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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

David Krejci

David Krejci is a center for the Boston Bruins, from the Czech Republic, and is currently 28 years of age. He was drafted 63rd overall in the 2004 NHL entry draft by the Bruins out of the Czech junior leagues. He made it to the professional level in 2006-2007 after playing one year in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and one season for the Providence Bruins. Krejci began to show potential scoring his first hat-trick on December 18, 2008 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins soon after in 2009 signed David to a three-year approximately 3.75 million dollars a year contract.  When the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011, Krejci led the league with 12 goals, 23 points, and 4-game winning goals. He is known for his puck control and play making ability which is why in 2009 he won the Boston Bruins 7th Player Award as well accumulating the league-leading plus-minus. Along with assisting in the Stanley Cup win, Krejci won the 2013 Golden Stick Award given to the top Czech ice hockey player. On September 3, 2014 David Krejci signed a six-year extension with the Boston Bruins keeping him until the 2020 season.






Tuukka Rask

Tukka Rask is currently the Boston Bruins Goaltender. His is 27 years of age and is from Savonlinna, Finland. Rask began his career in his hometown hockey team called the SaPKo. He was immediately noticed for his play in Europe for putting up a 1.86 Goals Against Average and a .935 Save Percentage. The Toronto Maple Leafs ended up drafting him 21st overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and placed him in the minors without out seeing the professional level until he was traded in 2007 to the Boston Bruins. The Bruins were looking to trade former goaltender Andrew Raycroft and placed Tuukka Rask in the minors. On May 5, 2007 the Boston Bruins signed Rask to a three-year contract and placed him in the minors until the 2009 season. Current backup goalie Manny Fernandez injured his back and Tuukka finally got to prove his role at the professional level. Following the 2009-2010 season, Tuukka Rask signed a two-year contract extension that would keep him until the end of the 2011-2012 season. After the 2012 NHL Lockout the Boston Bruins again signed Tuukka to a one-year 3.5 million dollar deal and named him the starting goaltender. Continuously getting better, the Bruins on July 10, 2013 re-signed Rask to an eight-year 56 million dollar contract to keep him through 2021. This previous 2013-2014 season Tuukka Rask lead the Bruins to their first Presidents Trophy (best record in the NHL) since 1990. As the backup to Tim Thomas the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011. Tuukka began to develop into a premier goalie winning the 2014 Venzia Trophy for exemplifying the best all around skill at the goalie position. In the same year he was also named to the 2013-2014 NHL First All-Star Team. Tuukka Rask played in four of the six games to win a Bronze Medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He is a top goaltender and the Boston Bruins will constantly have a chance for a run at the cup with Tuukka Rask behind them.






Monday, September 29, 2014

Zdeno Chara

Zdeno Chara hails from Trencin, Czecholslovakia and is 37 years old. At 9 ft. 9 in. Chara it the tallest player to ever to play in the NHL. In the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, Zdeno was drafted 56th overall by the New York Islanders. In four seasons with the Islanders organization he earned the reputation of a tough aggressive defensive player with a powerful shot. Chara was traded to the Ottowa Senators during the 2001 NHL Entry Draft so that the Islanders could acquire Alexei Yashin. The Sentators began to see that his slap shot was a a weapon and they began play him during the power plays. After the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout, Zdeno Chara became an unrestricted free agent. On July 1, 2006 he signed a five-year, $37.5 million dollar deal with the Boston Bruins. The Bruins had just gotten rid of Captain Joe Thronton and was in need of a defensive player and a team leader in Zdeno. He made appearances in the 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and as the 2012 Captain. Chara received the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2009 that is given to the best defensive player who exemplifies the greatest all around ability in the position. Zdeno Chara holds the Worlds Hardest shot at the NHL All-Star Game Superskills Competition at the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and holds the world record in 2012 with a 108.8 mph slap shot. H also speaks seven languages and has a financial planning diploma from Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada.














Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Patrice Bergeron-Cleary

Considered one of the premeir two-way fordards in the game of Hockey, Patrice Bergeron has already had many acomplishments at the age of 29. He is from Quebec Canada and played junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for a full season until the Boston Bruins drafted him 45th overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He was immediately called up to the Bruins roster and has been with them ever since. He won gold medals for team Canada in the 2004 World Hockey Championships, 2005 World Junior Hockey Championships, 2010 Winter Olympics, 2014 Winter Olympics, and became a member of the "Tripple Gold Club" when he won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011. He also earned the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the 2011-2012 season for his constant defensive efforts on the ice. Bergeron in the 2012-2013 season fell short of the Selke behind Chicagos Jonathan Towes, but came back strong winning his second Frank J. Selke Trophy following the 2013-2014 season. Patrice was not done there, he also won the NHL Foundation Player Award that is given to the player who applies the best core values of Ice Hockey including but not limited to commitment, perseverance and teamwork. All of the hardwork that Patrice Bergeron exemplifies each year is why is was named an assistant capitan and was given an 8 year 52 million dollar deal that will keep him in Boston until 2022. The league and EA Sports also recognized his hard work and dedication to the game so they put him on the 2015 NHL hockey cover.