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Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Despite back-to-back 4-13 seasons, the Patriots are somehow the feel-good team of New England, and other thoughts
True fact. The Bruins are a mess and Spoked-B fans are calling for the heads of The Celtics won a championship a little more than a year ago, but Jayson Tatum is out for the year, two starters have been traded, another pair of regulars left via free agency, and the team is expected to sink to the middle of the Eastern Conference. The NBA's dreaded 'second apron' collective bargaining penalties have done more damage to the Green franchise than anything since John Y. Brown. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The interesting-but-annoying Red Sox gave us a nice summer lift with a Tomato-Can-infused Advertisement Which leaves us with the Patriots and a big bowl of optimism. Advertisement They have a real head coach again; Mike Vrabel, a non-nonsense, Patriot linebacker champion, and former NFL Coach of the Year. Josh McDaniels, the best offensive coordinator of this generation, a man who won rings here with Bill and Tom, is calling the plays again. Young, talented, athletic, and mature, Drake Maye is the Patriots' quarterback. He looked pretty good without much help in his rookie season. Can you imagine what he'll do with a real coordinator, a real offensive line, and NFL-caliber wide receivers? Desperate local fans (remember all those parades?) are bullish on this new team. Listen to talk radio and read dispatches from Fort Foxborough. Everything is awesome. Liberated from the Hoodie and Jordon, and Joe Judge and Matt Patricia … impacted no more by the naivete and boobery of Jerod Mayo and staff … the Patriots are operating in a controversy-free zone. It's as if Foxborough is a college town and Pete Carroll is back in charge. Boola-boola. Fans are pumped and jacked, geeked up for the preseason opener against a Washington Football Club The Patriots certainly felt the love when they opened up workouts to the public this past Wednesday. There were oohs and ahhs when Maye connected on his first pass to Stefon Diggs (who seemed to have his sea legs under him). First-round pick Will Campbell looked good with a rebuilt offensive line and charmed the media with his manners. I think his arms have grown a couple of inches since the draft. Advertisement Maye is so popular, he and his wife got credit for donating all of their wedding gifts to charity. The story turned out to be AI fabricated (which is not Maye's fault), but Patriots fans loved him for it anyway. In Wednesday's first open-to-the-public practice, the Patriots Foundation trotted out a parade of puppies, promoting dog adoptions from local animal rescue organizations. Who doesn't love puppies? Vegas has the Patriots at 8.5 wins, and nobody around here thinks that's too high. New England's schedule is fairly easy, the Patriots aren't facing a lot of top quarterbacks, the Krafts Vrabel is experienced. He's a wiseguy like Bill Parcells. He won three Super Bowls under Belichick, then beat Belichick twice (also losing twice) in head-to-head coaching competition. He's taken a team to an AFC Championship game. 'I want to galvanize our football team,' Vrabel said Tuesday. 'I want to galvanize this building. I want to galvanize our fans. There's going to be a brand of football that everybody associated with our team or our fans is going to be proud of.' Bob Kraft told the media he's hoping to 'start a new chapter.' 'I feel good about the foundation of what we have now,' said the 84-year-old owner. 'Now we have to go execute and make that happen.' Good vibes? Kraft is allowing Parcells to take a rightful place in the Patriots Hall of Fame in September. The overdue honor signifies a thaw in a 30-year feud between the owner and the coach that made the Patriots legit before Kraft bought the team. Advertisement It feels full-throttle. Maybe even Full Rochie. ⋅ Quiz: 1: Name the last five MLB players elected to the Hall of Fame in their final year of eligibility; 2: Name six Hall of Famers who hit 49 home runs in a season, but never 50; 3: Name seven Hall of Famers who were on the rosters for the 1995 World Series between Atlanta and Cleveland. ⋅ The Red Sox struck out 44 times in three games against the Phillies. While the Sox were having trouble scoring runs in Philly, Rafael Devers (good riddance to him, right?) went 7 for 14 with two home runs and five RBIs, and scored seven runs in three games against the Braves. Have fun with the narrative that dumping Devers's contract (a great move for ownership, but zero big league help for this year's team) turned the Sox' season around. The moribund Nationals and Rockies turned the Sox' season around. And the 2025 Red Sox go into this weekend with