Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron (Grade 3 concussion) continues to improve from injuries resulting from the hit by Flyers defenseman Randy Jones six weeks ago.

“I’m improving these last few weeks, like I say, and in my heart I want to get back, too,” Bergeron recently told the Boston Globe. “So I believe it’s an achievable goal to get back this season. We’ll see what happens.”

If I were a betting man, I still wouldn’t expect Bergeron to be back this season. So for you fantasy players out there - you might not get too excited just yet about plucking him from the free agent list. I just can’t see him returning to action and giving the Bruins effective minutes - it would be a struggle for him if he does come back.

For the best interests of the Bruins and Patrice, he would be best served to sit out the remainder of the year and come back with full health next season.  However, Bergeron has a heart bigger than the B on the front his jersey, so he may surprise a few people.

BTB

The Boston Bruins today acquired veteran goaltender Alex Auld from the Phoenix Coyotes today for a minor leaguer and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft.

Auld, 26, was 3-6 with a 3.54 goals against average and one shutout in nine games this season, his first with Phoenix.

Word is the trade had nothing to do with the Thomas injury - it was already in the works.  Bruins want Tuukka Rask developing in Providence where he get carry the load.

Update on Tim Thomas Injury

Slight groin pull is the verdict.  Expect Thomas to be out of action for only a week.   When he returns, Rask will go to Providence with Auld remaining onboard as the backup.

In other goalie news, the Bruins placed the already injured Manny Fernandez on long term IR today.  It is not known when his return will happen.  He will spend some practice time in Providence while he works his way into game shape.

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas was forced to leave tonights game against the Devils late in the 3rd period with an undisclosed injury.

With the game tied 3-3 late in the 3rd, Thomas stretched awkwardly in front of his goal, in what appears to be a leg injury.  Looked as if his left skate was caught in a rut on the ice as Thomas imediately fell awkwardly to the ice favoring his left leg. Tuukka Rask relieved Thomas in goal and played the remainder of the game, as the Bruins went on to lose the game 4-3 in overtime.

More Details to come on the Thomas injury.

Petteri Nokelainen

Nokelainen has been consistent both at center and right wing during his 13-game stint in Boston, earning himself a reward. He has shown grittiness as well as a penchant for doing the little things well.

He was promoted full-time to Boston’s third line in Monday’s 3-1 victory over the Islanders.  The speedy forward had been seeing the rare shift on the third line in recent games but received the passing grade and scored a nice goal to thank Julien for the extra ice.

Mark Stuart

Stuart, who started the 06/07 season on the injured list, has made the most of his first full season of work in the NHL this year.   The hard hitting defenseman has played the style Bruins fans have been reading about - a hard hitting, honest, keep it simple game.  Stuart will never break any offensive records in the NHL, but I fully expect Stuart to be the defensive leader of this team in 2-3 years time. 

Vladimir Sobotka

The 20 year old Sobotka projects to be a skill player in the NHL someday - not a grinder.  However, his natural gritty style, has made him an effective 4th line spark player.  His work away from the puck has won coach Claude Julien over, and sent Brandon Bochenski watching from the press box.

The 5′10″ forward has shown no fear in the corners and his play has been earning him more minutes as each game passes.  Sobotka has dressed for 5 games since his recall from Providence, and if he continues his solid efforts, we will be seeing him a lot more on the ice in the coming weeks.

“Sobotka has shown everybody that he fears nothing,” coach Julien raved recently.

Tuukka Rask

Bruins fans thought they would have to wait another year before seeing the skinny kid from Finland between the pipes.  However, an injury to Manny Fernandez accelerated his path to the show.  Rask has started two games over the last couple weeks winning them both - showing management he belongs. 

Rask will return to Providence when Fernandez returns within the next couple weeks, but don’t be surprised if we see Rask again before the end of the season.  For now, Rask would be best situated in Providence where he can carry the load and adapt to the speed the North American game.

Milan Lucic

The big winger has played as well as expected for a 19 year old kid out of Junior.   He’s hit everything in sight and dropped the gloves when the situation has called for it.  Still working on his play away from the puck, the Bruins will bring him along slowly. 

Lucic has shown that he’s much more than a dirty goon on the ice.  Not only do the Bruins brass expect more from him - he demands it from himself.   He’s a kid that wants to learn the game, and has recently been practicing on the ice with one of his hero’s: Bruins VP Cam Neely.   Lucic will continue to see 4th line duty for the remainder of the year, working on various aspects of his game.

Bruins LW Milan Lucic, who was nailed by Isles D Bryan Berard in the first period of Fridays game, will not travel with the team to Long Island tonight. Instead, he will be stay back in Boston for evaluation.  If he is cleared, he will most likely rejoin the team tomorrow.

It is unknown at this time if Lucic suffered a concussion or not.  Lucic appeared to be fine after the game in the locker room.

Lucic skated only one more shift after the incident, before Coach Claude Julien kept out to be “evaluated for a head injury.”

Bruins are expected to recall prospect Vladimir Sobotka from Providence, where the rookie has 7 goals and 7 assists for 14 points in his first 15 games.  Sobotka is small in size but isnt afraid to mix it up in the corners, and has good ice vision and hockey sense which aid his playmaking abilities.

Tim Thomas stopped 25 shots and Glen Metropolit scored the winner to lift the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday afternoon.

