Bruins’ 2009-10 Scouting Report

The Bruins kick off their 2009-10 season tonight against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals (7 p.m., Versus) with their sights set on taking another step forward under the leadership of GM Peter Chiarelli and Coach Claude Julien. Last year’s advancement to the second round was a good accomplishment for the Black and Gold, but the bar has been set even higher this season.

Here’s a look at the team as it shapes up by position:

GOALIES

Starter: Tim Thomas, 5th season; 2008-09: 36-11-7, 2.10, .933.

Backup: Tuukka Rask, 1st season; 2008-09 (with Providence) 33-20-4, 2.50, .915.

Gone: Manny Fernandez, likely retired. Waiting in the wings: Dany Sabourin.

The Skinny: At age 35, Vezina Trophy-winner Thomas has a well-deserved new four-year, $20 million contract that could become quite awkward for the B’s if the 22-year-old Rask emerges, as expected, as a star. Rask is an RFA next summer and could seek a big contract of his own; Thomas’ deal and age likely make him untradeable. And Rask (2-1-0, 2.00, .938 in pre-season) is the future. So the team could be stuck with two high-priced No. 1 goalies. That’s great hockey-wise, with the B’s probably boasting the finest goaltending tandem in the NHL. Fiscally, not so good.

DEFENSE

The pairings: Zdeno Chara-Derek Morris; Andrew Ference-Dennis Wideman; Mark Stuart-Matt Hunwick. Extra: Johnny Boychuk. Waiting-in-the-wings: Drew Fata, Andy Wozniewski.

Newcomers: Morris, free agent from New York Rangers; Boychuk, promoted from Providence (AHL).

Gone: Aaron Ward, traded to Carolina; Shane Hnidy, free agent signed with Minnesota; Steve Montador, free agent signed with Buffalo.

The Skinny: Coach Claude Julien’s mandate for defensemen is built on a less-is-more philosophy. He dramatically simplified the job for B’s D-men, who were no longer asked to pursue opposition forwards all over the defensive zone — but basically stick to a compact down-low zone scheme.

Simple is better, too, when it comes to breakout passes. Julien wants the D-men to eschew the risky, riverboat gambler-sort of pass attempts and stick to a short, safe game.

GM Peter Chiarelli has assembled a blueline corps very well-suited to the game plan. Aside from massive Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara, the most imposing and effective defender in the NHL, and the physical Stuart, this is a relatively small unit. But it has good mobility with Ference, Hunwick and Wideman, and, in Morris, a proven point-producer. Boychuk has good size and also put up big numbers in the AHL.

Julien last year asked the D-men to get up the ice and be bit more involved offensively. The group churned out 54 goals, led by Chara’s 19 and Wideman’s 13. It was the most in the league by a defense corps and a 12-goal improvement from ’07-08.

This group is not without question marks. Hunwick, coming back from spleen removal surgery, struggled during the pre-season. Morris isn’t blindingly fast at age 31, but is looking to bounce back after a ho-hum year with the Coyotes and Rangers. And the B’s hope Ference isn’t distracted by rancorous issues involving the NHL players union.

FORWARDS

The lines (L-to-R): Milan Lucic-Marc Savard-Marco Sturm; Blake Wheeler-David Krejci-Michael Ryder; Mark Recchi-Patrice Bergeron-Chuck Kobasew; Shawn Thornton-Steve Begin-Byron Bitz.

Extra: Vladimir Sobotka. Waiting-in-the-wings: Brad Marchand, Guillaume Lefebvre, Drew Larman, Zach Hamill, Jeff LoVecchio

Newcomers: Begin, free agent signed from Dallas.

Gone: Stephane Yelle, free agent signed with Carolina; Phil Kessel, free agent traded to Toronto; P.J. Axelsson, free agent signed four-year deal with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Elitserien.

The Skinny: Increasing their goals production by 62 from the previous year, the Bruins last season ranked second in the NHL with 275 tallies. If the B’s can avoid serious injuries up front, their deep and well-balanced fleet of forwards should produce comparable results. Only a few NHL teams (Detroit, San Jose, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh) have a group of centermen as good as the B’s Savard, Krejci, Bergeron and Begin.

One of the true virtuosos of playmaking, Savard has averaged 87 points in three seasons as a Bruin — and has earned new respect league-wide as a sound all-round player and team leader. Krejci, even playing hurt much of the year, put up 73 points in his first full NHL campaign and is projected by many to be a Steve Yzerman/Joe Sakic-type superstar.

Bergeron was a stronger and more confident player during camp, and there is no reason he can’t be the same player who posted 73 and 70 points in the two years before his ’07-08 concussion.

