From: mattb@ctron.com (Matt Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: Boston: The Russians are coming
Date: 28 Aug 92 20:04:18 GMT
Reply-To: mattb@olympus.ctron.com (Matt Brown)
Organization: Cabletron Systems INc.

In article <1992Aug26.142724.306@ziff.com> markp@ziff.com writes:
><gan@igc.apc.org> writes:
>> Will the Russians playing for the Bruins make a big
>> impact on a team that is laden with young talent or
>> are they going to be just a fad and a big waste of 
>> money.
>I'm a big Bruins fan, and I think all the publicity over the Russians
>coming in is being blown up bigger than it should be.  While they are
>talented players (enough so to be drafted), there is probably only 1,
>or maybe 2 that will even play for the B's this year.

I agree that the media attention is mostly due to novelty.  But it's no
accident, cause lots of folks thought last year's Bruins were boring as
dishwater (not me, but I'm a sick pup anyway).
I think we'll see more of the CIS boys than that, however.  Too bad they
didn't revive the Providence Reds. I hope to God that things won't reach
the level of the Boston&Maine railroad of last year, but I expect Sutter
to doing a lot of trial and error to find the right combo's, and give
the younger guys some extra AHL ice time.
>
>Its a big deal, because the this is, I believe, the first year that the
>team ever drafted a Russian.  I think the best of the eastern Europeans
>prospects will be Josef Stumpel, the Czech they drafted a year or so ago.
Could be a mutual aid society with Rosie.  It will be interesting to see
how they (and the Riga boys) mix with the ethnic Russians.
>
>I think if Dimitri K. (first round pick) shows any type of promise around
>the goal that his 60+ in the minors indicates, he'll be on the team to
>start the year.

Does he fill your ? on line 4?
>
>There aren't many spots open if everyone is healthy, though not resigning
>or releasing or losing to expansion Carpenter, Ashton, Arniel, Douris,
>Brickley, Lazaro, and Byers opens up a couple.  But with the influx of
>Olympians last year, plus Glen Murray, the competition for the final spots
>will be interesting.  Here's my lineup barring any trades, and assuming
>they resign Wesley:
>
>Forwards:	Murray - Oates - Neely
>		Ruzicka - Juneau - Leach
>		Heinze - Poulin - Donato
>		Reid - Bob Sweeney - ?
I'll differ here, but it's only my guesswork; no real inside kknowledge:

		Heinze     - Oates   - Neely
                     (deeper with Murray on another line.  Heinze has a nice
                      touch)
		Kvartnalov - Juneau  - Leach
                     (either Dmitri or Murray here, depending upon how DK
                      gets along with the Czechs)
                Murray     - Ruzicka - Stumpel 
                     (Rosie floundered as Oates' wing. He'll make Stumpel
                      and Murray look good with his passing.  Look for him
                      to lift a puck up from behind the net this year and
                      have it bonk the goalie in the back of the head and
                      drop in for a goal.)
                Reid       - Poulin  - Donato
                     (The new Bruise Brothers.  No croissant eaters here. A
                      true Bruins lunchpail line that will be murder as pen
                      killers [in both senses of the word])

Sweeney is done. Also not sure about whether Kv and Stumpy are lw or rw.
>
>Defense:	Bourque, Wesley, Murphy, Roberts, Don Sweeney, Featherstone
	      	      (Featherstone is still a ? in my mind.  I want to get
                       a look at Robo-Ulfie (Mattias Timmander, or is it
                       Timmias Mattander? from MoDo). Wiemer will be back.  

>Goal:		Moog, Lemelin
                      (I love Reg, but they need a backup badly.  Look for
                       a training camp free-for-all here, and maybe a trade.
                       Personally, I'd like to see Arturs Irbe here (Gee,
                       with Arturs, the Bruins could be the first team to
                       field an all-CIS 6 on the ice during an exhibition)
>
>As long as last year's rookies don't turn out to be a crop of Bob Joyce's,
>the B's should be very competitive, though I look for Buffalo to dominate
>the Adams with improved goaltending, and a revitalized Svoboda.

I don't expect the Buffs to dominate.  I think this will be a 3-team
fight (Habs always find a way to challenge, and Damphousse is a good add for
them).  Dominate is too strong.  Pat Lafo gets another whack in the jaw, and
they're in trouble.  Hasek is brilliant but he hasn't stood the test of an
grueling NHL season. If that Burke-Andreychuk trade goes through, I don't
think I'll worry about Buffalo, because I'll be convinced their management
is brain-damaged.  Sean is a head case, and Andreychuk is the guts of their
team.  I'd rather go with Draper and Puppa (Burke is a fine goaltender, but
he can be distracted; not as much as Hextall, but he is vulnerable, psycho-
logically).

And I still think Sutter as coach will be a factor. Now, I'm not a Bowness
basher. Though I still think the ex-Jets were a detriment (at least Ashton
and Arniel; I don't count Douris because the Jets dumped him, and that is
almost an endorsement), I think Bowness would still be there if Neely had
played.  But Sutter should light a better fire. Maybe they can hire Viktor
T also. What better place for the ex-USSR coach than the People's Republic
of Massachussets (Open under new management as the Commonwealth of Independent-
Minded Republicans).

Matt
Bob Joyce? Didn't he play with that Janney guy? (just kidding)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey