ESPN

BOSTON -- The exact date for the start of the 2013-2014 Boston Bruins training camp is not set yet, but it will fall sometime in the first week of September.

With only nine weeks separating the Bruins loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals and the start of next season, there's not a lot of time for players to rest and properly prepare for camp.

It's actually a couple of weeks shorter than when the Bruins won the Cup in 2011. The only thing the Bruins have going for them this time around is the fact that there will be less celebrating this summer.

"Partying is a lot more fun than feeling really disappointed the last couple of days," said Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, who added with a laugh, "We're going to win [next season] because the partying isn't too hard on us."

While the Blackhawks will enjoy the summer with the Stanley Cup, the Bruins will heal their wounds and rest their aching bodies in an attempt to regroup for another successful season.

"Well, the main concern would be the health of the players," said team president Cam Neely. "And fortunately, aside from a few guys, which you've all heard about, we weren't as banged up as you possibly could be, with the shortened season and the compressed schedule and then really the battle you go through in the playoffs. Certainly there's a strong learning curve for the guys from 2011 to this year, there won't be as much celebration during the offseason as there was in 2011, so the guys will do a really good job of resting, recovering, their therapy and obviously keeping themselves in great shape and getting into training camp. And I know our coaching staff will do a really great job during training camp and exhibition games to manage their schedules as best as possible, so we're as fresh as we can be for the regular season."

Bruins forward Milan Lucic understands now what is expected with a short summer before camp begins. He and his teammates dealt with that proverbial Stanley Cup "hangover" two seasons ago, and not everyone was prepared once the lockout ended last January.

This time around, the Bruins plan on being focused and ready for September.

"It's definitely a different feeling because two years ago we won and this year we didn't," Lucic said. "We talked about being hungry, and the focus on making yourself better is definitely there more now because you didn't win. For myself, I know I'm going to be putting a lot of time and preparation into my offseason to get myself mentally and physically ready for a full 82-game schedule with a new division. With more travel, going to every city now, your rest is real important."

Bruins forward Brad Marchand, who did not play overseas during the lockout, knows that when a team reaches the finals, the benefit of an extended break is not possible.

"They're tough to deal with because you've got to juggle with taking enough time off to recuperate and then having enough time to train for the next season. Especially with the summer being shorter than the last break, it's going to be tough to do," Marchand said. "We definitely need to sit down and focus on what our needs are this summer, whether it's rest or a little more training."

Despite all the injuries the Bruins dealt with this postseason and the fact that the puck didn't bounce their way, the idea of losing out on a chance to hoist their second Stanley Cup in a three-year span will be tough to accept in the coming months.

Still, Bruins coach Claude Julien ended the season by praising his players for the way they responded to adversity all season, even though they came up a bit short of their ultimate goal.

"You've got to give those guys a lot of credit for the way they battled," Julien said. "They're as disappointed as we are right now, and you realize that you get so many chances to accomplish what we tried to accomplish here. I think, knowing our players and what we'll have here next year, that you'll have a bunch of guys here that are going to remember how it felt, and they're going to be hungry to get another crack at it."

It won't be long before they get that chance.

BOSTON -- Bruins president Cam Neely knows what it’s like to play through pain.

His career was cut short due to a variety of injuries. So when he witnessed what Patrice Bergeron played through in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, Neely was in awe.

Bergeron suffered a broken rib and torn rib cartilage in Game 5 and separated his shoulder in Game 6 and went straight to the hospital after the game with a punctured lung. He was just released from the hospital Thursday.

“He’s doing well. He’s recovering. I mean, obviously with what Patrice went through to play Game 6 and then what happened to him during Game 6 certainly speaks volumes of Patrice as an athlete, as a human being, who has a compete level we like to have wearing our jersey,” Neely said. “So he’s been a big fabric of our organization for a number of years, and I know he’s recovering and doing well and will have a full recovery.”

BOSTON -- While Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli is prepared to begin contract negotiations with restricted free-agent goaltender Tuukka Rask, Bruins president Cam Neely is confident the sides will come to an agreement sooner than later.

“I know Pete will be meeting with his agent in the next couple of days to get an idea of what they’re thinking. Tuukka, hopefully, will be a big part of our organization for a long time, so we’ll see where that goes,” Neely said. “I know with the long season, and how late we ended up, there’s a lot that has to be done in a short amount of time.”

Ideally, the Bruins would like to have Rask signed to an extension prior to the free-agent period, which begins on July 5. If not, other teams can make Rask an offer sheet and the Bruins would have to match in order to retain his services.

Rask, 26, proved to be a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL this season and could be looking for $8.5 million per year for a seven- or eight-year contract.

Both Chiarelli and Rask’s agent, Bill Zito, will be at the NHL Draft this weekend in New Jersey in hopes of getting a deal done prior to July 5.

“If we can,” Neely said. “I think our players understand what we’re trying to do here. With the cap dipping a little bit next year, to be able to ice the team that we’d like to ice becomes a little bit of a challenge when everybody is looking for a bump, and I don’t blame them for looking for that. I think this is a great place to play, as a matter of fact I know it’s a great place to play and we have the backing of ownership to try to compete to win every year and our players know that. Hopefully there’s a common ground we can get to and I feel confident we can.”

Then there’s forward Nathan Horton.

He is an unrestricted free agent and is looking for a major payday. Chiarelli told the veteran forward during the team’s exit meetings Wednesday that he would like Horton to re-sign with the Bruins. Horton also said he would like to return to Boston.

“With him being unrestricted, certainly you want to have those conversations fairly quick and see where they’re at and where we’re at and need to be at, especially for next season,” Neely said. “That’s certainly pressing, but everything’s pressing right now.”

Neely’s not afraid to be critical of players and was asked whether or not he would like to see Horton remain with the Bruins.

“Nathan has done very well for us, especially in the playoffs,” Neely said. “He’s scored some big-time goals and has made a huge impact. We like the way that line plays and we certainly would like to have Nathan back, but this is a challenging year coming up with the cap dropping as much as it does.”

Boston’s top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Horton was inconsistent during the lockout-shortened, 48-game season. But once puck dropped on the Stanley Cup playoffs, that trio was the best in the league and produced as such. At one point during the playoffs, Bruins coach Claude Julien was asked why the sudden surge from the top line.

Julien admitted that sometimes elite players get “bored” during the regular season and it can be a challenge for them to stay motivated until they’re playing on the biggest stage.

Neely, a former player and Hall of Famer, was asked for his thoughts about those players’ inconsistencies during the regular season and whether or not there’s a fine line of allowing that to happen.

“That really comes from within. I think as a player you should set individual goals,” Neely said. “It’s a team game, but as a player you should set individual goals and strive for those goals during the regular season. But when you get to the playoffs, it all becomes about the team coming together hopefully at the right time.

“It is a long season, and you do play a lot of hockey but that hasn’t changed and if you set individual goals for yourself and then go out and try to achieve them 1) You’re going to improve as a player, and 2) You’re certainly going to help the team.”

The Bruins have built a perennial winner and despite the salary-cap constraints, Chiarelli has done well managing those issues and he’ll continue to try to keep a winning product on the ice.

“We want to be fair with everybody, and we just hope they enjoy playing here and enjoy the opportunity to win championships,” Neely said.

BOSTON -- After Boston Bruins ownership held their season-ending news conference Friday morning at TD Garden, team president Cam Neely explained how the organization would like to extend the contract of general manager Peter Chiarelli.

Chiarelli’s current contract will expire after the 2013-14 season. Under his guidance, the Bruins have reached the postseason in six of seven seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 and reaching the finals this season. He’s orchestrated trades to acquire goaltender Tuukka Rask and top draft picks that resulted in the selections of Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton, and he has built a roster with a solid mix of veterans and youth.

Chiarelli’s accomplishments haven’t gone unnoticed.

“Peter still has term [one year] on his contract, but I’ll be talking with him this offseason. We’ve actually started to talk, so he’s done a fantastic job here since he’s been here,” Neely said. “From when he came until now, there’s been a lot of player/personnel turnover, but we’ve kept the right guys and built from that.”

Even though there’s one season remaining on Chiarelli’s contract, the Bruins would like to lock him up for the long term.

“Ideally, yeah,” Neely said. “He deserves it. He’s done a really good job here. He’s a good GM.”

Bruins coach Claude Julien signed a multiyear extension with the team last summer. However, prior to the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, there was a lot of talk that if the Bruins lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, Julien might lose his job.

But en route to the team’s run to the finals, Chiarelli strongly stood behind his coach, saying that as long as he was the GM in Boston, Julien would be the coach.

Neely was asked about that “package deal” comment by Chiarelli and if the president felt the same way.

“That’s how he felt,” Neely said with a smile. “I think a lot of it had to do with the unfair heat Claude was getting this year. Claude has done a fantastic job. He’s made a lot of adjustments since he’s been here, but the one thing that has been constant is how he wants this team to play, and a lot of times it’s easy for people to say if the team’s not doing well that the coach has to go. But your players need to perform, too.”

