Patrice Bergeron skated before practice the past two days.
There is no official update on the center's status, but this is a good sign - especially skating two days in a row. Bergeron suffered a serious concussion on December 20 and has been sidelined since. He missed almost all of last season with post-concussion symptoms.
Source: Boston Herald

So scary that two straight days of ANY skating is a big deal. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later of course.

Tim Thomas gives Andrei Kostitsyn an upclose and peraonal view of his blocker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KAE-ZCJhg

Quote: Originally Posted By beezhockey on 1/13/2009Why the hell is Versus not included in the NHL Center Ice package on Dish?

They don't want to buy a station owned by Comcast.

Versus gets exclusive rights in the US to the games they show. That's why you can only watch it on Versus, and not on Center Ice. Hopefully, when their contract is up, the games can go back onto ESPN.

I understand Versus gets the exclusive rights, but as a paying customer for Center Ice, I think the games should be unblocked as part of the package. They can keep all their bullriding and other shows. It seems like extremely poor marketing to not allow your target audience access to your nationally contracted broadcasts. In order to get Versus, I am required to have the $100+ package on Dish with a large portion of channels I would never watch, to be able to watch a handful of games. Dish can easily unlock NESN for the Center Ice package for only the Bruins games (I don't get to see the pre-game or post-game) why could the same not be done for Versus games?

While I am at it, I see the NBA is allowing their package buyers free access to watch games online also. NHL still charges for that service, even of Center Ice subscribers. It would be a good move to follow that lead.

Perhaps you don't understand what "exclusive rights" means. It means that they are the only ones who can show it. It means it can't be shown anywhere else. In baseball, when the Red Sox are on ESPN, the ESPN feed gets blacked out here in New England, because NESN has "exclusive rights" to Red Sox games in the Boston market.

I get it on DirecTV as part of the Sports pack, which is only $12 a month extra - no need for a $100 package. Maybe you should change providers.

I live in Pennsylvania, the only way I can get the Bruins feed from NESN is to subscribe to Center Ice. If I subscibe to their regional sports packages, the games are blacked out.

I understand "exclusive rights". I am not saying the games should be broadcast by another outlet, what I am saying is as part of the NHL's Center Ice package the Versus feed should be included.

Center Ice, as part of its package, can't just include the Versus feed, it would require an agreement between Versus and Center Ice. Since Versus has the exclusive rights to the games, they would dictate the terms of the agreement. Center Ice isn't going to just pick up the games for free, they'd expect some sort of compensation; but since Versus has a very small market share, and hockey is one of their biggest money makers (one of the others is the Tour de France), they're probably not willing to give up any of their revenue. So, you won't be seeing the Versus feed on NHL Center Ice any time soon.

The B's are an unstoppable force!!

NHL gives those "exclusive rights" to Versus for a fee. Part of the negotiation process should include providing that coverage in the Center Ice package that the NHL also has a hand in. It is simply poor marketing on the NHL's part, not that is anything new.

ISE GOTZ BANNEDZ!!

Anyway, giant 1-0 shutout today by TUUKKA!!! Kid stood on his head all game and a great effort by all!

It's funny that the trio of returning forwards actually mixed up the timing of the front lines. Again how ironic compared to last season that we have "too many forwards".

Hell, today Hunwick sat with an "undisclosed injury". Yah, it's called having 7 D-men playing well.

High times indeed.

Wheeler's hat trick and Young Stars MVP.

Chara's win and record in the hardest shot.

Tim Thomas with a shutout shootout and 2nd straight AS Game win.

Savard with 3 fancy assists playing with Alex and Heatley.

The Jersey game was a slight letdown, but chalk that one up to the Devils being absolutely on fire right now.

Keep it going boys!

It is different to see such a "quiet" goalie in the net. Thomas is always running around and Manny is always on his knees flailing his arms around.

Naw, those gawd-awful jerseys that Montreal had on had much more stripes than Ernie's sweater