the same record (55-49) as last year's 81-81 team. ⋅ The Red Sox' Advertisement Catcher Carlton Fisk and the Red Sox had a beef with home plate umpire Larry Barnett in the 1975 World Series. ⋅ New pet peeve: Baseball players who get caught stealing or fail to tag a runner out, then instantly turn to the dugout and ask for an official review of the play. Too often, they turn out to be merely embarrassed … and wrong. And the team loses a challenge. ⋅ Standing in the batter's box, eyes wide open, intense expression, Trevor Story from the neck up looks a lot like Dustin Pedroia. ⋅ Three days of Pete Crow-Armstrong was enough to establish that he's fast, powerful, talented, and a hot dog on par with Kiké Hernández. Love the fact that Crow-Armstrong's mother, actress Ashley Diane Crow, played Jenny Heywood, Billy Heywood's mom, in the 1994 film 'Little Big League.' In the film, 12-year-old Billy became owner of the Twins. Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs is powerful, talented, and a bit of a hot dog. David Berding/Getty ⋅ The Dodgers used 16 starting pitchers before the All-Star break. The stat made me think of the 2004 Red Sox, when Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Derek Lowe, and Bronson Arroyo combined to start 157 of 162 regular-season games. This is unlikely to ever happen again. Advertisement ⋅ The Yankees' Mount Rushmore (Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle) is appropriately etched in stone. Ian O'Connor of The Athletic posits that Aaron Judge someday will replace one of the Bronx Bomber gods and join the Pinstripe Pantheon. The author notes that Judge has a better career slugging percentage and OPS than DiMaggio and Mantle. Judge plans to play into his 40s, already has crossed the 350-home run mark, and is on course to surpass Gehrig (493) and Mantle (536). At this hour, Yogi Berra, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera are in the Yankees' second tier of immortality, but Judge has a chance to supplant one of the Big Four. Remember 'Seinfeld's' 'Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Costanza'? We now live in a world where Judge goes into that punchline. ⋅ Love the fact that Jon Lester compiled the same winning percentage (.636) and ERA (3.66) with both the Red Sox and Cubs. Lester went 110-63 in 242 games with Boston and 77-44 in 171 games with Chicago. He also won championships with both teams. When we get around to the Sox not competing for the long-term services of their homegrown stars (Mookie Betts, anyone?), it should be remembered that this all started when they wouldn't pay Lester and traded him to Oakland in the summer of 2014. Lefthander Jon Lester had 110 wins as a member of the Red Sox. Jim Davis/Globe Staff ⋅ Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and now Scottie Scheffler are the only golfers who've won the British Open, Masters, and PGA Championship before turning 30. Like Woods, Dallas native Scheffler went 1,197 days between his first and fourth major victories. ⋅ Forty-five-year-old Venus Williams beat 23-year-old Peyton Stearns at the Citi Open in Washington this past week. Venus won her first professional tennis match at the age of 14 in 1994. Venus Williams celebrated her win over Peyton Stearns at the Citi Open on Tuesday. Nick Wass/Associated Press ⋅ The Wall Street Journal reports that former tennis star Maria Sharapova and her husband are listing their Manhattan Beach, Calif., property for $24.995 million. The place features an ocean view and two bowling lanes, but no tennis court. ⋅ Anagram of the week: Giants acquire Devers — Grievances tire squad. ⋅ Best wishes to Eddie Doyle, 35-year boss/bartender at the Bull & Finch Pub (Cheers), and champion of children's charities, who's been battling health issues on Cape Cod. Eddie started the Falmouth Walk — held the day before the Falmouth Road Race, which was invented by the late Tommy Leonard. ⋅ RIP Garrett Haydon of Sudbury, gone too soon at the age of 29. Garrett was a local sportswriter, kind friend, and host of 'Not Your Average Boston Sports Podcast' despite his struggles with muscular dystrophy. He inspired all those who knew him. ⋅ Quiz answers: 1. Billy Wagner (2025), Larry Walker (2020), Edgar Martinez (2019), Tim Raines (2017), Jim Rice (2009); 2. Andre Dawson, Lou Gehrig, Todd Helton, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Robinson, Larry Walker; 3. Braves: Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz; Indians: Eddie Murray, Jim Thome. (Dave Winfield was on the team but did not make Cleveland's roster.) Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
Boston Globe
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
When Brad Marchand was traded to the Panthers, who could have imagined this? The Lil Ball O' Hate wins another Stanley Cup.