When asked again if they're a package deal, Neel said: “I don’t think so. I mean, they’ve both done a great job since they’ve been together here, you can’t deny that -- they’ve done a really good job. You’d probably have to ask Pete that, how he feels about that year to year, if that’s how he feels. I talked to him about that, and he was just saying he was tired of the heat that Claude was getting, and I don’t blame him.”

The Chicago Blackhawks on Friday took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe, thanking the Boston Bruins for their hospitality and acknowledging the city’s spirit in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings in April.

The Blackhawks beat the Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals earlier in the week.

The ad read:

“Hockey is a tough game. As impressed as we were by the strength, talent, and competitive spirit of the Boston Bruins on the ice, we were deeply touched by what happened off the ice. Rarely have we experienced the hospitality you afforded us throughout the playoff series between two incredibly gifted teams.

“On behalf of the Chicago Blackhawks organization and the entire Wirtz Corporation, we want to personally express our heartfelt appreciation to your city, the Bruins organization, and especially, the citizens of Boston for the remarkable welcome you showed our team and the many Chicagoans who visited.

“From Boston’s political leadership to every member of the Bruins organization; from the players to the people on the street, you demonstrated respect, good sportsmanship, and a genuine love for the great game of hockey.

“Like the rest of the world, Chicagoans have been reminded in recent days of Boston’s strength. Please know we tip our hat to your city’s big heart and gracious spirit. You lead by example and have set the bar very high for others to follow.”

The ad was signed by Rocky Wirtz, chairman of the Wirtz Corporation, which owns the Blackhawks, and team president John McDonough.

This wasn’t the first gesture of good will to come from Chicago in the past couple of months. In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, the staff of the Chicago Tribune sent pizza to the newsroom staff at the Boston Globe as a tip of the cap for their comprehensive coverage of the tragedy.

And here's a video tribute to the Bruins' run to the Stanley Cup finals, put together and posted by the team:

ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald puts a bow on the Bruins' Stanley Cup finals run.

BOSTON -- Less than 48 hours after losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals, Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli already has informed defenseman Andrew Ference and forward Jaromir Jagr and Jay Pandolfo, all veteran free agents, that the team doesn’t intend to re-sign them.

Chiarelli also told free agents Tuukka Rask and top-line forward Nathan Horton that the team is interested in bringing them back. With the salary cap decreasing, Chiarelli needs to make salary cap space to bring Rask and Horton back on long-term deals.

The GM also said the team would not buy out any contracts.

The Bruins would like to have a new deal with Rask, who is a restricted free agent, by July 5, when the free-agency period begins and other teams are eligible to make him an offer. The Bruins would have to match another team’s offer in order to retain his services.

Horton, an unrestricted free agent, said he wants to remain in Boston, which would be just fine with Chiarelli.

“I’ve told him that I’d like him to come back,” Chiarelli said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

Horton will have surgery this offseason to repair a separated shoulder. His performance was inconsistent during the regular season, but he was a force in the playoffs, along with linemates Milan Lucic and David Krejci. Chiarelli called that trio “the best line in hockey” and wants to keep it together.

“When you make a decision to try and bring back guys that are on the eve of free agency, you’d like to think that you can make the right decision before the last possible moment,” Chiarelli said. “Usually, that’s what I try and do. There are so many balls in the air this year, and then with the cap going down. I try to be proactive on stuff and I try to get ahead of stuff, and this year it was too hard. It’s not the ideal way, but I’m going to try to push through it now.”

Horton said he would rather not discuss his contract status, but would like to return to Boston.

“I have enjoyed my time here,” he said. “Two out of the three years I’ve been here we’ve been in the Stanley Cup and we won one time. I’ve said a million times the guys in the room are amazing and it’s been a lot of fun. I really enjoy every player on the team.”

Ference spent seven seasons with the Bruins and was a leader on and off the ice. He became very involved in the community, but he realizes the business side of the game and knows the Bruins can’t afford his services.

“With the current cap, Peter’s not going to be able to keep me,” Ference said. “I wish it wasn’t so, but that’s the way it is.

“Even working through the [lockout negotiations] in New York, we’re lucky we got the cap to where we did,” Ference said. “[Chiarelli] would have had even more of a nightmare on his hands with trying to keep this team together. Obviously, throughout the year you prepare yourself for not being here. You hope things can work out, but myself and my family, we were prepared for it, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

“With the team we’ve had the last few years, I’ve been around this sport long enough to know that six straight years of playoffs, and to do with a bunch of guys that get along, with a coach we’ve been able to work with for as long as we’ve had it, it’s been an absolute blessing. So the hockey side of it is as good as you can get.”

