Game 7 Preview: I wonder if Dennis Seidenberg and Marco Sturm are offended by "The Kraut Line"?

So yeah the Leafs are coming to town but more importantly it's Milt Schmidt Night. Milt Schmidt started playing for the Bruins in 1936 at the age of 18. Yeah, that was a hell of a long time ago. Pre-WWII. If anyone reading this is that old, congrats. Anyhow, he played 18 regular-season games that year, coming up halfway through the year to play alongside childhood friends Bobby Bauer and Woody Dumart. The latest he could have started would have been January 7th, 1937, though if he sat a game or two for injury then maybe it was earlier. Regardless, Howard Hughes was setting speed records for flying across America when Milt stepped in as a rookie. Not too long after that, Milt and friends (including such greats as Eddie Shore, Dit Clapper, and Favorite-of-the-Blog and Pride of Eveleth, MN Frank "Mr. Zero" Brimsek.Got together and won a couple of cups before WWII started and the Bruins dynasty was broken up to fight the Nazis. Kind of a bummer, yes, but a worthy cause. All in all, I hope it's a great little ceremony to celebrate the career of the only person to ever be Captain, Coach, and GM of the Boston Bruins.

Here's some more reading:

Greatest Hockey Legends on Tonight

In 2000, The Hockey News assembled 50 hockey experts to definitively rank the top players of all time. Milt Schmidt came in at number 27, ahead of the likes of Paul Coffey, Henri Richard, Bryan Trottier, Patrick Roy and Boom Boom Geoffrion.

Greatest Hockey Legends on Milt Schmidt

Schmidt was 28 years old by the time he returned [from the war]. Many other NHL players had difficulty starting their careers again, but Schmidt actually seemed a better player after missing more than three seasons.

Hockey Hall of Fame on Milt Schmidt

"He was the one who gave us the name, the 'Kraut Line.' He said, 'All you fellas come from Kitchener/Waterloo. There's a lot of people of German descent from there. We gotta get a name for ya - the Kraut Line!' We didn't mind. It was a name that kinda stuck to us."

Bruins.nhl.com tribute to Milt Schmidt the Veteran

Milt Schmidt, 88, is still a Bruin at heart and watches the B's on television and visits the Garden whenever he can. He has an overwhelming affection for Boston and Bruins fans in particular, and would talk to you for hours about his many fine days playing, coaching and managing the Boston Bruins. Milt remains the only person in Bruins history to play, captain, coach and serve as general manager of the club.

Anyhow there's also a game to be played. We're welcoming the Toronto Maple Leafs, currently sitting second in the division behind Montreal. What? Yup.

(blah blah blah Kessel trade blah blah blah)

Timmy Time

Thomas v. Gustafsson in nets per Left Wing Lock. Thomas has been playing out of his mind this year so far, here's hoping that continues.

Here's a picture saved a little while ago called "LeafFansAreCrazy.jpg"

Yup, they're nuts.

Good folks for the most part, though, what with the hating the Habs. I heartily endorse Pension Plan Puppets for your Toronto Maple Leafs blog needs.

Stats!

Bruins have statistical advantage in a lot of categories except "record." Unfortunately that's the one that decides everything.

GO BRUINS!

My Favorite Player I Never Saw: Frank Brimsek

Frank "Mr. Zero" Brimsek is my favorite NHL player that I never actually saw play.  He passed away in 1998 at the age of 85.  May he Rest In Peace.

The first American to get inducted to the NHL Hall of Fame, Brimsek started his rookie season by getting 6 shutouts in 8 games and then immediately backstopped the Bruins to two Stanley Cups, in 1939 and 1941.  When the United States entered WWII, he joined the Coast Guard.  He played for the USCG Cutters, who added him to their FAQs.

After the war, Brimsek wasn't nearly the goalie he was before.  Then again, let's see you go through war and come back the same.

Minnesota has a "Frank Brimsek Award" for the best high school hockey goalies.  He made the Sports Illustrated All-Time American All-Star team, and is the only player on the list who didn't play in the 80s.  He also made it onto their list of the top-20 American-born, american-developed hockey players.  And he did it all looking like this:

Whatta guy.

Here's some spots to learn more about Mr. Zero around the web:

• Wikipedia: Points out that the Bruins haven't retired the number 1, despite both Tiny Thompson and Frank Brimsek wearing it well throughout the early history of the Bruins.  Perhaps this would have been different were Frank or Tiny still alive today.
  
• The Hockey Hall of Fame: "Brimsek was a classic standup goalie whose confidence on the ice threw off many a shooter. On breakaways and penalty shots he would often lean back calmly against his net as the foe approached. But he was not a passive figure while guarding his cage - Brimsek used his custom-made heavy stick to knock the puck off opposition sticks or to take the feet out from under someone who took too many liberties around his goal."
• He's buried in Calvary Cemetary, in Minnesota.
• Joe Pelletier: The Hockey History Blogger does his thing.
• HockeyGoalies.org: "The kid had the fastest hands I ever saw - like lightning." (Art Ross, Boston Bruins, 1938)

GO BRUINS!