First of all, I would like to congratulate the Vancouver Canucks for winning the Stanley Cup Finals rematch at TD Garden today. If not for the four penalties that resulted in goals for the Canucks, it would've been our victory. Anyway, the season is still long so we all hope for a better result on the next game.
The Bruins this season consist of players that have their own personalities, and in giving them some nicknames, I'm sure you can relate to it.
1. Nathan Horton - The Hatcher
I took the liberty to nickname Horton as 'The Hatcher', after the famous Dr. Seuss children's book 'Horton Hatches the Egg'. Like the character Horton the elephant, Horton is a player known for being tough and inspiring (see Aaron Rome's series-turning hit in 2011 Stanley Cup Finals), and despite missing the remainder of the series, he continues to stay at their side and inspired the team's run to the Stanley Cup. When he returned this season, he rewarded the team with off-the-rebound goal-scoring, and a potential hat-trick guy.
2. Zdeno Chara - Big Cap
The NHL's tallest player is undoubtedly a gentle giant off the court. On the court, however, Chara is a tough guy willing to protect his teammates and answer officials when the heat is on. No question that the moment he arrived in Boston in 2006, he was immediately bestowed the title 'Captain', and quite appropriately, I named him 'Big Cap' because of his tall stature and his leadership. When Chara lifted the Stanley Cup last spring, he had finally reached the mountain peak that had been growing in stride since entering the league in 1997, and hopes to continue growing it in the coming seasons.
3. Tim Thomas - The Flintstone
Appropriately, Thomas is a stone, err, a rock at the pipes. And combine the place of his origin (Flint, Michigan) with either the Hanna-Barbera 60s cartoon or the real rock itself, you have a very appropriate nickname for a record-setting goalie, whose .938 SV% tops NHL goaltending history last season. And Thomas just keeps getting better with age. He can light a fire with his stick, his pad, his gloves or even his own mask with every save, just like flint and steel rubbed together to make fire. Undoubtedly, despite a belated entry to the NHL in 2006, Thomas is future Hall of Famer when he retires.
4. Shawn Thornton - The Thorn
Known more for his fists than his stick, Thornton is a prickly opponent to fight against. Like a rose's thorn, his punches can puncture opponent's faces with one swing. But while he's not a goal-scoring threat, his tough, street-fighting ways would always prove valuable to the Bruins' physical game (remember Terry O'Reilly?).
5. Brad Marchand - Marchie the Shortie
Marchand will be known more for his penalty-killing ways, as evidenced by his key short-handed goals in last year's Stanley Cup playoffs. So it is no question that his nickname is 'Marchie the Shortie' because of his ability to score on a penalty disadvantage situation. Though he's a PK specialist, he can also score on an even strength, power play and empty net situations.
6. Tuukka Rask - The Finnish Beast
The goalie mask is an intimidating sight when Rask steps in on goal. This season, Rask is surprising everyone, even his fellow goalie Tim Thomas, with his superior work between the pipes, and slowly rose among the ranks of the top goalies in the NHL. At 25, Rask is still young, but has a bright future ahead of him.
7. Milan Lucic - The Cobra
WWE's Santino Marella was initially the 'Milan Miracle' when he arrived, then morphed into one of the most colorful characters in wrestling, due to his 'Cobra' finisher. Lucic, though not Italian (born in Vancouver), also possesses a set of fists that are ready to strike when player protection is necessary. His style of play is similar to his teammate Shawn Thornton, but his offensive skills are likened to Horton's and Marchand's. Whether he punches other players or scores a goal, Lucic can be a poison to pick against.
8. Johnny Boychuk - Johnny Rockets
His nickname was bestowed by Bruins play-by-play man Jack Edwards after every goal. Boychuk's specialty is the slapshot, which is a powerful strike when the puck rocks the inside of the goal, similar to missiles (or rockets) striking enemy territory in wartime. Boychuk, though known more for his penalty killing than his scoring, is a deadly weapon waiting to happen because of these shots.
9. Tyler Seguin - The Mk19
The 2011-12 season has been a success story for the sophomore Seguin, scoring 16 goals as of this writing. Thus it is more appropriate to nickname him 'The Mk19' because of his ability to fire the puck in goal in rapid, closely accurate succession, as well as in reference to his sweater number.
10. Patrice Bergeron - The Iceberg
Bergeron, now the longest-tenured Bruin at nine seasons, is appropriately nicknamed 'The Iceberg' because, when combining the final three letters in Patrice (Ice) and the first four letters in Bergeron (berg), you have a nickname that keeps on floating even in thin water. And how appropriate? Bergeron continues to float around the TD Garden rink for the longest time, having endured playoff misses, blown chances, concussion issues, and even an ever-changing roster of players. Bergeron's patience was finally rewarded with a Stanley Cup ring in 2011, and no doubt he is one of the greatest Bruins of all time.
With a wide array of characters in a black and gold sweater, there's no question that the Bruins have continued a winning tradition that has been a trademark within a blue-collar city such as Boston. Such qualities endure to fans across Boston, where winning is rabid and excellence is top priority. On a team built on excellent goaltending and balanced offense, this year's Bruins may as well become one of the top teams in the NHL this decade, if they keep their winning culture intact. The season is still a long one, but kudos to this team for an excellent season so far.
