American Marijuana Intro

College Free Agent Signings

We have reached the point of the season when NHL teams have just finished signing the top undrafted college players to contracts.  For any number of reasons, whether it be small size, late skill development, or poor exposure to NHL scouts before college, there are always about 20-30 players signed as Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) upon the conclusion of their college season.  These signings are mutually beneficial, as entry level contracts are pocket change to NHL teams, and the player can essentially decide which organization he'd like to join (unless your name is Eli Manning or John Elway you usually have no say in this).

Here's a look at a couple of the guys the Bruins have signed from the NCAA:

Chris Casto: Defense, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 6'3, 215 lbs

Many were surprised to hear that Castro decided to leave the Bulldogs after his sophomore season (I was not. I lived there and it is freezing!), but the Bruins were happy he did.
Although he still needs to work on his skating a bit, he has great mobility for a bigger skater and he is a rock in the defensive end. 13 points as a freshman and nine this past season make some question his offensive upside, but Casto has the potential to be a respectable offensive contributor.  He's no Erik Karlsson, but his big shot could actually prove pretty useful on a secondary powerplay unit.  This is a great signing for the Bruins, as Casto has the potential to possibly become a top four defenseman somewhere down the line, but adds depth in the system regardless of personal improvement.

Matt Lindblad: Left Wing, Dartmouth College, 6'0, 200 lbs

Mark my words, this kid is an absolute steal!  At better than average height and weight for a forward, I have no idea how Lindblad was not offered a contract after putting up 70 pts in his final season in the USHL in 2010, undeniably the top junior league in North America (excluding the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL where players are paid, therefore, losing college eligibility).  The Bruins must be excited to sign a player of Lindblad's caliber, as he had almost a point per game in each of his three seasons in beautiful Hanover, New Hampshire.  He is not considered to be a "high-end" signing, but I am convinced he will become at least a top nine NHL forward one day.  Having scored 80 points over the past three years on a very average team with an above average schedule makes Lindblad high end in my book.  I don't think it will be too long before we see Lindblad playing here in the Hub of Hockey.
PS: Stats in Providence to finish the year. (AHL): 4 gp, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points

References:
hockeydb.com
bruins.nhl.com
UMD Hockey Site
Dartmouth Hockey Site
http://unitedstatesofhockey.com/2013/03/20/nhl-college-free-agent-tracker-updated-march-20/

P-Bruins Atlantic Division Champs

I figure an Atlantic Division Championship has earned the Providence Bruins the right to be the focal point of this weeks' update.  We have reviewed many prospects in various leagues, but the most closely associated farm club had an excellent regular season and deserve some recognition for that feat.  Here's an article with the details.


Division Champs

Boston Strong

I know this blog is meant to provide updates and analysis on the Bruins' prospects, but I think this week it is important to discuss the importance of professional sports in Boston in light of what happened at the Boston Marathon.

I was about six miles away from the site of the bombings, and the panic was evident even at the 20 mile marker.  Police cars and buses filled with National Guard members were flying down Comm Ave before anyone knew what had happened.  Two families from my neighborhood were eye witnesses to the bombings, fortunately uninjured, and they both claim, as it seems everyone has, that the support from the first responders was incredible.

After some cancellations, The B's and the Sox got back to action in games with some truly emotional pre game ceremonies.  The Bruins called for a moment of silence before beginning the National Anthem, and the Garden erupted with voices of all ages and singing abilities, creating a perfect harmony of strength and unity.  Though the Bruins would go on to lose, the Boston Strong patches on their jerseys along with a sellout crowd filled with many praised first responders proved just how important our teams are in bringing folks together.

The Red Sox ceremonial first pitches by Dick and Rick Hoyt along with two first responders provided a very moving beginning to the pre game on field activities.  With Mayor Menino and Governor Patrick  on the field, "Big Papi" gave a wonderful address to the crowd.  Most notably stating, "These jerseys say Boston, not Red Sox..." and continuing to say, "This is our f***ing city, nobody is going to dictate our freedom, stay strong!"  Once again the crowd joined in on the national anthem in a great day at Fenway Park.

Many people, such as Stephen Colbert, have made jokes saying things like, "Did these guys know what city they were bombing? You don't mess with Boston."  Though these are usually light hearted attempts to ease some pain, it's true, you don't mess with Boston.

Matt Bartkowski Moving Up the Charts

Bruins prospect Matt Bartkowski has been making the transition to the NHL game quite well.  Like any rookie each play he makes is crucial to his career, and he has handled this pressure with great poise.  Here's an article about #43's transition.

Bartkowski

Local Prospect Update!

Hailing from Massapequa, NY, Rob O'Gara is not what most would consider a "local" of the Boston area.  This can easily be changed in the world of prep school hockey; however, with student athletes moving to live at boarding schools to get a better education and compete against superior athletic competition.

In the spring of 2010, O'Gara decided his best bet was to come from Long Island to play for Milton Academy.  It turns out this was a pretty wise decision.  After helping lead Milton Academy to a New England Prep Championship, easily the most prestigious of any high school tournament, he was rewarded with a fifth round (151st overall) selection by the Bruins in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Following his draft summer, O'Gara went back to Milton Academy in hopes of reaching the pinnacle of high school hockey once again in the 2011-12 campaign.  Although Milton had a fairly dismal season at only 9-15-3, O'Gara was as impressive as ever, scoring 25 points (5g, 25a) over those 24 games.  A defenseman scoring at a point per game clip is impressive in itself, but to do so on a weaker team earns O'Gara all the more respect in my opinion.

Upon concluding a fabulous high school career O'Gara enrolled at Yale University this fall, lacing up the skates for the Bulldogs in his freshman season.  A consistent presence in the top six of the deep Yale D-corps, O'Gara has done a good job proving that he will be a solid NHL defenseman one day.  Though he needs to fill out a bit before becoming a pro, his smooth skating, soft hands, and excellent presence in his own end all point toward a successful NHL career in the future.

The reason I choose now to review O'Gara is the work he and his teammates have done in the post season.  After being selected the 15 overall seed (number four in their "region") after going 20-12-3 in the regular season, the Bulldogs have shocked everyone.  After a hard fought 3-2 OT victory over number two overall seed Minnesota, Yale used their momentum to trounce North Dakota 4-1 to earn a birth in the Frozen Four for the first time since 1952.  Tune in to watch O'Gara and the Dogs battle UMass Lowell in the National Semifinals at 4:30 this afternoon!

References:

hockeydb.com

bruins.nhl.com

ushr.com 

http://triblive.com/sports/-topstories/3802662-74/lowell-frozen-yale#axzz2QBZiIffn

Carl Soderberg Signs!

The Bruins have officially signed Carl Soderberg to a contract!  Many fans may have forgotten about him since he hasn't really been in the limelight since the B's acquired his rights in 2007.  Don't let the lack of media attention fool you though, Soderberg is a great prospect.  He's actually almost a veteran based on his experience in the Swedish Elite League, and should be ready to jump straight into the lineup.  This is a signing that I feel should have taken place a couple of years ago but, as they say, "Better late than never". 

Here's a link to an article providing some more insight about the signing:

Carl Soderberg, Bruins Have A Deal

References:

Espnboston.com