Gregory Campbell put himself in harm’s way in the B’s Game 3 win on Wednesday night, and it cost him. Campbell sold out to block an Evgeni Malkin slap shot and ended up breaking his leg in the process. Unsurprisingly, Campbell’s season is over.

Campbell is rightfully getting praise for his willingness to do so, but the conversation will start shifting toward what the B’s will do in replacing Campbell in the lineup.

One option would be to insert Kaspars Daugavins into the lineup. The former Ottawa Senators forward hasn’t played since Game 1 of the first round, but he does give the Bruins penalty-killing depth, which they’ll need in the absence of Campbell. It would also allow for some simple lineup shuffling on Claude Julien‘s part.

Another option is to go with youngster Jordan Caron. He’s been around the block a time or two with the Bruins, and he got some playoff experience last season with the B’s. He’s also the freshest of the Bruins’ options after he just finished the season with Providence just a little more than a week ago.

You could also make the case for someone like Jay Pandolfo. He’s a veteran who’s been here before, and like Daugavins, he’s an experienced penalty killer. Then again, he’s 36 years old and he hasn’t played in a game since April 6. Another long shot might be Carl Soderberg. He’s probably the most skilled option, but he has virtually no NHL experience making him a risky choice.

Who should replace Campbell in the Bruins’ lineup? Vote below.

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The two teams got real testy with each other at the end of the second period in Game 1, and that led to a throwdown between two usually “calm” combatants. Boston’s Patrice Bergeron and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin got tied up at center ice, and they ended up dropping the gloves and engaging in a rare fight.

Neither are known for their pugilistic ways, but they certainly tried their best as they wrestled to the ice while throwing punches. Bergeron skated off at the end of the period with his sweater covered in blood, as someone was cut in the mayhem.

See video of the scrap below.

In 2011, the Boston players handed out an old ’80s Bruins jacket to their player of the game. The jacket was with the B’s throughout their cup run, passed from player to player. Andrew Ference was the one to introduce the awesome idea to hand out some swag, and it didn’t stop in 2011.

The Bruins honor Mark Recchi with the crappy (yet awesome) throwback jacket: http://t.co/ZQroVr0v

—
Andy Gray (@si_vault) October 07, 2011

In 2012, the Bruins carried around a lock and chain to symbolize that there was no weak link on the B’s roster. The chain was worn around the neck of the player of the game, and it was once again Ference’s idea.

Kelly wears this year's version of the jacket. 20 players dress, 20 links in the chain...^BISH http://t.co/t2aJRDtM

—
Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 13, 2012

This year the player of the game gets a camouflage Army Ranger jacket. Ference received the jacket after visiting the Rangers’ training school at Fort Benning, Ga., according to the Boston Herald. The prize was influenced by Lucas Carr, an Army Ranger who has befriended some of the Bruins. Carr crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon two minutes before the bombs went off and immediately turned around to help the victims.

David Krejci looks friggin badass in this "Player Of Game" Army Ranger Jacket and Watertown Police hat #Bruins http://t.co/FFh2SDisu3

—
Masshole Sports (@MassholeSports) May 02, 2013

So which one is the best? Vote below.

With the Bruins in Washington to take on the Captials Tuesday, Ward’s goal will be fresh in the minds of many Boston fans.

However, Bruins faithful are no strangers to heartbreak. Four times over the last five years, Boston has been eliminated in winner-take-all games.

The postseason that brought many Bruins fans back to the TD Garden was back in 2008. Boston trailed the top-seeded Canadiens in the opening round three games to one, and were on the ropes in Game 5. The Bruins fought back to win two straight, including the famous “This building is vibrating!” Game 6 victory.

Unfortunately, the team’s Cinderella quest ended 300 miles to the north at the Bell Centre. Game 7 was an ultimate disappointment, as the Bruins fell 5-0 behind a dazzling effort from Montreal goaltender Carey Price.