Chiarelli said his conversation with Ference was a tough one.

“I spoke with him and told him that we wouldn’t be re-signing him and we kind of rehashed our history with the Bruins,” the GM said. “If you can recall, we brought him in my first year. He’s been part of this, what we’ve built here. The warrior-type of attitude and playing style for his size; as Claude talked about, the leadership. He’s been through seven years, basically, and you can’t say enough about his leadership and what he’s brought to our organization.”

Landing spots for Ference could include Pittsburgh, Toronto and the New York Rangers.

Jagr, 41 and a future Hall of Famer, would like to continue playing in the NHL but it won’t be in Boston. While he admitted Wednesday that he did not play up to his expectations, the Bruins were pleased with his contributions after acquiring him from the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline.

“I thought it was really good. I don’t think Jaromir would say that because, you guys have talked to him, he always felt that he could have given us more,” Chiarelli said. “I told him today, I said, ‘Jaromir, what you did to wear the D down was very impressive.’ I said, ‘I know you didn’t score, but the plays that you made, the timely plays that you made, I thought were terrific.’ I thought he spread out our power play, which helped our power play. I was real happy with Jaromir. I thought he really helped that cause.”

On Wednesday, Jagr said he was still sad the team lost Game 6 and admitted he suffered a back injury in that game that forced him to miss the second period. But he says he has more hockey in him.

“I want do it, for sure,” he said. “I love this game so much and I don’t want to go back to Czech yet. I’ll tell you now, I don’t know where but I’ll have to wait and see. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

BOSTON -- It wasn't the usual injury list given on break-up day, as the Bruins wanted to avoid making excuses for failing to win the Stanley Cup. Besides informing the media that Patrice Bergeron was hospitalized after Game 6 with a small hole in his lung -- in addition to the cracked rib, torn rib cartilage and separated shoulder he was already suffering from -- general manager Peter Chiarelli told reporters that Nathan Horton will need surgery on a dislocated shoulder and that captain Zdeno Chara was battling a "pretty potent" hip flexor injury. We also already knew that Gregory Campbell had surgery for a broken leg.

Here's a look at the other notable injuries that were revealed on Wednesday by the players:

Dennis Seidenberg -- Hamstring
Jaromir Jagr -- Head and back
Wade Redden -- Shoulder


As the summer moves on, other injuries or surgeries may be revealed, but as of now, besides those mentioned, the rest of the team was dealing with the normal wear and tear of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

BOSTON -- Now that the season is over, Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli’s top priority will be to sign goaltender Tuukka Rask to a long-term contract.

The sides tabled talks of a contract extension once the lockout-shortened season began last January, and discussions are expected to begin in the coming days.

“I’m going to see Pete right now so maybe I’ll have it signed by this afternoon,” Rask said with a smile, while speaking with the media during the team’s exit day Wednesday at TD Garden.

In 22 games during the Stanley Cup playoffs, Rask posted a 14-8 record with a 1.88 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. The 26-year-old netminder also posted three shutouts in the postseason. Overall in 2013, Rask was 19-10-5 with a 2.00 GAA and a .929 save percentage, including five shutouts.

Rask should receive a major payday, upwards of $60 million for at least seven years. Chiarelli would not go into details of a potential deal, only saying he expects it done soon.

“Well, you’d like to get everything done quickly,” Chiarelli said. “I don’t know if I’ll have that luxury, but certainly I’ll try just so you have your certainty on your team and cap and all that. He’s obviously had a terrific playoff and we’d like to get him done as soon as we can.”

Since Rask is a restricted free agent, the Bruins should have him locked up before the free-agency period opens on July 5 and other teams can make him an offer sheet, which the Bruins would have to match in order to retain him.

Rask has no intentions of playing elsewhere and wants to remain in Boston.

“That would be an ideal situation to play here forever,” Rask said. “I hope we can make that happen.”

A year ago, Rask and the Bruins agreed on a one-year deal that paid him $3.5 million. He proved his worth this season and has earned a long-term deal.

“I don’t think I have to answer those questions anymore,” he said. “I played good and proved to everybody again I was capable of doing it. You look at the numbers, they’re good. If I analyze my game by how I felt throughout the year, I thought it was a great year.”

Unlike the majority of his teammates, Rask finished the season relatively healthy.

“I was 100 percent. I felt really good,” he said. “Actually, I felt better and better as the playoffs went on. Maybe I was a little bit surprised by that, but I’m really happy I was able to feel that way.”

