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On Jimmy Hayes, Tuukka Rask, Charlie Coyle & more |
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Welcome to September where training camp is near, and preseason hockey will soon be played.
Jimmy Hayes tragically passes away at age of 31
The Jimmy Hayes news came as a shock to the entire hockey world, but a shock very much felt across New England, especially here in Boston.
Hayes grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts, a stones throw away from TD Garden. He went on to star at Boston College, winning a national championship with the Eagles.
From Boston College, Hayes spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers before achieving every local kids dream of putting on a Bruins sweater.
Hayes appeared in 133 games with the Bruins, scoring 15 goals and adding 19 assists.
Hayes was pronounced dead on the scene inside his Milton home on August 23rd. As of Thursday evening, his cause of death remains unknown.
Hayes leaves behind his wife, Kristen and two sons Beau who is two and Mac who is just three months old.
Hayes was laid to rest Monday morning after hundreds of friends, family, and brothers and sisters from the hockey community paid their respects on Sunday at Hayes’ wake.
Monday’s funeral featured this incredible story told by Jimmy’s brother Kevin, perfectly describing the type of person Jimmy was and the impact he made on others.
Charlie Coyle not a lock for second line role?
With David Krejci’s departure (more on that below) the Bruins second line has a massive hole to fill down the middle. One expected to be filled by Charlie Coyle.
However, the veteran says not so fast.
“It’s an opportunity, right? We have a lot of guys who can play that role, so it’s going to create that inner competition with us, which will make us a better team,” Coyle said last week on WEEI’s Ordway, Merloni and Fauria show, appearing as part of the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon.
"That’s not my position right now, I’ve got to earn it. That's my job going in and I’ve got to be the best player I can. So, that’s my goal, is to get healthy, first off, and two, get my game going and be the best it can be. That’s a big role for our team, and I want to be a part in that.”
Coyle is coming off a disappointing campaign in 2020-21, where he finished with six goals and 10 points. Coyle was dealing with a lingering knee issue throughout the season, requiring off-season surgery to repair the issue.
Coyle was back on the ice Wednesday morning joining Brad Marchand and others for an informal skate at Warrior Ice Arena.
Krejci wipes Bruins return from the table
Since Krejci left the Bruins to continue his career playing in his native of the Czech Republic, both general manager Don Sweeney and head coach Bruce Cassidy have publicly left the door open for a Krejci return.
However, in a press conference with his new team last week, Krejci slammed that door shut.
“I will stay in Olomouc all season,” Krejci saud via the HC Olomouc club’s website, translated by Google. “I’m not dealing with what’s next at all at the moment, but returning to Boston in the spring is definitely not in the game.”
The whole Krejci situation has been weird to me. Things went from all signs pointing to a Krejci return to him winding up in the Czech, making it clear that a return to Boston is not on the horizon despite the public comments from Sweeney and Cassidy.
Given the off-season the Bruins had, and the depth they added, the loss of Krejci is a major one. A returning Krejci to center Taylor Hall and Craig Smith on the second line would have made a massive difference in what the Bruins could do with their bottom six.
Tuukka Rask thinks he will be back, but will he?
For quite some time now, Tuukka Rask has made it very, and I mean very, clear he only wants to play professional hockey for the Boston Bruins.
For what feels like the 124th time since this time last year, Rask reiterated this last week when making a radio appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.”
“For me, it's about that pride of playing for one team and one team only. I have no reason to chase the money anymore and go somewhere else. It's going to be one of those things where the Bruins are my home, Boston is my home,” said Rask.
“I've always wanted to play here, wanted to stay here. So the money won't be an issue. We had a conversation with [Bruins general manager Don Sweeney] and I will be a cheap goalie for them."
While Rask being a cheap goalie for the Bruins is likely his only ticket to a return, you have to wonder if the Bruins will be as eager to continue the relationship as Rask is.
The Bruins are expected to enter the season with Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark as their two goalies to begin the season. Ullmark comes to Boston from Buffalo after signing a four-year $20M contract in July.
Rask is recovering from off-season hip surgery and is targeting a late December to early January return.
“I'll be ready to go probably around Christmastime, January,” said Rask. “So hopefully I can start skating here in a month and a half or so and then progress from there and be ready to go in January."
It’s going to be an interesting scenario for the Bruins upon Rask being available again. Should either, or both, Swayman and Ullmark struggle leading up to a possible Rask return, the decision is an easy one.
But what happens if the Bruins are playing well, and Swayman and Ullmark are leading the Bruins as a dynamic duo between the pipes.
Can you really break up the flow with a Rask return?
Only time will tell.
Boston Bruins Blogger • 
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