A year later, Boston bulldozed the Habs in the first round of the playoffs and were heavy favorites over Carolina. After winning Game 1, the B’s dropped three straight. Boston did battle back to tie the series at three amid some fireworks between Aaron Ward and Scott Walker, setting the stage for another dramatic finish.

Game 7 was a nailbiter, and after a late Milan Lucic goal tied the game at 2-2, it went into overtime. Public enemy No. 1 Walker silenced the TD Garden crowd when he put a rebound past Thomas to send the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Then came 2010, a memory Boston fans were forced to deal with up until they swept Philadelphia out of the playoffs a year later.

Everything was going right for the Bruins, and they jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. However, lost in the celebration of a Game 3 win, was the injury to center David Krejci. Krejci’s absence, plus some timely Flyers goals, allowed Philadelphia to tie the series at three.

All seemed okay when Boston jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in Game 7. Philadelphia then scored four unanswered goals in what proved to be a microcosm of the series. For many Bruins fans, that loss was the most embarrassing in team history.

This embarrassment did not last very long, however. The most famous Game 7 victory came a year later, when the Bruins won their sixth Stanley Cup during a magical night in Vancouver.

Since his rookie year, Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban has become public enemy No. 1 at the TD Garden. Subban’s history of flopping, coupled with his constant badgering of Bruins players, has ensured he will probably hear boo birds in Boston for the remainder of his career.

Subban is not the only player who has angered Boston fans over the past few years. Who could forget the infamous “biting” in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final? Alexandre Burrows took a chomp of fan favorite Patrice Bergeron‘s finger during a scrum in Game 1. Burrows was booed throughout the Final, and he ended up being mocked by the majority of Bruins players throughout the series.

Matt Cooke is no stranger to being loathed, either. Boston joined the list of cities that had a problem with Cooke after his blindside hit on Marc Savard early in March 2010. When the Bruins and Penguins played just 10 days later, Shawn Thornton fought Cooke seconds into the game as Thornton’s beatdown sent the Garden into a frenzy.

However, Cooke’s teammate Sidney Crosby just might be the most polarizing player in the NHL. “Sid the Kid” is arguably the most talented player, but his “childish” antics have earned him a lot of enemies. Boston is a little more forgiving of Crosby than the crazed fans in division rival Philadelphia, but the TD Garden crowd will shower the forward with some harsh words from time to time.

With 28 points in just 17 games played, Boston has a chance to take sole possession of first place with a win on Saturday.

Unlike the Western Conference, the East is wide open this year, making the shortened 48-game season ever more interesting.

The Penguins (13-8-0) currently lead the Atlantic Division with 26 points. Sidney Crosby has continued his dominance this season, already posting 31 points in just 21 games. Marc-Andre Fleury has also been strong, going 10-5 thus far while posting a goals against average of just 2.40. However there has to be concern for the offensive production in the Steel City moving forward — star forward Evgeni Malkin was recently placed on injured reserve for complications due to a concussion.

Montreal (13-4-3) is currently in first place in the Northeast Division with 29 points. Although the Bruins still have three games in hand on the Habs, Montreal has to be considered a threat given its hot start. Carey Price is quietly having a fantastic season for the Canadiens, and the team also has gotten great production out of forward Max Pacioretty.

Also in the division, Boston became aware of the Ottawa Senators’ talent in a tough overtime victory Thursday. The Sens’ 12-6-3 mark has given them 27 points, good enough to be right on the heels of the Bruins and Canadiens. Despite a flurry of injuries to some key pieces, the Senators have kept on keeping on. However, if Ottawa wants to be considered a contender, they must start putting pucks in the back of the net consistently.

The biggest surprise in the East so far has to be the struggles of the New York Rangers. The boys from Broadway are only 9-8-2 and would not be in the postseason if it started on Saturday. However, New York has shown its ability to shine in big games while posting a 2-1 mark against Boston this season. The Rangers have gotten production out of stars Rick Nash and Brad Richards, but unfortunately captain Ryan Callahan has struggled to put up points this year. Although New York is off to a tough start it is hard to count the Blueshirts out just yet.