Still, losing in the Cup finals to the Chicago Blackhawks was a painful blow.

“Pretty brutal, still. It sucks,” Rask said. “We’ll move on. I’ll try to enjoy the summer and not focus on hockey.”

Rask also said Wednesday that his name is on the Finnish roster for next winter’s Olympics if the IOC and the NHL agree to have players participate.

BOSTON -- Bruins assistant captain Patrice Bergeron has been hospitalized since the end of Game 6 with a small puncture in his lung.

Bergeron is also suffering from a cracked rib, torn rib cartilage and a separated shoulder.
It is unclear how and when the puncture occurred.

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli first said the puncture was the result of a nerve block procedure Bergeron had done to decrease pain from a cracked rib so he could play in Game 6. Later, Chiarelli and head coach Claude Julien estimated that the lung puncture occurred after Game 6 on Monday night.

"I don’t think he could have played if it happened during the game," Chiarelli said. "I just, I don’t. I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think he could have played if it happened. He was aware of the risk going into it.

“I don’t know exactly what had happened, but he couldn’t have played if it had happened during the game, so it may have happened after," Chiarelli said. "We caught it and it was like he had a pain in his lung and we brought him to the hospital."

On the nerve block procedure, Chiarelli said: “It was for the cartilage. So there’s a freezing type of procedure, the nerve block, that Patrice opted to do so he could play in the game.”

Chiarelli acknowledged the seriousness of Bergeron’s lung injury.

"Any time anyone gets frozen up, they’re at risk,” Chiarelli said. “Not for future injury, but from a pain perspective, and certainly he was at risk from the lung perspective, but it was a small puncture and he’s fine now."

There was no timetable on his recovery or when he will be released from the hospital.
Prior to that announcement at the beginning of Chiarelli's and Julien's season-ending press conference, Bergeron's teammates were still in awe of what he went through.

"I didn't really know all that he was dealing with but I knew he was in a lot of pain," goalie Tuukka Rask said. "But to see him go out there and battle through it like that with one lung I guess, it's unbelievable and I don't really know how to describe it."

Winger Milan Lucic also expressed his admiration for his teammate.

"Just his willingness to play in that game and to leave it all out there is really impressive," Lucic said. "Playing through what he played through and his will to win. And that’s why he’s basically won every trophy a guy can win, that’s why he’s one of our main leaders in this hockey club. He’s shown how important of a player he is. And it was pretty inspirational to see him suck it up and play Game 6, and I think that’s why we had such a great start. Hopefully he can get some much-needed rest here and heal up his injury 100 percent too, so he’s ready to go next year."

Bergeron finished the playoffs with nine goals and 15 points in 22 games.

BOSTON -- Fresh off their Game 6 loss to the champion Chicago Blackhawks Monday night at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins have to turn their attention quickly to the 2013-2014 season.

The players were given Tuesday off but need to return to work Wednesday for their annual exit meetings with management and the coaching staff before packing their bags and heading home for the summer.

Owner Jeremy Jacobs and team president Cam Neely will hold their annual season-ending press conference on Friday and general manager Peter Chiarelli will be in New Jersey this weekend for the NHL Draft.

So, with the new season just 13 weeks away, here are the issues on top of Chiarelli’s to do list this offseason:

1. It’s Tuukka time (to cash in): Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask proved he can be a No. 1 goaltender in this league with the way he performed the entire season, especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The 26-year-old netminder is a restricted free agent and is expected to get a big payday from the Bruins this summer. Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne currently has a seven-year, $49 million contract, while New York Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist has a six-year, $41.25 millon deal. Rask should earn more than both, with the lowest figure starting at $8.5 per year and a longer-term contract. A seven-year, $60 million deal isn’t out of the question.

2. Bring back Horton?: Bruins forward Nathan Horton is an unrestricted free agent and is also looking for a big contract. He would like to remain in Boston but the Bruins probably wouldn’t offer him the kind of contract he’s looking for. If he’s comfortable here and wants to remain here, he would have to accept a discounted deal to stay in a Bruins sweater. Horton played the entire postseason with a shoulder injury, and with his concussion history, it could be a tough sell for any organization to give him a lucrative, long-term deal. What the Bruins should focus on, however, is Horton’s chemistry with linemates David Krejci and Milan Lucic as a reason to re-sign him.

3. Ference’s future: Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference is the only other UFA on the roster, and like Horton, he also wants to remain in Boston. He’s a leader and a big part of the community. Given his experience and leadership, other organizations would like to sign a player like Ference. Don’t be surprised if the Bruins let him sign elsewhere, especially with the young core of defensemen in the Bruins organization to take his place.

