Concussion City

A concussion epidemic has been spreading like a virus in the NHL, and Philadelphia seems to be the most affected by the storm. Seven of their players have been diagnosed with concussions, which is uncharacteristic for a team valued for its physical ferocity since the 1970s Broad Street Bullies era. 

The concussion awareness alert started with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby. At the 2011 Winter Classic in Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, Crosby took a hit in the head by then-Capital David Steckel. On January 5, he was hit again, this time by Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman, ruling him out for the season. He made it back on the ice 10 months later, only to not suit up again after eight games. Crosby's on-ice popularity has raised awareness towards the concussion, which also hit numerous other NHL players. And no one was hit the hardest than the Flyers.

Seven players in the orange and black sweater have been diagnosed with a concussion: Chris Pronger, James van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux, Matt Read, Ian Laperriere, and Brayden Schenn. Pronger has yet to play this season, but the captain has been ruled out for good. Even before that, the Flyers have been embroiled in a controversy involving former player Eric Lindros, whose tenure with the Flyers abruptly ended not only by a series of concussions, but also in a word war with then-GM Bobby Clarke. 

The defending champion Boston Bruins weren't spared either. Marc Savard suffered a concussion on March 5, 2010 when Penguins player Matt Cooke hit him hard on the boards. Savard did return in the playoffs, scoring a game-winning OT goal in Game 1 of the semifinals against the Flyers. He played another 25 games in the 2010-11 season before suffering another concussion at Denver on January 22. Savard has never played since, missing out on the team's Stanley Cup title run in 2011. Nathan Horton suffered a concussion of his own after a hit by the Canucks' Aaron Rome in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Horton ultimately survived this episode.

Several other players have been hit by concussions before, and despite the NHL's best efforts to revise the rules involving hits to the head, the concussion epidemic may continue for a long while. For now, the league needs to review even further, and hope they raise further awareness regarding the situation. 

My Bruins Player Nicknames

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.

Ray Bourque and the Stanley Cup, 10 Years Later

Ray Bourque winning the 2001 Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche

Ray Bourque may have been better known wearing the Bruins' black and gold for three decades. But it was wearing the Avalanche's maroon and ice blue sweaters that sealed his Hall of Fame career. In his final NHL season of 2000-01, he finally tasted the only prize that had eluded him since getting drafted by the Bruins in 1979: the Stanley Cup. That year, Bourque and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the defending champion New Jersey Devils in seven games for their second Stanley Cup. But instead of holding the newly-won cup up high, Avs captain Joe Sakic immediately handed it over to Bourque who raised it in a moment of triumph and vindication. A few weeks after, he brought it to Boston and presented it to the Bruins faithful.

For Bourque, it was a moment to remember, as it healed all the struggles he endured while wearing the Bruins' black and gold. As a Bruin, he captained the team to the Stanley Cup Finals twice in 1988 and 1990, only to lose to a more dominant Edmonton Oilers dynasty each time. The Bruins were title contenders in Bourque's prime, and at its peak winning the President's Trophy in 1990, they had a dangerous team of Bourque, Cam Neely, Don Sweeney, Reggie Lemelin, Andy Moog and Glen Wesley. The Bruins though weren't able to solve the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers, and even Patrick Roy and the Canadiens of Montreal. After 20-plus years, Bruins GM Harry Sinden traded his star to the Avalanche midway through the 2000 season in the hopes of winning the Stanley Cup.

In 2001, the Avs already sported a dangerous team of Sakic, Roy, Adam Foote, Milan Hejduk, Peter Forsberg, Rob Blake, and now Bourque. That combo would ride their way to the President's Trophy that year and eventually beat the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Facing the Devils of two Scotts (Stevens and Niedermayer), Martin Brodeur, Ken Daneyko and Patrik Elias, the Avs had a hard time disposing of the defending champions, before finally extinguishing them at Pepsi with a 3-1 Game 7 victory. And after commissioner Gary Bettman handed the cup to Sakic, he immediately handed it over to Bourque in a show of respect for the retiring defenceman.

Ten years later, his old team broke a 39-year title drought at Vancouver, in a Game 7 and in a shutout that triggered a riot outside Rogers Arena. Even though his triumph didn't come from wearing a black and gold sweater, the Bruins still retired Bourque's No. 77 in a show of class and respect.  The Avs did the same by retiring his number, despite playing for only a year and a half. Bourque was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. Though he may have won the cup in Colorado, he's still a Bruin to me. 

The Kid's For Real

Even though the Boston Bruins are near the bottom of the standings early in the season, one impressive young player is standing out so far as they attempt to defend their Stanley Cup title.

Tyler Seguin, the 19-year old wonder from Ontario and their first overall pick last year, is turning a lot of people's heads so far in the young season. After an impressive two-goal performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Lightning, Seguin stepped up his play this season. As of November 9, he leads the Bruins in points, scoring 8 goals and dishing 7 assists. Seguin's performance has so far made up for the offseason losses of Mark Recchi (to retirement) and Michael Ryder (to Dallas Stars). The kid has a bright future ahead of him, and he'll only get better if he gets more ice time.

Tyler Seguin

Courtesy of Getty Images

Despite a three-game winning streak, the Bruins' slow start to the season has been attributed to its defense. Even though goalie Tim Thomas has been stellar, the opposition has dared taking on him shot for shot, and often times resulted in goals allowed. The Bruins have been unable to keep the puck with them for a majority of the time. Backup Tuukka Rask has just earned his first win of the season Monday against the Islanders, and if the goaltending needs an upgrade, Rask has to step up for the aging Thomas. Most pundits also attributed to the so-called 'hangover' that previous defending champions such as the Penguins and the Blackhawks suffered to the previous two seasons. Still, the season is so young so expect the Bruins to turn it around this month, beginning with a three-game winning streak to begin November.

Bruins games for this week: Nov. 10 vs. Edmonton, Nov. 12 vs. Buffalo, Nov. 15 vs. New Jersey, Nov. 17 vs. Columbus.