With all of these talented teams in the East, it is going to make for a very interesting final two months of this NHL season. Although Boston is off to a hot start, the Bruins are well aware of the Eastern Conference foes likely to stand in the way of their second Stanley Cup in three years.

Who would have thought that resident instigator Brad Marchand would be leading the team in goals? Through 14 games, Marchand has nine goals and an assist. The “little ball of hate” also has a game-winning shootout goal under his belt in a victory over New Jersey.

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton‘s early success has also taken Boston by storm. The rookie has played in all 14 of the Bruins’ games, and he has been put on the power-play unit in key situations. Hamilton has taken full advantage of his opportunities; the Toronto native has six points and scored the first goal of his career against the Sabres.

Goaltending was a huge question mark for the Bruins coming into this season thanks to the departure of Tim Thomas. For the most part, people had faith in starter Tuukka Rask. However, a major concern for the Bruins had to be their backup, Anton Khudobin. Khudobin has pushed those concerns aside and has been solid for Boston when called upon. In three starts, he is 2-1 with a .905 save percentage. The native of Kazakhstan also stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 3-1 win over the Sabres back on Feb. 10.

Elsewhere, Nathan Horton has had some tough luck the last couple of seasons because of injuries. After playing the part of playoff hero during the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup run, Horton had many fans wondering what to expect from him before the season. “Horty” has stepped up big time for Boston with six goals and three assists. Horton has also yet to miss a game and seems to have fully recovered from his injury.

Bruins fans will proudly tell you TD Garden is the toughest building to get a victory in throughout the league. However, cities like Chicago, Montreal and Pittsburgh are among those others likely to make a claim to that title.

The Blackhawks are an impressive 54-25-7 at the United Center since the beginning of the 2010-11 season. Chicago has also been the No. 1 team in attendance in two of the last three seasons. The Blackhawks used home-ice advantage to assist them in lifting the 2010 Stanley Cup, going an impressive 8-3 at home during the playoffs.

Up north, the Montreal Canadiens also hold one of the best home-ice advantages in the NHL due to the intense crowd at the Bell Centre. Considered by many to be the loudest crowd in the league, the Habs have ranked in the top two in attendance each of the last three seasons. With 21,273 fans chanting and singing, “Ole, Ole,” it can be pretty daunting for opponents.

Pittsburgh has made its case for the toughest place to play thanks to the Penguins’ 57-27-4 record since the beginning of 2010-11. The Pens have averaged 100 percent attendance over the last three seasons and also sported a 9-2 record at home during their Stanley Cup run in 2009.

Vancouver makes a case for the best home-ice advantage due to the team’s record and attendance. The Canucks are 59-21-10 at home since Oct 2010, and they have also had perfect attendance since that time. Opposing players may want to avoid the penalty box at the Rodgers Arena, too. The ever-annoying “green men” have been harassing players in the box for almost three years now.

The youngest home-ice advantage on this list belongs to the Winnipeg Jets at the MTS Centre. Winnipeg was 23-13-5 at home in their first season back in NHL, and have sold out every game since returning to the league. With the Jets playing in the Southeast Division, their arena also provides a special disadvantage to the Lightning, Panthers, Hurricanes and Capitals. After all, those teams must travel across two time zones just to take on an opponent in their own division.

There have been various reasons for the Sabres’ struggles so far, however it is tough to pick the No.1 issue.

Any time a team is struggling, the head coach is usually the first to end up on the hot seat. Already Lindy Ruff knows that the pressure is on. Since winning the Northeast Division title in 2009-10, Buffalo has played sub-.500 hockey and made the playoffs just once, where they were bounced by Philadelphia.

Ruff has not been the only Sabre who has taken criticism, though. Drew Stafford and Tyler Myers have both struggled mightily for Buffalo. Myers has been a healthy scratch for two games this season and is an abysmal minus-9 in the 12 games he has played. Myers’ struggles have allowed the Sabres to give up 3.4 goals per game, and on the other end of the ice Stafford has not been much better. Buffalo’s alternate captain has no goals through 14 games and has tallied just five assists so far.