The Bruins now head out on a tough stretch the next 2 1/2 weeks, playing nine of its next 10 away from home, beginning tomorrow night with a rematch against the Islanders on the road.

“We have to get on a roll,” Thomas said after todays win.

Not lost from todays win, was veteran forward PJ Axelsson playing the role of “i’ll pretend I didnt see that” so I dont have to show up physically today.  With teamate Marc Savard chasing the puck down in the offensive zone along the boards in the 2nd period, Isles defenseman Radek Martinek hammered Savard from behind into the boards throwing Savard to the ice.  Sound familiar?   Yes, similar to what happened to Patrice Bergeron a month ago.  Axelsson, standing directly behind the play, simply put his head down after the play and froze, not making any move towards Martinek after the whistle. 

You would think after recently losing one of their top players to a similar hit, the Bruins would have responded here?  Not the case at all.  Very disapointing - but the Bruins were lucky that Savard escaped injury as he was positioned safely to take the blow.

B’s Bitz

Milan Lucic went to the bench in the 1st after taking a hit from Islanders defenseman Bryan Berard. He skated only one more shift, before Coach Claude Julien kept out to be “evaluated for a head injury.”

The Tuukka Rask era in Boston officially got underway tonight when the Boston Bruins travelled to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs.

The Finnish Rookie Rask kicked out 30 of 32 on the night, backstopping the Bruins to a 3-2 comeback win over the Leafs and fellow countryman Vesa Toskala.  Rask beat the team that drafted him in the first round two years ago, before trading him to the Bruins for goalie Andrew Rayrcroft.

Rask looked cool and calm throughout the night.  His best save might have come in the first period on a cross crease one timer by Darcy Tucker, Rask made a cat-like kick save, booting out his left leg to hold the fort down.  The lone Leaf goal of the period on Rask was a lucky bounce of the skate of Bruin Glen Metropolit off a Bryan McCabe shot which redirected past a surprised Rask.

Teams traded goals in the second period before the Bruins stormed back for three unanswered goals in the third to beat the Leafs. Chuck Kobasew scored with 3:31 left in the third period, giving the Bruins the go ahead goal. For the night, Toronto outshot Boston 32-25.

Rask’s solid debut might give him a few more starts in the coming weeks, possibly putting Tim Thomas on the trade block later in the season with the Bruins looking for some goal scoring help.

Welcome to Boston Tuukka.

Fight fans would have enjoyed watching Andrew Alberts, Zdeno Chara, and Mark Stuart (twice) put a pounding on the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night at Bell Center.

However, fans looking for wins would not have enjoyed the exhibition of confusion and chaos displayed on ice during the Bruins 7-4 loss to the Canadiens.  On a night where Bruins defense gave up 52 shots on goal, Tim Thomas would have been better off getting a rest on the bench as the rest of his teamates failed to show up. 

Boths teams could have bene accused of the sloppy play throughout the night, but it was the Bruins who came out on the short end for the third consecutive game against the Habs this season.

“That’s probably the biggest thing that concerns us right now,” Coach Claude Julien said after the game. “Our heads just weren’t in it tonight. I thought we gave them almost everything they had tonight. Just poor decision-making.

The only positive note on the night was the potential awakening of Glen Murray.  Murray, who hadnt scored a goal in almost 6 weeks, scored two goals and played his best offensive game of the season.  Bruins need Murray to bring this game to the table every night or they will not have a chance.

Bruins have the Leafs up next on Tuesday night.   There have been rumors swirling that prospect Tuukka Rask will make his first NHL appearance.

B’s Bitz

The Bruins assigned Tuukka Rask to Providence today so he could suit up against Worcester this afternoon.   Expect him to be recalled after the game, and potentially see action for the B’s this week..

Injured goalie Manny Fernandez has opted against surgery which would have kept him out of action for an extended period.  He will instead continue hius rehab program in hopes of returning within the next few weeks.

Bruins goalie Manny Fernandez was back on the ice for a lengthy workout Monday at Ristuccia Arena.

Fernandez, who has been on IR since Oct. 30 when he suffered a left knee strain during practice, has been working his way back to game shape.

Manny is expected to see action on Saturday night versus Montreal.    Although nothing is official, Tim Thomas will most likely get the start between the pipes in the Bruins next game Thursday against Toronto.

The Boston Bruins announced today that they have recalled goaltender Tuukka Rask from the Providence Bruins and assigned goaltender Jordan Sigalet back to the AHL. 

Rask has a 6-1 record with a 2.00 GAA through seven starts this season in Providence, helping the team glide into first place in the Atlantic Division. Selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with their 1st pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Rask was acquired by the Bruins a year later in exchange for Andrew Raycroft.

“Tuukka’s a great goalie,” Sigalet recently told the Globe. “He’s their No. 1 prospect right now, so they’re going to develop him. He’s a great kid. He’s a really talented goalie.”

The Bruins did not practice today after losing back-to-back games against Ottawa over the weekend. They will play their second of four games this week on Wednesday when they travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres.

Expect Rask to play Thursday night against Montreal - the second game of back-to-back nights.  This will give the busy Tim Thomas a needed rest, and buy Manny Fernandez more time to rest his knee ‘issue’.   A solid start by Rask could make a case for Boston to bump ahead the timeline to package a goaltender and get themselves a much needed sniper to play on the top line with Marc Savard.

Phil - BTB