Wednesday 21 December 2011

Santa Ashley

It's that time of the year Honey Pot readers!  Santa Ashley is busy looking over lists and checking them twice...time to find out which Bruins have been naughty and nice ;)

Just for fun let's take a look at what Santa Ashley is getting each of her boys for Christmas this year!

Ok lets start in net and see what Santa Ashley got the best goaltending duo in the NHL for Christmas!







Tuukka Rask - For Rasky well he was an easy one to check off my list.  For Tuukka this year I got him a copy of "Anger Management for Dummies". 

Tim Thomas - For Timmy there were so many things I could get for him it was hard to choose. In the end I took his age and workload he has been getting into account and I got Timmy a super soft extra padded Yoga Mat.  Those knees aren't going to last forever ya know! We need to take care of our gumby like goaltender! Oh I also got him a booklet of Cheeseburger coupons since we know Timmy loves a good cheeseburger!

Next I hopped over to the Mall to work on the d-men on my list...

Zdeno Chara - Hmmm what to get the 6 foot 9 255 pound man on your list...well since I happen to be Canadian and Big Z happens to get in trouble with the law up here...I pulled a few strings down at the local Court House and I was able to use my "charm" to get the Captain 4 get of of Jail free cards for his remaining 4 trips to Canada for the season!

Dennis Seidenberg - A big bag of oats and new shoes for the Bruins horse!

Andrew Ferrence - For our environmentalist to help spruce up those commutes to the Gahden I got Captain Planet a basket and a bell for his bike! ALSO I got him a new pair of hockey gloves. Hockey gloves that have the index and middle finger sewn together so the next time he has an "equipment malfunction" he will be giving the peace sign and not the finger :)

Joe Corvo - Lazer treatments to remove that embarrasing sun tattoo around his navel.  Joe...that might have been ok in Ottawa and Carolina but you're a member of the BIG BAD BRUINS now...we tattoo Stanley Cups on our bodies...not the Sun around our belly button!

Johnny Boychuck - O Bullets...so full of potential and promise...for you Johnny I went back to the bookstore and I got a copy of "Hockey 101 for Dummies".  Johnny I love ya and I think you are supremely talented but I really question your hockey IQ on many nights.  I think this will help!

Adam McQuaid - For Darth Quaider I took the Liberty of having the Arena Staff at the Gahden install foam padding behind both nets for the next time you inevitably go crashing in possibly head first even it sound be a much softer landing

Steve Kampfer - The easiest one to buy for on my list.  I got Kampfer a season pass to Disneyland and a trade to Tampa so he can use his pass all year long. 

Now onto my forwards....will roll through our lines here with what Santa Ashley will be putting under Bruin trees!

Shawn Thornton - Just for fun I'm gonna give Thorty Matt Cooke for Christmas.  This way he gets to beat the shit out of him 365 days a year!

Daniel Paille - I got Pies a chisel for Christmas.  Danny boy can grind it out with the best of them but man o man are those hands made of stone.  Once we chip away that stone what a complete player Pies will be!

Gregory Campbell - My homeboy Soupie.  No literally we grew up about 15 minutes from each other...we're from the same hometown!!  Gregory I simply got you a Gold Star for Christmas.  I think your so underrated and you bring so much to this team...shot blocking, never afraid to mix it up, the man on the PK and on and on...I just really think for Christmas this year you deserve to be recognized for all your efforts!

Chris Kelly - For our boy having a breakout season Santa Ashley just HAS to get him a much deserved contract extension for Christmas!!!

Rich Peverley - Maintance Days.  Pevs missed practice today to rest some bumps and bruises...so heading into the new year I wanna give Pevs more maintance days and possibly his own personal nurse....

Benoit Pouliot - Well the perfect gift for the newest Bruin would be...a Ryder jersey.  As my buddy Daniel has coined him the "New Ryder" what better than a Ryder jersey so he can channel all of Ryder's goal scoring prowess versus the Habs, not having to do anything for an entire game but just making one shot a game count and also the ability to play net when neccesary.

Nathan Horton - Our inspiration in the last year's Finals...for Horty during my last trip in Boston I managed to get down to ice level and sweet talk the Zamboni drivers and what I got for Horty is...a case of Gahden Water!  Horty feel free to pour some of this magical water on your hands..you got a long way to go to fufill my Forty Horty prediction! Oh I also bought you a year's subscription to Playboy in case your ever on the market for a new playmate...

Milan Lucic - For Looch I got him a conductors hat and a steam whistle.  Maybe next time the Loooochich train comes barreling down the tracks Miller will hear it coming and get the fuck outta the way!

David Krejci - A 50 million dollar insurance policy on those silky sweet hands!  I figure that's about how much they will make him over the course of his career so he better get those bad boys insured!

Brad Marchand - For the rat I got him a pair of extra low rise jeans and NO shirts. 

Tyler Seguin - I got Segs two things for Christmas this year.  1 - I got him a first-class ticket to Ottawa because I really think this kid deserves to be named to the All-Star game in Ottawa this year and 2. I got  him a fake ID so he can run with the rat all year long and take his shirt off in every club in Boston!

Patrice Bergeron - For Bergy he gets...his first of many Selke Awards....and me...under his tree...in a bow...just a bow :)





There you have it...Santa Ashley's Bruin Christmas List is complete!  To all my Bruins and anyone reading this right now have a happy, safe and hockey filled Holiday Season!


- Ashley

Friday 16 December 2011

O Canada

The Hamilton Brothers
Its that time of the year Hockey Fans!!! The best time of the year to be a hockey fan other than when the Bruins are  playing or the Stanley Cup Playoffs of course!