Another issue for the Sabres — familiar to Boston fans — is the team’s struggles on the power play. Buffalo is converting on the man advantage just 13.5 percent of the time, good for just 26th in the NHL. Bruins fans can laugh at Boston’s power play struggles with an 8-1-2 record. However, since the Sabres are in last place, it’s not quite as funny to them.

Finally, home ice in the NHL must be protected, yet the Sabres are simply not a very good team at home. Through six games at the First Niagara Center, Buffalo is just 2-3-1. They have only gotten five points out of a possible 12, which is not very good. If the Sabres are to turn it around, they are going to have to start getting points in their friendly confines.

Bruins fans certainly love the adrenaline rush that comes when they hear the famous Kahlenberg horns followed by “Zombie Nation.” However, there many interesting and exciting goal songs in the NHL.

Whether it is loud horns, pop culture classics or easy sing-alongs, rinks throughout North America rejoice when the home team  puts one in the back of the net. To eliminate bias, we are taking “Zombie Nation” out of this race, but, outside of the TD Garden, which team has the best goal song in the NHL?

The Chicago Blackhawks may have the most famous goal song in the NHL. Every time Chicago scores, the United Center erupts when “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis he is played. The song is also an international success and is played in various soccer stadiums throughout the United Kingdom.

In Pittsburgh, Penguins fans love a song that has a fairly bizarre name. “Song 2” by Blur is played every time the Penguins score a goal at the Consol Energy Center. It’s one of those tracks which if, even you don’t know it by name, its iconic whoo hoo’s should be instantly familiar.

Madison Square Garden is treated to a nice sing-along each time the Rangers score. Ray Castoldi wrote the song, “Slapshot,” specifically for the Rangers. The song made its debut in 1995 and has been a Garden staple ever since.

Flyers fans are treated to some loud club-like music each time the team scores. “I Like it Loud” by Marc Acardipane resonates throughout the Wells Fargo Center each time the Broad St. Bullies put one in the back of the net. The song also allows for sing-along with its famous “Doop” sound.

Although these are some of the more popular songs, there are many other good anthems throughout the league. Which team provides the best celebratory tune?

Boston will be without Brad Marchand, Daniel Paille and Shawn Thornton as they head to the Bell Centre, after a slew of injuries has beset the B’s.

Marchand traveled with the team, and even participated at the morning skate, but it appears that a nagging shoulder injury will prevent him from playing in the divisional matchup. The means the B’s will have to deal with Carey Price and Co. without the services of their top goal scorer.

They will also be without Paille, who is dealing with an upper body injury and did not even travel north of the border. The fourth-line forward will be replaced by call-up Ryan Spooner, who will be seeing his first action of the NHL season if called upon.

Of course, the Bruins will also miss Thornton, who was ruled out after sustaining a concussion during a fight with Sabres tough guy John Scott. Thornton, like Paille, did not travel with the team, opening a roster spot for Providence Bruins forward Lane MacDermid to hang around with the big boys.

In September of 2009, the Bruins general manager sent forward Phil Kessel (and his six-million dollar contract) to the Leafs for their first-round picks in 2010 and 2011, with a second-round pick tossed in for good measure.

The next year, Boston drafted former Plymouth Whalers forward Tyler Seguin with the second overall pick in the draft. In two-plus seasons in Boston, Seguin has 71 points and is a plus-35 overall.

With the second of the inherited Toronto first-rounders, the Bruins took defenseman Dougie Hamilton in the 2011 draft. Hamilton is already a full-time Bruin and has four points in his first seven games in Boston. Meanwhile, in three seasons with the Maple Leafs, Kessel has matched his highest goal total in Boston only once. His 37 goals last season was the highest total of his career, but the 25-year-old forward is a minus-40 since arriving in Toronto.

