Any New Strategies In The Making For Bruins

Coming off a Stanley Cup, it’s easy to think the Boston Bruins don’t have much to worry about heading into next season. But there’s always work to be done, and that applies to champions, too.

One area where a clear strategy will be needed is with the goaltending situation. This may seem odd given that Tim Thomas carried the team in the playoffs and won the Vezina Trophy, but it really isn’t. Coach Claude Julien has the task of keeping the 37-year-old fresh for the postseason, and also developing his likely successor, Tukka Rask. Getting Rask enough time to develop his game is a key task, and one that will require Julien’s attention.

The team will also need to find a boost of veteran leadership to replace the retired Mark Recchi, and also possibly Marc Savard, whose status remains uncertain due to severe concussions. Julien will need to identify a new Assistant Captain to wear the “A” on his sweater this year that’s been vacated by Recchi. The choice will go along way in determining the team’s future leadership on the ice.

A final piece of strategy to watch is what to do if the team can’t re-sign Brad Marchand.