Bruins Daily: Boston Strong; Bruins-Panthers; NHL Firings

Before we get into the latest Boston Bruins and NHL news, lest us not forget what happened ten years ago today at the Boston Marathon.

I’ll never forget that day and if not for fate, I might not be writing this column for you right now. I was supposed to be at the Marathon that day doing a livestream show at Anthem, where the second bomb went off. Thankfully, as always, I was running late and scratched my appearance there. However, I had plenty friends there that day. Some were injured but not permanently like so many others.

One of my friends, Lucas Carr, a former Army Ranger, ran the Marathon that day and just minutes after he finished, the bombs went off. Instead of running away like so many naturally did, Lucas ran into the chaos and helped save some lives and literally keep people’s limbs attached until paramedics could rush them to the hospital. There were so many amazing heroes that day and in the days following the tragedy. Never forget their service and heroism. Here’s my story I wrote on Lucas Carr.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a decade since that tragic day in our beautiful city, but whether it’s ten, 15, 20 or more, we must never forget what two cowards, hate and extremism took from us that day and yet also remember how we united as a city. Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell, Lingzi Lu, Sean Collier, Dennis Simmonds, and all affected by the bombing, we will never forget you.

#BostonStrong

Boston Bruins

It’s the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and as my colleague Joe Haggerty pointed out, the Bruins should win the series but they cannot take a Florida Panthers team deep in skill and dangerous on the transition, lightly.

The Florida Panthers know they’re underdogs but Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas and his teammates are embracing that role.

Florida Panthers

We will be linking their content here during the series but for in-depth Florida Panthers coverage, don’t forget to check out Florida Hockey Now with longtime puck scribe George Richards and hockey writer Calder nominee Colby Guy.

Veteran forward Patric Hornqvist has had some great Stanley Cup Playoff memories. Can he add another with the 2022-23 Florida Panthers?

National Hockey Now

MTL: Not many teams have been hampered by the injury bug worse than the Montreal Canadiens have over the last two seasons. What can they do to shrink an always jam-packed MASH unit?

PIT: The Pittsburgh Penguins fired President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke, general manager Ron Hextall, and assistant general manager Chris Pryor on Friday.

PHI: Cry me a river Tony! Controversial and delusional Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo disagrees with the way head coach John Tortorella handled him this season.

DET: The Detroit Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a seventh-straight season but were they really supposed to make it this season?

COL: The Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 and clinched their third-straight Central Division title.

VGK: The Vegas Golden Knights will play the Winnipeg Jets in a rematch of the 2018 Western Conference Final.

LAK: Do the Los Angeles Kings have a chance against Connor McDavid and the high-powered Edmonton Oilers?

SJS: Former New York Rangers and hall of fame defenseman Brian Leetch welcomed San Jose Sharks Erik Karlsson to the 100-point club via text this week.

NHL

The Anaheim Ducks fired head coach Dallas Eakins on Friday, and the Washington Capitals and head coach Peter Laviolette mutually parted ways.