Boston Bruins Are In Training Camp

The Burning Question: How Badly Will They Suck This Year?

I know, pessimism. I usually try to maintain optimism, but my beloved Bruins have been sucking the optimism out of me for, oh, twenty years or so now. It's not even that they haven't won the Cup, because it's much longer than that since they won the Cup (1972, if you wondered). They haven't played consistently well, "get into the playoffs and compete" well, in what? Fifteen years? Roughly? So I think a little pessimism is understandable, don't you?

On the other hand, I'm still glad that hockey season is starting again. As Bob Wilson used to say when one team or the other tied the game, "It's all brand new and shiny." That hope is still there.

They could do well this year.

They might do well this year.

Perhaps.

Maybe.

I want to think they will. And today, it's all possible. Because in training camp, at the start of camp, it's all about possibilities. Every player is the next Gretzky, the next Orr, the next Lemieux, the next Bourque. Until he gets out there, until he proves otherwise, he could be anything.

And in Europe today, he could be a she! Canadian Olympic gold-medalist Hayley Wickenheiser is reported to be close to signing with Swedish men's team IFK Arboga, which would be pretty cool. I approve of that (like she gives a tinker's damn what I think, but anyway).

Back to the Bruins. I won't copy the training camp roster here (why reinvent the wheel?), but it's on their website, along with training camp schedules and a number to call for updates. I don't know if I'll be going into Boston to see them on Saturday, but I probably will. I mean, how can I resist? It's silly of me, but Wilmington feels closer, though technically it isn't, since I have to deal with transit to get to Boston. I'm not being logical. I can understand that they're trying to appeal to a wider audience by having more of camp in Boston this year, but I was happy with it in the familiarity of Wilmington. On the other hand, the inside of Ristuccia is colder than a witch's ... maybe it's not so bad to have it at the Garden after all.