Advertisement The only page left blank, or perhaps wrinkled and stained, in Marchand's storybook 2025 Cup run was his not being elected the Conn Smythe winner. He was indeed the postseason MVP. Instead, that slice of hockey immortality went to Bennett, Marchand's once-bitter opponent turned fellow hardware monger the moment the wise-cracking former Bruin swashbuckled into town asking which way to the beach after his 1,090 games with that Spoked-B on his chest. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Bennett, 28, finished as the postseason's leading goal-scorer (15). He was indeed a worthy Smythe pick, based on scoring acumen and his heavy, menacing, oft-over-the-line compete factor that has defined his career. Thirty years gone by, Bennett joined Claude Lemieux, then with the Devils for their '95 Cup win, atop the list of the Smythe's orneriest winners. Advertisement Marchand, brought to Florida mainly as a confidence-booster for a team that won the 2024 Cup less than 12 months earlier, delivered far more than the Panthers expected. No doubt, the ever-confident Marchand only would be surprised that anyone ever would have thought otherwise. Close your eyes, and you can hear him chirp, 'Really, bud? OK, you do you.' Marchand finished 10-10–20 for these playoffs, only a tick below the career-best 9-14–23 he posted with the Bruins in their one-win-short Cup run in 2019. With the Panthers at the doorstep of falling into a 2-0 series deficit against the Oilers, it was Marchand, Marchand, Marchand (hat tip to Dave Goucher's 'Bergeron! Bergeron! Bergeron!') who knocked home the double-OT game-winner (88:05) that squared the series. As compromised as the Oilers proved to be — perpetually self-immolating in their own end of the ice — they surely had enough to turn what would have been a 2-0 series into Canada's first Stanley Cup since 1993. O Canada, you can blame Marchand, your spitfire son of the Maritimes (Halifax, N.S.), for at least one more season of those therapy bills. He rose to the moment throughout the four rounds — wins over Tampa, Toronto, Carolina, and Edmonton — but his biggest moment, in his team's greatest time of need, was that OT jawbreaker. After that double overtime game-winner, the Panthers never trailed again in the series. 'It's incredible,' Marchand said, interviewed on the ice by TNT moments after clinching the Cup, finding it hard to express himself, his voice quaking. 'Words can't put this into reality, how great it feels — such an incredible group.' Advertisement Marchand then lapsed into standard underdog speak, saying 'everybody wrote us off from the start of the playoffs. They had everybody beating us in every round.' Of course, not true, largely because much of hockey's pundit cognoscenti figured Marchand's acquisition in March — for a first-round pick the Bruins will harvest in 2027 — made the Panthers bulletproof. Now, in the final round, the pick here was Oilers in six, figuring Connor McDavid's otherworldly talent would win out. My bet: a crushed McDavid in '24, the Smythe winner in that failed Cup run, would be too much for anyone to mute a year later. He would absolutely will them to victory. Instead, McDavid finished with one goal (1-6–7) in the SCF, while Marchand scored a half-dozen times (6-0–0) across the six games. Again, none of those six strikes was bigger than the Game 2 closer. Marchand went 14 years between his Cup wins. In league history, only two players have spaced the title more far apart: Chris Chelios (16 years) and Mark Recchi (15). Recchi's final Cup win, his third, came with Marchand and the Bruins in 2011. During his first press conference in Boston after the March trade, following his first practice with the Panthers, Marchand jokingly referred to a then '82 years old' Recchi as providing inspiration to a then 21-year-old Marchand in 2011. Marchand had been holding a slice of pizza one day, he recalled, when he spotted Recchi, actually 43 at the time, 'running sprints on a treadmill' after a game. 'And I'm like, 'Wow!,'' said Marchand, recalling that he thought, 'I might need to change a few things here.' Advertisement No telling where Brad Marchand, two-time Cup winner, goes from here. As of July 1, he is free to sign with any team. Wherever he ends up, he'll be on the invite list when the Panthers visit the White House. Fourteen years ago, Marchand, who played in only 97 regular-season games prior to the Cup win in 2011, visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with the Cup-winning Bruins. Barack Obama was commander in chief of Cup celebrations. Marchand stood on the far left wing of the team gathered around Obama. 'Brad Marchand started the season on the fourth line,' noted Obama, reading somewhat quizzically from his prepared speech. 'But the Little Ball of Hate shook off the rookie jitters ... and … uh.' With Marchand's teammates laughing aloud, along with the assembled press corps, Obama turned from his speech and began looking for the L'Bo'H. Team CEO Charlie Jacobs, standing behind Obama, pointed over to Marchand, the TV cameras finally spotting the modest kid from Halifax as he dipped his head. 