Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has made it known he is looking for one last piece to fit into the puzzle that could bring a Stanley Cup to Beantown.
He has been Bruins-turn-to-finding-a-defenseman/landing_sports.html?blockID=411499&feedID=3352">quoted as saying that piece will be a defenseman.
Upon hearing this, the usual speculation began. Who is leaving? Who is coming? Fans in and around Boston called the sports radio talk shows with suggestions and proposals. Some argued for trading goaltender Tim Thomas while others called for backup Tuukka Rask to be dealt.
Names were bandied about. It seemed everyone had an opinion—then again, everyone in Boston always has an opinion.
One name that never surfaced was that of former Bruin defenseman Shane Hnidy. Known as "Sheriff Shane" during his two year tenure on the Boston blue line, he skated with the Bruins in Vancouver this week in what is being termed as a tryout.
Hnidy played for Boston in the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons. Offensively, the 35-year-old blueliner scored a total of 17 points in those two seasons but it was his willingness to step up and help his teammates when the going got rough, as his 86 penalty minutes attest to in those seasons, is what the "Sheriff" became known for in Boston.
Not one to be intimidated, his physicality made him a favorite among Bruins fans.
Hnidy also became highly respected in the black and gold's dressing room. The native of Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada was never one to be shy and spoke up when he felt it was necessary. Most of the time, he had words of encouragement for his mates but there were times when a teammate needed the proverbial kick in the pants and it was Hnidy who would deliver it.
Bruins alternate captain Patrice Bergeron said in a Boston radio interview Thursday that the team always listened to Hnidy when he had something to say.
Hnidy had shoulder surgery last summer and has not been cleared to play yet. He has received the go-ahead from doctors to train on and off the ice. He is most likely a month away from getting the green light to play.
Adding Hnidy to the roster would most likely be done at the league minimum salary of $500,000. This would keep Boston under the salary cap. More importantly, signing Hnidy and allowing him to finish rehabbing his shoulder until the end of March would be perfect timing for a defense corp that would be in need of a boost after fighting with Montreal for first place in the Northeast Division.
A first-place finish in the division would see the Bruins finish at least third in the Eastern Conference standings. It is possible the club could catch Tampa Bay and finish in second place in the East. The Lightning are currently two points ahead of Boston. Each team has played 60 games.
Should Hnidy sign with Boston, he will be joining a younger defense than the team had when he left for Minnesota at the end of 2008-2009. The 2010-2011 edition is not only younger but more aggressive as well.
Playing that style of game, night in and night out, will fatigue the group. Hnidy coming in to play in March would cut back on some of the players' ice time which will help the defense be rested and ready to go when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin.
An added benefit to signing the veteran rearguard is he would help the younger defensemen by showing them how to hone their craft as a mentor on and off the ice.
Hnidy, who packs 210 pounds onto his 6'0'' frame, gives the club a much needed enhancement in size on the back end. As it is composed now, three of the seven defensemen are under 200 pounds.
Come playoff time, the bigger the blueliners, the better the entire team will be in its defensive zone.
One can perceive that the signing for Sheriff Shane Hnidy by GM Peter Chiarelli is all but a done deal. Of course, Chiarelli may be burning up the phone lines listening to and/or making offers in order to acquire a veteran defensive defenseman. He has until 3:00pm Monday February 28, 2011 when the deadline expires to do so.
However, signing Shane Hnidy seems to make the most sense.
The organization would be bringing a player in who it is very familiar with. Chiarelli would not need to worry about salary cap issues that are constantly considered when discussing a trade, meaning he does not need to clear space in order to bring the Sheriff back into town, and just as important, he would not be dealing any draft picks.
Everyone wants to see the team win the Stanley Cup now but the future must also be considered.
All told, the adage among hockey people is that "good defensemen are hard to find." Shane Hnidy will never be a 20-goal scorer, nor will he amass 50 assists, but he will provide veteran leadership, aggressive play in the corners and in front of the net and not let anyone push him or his teammates around.
He will most certainly be welcomed back by his new/old teammates and fans alike and his style of play may be the final piece needed to bring the Stanley Cup back to Boston after a 39-year drought.
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