Post Free Agent Frenzy

I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July (and the 1st of July for you Canucks). I should have just said respective Independence Days. Oh, there's a delete button? Whoops.

This past Tuesday, the Bruins picked up Michael Ryder and leading up to the signing I was completely against the idea of him signing here. Why? Marian Hossa. To fill my metaphor quota for the day, I was too busy drooling at the fact that the prom queen, soon to be super-model (Hossa) thought for a moment that she liked me. However, all along a pretty solid looking underclassmen (Ryder) wanted me like crackhead needs...well, crack. So, I decided to "settle" and explore the world of the underclassman because the prom queen was out of my league, allegedly. In the big picture, things could work out between me and the underclassman. I now like where things are going. The best part about it, the prom queen winked at me and said, maybe I'll see you this time next year when you are little more mature stud. What she really means is, get a job and make some cash so you can afford me. It's the best of both worlds!

Got all that? I digress

Ryder needed to relocate. He wasn't getting along with Guy Carbonneau and he has had much success under Bruins coach, Claude Julien in the not too distant past. The winger wasn't getting any solid ice-time nor was he ever playing with a true set-up man, enter Marc Savard. I think of him as kind of a old fashion Glen Murray. A guy who can finish from anywhere in the slot, all you have to do is put the puck on his stick. The Bruins lacked that last year, and now they have it. With that being said, here is how I would fill out my line combinations WITH Murray and Axelsson.

Sturm-Savard-Ryder
Lucic-Bergeron-Kobasew
Axelsson-Krejci-Kessel
Schaeffer-Sobotka-Muzz
Bench: Nokelainen, Thornton, Reich

Chara-Wideman
Ward-Stuart
Ference-Alberts
Bench: Hnidy

Thomas
Fernandez

I still truly think that this team needs to make a move to get some kind of puck-moving defenseman that has some sort of an establishment in the league. I wouldn't hold my breath on that but, I still feel as though is a need. You know Ward is going to be hurt at one point or another because of his balls to the wall attitude so, it's possible that a move now could help out when that occurs. A guy who could possibly fill this role is Steve McCarthy, a young unsigned free agent who played in Atlanta last year. Maybe Chiarelli can get him cheap if he doesn't sign for a while. I know he's not established but, he could fill a void.

Plenty of off-season left for Chia and the Pets to figure something out.