Bruins’ “Dream Team” Pursues ‘09 Stanley Cup

Approximately two months from now the Bruins will have just started their 2009 playoff journey with a hopeful final destination of the Stanley Cup being handed into the massive hands of Zdeno Chara from Commissioner Bettman.

With the team in a minor tailspin at the moment, General Manager Peter Chiarelli must decide how much tweaking of the roster is needed between now and the March 4 trade deadline. The Bruins roster you see on March 5 will be the one all fans are pinning their Cup dreams on.

With that thought in mind and to kill time waiting for the trade deadline, I decided to assemble my own Bruins playoff roster constructed to win the 2009 Stanley Cup. To make my job easier (and harder), all Boston Bruins from 1970-present are eligible to be included on the roster, as long as they played two full seasons with the team. Keep in my mind that each player must have had decent production while with the Bruins—nobody makes it on their NHL name alone.

Ask 100 Bruins fans to do the same exercise and you’ll get 100 different answers. My goal is to keep the “new NHL” in mind, but not forget the skill sets of players from a different era. The coach, Harry Sinden (I’ll take his one Stanley Cup over Don Cherry’s goose egg), can roll out the lines and defensive pairings as he sees fit as there’s no “first line,” per se. I’m confident he’ll be astute enough to play one anonymous defenseman more than the others.

Forward Lines (LW, C, RW):

John Bucyk, Marc Savard, Cam Neely

The thought of Neely being fed for a one-timer by Savard excites even the most downtrodden Bruins fan. Bucyk, a wide body, would help give Savard additional space to operate and knock in his fair share of loose pucks down low on the left side of the crease.

Marco Sturm, Joe Thornton, Glen Murray

Please look beyond your last images of Murray and try to recall the guy that terrorized NHL goalies earlier this decade. He works well with Jumbo Joe and both have a spot on this squad. I’ll freely admit that Sturm is an unconventional selection, but his speed, finishing ability and hockey determination secure him a spot.

Wayne Cashman, Phil Esposito, Rick Middleton

Espo and Cashman worked well together and won their fair share of big games– even though a few more in 1971 would have been nice. Cashman might be one of the most underrated fighters of all-time and he’s allegedly bat crazy, not the worst traits for a hockey player. Middleton gives the line some speed and a player who can create his own offense.

Don Marcotte, Derek Sanderson, John McKenzie

Every team needs a line that specializes in the undesirable, dirty jobs and these three guys take pride in doing so. Sanderson is one of the best face-off men to ever play, Marcotte always shadowed the opposition’s best right winger and McKenzie was one tough bastard. These guys could even find the back of the opposition’s net. Trying to protect a one goal lead with 30 seconds remaining, I have a hunch that Sinden would have this line out on the ice.

Defensive Pairings:

Bobby Orr, Brad Park

The handful of games they played together in 1975-’76 left every Bruins fan wanting more.

Ray Bourque, Gord Kluzak

Bourque’s is a no-brainer, obviously. Before the knee injuries did him in, Kluzak had a nice four year run as a good NHL blueliner.

Zdeno Chara, Dallas Smith

Chara will be a Norris finalist again and Smith, always in the shadow of Orr and Park, was as solid as they come defensively.

Goalies:

Gerry Cheevers, Andy Moog

Cheevers gets the start because he lived for the spotlight of the big game and had the ability to help keep the locker room loose. Moog cut his teeth in Edmonton and was actually in goal for the injured Fuhr when the Oilers won their first Cup. He earned plenty of Bruins credibility with his playoff performances while in Boston.

I’m confident with the assembled roster and only fear one thing in the playoffs—sooner or later we’ll run into Ken Dryden.