4. Locking up Bergeron: If there’s one player in the NHL today that should remain with one organization his entire career, it’s Patrice Bergeron. Ever since he began his pro career with the Bruins as an 18-year-old in 2003, he’s been a leader on and off the ice. The 27-year-old forward becomes a UFA after next season, but the Bruins need to lock him up with a long-term deal (don’t rule out an 8-year extension). He does have a history of concussions, but the guts he showed in the Stanley Cup finals by playing with a broken rib, torn rib cartilage and a separated shoulder just added another level to an already impressive career for the team’s assistant captain. He should remain a Bruin for the rest of his career and his No. 37 should someday hang from the rafters at the Garden.

5. Youthful blue-liners: The young blueliners for the Bruins made a name for themselves this season. Former first-round pick Dougie Hamilton played well in his rookie season in the NHL. The 19-year-old defenseman honed his skills and gained valuable experience while playing alongside veteran Dennis Seidenberg for the majority of the season. Hamilton was a healthy scratch for the majority of the Stanley Cup playoffs but it was an opportunity for him to watch and learn what it takes to win at this level. Expect more from him during his sophomore season. Joining Hamilton on the blue next season will be Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski. Both players showed skill and ability to compete at this level, especially in the postseason. Their emergence could make it easier for the Bruins to not re-sign Ference if Chiarelli believes that’s the right move.

6. Should Bruins deal Seguin?: Tyler Seguin, the Bruins former No. 2 overall pick in 2010, just completed his third season in the NHL. From an offensive standpoint, he has not produced consistently and admitted after Game 6 of the Cup finals that doctors would exam him Tuesday for a hip condition he’s had since he was a kid. There’s been chatter around the league that the Bruins would consider moving him, maybe even on draft day. There’s no denying his talents but he needs to add more to the mix in Boston and earn his massive contract. Yes, he’s only 21, but he needs to mature in a hurry.

7. Peverley and Kelly in focus: When the Bruins acquired Rich Peverley at the trade deadline in 2011, both he and Chris Kelly were major factors in the team’s Cup run that spring. The Bruins locked up Peverley through the 2014-2015 season and Kelly through 2015-2016. Both struggled with consistency during the regular season but improved as the team went deeper in the playoffs. While both are important veterans in the room, Chiarelli could be tempted to move Peverley this summer.

8. Julien is key: Bruins coach Claude Julien also should receive the credit he deserves and should be the coach here for a long time. The players respect him, play for him and have bought into his system. The Bruins should make sure his in place for a long time. He got an extension before this past season, but the term of that contract was not revealed.

9. Don’t forget the GM: Chiarelli has managed this organization deftly, too. He’s kept the core of this team in place since winning the Cup in 2011 and he’s built a perennial winner. He and Julien should be a package deal and remain in Boston for the long term. He’s under contract through the 2013-14 season and should be in line for an extension as well.

10. Who backs up Tuukka?: Once Rask is locked up, Chiarelli needs to determine whether Anton Khudobin will be the backup goalie. He’s a restricted free agent and proved his worth this season. But the team also has P-Bruins goalie Niklas Svedberg, who also had a phenomenal year in Providence and impressed management.

BOSTON -- The sting of surrendering two goals in the final 1:16 of regulation, losing 3-2 and then having to watch the Chicago Blackhawks hoist the Stanley Cup on their home ice forever will gnaw at the members of the 2013 Boston Bruins. Even if some of these players go on to win another Stanley Cup, they always will remember the pit in their stomachs as they watched the promise of a Game 7 slip away.

But they also will never forget what their alternate captain, Patrice Bergeron, did to give them a chance at their second Stanley Cup in three seasons. Tyler Seguin, Bergeron's linemate of the last two seasons who is still trying to reach his full potential, can take an invaluable lesson from seeing Bergeron hit the ice after ending up in a Chicago hospital after Game 5.

"I think even when he was getting dressed in the locker room before the game, you could feel the boys' spirits lifted," a teary-eyed Seguin said after Game 6. "The year we won he was doing the same thing; fighting through everything. Obviously guys have bumps and bruises, but he’s a guy that you obviously say is the heart and soul of our team. He wears that ‘B’ with a lot of pride."

If someone hadn't asked him, Bergeron wouldn't have mentioned what he had been going through over the past few days. But Bergeron's medical report showed how true Seguin's words are.

"I had a broken rib, torn cartilage and muscles, and I had a separated shoulder," Bergeron said. "The shoulder was tonight so, I [got] a lot of help from the medical staff."