However, the Bruins are not the only team to pull off a lopsided trade in the history of Boston sports. At the 1997 MLB trade deadline, then-Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette sent closer Heathcliff Slocumb and his 5.79 ERA to the Seattle Mariners. In return, Boston received catcher Jason Varitek and pitcher Derek Lowe.

Slocumb would only record 19 more career saves in three seasons. Meanwhile, Varitek would go on to catch over 1,500 games and help the Red Sox win World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. In 2005, the Red Sox named Varitek their captain, a title that remained until his retirement in 2012.

Lowe would pitch seven seasons in Boston, and threw his first career no-hitter against Tampa Bay in 2002. In 2004, he became the first pitcher to record a win in all three of his team’s series-clinching games when Boston won its first World Series in 86 years.

In 2007, the Patriots conducted a brilliant trade of their own. During the 2007 NFL draft, Scott Pioli sent the Patriots’ fourth-round pick (110th overall) to Oakland. In return, the Patriots acquired future Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss. In 2007, Moss caught an NFL-record 23 touchdown passes and had 1,493 receiving yards. Moss’ efforts helped lead New England to a 16-0 regular season and appearance in Super Bowl XLII.

For what it’s worth, the player Oakland took with the 110th pick overall, cornerback John Bowie, is currently a practice squad member for the Cincinnati Bengals and has two career NFL tackles.

Back in 1980, Red Auerbach also pulled off a brilliant deal which led the Celtics to multiple championships in the 80s. The Celtics possessed the first and 13th overall picks in the 1980 draft. Auerbach traded them to Golden State for the third overall pick and Robert Parish. Boston would select Kevin McHale with the third pick. Parish would go onto score over 20,000 points and record 3,000 blocks during his Boston tenure.

McHale spent his entire career with the Celtics and scored over 17,000 points. McHale led the league in shooting percentage twice in his career and also helped Boston win three titles.

Which gets your vote as the best trade in Boston history?

Everyone remembers early last November when Milan Lucic barreled into Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller and the Sabres offered little resistance. This offseason, Buffalo decided to make some moves to bring in guys who have a reputation of being physical. Of these  transactions, one stands out more than any other to Bruins fans: Steve Ott.

Ott has a history with the Bruins from his tenure with the Dallas Stars. On Nov. 1, 2008, Ott was the catalyst in “poking the bear,” as his antics sparked a brawl-filled game that finished with 146 penalty minutes and a 5-1 Boston win. Then in February of 2011, Ott waited just one second before he dropped the gloves with Bruins forward Gregory Campbell in a game that featured three fights in the first four seconds of play.

Ott is not alone among players who have had “disagreements” over the past few years with the Bruins. Look no further than Boston’s longtime rivals from Montreal. Canadiens defenseman P.K Subban is showered with boos nearly every time he touches the ice at the TD Garden. Subban has only been in one fight against Boston, a wash with Brad Marchand in October 2011. However, most of the hatred from Bruins fans is due to Subban’s infamous flop in the corner during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2011.

Speaking of the 2011 playoffs, who could forget Patrice Bergeron’s best friend, Alex Burrows. The Vancouver forward made national news in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals when he bit Bergeron’s finger during a post-whistle scrum. Burrows was involved with many other Bruins players throughout the series and endured taunting from Marchand, Lucic and even seasoned veteran Mark Recchi.

Finally, who could forget one of the most famous goons in the NHL, Matt Cooke? Cooke is infamously known around Boston as the player who ended Marc Savard’s career. On March 7, 2010 in a game in Pittsburgh, Cooke skated through the top of the faceoff circle and blindsided Savard. The Bruins’ center was diagnosed with a concussion and despite a brief return in the 2010-11 season, Savard has not played since. In retaliation for the fight, Boston tough-guy Shawn Thornton dropped the gloves just eleven days later with Cooke to even the score at the TD Garden.

With Ott’s return and an anticipation of a physical game Thursday night, it begs the question — which one of these players is the biggest nemesis to the Bruins?

