he’s not back. Boston’s loss is Carolina’s gain.
Claude julien. A-
The Bruins made it back to the finals, what more could you want? He sat Milan Lucic when he played poorly and wasn’t afraid to play his black aces come playoff time. He entrusted a trio of young defenseman in the playoffs and wasn’t bullied into playing his highly touted rookie, Dougie Hamilton, when he had better options. The only true knock on Julien is the power play. It’s been long enough, time to bring in a specialist.
Front office. A –
Overall, Peter Chiarelli has performed well for another season. He kept the core together while bringing in the guys to win. It’s not his fault Jerome Iginla opted out in the 11th hour of a deal. If anything, give the GM credit for pulling together a solid backup plan. The Tim Thomas trade could have been handled better with more value coming back in draft picks. Regardless , it got them the space they needed come the deadline. Chiarelli’s early summer moves continue to keep the B’s in contention, both now and in the future.