The Boston Bruins Alumni Affiliation has assembled a stacked lineup for his or her marquee matchup with the Warrior For Life Fund at Warrior Ice Area on Dec. 7.
The Bruins Alumni lineup contains 2011 Stanley Cup champions Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Mark Recchi, Dennis Seidenberg, Johnny Boychuk, Shawn Thornton, Gregory Campbell, Adam McQuaid, Tuukka Rask, Andrew Ference and Tim Thomas. Retired NHL gamers who sported the Spoked-B throughout their profession — Kevan Miller, Andrew Alberts, PJ Inventory, Mark Mowers, Bryan Smolinski and Tim Schaller – will even play within the sport.
When Bruins Alumni president Frank Simonetti began placing collectively the roster with Miller’s assist, he knew this was a sport he wouldn’t be enjoying in.
“Two years in the past, we had (Ray) Bourque, Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, Andrew Alberts and Zdeno Chara as defensemen, and I used to be on the ice with them,” Simonetti informed NESN.com. “I have a look at that photograph, and I say to myself, ‘Who doesn’t belong right here?’ Like that outdated Sesame Road, one in all these items doesn’t belong collectively in order that went via my head.
“I need extra folks to take pleasure in this. I don’t need to be on the ice to take pleasure in it. And I’m comfortable to be a part of the group that pulls it collectively.”
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Alberts wasn’t enjoying for the Bruins when the Authentic Six franchise gained the Cup in 2011. He was a member of the group Boston beat — the Vancouver Canucks.
“I used to be joking round with Frank. I’m like, ‘Frankie, what are you attempting to do right here?” Alberts stated to NESN.com. “He’s like, ‘It’s a 2011 reunion.’ And, I’m like, ‘I do know, however I used to be on the flawed finish of that.”
The sport will characteristic a handful of debuts for the Bruins Alumni, together with Recchi.
Recchi participated within the Bruins Basis golf match earlier than the 2024-25 marketing campaign bought underway and informed Simonetti he would “like to play.”
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“I knew they had been going to attempt to get as lots of the 2011 guys collectively to return in and play,” Recchi informed NESN.com. “I believed it will be actually enjoyable as a result of we haven’t had an opportunity to all get collectively too typically.”
Since saying his retirement from the NHL in 2016, Ference has appeared in a couple of alumni video games for the Edmonton Oilers and can make his debut with the Bruins Alumni within the Dec. 7 matchup, not solely as a member of the Black and Gold but additionally as a face of the NHL Basis.
“It’s superior. I can’t wait, and this one is fairly neat,” Ference informed NESN.com. “It is a massive deal to associate with Warrior For Life. After I was enjoying in Boston, one in all my greatest mates down there was an Military Ranger. So, simply figuring out what the service guys undergo … I used to be positively uncovered to a number of the realities of what they take care of. So, it is a cool one. It is a good one to step in on.”
As for the Warrior For Life roster, captain Ryan Croley is probably not stacking his lineup with retired NHL gamers however with a gaggle of lively responsibility and retired Navy SEALs.
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“I’m going to be within the lineup on the fourth line, grinding it out,” Croley informed NESN.com. “I’m 54 years outdated, and I can nonetheless play. However for the sport, the precise sport, I’m bringing the most effective lineup can. Particularly, on this scenario, proper? However, have a look at the road we’re enjoying towards. I’m going to stack the perfect group that I can towards them.”