There is a lot of buzz surrounding this team and most of it involves rookie sensation Dougie Hamilton. The 19-year-old from Toronto has looked consistently solid throughout Boston’s first five games.

The rookie has registered four points on the year, despite going against many of the top lines in the league. Hamilton’s passing ability and hockey knowledge have been front and center early on in 2013, and his most recent games have arguably been his best. Wednesday night in Raleigh, Hamilton sent a beautiful feed through the slot to David Krejci, setting up the go-ahead goal in a 5-3 Bruins victory. However, he’s far from the only recent Bruins player to burst onto the scene with a strong rookie debut.

Two years ago, the city of Boston fell in love with another rookie, Tyler Seguin. The No. 2 overall pick for the Bruins in 2010 made his impact very early. In just his second start for the eventual Stanley Cup champion Bruins, Seguin scored his first career goal. That goal also helped seal the first victory of the year for Boston — a 3-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes. Seguin would continue his strong performance with assists in two of his next three games and eventually finish with 22 points during his rookie season. Seguin’s real presence was felt in the Eastern Conference Finals, when he netted three goals in the first two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Another Bruins player who got off to a fast start is current goaltender Tuukka Rask. Tuukka finally got a crack at a starting job during the 2009-2010 season when Tim Thomas was pestered with a hip injury. Rask got his first victory with a 4-3 shootout win over the New York Islanders. He would go on to start the season 3-1-1, including a shutout win over the Edmonton Oilers. Rask had an impressive .925 save percentage in his first five starts and stopped 28 shots in a win over the rival Buffalo Sabres. Rask would keep his job throughout the regular season, appearing in 45 games and finishing with an impressive 22-12-5 overall record with only a 1.97 GAA.

With Hamilton’s recent success it poses the question — which recent Boston rookie has been most impressive  through his first five games?

Photo via Facebook/Boston Bruins

With the new year comes new expectations, and for this team, those expectations are high. Two years removed from raising the Stanley Cup, and one year since a first-round playoff exit, the B’s are looking to get back on track — and quickly, considering they have just 48 games to prove their worth before the playoffs.

The biggest question looming for the Bruins this season is likely residing between the pipes — how will Tuukka Rask react to being the team’s No. 1 goaltender? While Rask’s numbers have been strong when backing up Tim Thomas, Boston will be leaning on the 25-year-old heavily in 2013 as Thomas sits the year out.

However, there are plenty of other facets of the Bruins’ game that could determine how far they go. Tyler Seguin is carrying some lofty expectations as he embarks on his third year in the NHL, and many expect the 20-year-old to take his place among the league’s best forwards after a stellar season in Europe during the lockout.

Another issue that has plagued the Bruins in the past is the team’s penchant for struggling on the power play. Special teams might be more important than ever with the shortened season putting points at a premium. With coach Claude Julien reportedly ready to shuffle some players around on the attack, some improvement on the power play could pay big dividends for the B’s. Of course, due to the shortened training camps and the long lockout, teams might be struggling with injuries more than ever as the cramped schedule takes its toll on the players. Staying healthy and keeping players on the ice might have more to do with the Bruins’ success in 2013 than anything the coach could scheme up.

Tune in to NESN on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m. ET for complete coverage of the Bruins’ season-opening game against the Rangers.

Although the season will be an abbreviated one due to the NHL lockout, the goal is still the same: to raise the Stanley Cup at the end of the season. The Bruins did just that two seasons ago, but the question is now whether they can do it again.

Boston certainly looks to have the talent to make a serious run coming out of the Eastern Conference, bolstered by stars like Zdeno Chara and Tyler Seguin. However, there are also some question marks on the roster, perhaps none bigger than how Tuukka Rask will respond to being handed the full-time starting duties in net.

However, if Rask can put up the kind of number he already has as a backup, the Bruins should be among the best teams in the East, and anything less than a championship will feel like a disappointment.

So, where do you think the Bruins will rank at the end of the year?

Tune in to NESN on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m. ET for complete coverage of the Bruins’ season-opening game against the Rangers.