The pesky Begin replaces the quietly-effective Yelle, the key to the consistently strong and reliable No. 4 line last season. The solid forechecking of that trip allowed the B’s to cut back the icetime for Lines 1-3, helping the team to be stronger in third periods (an 88-61 edge in goals).

On the wing, of course, the B’s have a big hole to fill with the exit of Kessel, whose speed forced defenses back on their heals — and who had obvious chemistry with Savard. Sturm may get the first shot at joining Lucic on Savard’s flanks.

On the No. 2 line, Wheeler looks to improve on a strong rookie season (21-24-45) by staying stronger and more consistent from start to finish.

The Bergeron line shone in a defensive role when the games mattered most last year, but also could easily feature three 20-goal-plus scorers. Three dangerous scoring lines make the Bruins a very difficult team against which to defend.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PENALTY KILL

Last season: allowed 54 PPGs in 306 times-short (82.4 kill rate) and ranked 12th in the NHL; 80.4 percent at home (19th), 84.2 percent on road (4th).

The Skinny: The Bruins’ penalty-killing was poor early last season, and it was a key reason the team opened only 2-2-3 before catching fire. In the first eight games, playing too passively, they allowed 11 PPGs. Adopting a more aggressive approach, they gave up just six in their next 19 outings.

The big question for the PK: How much will Axelsson and Yelle be missed? Axelsson was never fully appreciated in this role, with a remarkable gift for cutting off passing and shooting lanes. It was much the same for Yelle.

But the Bruins have plenty of forwards well-suited to the job, especially with a healthy Sturm and a stronger and more confident Bergeron. Krejci (two SHGs) is good at it, as are Wheeler (two SHGs) and Kobasew. The new-improved Savard even proved reliable on the PK. Begin has killed penalties everywhere he’s been and will be counted on as one of the main guys.

And, of course, Chara is a monster on the PK, with his phenomenal strength and reach. In nets, Thomas hasn’t had to be the same sort of acrobat he was when he played behind more porous B’s defenses, but can make the spectacular save when needed.

POWER PLAY

Last season: 74 PPGs on 313 opportunities (23.6 percent) to rank 4th in NHL; 44PPG, 28 percent at home (2nd), 30 PPGs, 19.2 percent on road (13th).

The Skinny: The power play was a consistent weapon for the B’s throughout the season, producing the most goals by the team since 1993-94. Only twice did the B’s go as many as four games without producing a goal. Sixteen players had at least one PPG; only one NHL team had more.

Savard and Krejci are brilliant power-play setup artists. Recchi has an amazing knack for scoring on tip-ins and rebounds. Ryder is the mid-slot sniper, and Lucic and Wheeler will be the big bodies in front. Chara, Bergeron and Wideman will be joined on top by Morris, who has scored 35 of his 76 career goals on the power play.

COACHING

Head coach: Claude Julien, age 49, 7th NHL season, record with Montreal, New Jersey and Boston of 213-134-11-44; playoff record 14-15, including 10-8 with B’s.

Assistants: Craig Ramsey, 3rd season with B’s; Doug Houda 4th season; Geoff Ward, 3rd season; Bob Essena (goalies) 7th season; Brant Berglund (video) 7th season; John Whitesides (strength and conditioning) 9th season.

The Skinny: Kessel may not have loved playing for the tough and demanding Julien, but most of the players on this team respect the coach and have bought into his one-game-at-a-time and defense-first messages. When a team leads the NHL in goals-against and is second in goals-for, that’s irrefutable evidence you’ve got a pretty smart coach drawing up the game plan.

And Julien is surrounded by good assistants, all of them smart, likable, low-profile guys who work very hard at their jobs.

MANAGEMENT

General manager: Peter Chiarelli, age 45, 4th season.

Assistant GMs: Jim Benning, 4th season with B’s; Don Sweeney, 1st season (fourth in front office). Director of player personnel: Scott Bradley, 17th season. Vice president: Cam Neely, 3rd season

The Skinny: It wasn’t the busiest offseason for Chiarelli, who had most of his roster signed and in place. The acquisitions of Morris and Begin should work out well. The forced departure of Kessel hurts in the short-run, but the picks acquired from the Leafs could pay off handsomely either in a trade or high draft choices.

The best testimony to the effectiveness of the front office is the large crop of young, future B’s, at least 6-8 of them, who look like can’t-miss NHLers.

Chiarelli will be tested next summer when, likely with a reduced NHL salary cap, he would have to re-sign FAs Savard, Wheeler, Lucic, Stuart and Rask.