'What's up with that nickname, man?' said Obama, before continuing 'He scored five goals in the last five games of the final series.' The numbers surprised us then, right? Now, we all but take them for granted. All the stats and all the success, the unremitting compete factor that defines him, and now the two Cups and the sure (we think) path to the Hockey Hall of Fame have been baked into a 5-foot-9, 180-pound body of work ... and more work … and work to the final whistle. The Panthers delightfully got more than they bargained for in Brad Marchand. Which is to say, same ol' Marchand. Fooled 'em again. Advertisement Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at
CBS News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bruins search for next head coach reportedly enters home stretch
The Boston Bruins should have a new head coach in the near future. General manager Don Sweeney will conduct his final round of interviews next week and a decision should come shortly after, according to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun. LeBrun did not have a list of finalists for the Boston gig, but he did rattle off a number of coaches who have interviewed for the position. "Marco Sturm, Jay Woodcroft, Mitch Love, Luke Richardson, Joe Sacco, Jay Leach among those believed to have interviewed," LeBrun reported Thursday. With Sweeney signing a two-year extension earlier this week, it looks like his search for a new head coach is now entering its home stretch. Bruins team president Cam Neely said in-person interviews would begin soon in an interview with The Boston Globe after Sweeney's extension was announced. Bruins head-coaching candidates Of the candidates named by LeBrun, Sacco and Leach are in-house options for Boston. Sacco was named interim head coach in November after the Bruins parted ways with Jim Montgomery, and Boston went 25-30-7 with him on the bench. He wasn't put in the best position to succeed, and his job was a lot tougher after Sweeney's fire sale at the trade deadline. Leach was the head coach of the Providence Bruins for four years before he was named an assistant coach in Seattle in 2021. He returned to Boston in 2024 as an assistant on Montgomery and Sacco's staff. Bruins fans are familiar with Sturm as well, given the 302 games he played with a Spoked-B on his chest. The 46-year-old has been coaching since his playing days ended, and has spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate. Sturm would be a rookie head coach at the NHL level, but he was an assistant for the Kings from 2018-22 and also coached Germany's Olympic team from 2015-18. Sturm led Germany to a Silver Medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The 40-year-old Love would be another first-year head coach, but is seen as one of the top young assistants in the NHL. He's been on Spencer Carbery's staff with the Washington Capitals the last two seasons, after he spent three seasons as the head coach of Calgary's AHL team. Richardson, 56, was the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks for two-plus seasons from 2022-24, but was fired after an 8-16-2 start to the 2024-25 campaign. Overall, Richardson was 57-118-15 as head coach of the Blackhawks. He also has experience as an assistant with the Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and Montreal Canaidens, and was the head coach of Ottawa's AHL affiliate for two years. The 48-year-old Woodcroft was previously the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers from 2022-24 and helped the team make the Western Conference Finals as interim head coach in 2021-22. He led the squad to a 50-23-9 record in his only full season as head coach in 2022-23, but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights (the eventual Cup champs) in the second round. Woodcroft was dismissed after a 3-9-1 start to the 2023-24 season. Before he was Edmonton's head coach, he was head coach of the organization's AHL affiliate from 2018-22, where he compiled a 105-71-21 record. He was also an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks from 2008-15 and the Oilers from 2015-18. It's interesting to note one name LeBrun didn't mention: Dallas Stars assistant Misha Donskov. He's been a popular name in head coaching searches, but it doesn't sound like the Bruins are going to wait for Dallas' playoff run to end to chat with him about their vacancy. NHL head coaching vacancies In addition to the Bruins, the Seattle Kraken and Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for a new head coach this summer. Three other teams have already filled their openings, with the New York Rangers hiring former Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, the Philadelphia Flyers hiring Rich Tocchet, and the Chicago Blackhawks tabbing Jeff Blashill as their next bench leader.
