Beers: Bruins will make some changes, focus on goaltending

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ORONO – The Boston Bruins will make some “significant changes” between now and training camp but no blockbuster deals, according to former University of Maine All-American defenseman Bob Beers, the color analyst for the Bruins games on WBZ-AM radio in Boston.

Goaltending is the primary question mark now that Jeff Hackett, acquired from Montreal late in the season, has signed with Philadelphia.

“I’m very concerned about the Bruins,” said Beers, who was on hand for the Alumni Weekend activities. “Andrew Raycroft is a terrific young goaltender. Is he ready to take the reins right now? I don’t know. That’s a big question, that’s a big responsibility for him.

“But there’s a lot of uncertainly in the goalie market right now just because of Dominik Hasek coming back. A lot of different scenarios can play out. I think the Bruins are waiting a little bit. I know they have a plan,” Beers added.

“Sean Burke is still rumored [to be coming to Boston]. [Former Black Bear] Mike Dunham is rumored if the Rangers go out and get somebody else like a [Curtis] Joseph or a Hasek,” added Beers.

Raycroft played in just five games for Boston last year. He was 23-10-3 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage with Providence in the AHL.

“There’s a lot of things that could still happen. Colorado is still in the market for a goalie,” Beers said.

Dunham’s goaltending partner at Maine, Garth Snow, is a free agent after having a productive season with the New York Islanders.

“Garth played a huge role for the Islanders last year. When [Chris] Osgood went down injured, Garth played terrific for that team and helped them get into the playoffs,” Beers said. “He’s a great team guy. Anybody would love to have Garth on their team just for his locker room stuff.”

Snow finished with a 16-17-5 record but his GAA was 2.31 and he had a .918 save percentage. Dunham was 19-17-5 with the Rangers and had a 2.29 GAA and a .924 save percentage.

Beers said new Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, who is 35, is “an intelligent guy who is very capable of doing the job. He works very well with the players, he has a good rapport with them. He isn’t that far removed from the game so he understands it.”

However, he also noted that being a head coach in the NHL is a difficult task and “the shelf life isn’t very long.”

Beers said he was “really surprised” by former Bear Hobey Baker Award winner Paul Kariya’s decision to take an $8.8 million a year pay cut to play for Colorado after Anaheim didn’t offer him a contract at his $10 million a year. He joined close friend Teemu Selanne, who also signed with Colorado.

“From his perspective, he and Teemu are very good friends and Paul will be able to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Peter Forsberg has been rumored to be leaving Colorado after next season and going back to Sweden. If he does leave, Paul will be available to stay there,” said Beers.

“I think there’s more to it than what’s on the surface,” grinned Beers, referring to Kariya’s pay cut.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Eric Weinrich, another former Bear All-American, said since Kariya will be making less than the NHL average, he will be able to be an unrestricted free agent after next season.

“I don’t think many guys would do that. But he wants to play with Teemu and play on a great team,” said Weinrich.

Former Bears recall NCAA titles

Among the returnees at the Alumni Weekend who have NCAA championship rings were defensemen Matt Martin and Dan Murphy (1992-93) and winger Marcus Gustafson, who scored the overtime game-winner against New Hampshire in the 1999 title game.

Martin and Murphy said even though their 5-4 win over Lake Superior State in the NCAA championship game occurred 10 years ago, it doesn’t seem that long ago.

“It seemed like just the other day, especially when you come back and talk to all the guys,” said Murphy, who is living and coaching hockey in Connecticut.

“It seemed like just a couple of years ago. The atmosphere was so much more intense in college hockey than it was in the pros,” said Martin. “This is where your dreams of playing professional hockey and everything really got started. It was a great three years for me.”

Martin played briefly for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Martin is now living in Bangor and involved in orthopedic equipment sales.

Sweden native Gustafson is a stock broker in New Orleans and said his office is dotted with memorabilia from the 1998-99 season.

“My father always told me just remember how you felt that day,” said Gustafson who added that the “greatest life lesson” he ever learned was from late Maine coach Shawn Walsh.

“I still use some of the things coach Walsh trained us to do,” said Gustafson. “The team that makes the least mistakes win. Don’t put things off. If you take today off, you’ll have to work twice as hard tomorrow. So why not work twice as hard today.”

He said he was asked to address his boss’ roller hockey team and to tell them the secrets behind Maine’s success.

“I told them we practiced harder than the games so when the games came, we were ready. I said pay attention to details and the little things. He said what I told them is just what I apply to my work,” said Gustafson.