Yes, you read that correctly. Bergeron not only entered the do-or-die Game 6 with a broken rib, torn cartilage and muscles, he then separated his shoulder during the game and played on, finishing the game with 17:45 of ice time and doing everything he could to will his team to Game 7. But the humble Bergeron wasn't worried about the pain he was in.

"It’s the Stanley Cup final, everyone’s banged up, everyone wants to help the team and obviously I couldn't do that in Game 5," Bergeron said. "It was mostly because they were worried about my spleen being hurt, so that's why we had to go to the hospital. But everything was fine so it was just the ribs and the muscles and the soft tissue. So obviously I would have liked to stay in it, but I was going through a lot of pain."

But even though he was in more physical agony following Game 6, the emotional pain seemed to be hurting the 27-year-old leader the most.

"There’s not many words that can be said right now," Bergeron said. "It’s definitely tough to lose, especially at this time, after everything we’ve been through. You work so hard just to get to this point and give yourself a chance to get the Cup. And you feel like you’re right there, and you have a chance to force Game 7. Definitely it hurts."

Seguin by no means was playing at the level of Bergeron in this playoff run. Bergeron scored the game winner that helped the Bruins escape the first-round battle with the Maple Leafs and went on to have a Conn Smythe-worthy postseason with nine goals and 15 points in 22 games.

But while Seguin struggled to find the back of the net, scoring just one postseason goal, he was doing things he often has been criticized for not doing: hitting, driving into the dirty areas and digging the puck out of the corners.

Sound familiar? Those are elements of Bergeron's game every night. While Seguin can't say he brings that night in and night out, seeing Bergeron's effort, will and determination can only help him get closer to that point and inspire him to come back next season as a more complete player.

Seguin acknowledged that a chronic condition -- likely the hip issue Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com reported on last season -- had been acting up recently and that he would be seeing doctors Tuesday. So already, he is following in Bergeron's footsteps and playing through pain for his teammates.

But Seguin's emotions after Game 6 showed in spite of his lack of points, he seems to have learned what it takes to be a star in the NHL, with Bergeron providing the shining example.

"You learn from it, and you use it for motivation. I’ve never felt so motivated in my life," Seguin said. "When you look around the room, whether it’s a guy like Bergeron fighting through everything, or just guys stepping up, [David] Krejci, the way he played in these playoffs, and how big of a performer he was, and that whole line, and [Tuukka] Rask.

"I’ve never felt anything like this," Seguin said as he teared up again. "I’ve never cried for as long as I’ve known until tonight. It sucks, but I love the guys in this locker room, and I’m going to miss them this offseason. But I’m going to make sure I’m working even harder for next year."

BOSTON -- Andrew Ference stood in front of his stall, a "Boston Strong" T-shirt clinging to him. His skates, hanging from pegs overhead, leaked perspiration like the drip of a coffee machine.

"What can you say?"

The Bruins' one-goal, third-period lead in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals expired in a span of 17 seconds. Bryan Bickell's one-timer on the doorstep with an extra attacker tied the game at 2-2 with 1:16 left, and then Dave Bolland delivered the winner as a Bruins team that prided itself on playing defense-first hockey suffered another postseason breakdown for the ages.

"It's just a cruel way to finish a game, that's for sure," said Ference, who was on the ice for Bolland's Cup clincher with 58.3 seconds remaining in regulation.

On both late goals, the Bruins were either outmuscled or outworked below the faceoff dots.

With about 1:20 remaining, Hawks goaltender Corey Crawford vacated his net for the extra attacker. Then, with four forwards in the zone, eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews worked in tandem to win a loose puck. With the puck freed, Duncan Keith, pinching in along the left-wing wall, stepped up and hit Toews, who was wheeling off the boards below the goal line.

"It was Toews, he had the puck and I had to respect him if he was going to stuff it," Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask explained.

Holding onto his blocker-side post, Rask pushed off, but did so with pads separated, leaving the 5-hole open for Bickell's one-timer.

"They got their best players out there on the ice and then [Toews] made a great pass," Bruins head coach Claude Julien said. "We got caught a little on the wall with their D's pre-pinching."

On Bolland's series-clinching score, the Bruins defense was again slow to react.

After Johnny Oduya's slapshot from the point was deflected in front of Rask, Bolland was able to establish inside position on Johnny Boychuk, hanging out to the right of Rask. With no leverage, Boychuk attempted to slash the stick out of Bolland's hands.

"We were trying to figure out what it hit in the high slot," Boychuk said. "It hit something and went straight to the tape."