Boston Globe
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Fraser Minten, hopes as a Vancouver youngster crushed by the Bruins, might be a lasting fit after trade to Boston
'Absolutely,' recalled Minten, who, some 14 years later, was welcomed into the Bruins organization via the trade last Friday that sent Brandon Carlo to the Maple Leafs. 'That is a core memory that comes with some tears for 7-year-old Fraser.' Minten, who'll turn 21 in July, figures now he would like nothing more than to find a successful, lasting fit in the Black and Gold sweater that became a symbol of his crushed childhood dreams. Ditto for the Bruins, who view the 6-foot-2-inch, left-shot center as a prime prospect who potentially could ramp up quickly through AHL Providence and shift his NHL career into full traction with that Spoked-B on his chest. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Bruins remain in critical need of a point-producing center, particularly a pivot with top-six promise, now two seasons after the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci . The pricey addition of Elias Lindholm last July meant to fill that void proved folly. Matt Poitras (now in Providence) still needs time to develop. Sometimes center Pavel Zacha fits best on the wing. If Minten has the goods — as hinted in the 16 games (2-2–4) he's played for Toronto — then Boston is the land of opportunity. Advertisement 'He has a lot of Charlie Coyle's qualities as a player,' general manager Don Sweeney said the day of the trade, also emphasizing the high regard for Minten's leadership qualities, 'that I hope he grows into.' Related : Minten, who'll suit up for a third game with Providence on Sunday afternoon in Springfield, came to the Maple Leafs as the 38th pick in the 2022 draft. His play for the Toronto varsity over the last two seasons, though limited, gave the appearance he was positioned to be central to the franchise's next young talent infusion, particularly with veteran center John Tavares on an expiring, high-cap contract ($11 million) this season. Advertisement 'I didn't want to leave,' said Minten, who played most of the time for the AHL Toronto Marlies. 'I had nothing but good things going for me in Toronto and really liked it there — so it wasn't something I was looking for, but I definitely knew [getting traded] was a possibility.' Potential for a move made sense in part because, much like the Bruins, the Leafs in recent years surrendered draft picks around the trade deadline to shape their roster for a potential deep playoff run. The depleted number of picks left today's GM in Toronto, Brad Treliving , with little choice but to surrender a prospect to add Carlo, who filled a key need as a top-four defenseman and primo penalty killer. Sweeney also acquired two draft picks, including a conditional first-rounder in 2026, as part of the swap. If Minten indeed matures into that point-producing center's role, the deal would rank among the best in Sweeney's 10-year tenure in the corner office. With the franchise about to log its first playoff DNQ since 2016, his continued tenure as GM could turn on whether last Friday's 'fixes' quickly wiggle the Bruins back to being bona fide Cup contenders. For his part, Minten said he was thrilled upon learning he'd been sent to such a 'sick' organization as the Bruins — yes, fellow Boomers, sick is a good sick — and hoped one day soon to explore Boston. His total time in the Hub, he figures, amounts to some 36 hours, a stop here 8-10 years ago when he joined his grandparents on a cruise that went from the Canadian Maritimes to the Hub of Hockey. Advertisement 'Let's see … that's a long time ago … but we went to Harvard, and toured the campus,' recalled Minten, reached by phone as he drove to Rochester, N.Y., this past week, following a stop in Toronto to tidy up visa issues. 'We also went to Fenway Park, that was awesome … the first time I saw a major league game, so that was really cool. I'd definitely love to get there for another game.' The Wall, per usual, made its lasting impression on the first-time Fenway visitor from British Columbia. 'I definitely have a vivid memory of the Monster,' noted Minten, regrettably yet to learn proper 'MON-stuh' pronunciation. 'I think there was a home run hit over it during that game … but … I could be just making that up, I don't really remember.' There is no universal Canadian experience when it comes to learning hockey or chasing the NHL dream. Contrary to the common US perception, not every kid there grows up on remote farmland (good morning to the Sutter brothers in Viking, Alberta) and first skates on a frozen patch carved out next to the barn. In and around Vancouver, the more common experience is for players to learn the game in rinks in large, hockey-crazed suburbs north, east, and south of the city. In that sense, Minten was an anomaly, taking his first strides right downtown on the streets around his family's apartment building. His learn-to-play scenario tracks with that of ex-Bruin great Rick Middleton , who grew up in the Scarborough section of Toronto and often credits his endless hours of street/ball hockey for building and refining his skills, particularly stickhandling. Advertisement 'Honestly, there's almost no kids I played with, or went to school with, or played near me,' who went on to take the game seriously, said Minten. 