Last season, Boston rolled to its second straight Northeast Division crown, clearing the surprising Ottawa Senators by ten points. This time around, with the rest of the division bulking up to challenge the Bruins, it’s going to take plenty to come out on top in the Northeast.

The aforementioned Senators won’t be able to sneak up on anyone this time around after earning the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference a year ago. Led by captain Daniel Alfredsson and Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson, Ottawa will be out to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke.

In the same vein, Montreal will look to prove 2011-12 was just an anomaly, after finishing in last place of the East. The Canadiens have a new coach in Michel Therrien and are hoping he will be able to right the ship in Quebec to restore the Habs’ former glory.

Elsewhere in Canada, the Maple Leafs’ biggest move this offseason was firing general manager Brian Burke. After a hot start to last season evaporated down the stretch, Toronto might benefit from a shortened schedule and a newfound urgency generated by the team’s new ownership.

And speaking of urgency, the Sabres rallied down the stretch but ultimately came up short in their quest to make the postseason last year. Will 2013 see them making a run at the Bruins, the same way Milan Lucic did Ryan Miller once upon a time? Only time will tell.

Many hockey fans, while thrilled that we’ll actually have a season despite a lengthy lockout, are a bit skeptical of the 48-game slate. After all, it could open the door for some mediocre teams to limp into the playoffs, or it could mean a few of the more talented teams end up watching the postseason from home because they failed to get off to a hot start.

Regardless of where you stand, though, there is interesting question that’ll come from all of this. Is the usual 82-game NHL schedule too long?

More hockey is usually considered a good thing, because, well, who doesn’t love some hard-nosed NHL action? But considering the intensity with which teams will likely play this season, it’s hard not to wonder whether the league would be better off with a shorter season. Less games means more important games, especially within the divisions, and it also means the league’s stars could remain healthier before embarking on what is already a grind of a postseason.

On the other hand, more hockey means more thrills, more revenue and more chances to go out and support your favorite team. So what side of the fence are you on as we get ready to kick off another exciting year of puck?

David Krejci

Last year, Krejci tallied 62 points centering the Bruins’ first line, and head coach Claude Julien will likely look to the 26-year-old to fill the role again this season. While the center showed a propensity for filling up the stat sheet in years past, however, the well-balanced Bruins have a stable of veterans who will no doubt challenge the playmaking Krejci for the team’s points crown.

Tyler Seguin led the Bruins in points and goals last season, scoring 29 times while also recording 38 assists for 67 total points. Linemate and Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron was hot on his heels though, with 22-42-64 totals of his own. Of course, Brad Marchand would need to be in any conversation about top scorers, after finishing second on the team in goals during the 2011-12 season.

With Nathan Horton back in the fold and healthy again, the Bruins will have one of their best scorers back on the ice as well. Similarly, Rich Peverley will be back at full strength after dealing with injuries for much of last season.

The Bruins should once again be one of the most balanced teams in the NHL this season, and hopefully that translates into plenty of high-scoring players. When all is said and done, who do you think will end up on top of the leaderboard?

Hamilton played in the Ontario Hockey League throughout the fall and was just as good as everyone expected. Now, with the NHL season about to get under way this month, plenty of Bruins fans are wondering whether Hamilton is ready to make waves with the pro club. The defensive whiz, who was drafted ninth overall in 2011, is considered strong enough to make the jump for good this season.

While Hamilton certainly has the talent, the real question is where he fits in with the Bruins’ plan of attack for this season. The B’s are welcoming back blue-liners Zdeno Chara, Andrew Ference, Johnny Boychuk, Adam McQuaid and Dennis Seidenberg, and defenseman Aaron Johnson has also been added to the club. With a shortened season and plenty of games in fewer days, the Bruins could use the extra manpower, but whether Hamilton will be able to make a dent is a major question.

Then again, just as youngster Tyler Seguin helped lift the B’s to Stanley Cup glory in his first season, Hamilton could be a great addition to this year’s team.

How do you think he’ll fit in?