WILMINGTON -- A quick lesson in Bruins history: In the post-lockout season of 2005-06, B’s ownership/management having done a splendid job of destroying a deeply talented roster, the team employed 43 different players. Many were profoundly forgettable (Erik Healey? Zdenek Blatny? Pat Leahy? Kevin Dallman?).
Not surprisingly, the Bruins were a disorganized mess and finished 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-37-16. Coach Mike Sullivan, who deserved a better fate – and better players -- was fired.
The following season new coach Dave Lewis had a roster that had been improved via the signing of free agents Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard – but still was built with an awful lot of ill-fitted NHL driftwood (we give you Jeff Hoogan, Jeremy Reich and Petr Tenkrat, among many more.