But with the puck on the doorstep, Bolland had an empty net ahead of him, with Rask out of position in an effort to play the initial shot.

The puck went in after the force of Boychuk's downward thrust undid Bolland's stick and gloves from his hands.

Bolland threw his bare knuckles into the air in celebration.

"It makes you want to throw up at the end because it's not for a lack of effort that guys put into it," Ference said.

He added, "They got themselves into the right positions and got the win."

Perhaps most frustrating for the Bruins' defensive corps was their inability to refocus. For a team that came back to win the Cup in 2011 after trailing three games to two and exhibited uncanny resolve in a Game 7 comeback against Toronto earlier in this postseason, Monday was an aberration.

"You're not happy to give up that tying goal for sure, but this team is as good as any in turning the page and getting on with it," Ference said.

And then, the bottom fell out.

"It's shocking," Rask said. "You think you have things under control. We killed a big penalty there. We're thinking, 'Oh, we're just going to keep it tight and score maybe an empty-netter.' And then, all of a sudden, they score a goal."

And then, there was another.

BOSTON -- One of the Bruins’ most dependable, reliable assets looked anything but that in the final three games of the Stanley Cup finals, all of which -- not coincidentally -- were losses.

Defenseman Zdeno Chara has been the steady workhorse of the Bruins, logging a yeoman’s load of ice time every night during the playoffs and often neutralizing the opposition’s top playmakers. Yet against a Blackhawks juggernaut featuring skilled forwards Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa and Conn Smythe winner Patrick Kane, the Bruins captain was made to look ordinary.

In all, Chara was on the ice for eight of the Blackhawks’ 17 goals this series, including seven of the 12 goals scored in the final three games. He finished a minus-five for the series.

In Monday's Game 6, Chara was on the ice for the Hawks’ first two goals. Out of a faceoff early in the second period, Toews undressed Chara and left him in the dust coming up the boards, swooping in and going five-hole on Tuukka Rask to make it 1-1. Then with less than 80 seconds to go in the contest, Chara couldn't prevent the game-tying goal, with Toews coming out of the corner and slipping a pass through the big defenseman as Bickell went backdoor.

Was Chara hurt? A team source told ESPNBoston.com that Chara played through “bumps and bruises”, but nothing particularly serious. Asked about his injuries, Chara told a group of reporters, “I’m not talking about my physical status, sorry.”

Perhaps Chara had finally hit a wall after logging heavy minutes throughout the playoffs. In the triple overtime loss to Chicago in Game 1, Chara logged close to 45 minutes of ice time. On Monday, he led all Bruins with 25:29, second in the game to Duncan Keith’s 28:51. For the playoffs, Chara set a career high in minutes, averaging more than 25 per game.

With the Bruins in another physical battle trying to shut down one of the league’s most explosive offenses, maybe it all finally got to him.

“I think that it was the case for every team,” Chara said. “I think it wasn’t just Chicago. I think that throughout the whole playoffs, no matter who you play it’s going to be physical, it’s going to be grinding and it’s not just Chicago. It was just the playoffs. I think that that’s the way it is. It’s physical and you have to expect that.”

BOSTON -- The Bruins hosted the city’s first sporting event after the Boston Marathon bombings of April 15, giving a region that’s still healing a rallying point that carried into the summer.

There is disappointment in the air after Game 6, no doubt, as the Bruins’ 2-1 lead evaporated in a matter of 17 seconds late in the third period in one of the wilder Stanley Cup finals finishes in recent years. But that doesn’t damper the sense of community the Bruins helped foster over the last couple of months.

“You know, at the end of the day, I think that's what hurts the most is in the back of our minds, although we needed to focus on our team and doing what was going to be the best thing for our team to win a Stanley Cup, in the back of our minds we wanted to do it for those kind of reasons,” coach Claude Julien said after the team lost Game 6 in stunning fashion. “The City of Boston, what Newtown has been through, that kind of stuff. It hit close to home, and the best way we felt we could try and cheer the area was to win a Stanley Cup.

“I think that's what's hard right now for the players. We had more reasons than just ourselves to win a Cup.”

* Said captain Zdeno Chara: “We really felt that we wanted to play as hard as we could obviously for a number of reasons, and playing for the city was one of them. Obviously we tried to have a better result, it didn’t happen. But I think that we are very proud of our fans, the way they stood behind us and cheered us on.”

* Said goaltender Tuukka Rask: “We know people watch us, people like us, people cheer for us, so we want to be worth it. We made it a good run, but it’s just disappointing because we couldn’t get the Cup home and show it to the fans. We definitely left it all out there.”