BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Great Cam Neely Was Almost A Hab

Did the Montreal Canadiens pass on hall of fame winger Cam Neely before the Boston Bruins traded for him back in 1986? Why isn’t Oliver Ekman-Larsson a Bruins defenseman today? 

The answers to those questions and more in your daily Boston Hockey Now Puck Links!

The Habs Almost Got Cam Neely Before The Boston Bruins

Imagine if Cam Neely played out his hall of fame career as a Montreal Canadien? Boston Bruins fans likely just leaned over and vomited but according to former Montreal Canadiens hall of fame defenseman and General Manager Serge Savard, that almost happened. Savard, who along with the eight Stanley Cups he won as a player, won two as the Habs GM, has written a tell-all autobiography with longtime Quebec sports columnist, Phillippe Cantin and Savard tells the story of how he almost sent Mike McPhee to the Vancouver Canucks for beloved Bruins great before the Bruins acquired Neely in exchange for Barry Pederson. Read more here. 

Ekman-Larsson Never Wanted To Play For The Boston Bruins

Just about a month ago, the Arizona Coyotes went to defenseman and captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson and asked him to waive his no-movement clause. Ekman-Larsson would only waive for two teams, the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins. New Coyotes General Manager Billy Armstrong couldn’t orchestrate a deal with Don Sweeney or Canucks GM Jim Benning and for now, Ekman-Larsson remains a Coyote. He finally broke his silence and said he never wanted to leave the desert.  

No Boston Bruins Prospects Invited Canada World Junior Camp

The Boston Bruins used all four of their picks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft on American-born players so it’s no surprise that there are no Bruins prospects on the Hockey Canada World Juniors Camp roster. Click here to see Canada’s camp roster that’s absolutely stocked with high-end talent!

Good Guy Rick Bowness Rewarded

Former Boston Bruins head coach and just all-around good guy Rick Bowness was rewarded for leading the Dallas Stars to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final by being officially named an NHL head coach for the first time since he coached the Ottawa Senators full time from 1992-95. Click here for the announcement from the Stars.

HDA Calls Out Coyotes

The Coyotes continue to feel the fallout from drafting Mitchell Miller, the Ohio hockey prospect who confessed to physically abusing another student and verbally attacking him with racial slurs on a daily basis. The Hockey Diversity Alliance absolutely blasted the Coyotes and the NHL for their hypocrisy in allowing this to happen after all the talk about racial equality this past summer. Click here for the well deserved scathing.

A Penguins Rebuild With Crosby?

Last week I wondered aloud if the Boston Bruins will be the next NHL team to write the ‘Rebuild Letter’ after the Chicago Blackhawks did just that for their fans? Now, colleague Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now is doing the same with the Pittsburgh Penguins and wondering if it will come before Sidney Crosby retires? Click here for Dan’s take on the erratic state of the Penguins. 

Murph’s Music Pick Of The Day

Finally, I’ve decided that, from now on, every time I write the BHN Puck Links, I’ll give you my music suggestion for the day. Earlier this month, one of my favorite albums of my lifetime, ‘Wildflowers’ by the late Tom Petty was rereleased with ten unreleased songs that were originally supposed to be released as part of a two-CD set on the original ‘Wildflowers’ album when it was released in 1994. Petty had actually been hoping to do this before he sadly passed away on October 2, 2016. On October 16, the remastered version, with the new songs, was released. For any Petty fan, this is pure gold and for even just music fans!