The Boston Bruins have been under relentlous scrutony this year. Bruins fans from all over the country along with NHL broadcasters and writers feel that this is the most underachieving team in the NHL this year.

Let's recap, this is the team that thought in their they mind and most of the medias mind made their team the strongest in the NHL this past offseason after the new league rules were set in place. After the salary cap being set at a low number the Bruins had some thinking to do. Do we re-sign our rookie of the year Andrew Raycroft? Do we re-sign our best defensemen Nick Boynton? Our top line threat Sergei Samsonov? Or how about our captain Joe Thornton? All this along side many free agents they would need to sign in order to fill the roster space.

And what great acquistions the Bruins made in the off-season. They signed Alex Zhamnov and Brian Leetch. They traded for players like Brad Isbister, Dave Scatchard, and old friend Shawn McEachern. Bruins fans were ecstatic, some of the most avid hockey fans aside from major markets Montreal, Toronto and Detroit, the fans felt like they had a Stanley Cup contender. Wrong.

The season didn't even start well for this team. They had signed Samsonov, Thornton and Raycroft but Boynton was still holding out. Alex Zhamnov immediatly went down with an injury and with the handful of rookies on the team the leadership went downhill. With Thornton always being under pressure from the Boston fans to win a Stanley Cup, let alone get out of the first round, the fans felt like this was the year. That's kind of a reoccuring phrase in Boston isn't it?

Two months into the season the Bruins, sitting at 8-13-5 decided to make a drastic move. GM Mike O'Connell decided to trade their most beloved but at the same time scrutonized player, Joe Thornton. Thornton never lived up to the hype and was never the player he was expected to be. Thornton, a 1st overall pick in the 1998 draft was sent packing to San Jose to be with fellow draftee Patrick Marleau. In return the Bruins got nothing, honestly, if Bruins fans feel like this trade is going to change their franchise, their wrong. Along with the sudden emergence of Hannu Toivonen, the Bruins have basically benched Andrew Raycroft. Another good investment by the Bruins. Mike O'Connell has changed this team from the most underachieving team in the NHL into the worst team in the NHL.

Let's consider this a calling out party for the Bruins. Thank you G.M. Mike O'Connell for tearing this team apart. You've been here for years but we can't make it out of the first round, and no trade for second rate players is going to change that. Thank you Sergei Samsonov for never becoming the player you were meant to be. Thank you Glenn Murray for not putting up the numbers this year like you did last year. Thank you Andrew Raycroft for becoming a dud after being a stud in your rookie campaign. And finally, thank you Coach Sullivan, without you none of this would be possible. Happy two and half month of underachievage Boston Bruins.