'I was a city boy. There was a lot of street hockey for me. Vancouver didn't have outdoor rinks — it doesn't get cold enough — so it was [roller]blades and running shoes for me to kind of get involved in the game.' Then, too, there was piano, the chopsticks and hockey sticks phase of his life. Young Fraser Minten, at his parents' urging (read: insistence) began playing at age 8, and took lessons faithfully until age 14 when his proficiency on the black and white keys, as judged by the Royal Conservatory of Music, earned him high school course credits. He put aside the piano and had more time to play hockey, which ultimately led him to top junior (Western Hockey League), the NHL Draft, and the Leafs. It can be hard to find a piano while building a life darting from rink to rink, noted Minten, but he still enjoys playing when time and circumstance permit. A number of online video clips show he has an excellent touch. 'Lately, I've been learning 'Clair de Lune,' ' said Minten, referring to a classical piece by Claude Debussy that translates as 'Moonlight.' 'It's been a work in progress for me, definitely one of my favorites to listen to and fun to learn. Like regular music, you listen to something for a while and then move on to something new. But that's what I've been jamming to recently, I guess you could say.' Advertisement If there's a connection to tickling the ivories and the skills required to chase after a chunk of vulcanized rubber, Minten has yet to find it. 'No idea,' he said. 'Maybe a neuroscientist could figure it out, but I don't see any correlation.' He is the piano man. And for the Bruins, center is a position sad and sweet, and ready for a younger man's clothes. TRADE DEADLINE THOUGHTS Winner and losers? To come We'll know in the coming weeks how the winners and losers shake out across the league from the many NHL deadline deals on March 7. The one that looks No. 1 from here right now was made weeks earlier, the Avalanche acquiring Martin Necas in the Jan. 24 swap with Carolina for Mikko Rantanen . Necas has fit in seamlessly and productively with Colorado (17 games: 6-11–17), while Rantanen, uh, well, not so much. Related : The 6-foot-4-inch Rantanen all but flatlined (13 games: 2-4–6) with the Hurricanes, who turned around and flipped him to the Stars at the trade deadline. Not the kind of action we typically see around elite performers. Per Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour , Rantanen informed the Hurricanes they were not on a list of four teams with whom he cared to continue his career. Rantanen, with an eight-year/$96 million extension inked in Big D, said he never made such a claim. Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland , whose playing career topped out at club hockey at Pace University, also landed free-agent-to-be Brock Nelson from the Islanders. The 6-4 Nelson moved into the No. 2 pivot hole behind Nathan MacKinnon , and also allowed the Avalanche to move Casey Mittelstadt to the Bruins for Charlie Coyle (best utilized as a No. 3 center). It looks as if MacFarland won the overall swap meet, though he surrendered real assets in Rantanen and a top prospect, 6-2 Calum Ritchie , in the Nelson swap. The 27th pick in the 2023 draft, Ritchie is wrapping up a solid junior career at OHL Oshawa and could challenge for a roster spot at Islanders camp in September. On the flip side, the Sabres grew curiouser and curiouser, dealing young, right-shot center Dylan Cozens to Ottawa for another young center, with a left shot, in Josh Norris . Both are solid players with promising futures, but they are sort of the same player and Norris has an injury history. For the Sabres, who just can't seem to get out of their own way, it feels like a sideways move. Meanwhile, Cozens goes to a Senators club that finally looks as if it will make the playoffs. In other words, he is in hockey heaven, considering the Sabres will continue a string in which they have not made the playoffs since the spring of 2011. Also, Luke Schenn began the week with the Predators, where he signed in the summer of 2023. He then was dished Wednesday to the Penguins in a deal that sent Michael Bunting to Nashville. Schenn was on the move again, dished at the trade deadline to the Jets for a second-round pick in 2026. Schenn has been a valued blue-line horse for a long time (1,058 games) and for a lot of clubs (now nine total). But at age 35, on a Jets team structured on speed, he looks like a curious fit back there. Rantanen (right) all but flatlined (13 games: 2-4–6) with the Hurricanes before being shipped to Dallas. Ethan Cairns/Associated Press MAN'S BEST FRIENDS Swayman recalls trail days Jeremy Swayman , proud son of a podiatrist and of Anchorage, can also boast that in years past he volunteered at the start line for the state's annual iconic Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which wrapped up Friday. 'Booties,' mused a smiling Swayman, thinking back fondly to his volunteer days as a teenager. 'I helped put the booties on all the dogs.' Of course he did. Heck, when your dad's a podiatrist, feet are the name of the game. Even an amateur musher knows that a dog's only as good as the footwear that can withstand the constant beating of a race that typically lasts 10-12 days across snowy, rough, and oft-unforgiving terrain. This year's Iditarod was its 53rd iteration and it covered 1,128 miles from Fairbanks to Nome — the longest version of the run ever. A paucity of snow this winter meant pushing off well north of the usual starting point in Willow (north of Anchorage). 'It's pretty special,' noted Swayman. 