New Boston Bruins Defenceman Tomas Kaberle
The Boston Bruins have just returned from a 6-0 road trip, their first six game win streak since 1972, the year of Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Derek Sanderson, Fred Satnfield, John "Pie" McKenzie, Gerry Cheevers, Mike "Shaky" Walton, and their 2nd Stanley Cup. It may be more than coincidence that Tomas Kaberle joined the team on the second game of that Western swing.
I have followed the career of Kaberle since his rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it is not a stretch to claim that he was the best player on the team, every single season he played, including the rookie year. Perhaps I just saw glimpses of his promise, yet compared to the shoddiness around him, I always found him to be a crisp, clean pro passer, one of the best in the league, and the Boston Bruins are now major beneficiaries of his talents.
My feeling is that with Chara doing a lot of the heavy lifting and getting 20-22 minutes per game, Kaberle at 16 to 18 minutes a game (as he's been getting) will mean that he will be fresh and ready to go for the NHL playoffs, when some long matches may occur. The recent winning streak has been a Bruins team effort, from Rask and Thomas through the defence and up to the scorers, everyone's doing their part.
There may not be an Orr or Esposito among them, but the pieces are falling into place that can make the 2011 squad another team of destiny.
Meanwhile, back in Toronto, the Leafs find themselves just 7 points back of 7th place New York Rangers in the NHL East Conference playoff race.
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