Don't let Florence and the Machine lie to you. The dog days aren't over. Hell, it's not even September yet, and it's currently a balmy 80-something degrees outside my window. But even as summer slowly begins to fade while the Sox keep on winning, hurricane warnings (really?) leave New England in an unfamiliar position, and while the Bruins border on the cusp of regular-day-conversation irrelevancy, one thing's clear: Winter, it ain't.
Something Bruins fans are seemingly okay with following a joyous run that tested both their blood pressure and faith over a two month span of unforgettable hockey. And when you hoist Lord Stanley high above your head, a summer of rest and relaxation simply seems necessary and inevitable.
In other words, outside of a few minor moves and some expected departures, it's been a freakishly boring off-season for the champs. There's been no intrigue on the free-agent market,
Benoit Pouliot being Boston's biggest catch, and there's been little trade movement outside of the acquisition of defensemen
Joe Corvo.
Life is good in the Hub. But thankfully, this unmercifully boring off-season in the Hub has gotten its spice with the potential of a hold-out from
Brad Marchand appearing to become more of an inevitable chore the Bruins will face.
In touch with CSNNE's Joe Haggerty, the word from Marchand's agent seemed to indicate a
tremendous level of difference between the sides.
Arnott confirmed to CSNNE.com that talks are still ongoing with the Bruins, but they don’t sound any closer to getting a deal done despite training camp sitting less than a month away.
“Discussions with the Bruins remain open and ongoing regarding Brad, but nothing is imminent,” said Arnott.
It doesn’t appear that there will be any grand announcement during Marchand’s Cup Day parade in Halifax at the end of August, either. In fact, Arnott had an interesting response when asked if he was optimistic a deal will get done before Bruins training camp begins in earnest on Sept. 16.
“[I’m] hopeful, but it’s no sure thing,” said Arnott, casting the slightest shed of doubt that Marchand’s signing is an automatic.
So as we dance around the agent bull that we've grown to love when displayed by guys such as Entourage's Ari Gold, essentially, there's no progress being made.
Marchand's side is hopeful of a deal while the Bruins are utilizing the phrase "nothing new to report" to the point where it's mouthed by scribes before it's even spoken. In other news, the sun is bright.
And with each passing night of moonlight, the question becomes: What leverage does Marchand have here? Almost none.
Especially on the heels of a
Logan Couture extension that saw the San Jose rookie land a two-year deal worth 5.75 million dollars. As Couture, who for all intents and purposes had a better year than Marchand, is the closest thing to a contract measuring stick for the B's rookie.
After all, there's not much that separates Marchand from the upstart winger to the left coast. Both players appeared in 20 or so games in 2009-10, but came to form in 2010-11 with impressive breakthrough seasons and even more impressive playoff runs. But that's where the similarities end between the two.
Couture's breakthrough year included 32 goals and 56 points during the regular season. Marchand's? 21 goals and 20 assists. But while Couture's impressive playoff stretch of seven goals and seven helpers in 18 games ultimately paled in comparison to Brado's 11 goal and 19-point run to glory, the 22-year-old Couture comes with more of a known quality to his game. Something Boston's rookie does not.
Held to just one point with a minus-3 in 20 contests for the Bruins in 2009-10, the progression made in just one year by Boston's energetic 5'9" winger could spell out 'fluke' to some. Whereas the 2009-10 cameo by Couture of five goals and nine points in 25 games gave you the hope and optimism that he'd do nothing but build upon that success that helped him turn into the 9th overall pick from the 2007 NHL Draft.
Undoubtedly evident by his ability to thrive for the Pacific-winning Sharks in 2010-11, becoming the straw that stirred the drink of San Jose's second line (and offense for that matter), Couture's simply more of an automatic for the Sharks.
Is Marchand that guy for the Bruins? Not yet. And maybe never.
It's clear that the agitating forward from Nova Scotia thrived from playing on the wing of the highly experienced
Patrice Bergeron and
Mark Recchi line, and his ability as Boston's 'unknown' intangible certainly seemed to torch the flat-footed Canucks defense through the Stanley Cup, but how much of his 2010-11 play was merely smoke and mirrors?
Nobody knows. An unknown that's prevented the Bruins from signing a deal that'd allow the winger to hit the market as an unrestricted free-agent in four years or commit to paying him top-six money after just one season.
And while we don't know much, it's no secret that this one could get ugly.
YURI ALEXANDROV ERA ENDS BEFORE IT EVEN BEGINS
If you ever wonder why the Bruins are reluctant to draft Russians, add defensemen
Yuri Alexandrov to the list of shining examples.
Drafted by the Bruins with the 37th overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, it was widely known that the twig-like defensemen had some puck-moving power from the point. Skill was never the question in regards to Alexandrov, but rather whether or not the the Russian prospect would ever come to Boston.
Finally coming to Boston in 2009 for the Bruins' rookie training and development camp, B's fans got their first taste of what the 23-year-old could bring to the organization, and longed for more.
Ultimately coming to Boston in the summer of 2010 following his strongest season with Cheropovets Severstal of the KHL for rookie training camp and a commitment to the Providence Bruins, it appears that Alexandrov's stint with the organization will end after just one season.
Putting together a mild six goal and 13 assist campaign in 66 games for the P-Bruins this past season, the soft-shelled Russian d-man will head back to the motherland on a one-year pact with SKA St. Petersburg.
Next up on Russian draft picks that'll likely never make their way to Boston? 2010 draftee
Max Chudinov.
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