What am I referring too?  Well my American readers might be a bit out in the dark on this one but any of my Canadian readers know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!

World Junior Championship Time!!!

The WJC's are pretty much a National Holiday for two weeks in Canada...for some reason its just a blip on the radar screen for American Hockey fans though.  Which is truly a shame because its an AMAZING tournament.

Bruin fans should be paying close attention to this tournament though because I predict this will be a MAJOR coming out party for our boy Dougie!  Yes I know being a first round pick he obviously is already known throughout the hockey world but I predict after this tournament there will be a few GM's who had a pick before the Bruins did last year who will be kicking themselves they didn't take Dougie.

Also as a side note to my loyal Bruin readers...2010 2nd round pick Ryan Spooner who I think would have easily made Team Canada unfortunately was diagnosed with Mono the day before all players reported for the Selection Camp.  I was looking forward to watching him in this tournament but he will be back strong to finish out his season in the OHL where he has been one of the top forwards in the entire league.

Now on to a brief rundown of Team Canada's Roster.

Goaltending - As always we should be strong in net.  Mark Vistentien (Dougie's teammate in Niagara) returns from last year's team will start as the # 1.  He hasn't had a GREAT year so far in the OHL this season but he is a great goalie and has a lot to prove after last years heartbreaker in the final.  Backing him up is Scott Wedgewood who since he plays in the OHL as well  (Plymouth) I've seen a few times and it would not surprise me at all if he ends up being the # 1 by the time the tournament is over.  Regardless much like my Bruins Team Canada really has a 1A and 1B in net!

Defence - Anchored by my boy and yours DOUGIE HAMILTON our defense has a bit of everything.  No returnees on the blue line BUT 1st round NHL picks all over the place back there.  Dougie will play a ton and in all situations.  It was a surprise when we cut Ryan Murphy (which just goes to show how deep we are) but Nathan Beaulieu outplayed him in the Selection Camp and along with Dougie will quarterback our powerplay.  Of note Beaulieu is the son of Jacques...the Head Coach and GM of my beloved Sarnia Sting!!!  I'm also familiar with Scott Harrington who will most likely be the 7th D...he was a big surprise to make the team and despite playing for the London Knights I suppose I can get behind him for a couple of weeks...

Forwards - There was some concern at the selection camp that offense might be somewhat of a concern.  But fear not fellow Canadians ( or fear lots to my American readers) when you have two guys who were playing in the NHL all season in Smith-Pelley and Connolly along with Scheifle who played a few games with the Jets and who I saw in person this year (he was dominant) I don't think we will have any problem scoring goals.  Also of interest Dougie's big brother Freddie made the team and he has been great in the "O" so far this season!

All in all a VERY talented group as usual.  Now just imagine if we had Segs and Skinner who amazingly enough are both still eligible to play in this tournament!

The Official Honey Pot Prediction is.......GOLD!

Again to all my dear American friends do yourselves a favour and start paying attention to this tournament.  Obviously in Canada we're spoiled with all the coverage TSN has of the WJC but I think the NHL network shows a lot of the games in the States.

Go Dougie Go and Go Canada Go!!!

Thursday 8 December 2011

I'll Take A Pot Of Honey....With A Side Of Chris Kelly

Wow what a month! Undefeated in 15 games and we're right back where we belong!

So many players have stepped up during this streak which time and time again just proves our depth.  I know I sound like a broken record on here but our depth  is what sets us apart from the rest of the NHL and is what will ultimately lead us to becomming back-to-back Champions!!

In thinking up my next blog (this one) I had been paying close attention (as I always do) to the games as of late looking for one player to centre out and blog about.

Sure I could pick the usual suspects to blog about in relation to our most recent success.  The Captain, Timmy, Bergy, Marchy, Segs, Seidy, Looch, Horty...yes sure these guys are the ones who get a lot of the press, deservedly so BUT there was one name I kept coming back to and game after game it became more and evident to me who I wanted to heap my praise towards.

So lets give it up Bruins fans for........CHRIS FREAKING KELLY!!!!!

Who is with me here?  Who else has noticed what an important piece this guy has been ever since we acquired him last March at the deadline??  Personally this guy doesn't need to score for me to see his value.  Face-offs, PK, shutting down the other teams big guns...this guy does all of that and has done so much of that since Day 1.  But yes now that he has been chipping in a lil more frequently on the offensive side...WOW...how many teams can boast a guy with 10 goals already as their 3rd line centre??

3 goals in his last 5 games, 2 OF THEM GAME WINNERS, and in the back to back games with the Maple Leafs his face off winning percentage was 80%..no that is not a misprint 80 fucking percent of his draws he won.

Chris Kelly is easily one of the smartest hockey players on our roster and I believe because people don't see him as "special" they under rate his value to our team.

Now for a couple other tidbits straight from the HoneyPot!


- was at the Gahden live and in person last Saturday to watch my boys continue their DOMINATION over lil Phil and his Maple Laughs.  Loved every minute of it. As much as I would hate for the Leafs to make the playoffs (and I don't think they will) how amazing would it be to play these losers in the first round??

- Broken Record Time - PC is the motherfucking man! Once again he does it and he does it early locking up another one of our key pieces long term at an attractive cap hit.  Thank you PC and Magic Hands Krejci congratulations! Watch for PC to be locking up Kelly sometime soon as well I predict!

- Enough with the Segs drama! He missed a TEAM breakfast..you sleep in you sit. I don't care if he could have helped us win a game in December...I care more so that team rules are followed through and everyone is on the same page! Over..end of story. Lesson learned from Segs and we all move forward. Stop making it a bigger deal than what it actually is!