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About Graig Woodburn

Graig Woodburn began covering the NHL in 1983. From 1999-2009 he covered the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings for the Press-Enterprise in suburban Los Angeles, including the Ducks' run to the 2003 Stanley Cup finals and their 2007 championship. He also has provided extensive NHL coverage for The Associated Press and various Sporting News publications. Woodburn grew up playing hockey in Ipswich.

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MOST RECENT COLUMNS
06/26/10 02:41 EST
LOS ANGELES -- They may not always have shown a lot of zip on the ice, but there has been no shortage of intensity with the Bruins’ offseason game. Friday represented the culmination of a hectic but highly decisive stretch. Since their heartbreaking end to the season, the Bruins have: --Re-signed potential unrestricted defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and Johnny Boychuk; --Retained enforcer Shawn Thornton, signing him to a two-year extension before he could reach free agency; --Traded mercurial defender Dennis Wideman for young goal scorer Nathan Horton and grinder Gregory Campbell; --Then convinced Mark Recchi to return for a 22nd NHL season. With potential franchise player Tyler Seguin added to the mix via the No. 2 pick on Friday, it’s time to take stock as to where these moves leave a team that was last seen wobbling dazed and confused after squandering a 3-0 series advantage and a 3-0 Game 7 lead to the Philadelphia Flyers. There is no doubt that adding Horton and Seguin
06/05/10 10:59 EST
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In a perfect black and gold world, defenseman Dennis Seidenberg was set to recover from a lacerated forearm and return to the Bruins lineup in time for the Stanley Cup Finals. Had the Bruins avoided squandering a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers and then managed to skate past the Montreal Canadiens in the conference finals, they would be battling the Chicago Blackhawks for the Cup this week and Seidenberg would be right there with them. Well, let’s just say that plan didn’t actually work out like anyone hoped. There may not be a ready blueprint from recovering from an epic playoff collapse such as befell the Bruins, but GM Peter Chiarelli has wasted no time doing his part to put key pieces of the B’s house back in order. Chiarelli and the Bruins locked Seidenberg, a potential unrestricted free agent, into a four-year contract Saturday. The reported $13 million deal will come with a reasonable $3.25 million annual salary cap and should initially assure the Bruins
05/19/10 08:24 EST
Tim Thomas said he is going to think about it. So should the Bruins. As the B’s gathered their individual equipment and prepared to depart for the summer Tuesday, Thomas told the media horde in the Bruins locker room he is going to take some time to sort out his season and his future. There is plenty to think about. Less than a year ago, Thomas was receiving the greatest honor someone in his profession can achieve when he was awarded the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL. Now, many folks would claim he’s not the even the best goalie on his team. With Tuukka Rask emerging as the Bruins starter late in the season and through the playoffs, there’s been plenty of speculation Rask represents the present and future promise of the team and Thomas should be traded. The argument gathers force when buttressed by the fact Thomas has three years left on a $20 million contract with a $5 million annual salary cap hit. The plan would be to trade the Thomas, and in
05/15/10 01:12 EST
The Bruins are indeed history. Done. Gone. In a night of hockey that was as exhilarating as it was cruel, the Flyers completed a historic and highly resilient comeback with a 4-3 victory over the Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals before a shocked crowd at TD Garden Friday. As quickly as you can say, “Let’s build a 3-0 lead, blow a 3-0 lead, build a 3-0 lead, blow a 3-0 lead,” a postseason with unexpected hopes and promise is over. The Flyers now advance to play the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Bruins take their place along side the 1942 Detroit Red Wings and the 1975 Pittsburgh Penguins as the only NHL teams that have squandered a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series. It didn’t have to be that way. There will be plenty for the Bruins and their fans to ponder in the coming weeks, but figuring out what exactly led to the team’s epic hockey meltdown should involve considerable blame landing at the Bruins



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Andy Brickley, NESN: Go w…

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