'My dad [ Ken ] had Kristy as a patient and we got to become really close with her, and she had us come out to the kennel a bunch of times and meet the dogs and feed 'em and see what it's like.' Kristy Berington is among the sport's top female mushers and owns and operates Seeing Double Sled Dog Racing in Knik, Alaska, not far from Anchorage. Swayman owns Jade, a female mushing dog, who is his constant companion when he returns to Alaska each summer to fish and walk trails — bear spray at the ready. His start line duty, said Swayman, included helping to fit each dog with four booties and generally keeping the revved-up canines in order before the race began. 'You help harness 'em and just keep 'em ready to go,' he said, 'and keep 'em calm because they're so excited to run.' Swayman has not been at the finish line in Nome, which, he said, 'is in the middle of nowhere.' As an elite athlete, he can appreciate what the Iditarod men, women, and their many four-legged friends must endure on the grueling course. 'The stuff that they go through is unmatched,' said Swayman. 'Obviously, the weather, like negative-50 wind chill, and then the isolation at times. It's no joke. It's a journey … a lot of respect for the Iditarod participants and the dogs.' This year Jessie Holmes was crowned champion when he barreled his faithful charges across the finish line at 2:55 a.m. (Who wins anything at 2:55 a.m.?) Winning time: 10 days and some 15 hours. On top of his winner's share of the $500,000 pot, Holmes picked up additional prizes that included $4,500 in cash, $4,500 in gold nuggets, and 25 pounds of salmon. It was not immediately known if new booties were part of the bounty. Jeremy Swayman recalled helping put the booties on dogs involved in the Iditarod race. Amanda Loman/Associated Press Loose pucks One of Fraser Minten's teammates at WHL Kamloops was fellow centerman Logan Stankoven , the 22-year-old rookie shipped from Dallas to Carolina March 7 in the deal that brought Mikko Rantanen to the Stars …The Sabres will have gone 14 years without an appearance in the postseason. The cap figure across those 14 years has gone from $64.3 million to $88 million. Figuring owner Terry Pegula has averaged some $75 million in annual payroll, that puts him right around $1 billion over that term without selling a single playoff ticket … Gone and almost forgotten: Jordan Oesterle , the journeyman who filled in for 22 games and logged 1-5–6 along the Bruins blue line this season. He was plucked off waivers by Nashville before the March 7 deluge … Reminder: veteran coach Joel Quenneville was granted absolution last July by commissioner Gary Bettman , clearing the path for the ex-Blackhawks coach (with three Cup wins) to get back behind a bench. He'll be 67 in September, a bit gray by today's NHL standards, but it's a surprise he hasn't been hired. Look for that to change this offseason, if not sooner. Quenneville resigned in Florida, where he began the season 7-0-0, as part of the ugly fallout in Chicago related to the Kyle Beach sexual assault case … Ex-Bruins blue liner Dougie Hamilton , who missed most of last season because of a torn pectoral muscle (and subsequent surgery) will be out of the Devils lineup for weeks because of a lower-body injury. It's possible he'll get back if the Devils, also without primo center Jack Hughes , can get on a long playoff run. Had Jakub Zboril stuck around the Rock after his professional tryout contract in September, he might be back in the NHL on the Devils blue line. Zboril, one of the trio of first-round picks by the Bruins in 2015, instead returned to Czechia, where he signed a five-year deal with Pardubice, the city known for Dominik Hasek and its trademark gingerbread … Brad Marchand , when reminiscing this past week about his early days in Boston, credited his time spent with Mark Recchi as helping him to understand the dedication needed to have a long, successful NHL career. 'He was 82 years old, doing wind sprints on the treadmill after the game,' said a smiling Marchand, 'and I'm eating a slice of pizza. I'm like, 'Wow, I might need to change a few things here.' ' Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at
CBS News
11-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Brad Marchand makes his return to TD Garden with Florida Panthers
Brad Marchand was back on the ice at TD Garden on Tuesday, but he was not sporting his usual Black and Gold sweater with a Spoked-B in the middle. Instead, the former Bruins captain was in enemy colors, donning his new Florida Panthers uniform for the first time. It's a sight that is going to take a while for Bruins fans to really accept, though they won't have to deal with it Tuesday night when the Bruins play the Panthers for the first time since last week's Marchand trade. The winger is still out with an upper-body injury and will not play in Tuesday's tilt. Marchand will likely be in a suit as he watches the game from the ninth floor. But don't be surprised if the Bruins have a video tribute waiting for their former captain. