A year removed from their valiant first round exit against the hated, number one seeded, Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins were expected to do great things in 2008/2009. They put together a great, although ultimately disappointing season, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in 7 games. The season wasn't a total loss, as three B's picked up prestigious awards from the NHL yesterday in Las Vegas:
Tim Thomas: Vezina Trophy for most outstanding goaltender
Timmy brought the Vezina home as the first Bruins winner since 1982/1983. He played outstanding all season, with a 2.10 GAA, .933 save percentage, 36 wins, and 5 shutouts. He was the single greatest reason for the team's success this season.
Zdeno Chara: Norris Memorial Trophy for most outstanding defenseman
Big Z won his first Norris Trophy, which was the first for the Bruins since Bourque in 1993/1994, over perennial winner Nicklas Lidstrom. The captain of the Bruins, Chara anchored the blue line, played a ton of minutes, had a good +/-, and was fifth on the team in points.
Claude Julien: Jack Adams Award for most outstanding coach
Julien arrived in Boston two years ago after being unceremoniously dumped by the Devils' front office, despite leading them to the second-best record in the East. Well, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Julien has proved himself to be one of the top coaches in the league after the success he's had with the relative lack of talent given to him.
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