No Thomas, no problem. Bruins look to the future

BOSTON – After waiting since 1972 to win the Stanley Cup in 2011, the Boston Bruins were knocked off their perch in 2012. Still, the Bruins had a very good season and the future is only going to get brighter for the gold and black attack. Despite the exit of Tim Thomas, expect most of the team that won the cup in 2011 to be back and look for redemption.  
The Bruins were solid on both ends of the ice with the league’s third best offense the sixth best defense.   The special teams, however, were not as special as they needed to be going 15^th on the power play and 11^th on the penalty kill. The Bruins were the top rated team in face-offs as well.
The Bruins have very few weaknesses.   Boston had 10 players with at least 10 goals and six of them had 20 or more led by Tyler Seguin’s 29. Patrice Bergeron led the team in assists with 42. Zdeno Chara led all Bruins defensemen in points (42) and goals (12). On offense the Bruins have five free agents (4 of them are UFA’s) led by Brian Rolston.   Getting him signed should be a priority but at age 39 it will have to be at a reduced price than his $5 million dollar price tag from last season. He was only 12^th on the team in points and was a -5.   The Bruins do have a few center prospects that could take his place at a much reduced cost.
The Bruins have needs for right wingers which just so happens to be the team’s best in terms of prospects but could add another in the first round if someone drops down to them in a defensive centric draft.   Only one RW had over 10 goals for the Bruins last season in Nathan Horton (17).   Overall the center position as is the left wing position but Boston would help themselves by adding another LW.
The Bruins have three UFA’s on defense but might not be able to keep all three of them.   Top prospect Dougie Hamilton might crack the lineup next season if more than one UFA leaves the cubby hole. Even if they don’t you can bet Hamilton will make the roster in a year or two.   Overall the Bruins shouldn’t make defensemen a priority at the draft.
In goal could use another netminder or two, especially with Thomas gone.   The job is Tuukka Rask’s but unless the Bruins feel Anton Khudobin is the answer has his backup the Bruins will be looking for a backup.  
In PHN’s mock draft Boston is picking 24^th overall so most of the top d-men will be gone with quite a few forwards hanging around when the Bruins make their pick.   If the Bruins are looking for LW help they could draft Tanner Pearson, or Nicolas Kerdiles. On RW Thomas Wilson is the top rated player on the board and on Friday probably won’t be there for the Bruins to take but in our mock draft he is.   He is the perfect Bruins at 6’ 4” and whose favorite player is Milan Lucic. You get the feeling that his one is a no brainer to Bruins fans.
“With the 24^th pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Boston Bruins select, from the Plymouth Whalers of the Western Hockey League, Thomas Wilson.”
To learn more about Thomas Wilson click here .
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photographer at Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com