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said after the team's morning skate that Marchand remains week-to-week, and his new team hopes to have him make his Florida debut near the end of the regular season. But that didn't make his participation in Tuesday's morning skate for the Panthers any less strange. Brad Marchand on skating with the Panthers After skating with his new teammates for the first time, Marchand told reporters the last four days have been a whirlwind. After spending his entire career with the Bruins, just about everything has been different for Marchand following last week's trade. "It still felt weird and odd," Marchand said. "It was great to get out there with them and start that process. But coming in here, and the way they do their meetings and warmups, it's just an adjustment. You learn and follow suit, but it's different from your day-to-day routine, especially being here for 16 years." He's had to juggle getting to know his new teammates, trying to find a place to live in Florida, and getting treatment on his injury since the Friday trade that sent him to the Panthers. He's also had his family on his mind, as his wife and two young daughters are remaining in Boston. Then there's also the matter of digesting the trade itself. It's been a lot for Marchand to take in, and he has new appreciation for players who have been dealt at the deadline. "I feel terrible about the lack of understand I've had for guys in the past who have come and gone. I have a new respect for guys who have had to deal with that. I wish in the past I had more empathy and understanding for what guys were going through when they were joining our team or leaving our team," he said. "That was one of the biggest takeaways I've had with this situation." But Marchand is thrilled to be a member of the Panthers, calling them the top contender in the NHL and the toughest team he had to play against this season. "I don't look at this job as real life," Marchand said. "We're so fortunate to play a game for a living and do something we absolutely love. You work for a couple of hours a day, doing something you grew up doing and only in your wildest dreams did you think it was something you could do for a job. "I still get to do what I love, play in an incredible place, and play a game for a job. I'm so grateful of the opportunity I'm provided every day," he said. Even though he's the new guy on the defending Stanley Cup champs, Marchand will not be changing his game with the Panthers. "Do you think I need to tone it down? My wife does, but I'm just going to be me," he said. Brad Marchand reflects on career with Bruins Marchand is certainly excited for the next chapter of his career with the Panthers. But as a pending free agent, he was asked if he would consider a return this offseason if Boston comes calling. The Bruins and Marchand couldn't agree on an extension prior to Friday's trade, and he wasn't sure what will happen this summer. But it does sound like he'd be open to return to Boston. "I don't know what the future brings in terms of how it plays out in the summertime. I know it didn't come together now. Can things change down the road? Potentially. But that is to be seen. I'm sure we'll have a conversation, but I don't know where that goes," he said. "Obviously, I would still love -- my love for this city and the will to want to be here has never changed and I don't think that will ever change," he added. "Whether we have a meeting of the minds and it comes together, it remains to be seen." Marchand spent several minutes praising Don Sweeney, Cam Neely and the Bruins brass as one of the best front offices in the business. He thanked them for all the opportunities the franchise gave him, and said he doesn't hold any ill-will against the organization over his trade to the Panthers. He would have loved to have won more with the Bruins and retired having only worn a Boston sweater. But he understands the business side of the game, and will always cherish the memories he has with the Boston Bruins. "My biggest thing is when I look at the situation, we were an incredible team for a long period of time. Maybe we didn't achieve everything we wanted throughout that time, but you give up a lot in those runs. You give up a lot to get to those runs. It gets to the point where it catches up to you. But the job and will to win is there every single year. Management has done an incredible job making us a competitive team and giving us a chance to win," he said. "We knew there was a window, and we maxed that out," Marchand continued. "We had an opportunity a few years ago and we came up short. We dropped the ball on that one. That was our year and they went all-in the years leading up to that season. When you look at an opportunity like that, it doesn't come very often. Ultimately, it was on the players and we didn't do our job in that situation." Marchand is grateful the Bruins found a way to do what is best for the team for the future, and also do right by him in sending him to a contending team in the Panthers. "Eventually, decisions have to be made that are tough. They had their right intentions. I won't get into the details on everything, but they tried to do what was best for the team and also give me an opportunity to stay if I wanted to," he said. "I want to win and I'm a competitor. The guys in that office are competitors and they want to win. They're not going to go down a path of building losing teams. They're doing what they feel is right to build for a bright future with a young core. You can't get upset about those things. "Yeah, I would have loved and it would have been incredible to have that fairy tale ending. But they're doing what is right for the guys in the room. They can't choose one guy over 20 guys and the millions of people that support the team," Marchand continued. "I don't get lost in all of that and have a tremendous amount of respect for ownership and management and everyone involved in this organization," he added. "That's why you want to come here, because they just want to win and will do what it takes. ... I don't have anything bad to say because for a very long time, they've put our team in position to contend and to win. That's all you want as a player."
