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BOSTON -- Jarome Iginla will make his preseason debut on TD Garden ice for the Bruins tonight when they host the Detroit Red Wings at 7:05.

He’s quickly formed a solid working relationship with his new teammates on and off the ice, especially his linemates David Krejci and Milan Lucic. In their first preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night at Bell Centre, Boston’s top trio combined for six points during a 6-3 win over the Habs.

Bruins fans will be able to witness that chemistry tonight.

“I was hoping to get a chance to play in this game, be at home and get more comfortable,” Iginla said. “It’s home now, so it’s about getting more comfortable. Each day when you go out during training camp you want to feel a little bit better and there are always different things you want to work on. Even though it is preseason, you want to play well and it always feels good to win. It is training camp and the preseason but the most important part is to feel better every day.”

Iginla has played with many different players during his career, but his game complements the already-strong chemistry between Krejci and Lucic.

“I’m feeling really good playing with them,” Iginla said. “Every day in practice we feel a little bit better.”

That line has the ability to create a lot of space, and puck possession will be an important factor too. Iginla is learning how strong Lucic is on the puck, and how smart and craft Krejci is, too. Iginla adds another power-forward element, and with Krejci’s ability to find the open man, they should be able to connect many times this season.

“They have great chemistry together and I hope to jump in there and be a part of that chemistry. It’ll keep growing but I’ve enjoyed it so far and I think we can be keep working at it and keep getting better,” Iginla said.

Based on this morning’s skate, here is the possible lineup for tonight:

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Jarome Iginla
Matt Fraser-Carl Soderberg-Nick Johnson
Rob Flick-Ryan Spooner-Jordan Caron
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Craig Cunningham

Zdeno Chara-Dougie Hamilton
Matt Bartkowski-Zack Trotman
Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid.

Chad Johnson
Malcolm Subban

The Bruins can move on from Nathan Horton and let him enjoy playing under the radar for the Columbus Blue Jackets because, after one exhibition game at least, his replacement in Boston, Jarome Iginla, fit perfectly on the team’s top line along with David Krejci and Milan Lucic.

After Horton’s surprise departure from Boston during the summer as a free agent, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli signed Iginla in hopes the future Hall of Famer would have an impact in Boston.

During the first four days of training camp, the chemistry between Lucic, Krejci and Iginla was evident. It continued during the Bruins’ first preseason game against the Montreal Canadiens Monday night at Bell Centre.

Iginla scored a pair of goals as the Bruins defeated the Canadiens, 6-3, as Lucic added three assists and Krejci contributed a goal.

VERY SPECIAL: Boston’s power play, which has struggled the last few seasons, was tremendous against Montreal. Sure, it’s only a preseason game, but Boston went 4-for-6 on the PP and showed quick puck movement and quality goals. The top unit Monday night of Iginla, Lucic, Krejci, Carl Soderberg and Torey Krug was outstanding.

KRUG IMPRESSIVE: The phenom rookie defenseman doesn’t want to be a flash in the pan, and by the way he played in the first preseason game, that won’t be the case. He provided three assists to help Boston to victory. He burst onto the scene for the Bruins last spring during the Stanley Cup playoffs and made significant contributions to help Boston reach the finals. He entered camp in great shape and with one goal: to earn a roster spot. Krug, who has shown an ability to get his shot from the point through on a consistent basis, assisted on Iginla’s second goal of the night. Krug also quarterbacked the power play. So far this preseason, he’s been paired with veteran blueliner Adam McQuaid.

IN GOAL: The Bruins had goaltenders Chad Johnson and Malcolm Subban split net time against the Canadiens. Johnson started and played the first 30 minutes and allowed three goals. Subban made his NHL preseason debut and did not allow a goal in his 30 minutes of action. Early in the third period, however, Subban learned he’s no longer playing junior hockey. He mishandled the puck to the left of his net, then was penalized for playing the puck outside the trapezoid. Subban played against his older brother, Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban, for the first time in their respective careers. Malcolm picked up the win with his 12-save performance, while P.K. scored a goal for Montreal.

BATTLING FOR A SPOT: There are two forward positions up for grabs in Boston’s lineup this season, and while the young homegrown prospects in camp are all in the mix, newcomer Nick Johnson made his presence known in the first preseason game, scoring a pair of goals. Johnson has 104 games of NHL experience with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild and Phoenix Coyotes. Boston signed the 27-year-old forward as a free agent in July.

LINED UP: Here are the lines used against the Canadiens:

FORWARDS
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Jarome Iginla
Matt Fraser-Carl Soderberg-Craig Cunningham
Anthony Camara-Ryan Spooner-Nick Johnson
Daniel Paille-Alex Fallstrom-Shawn Thornton

DEFENSE
Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid
Matt Bartkowski-Kevan Miller
Tommy Cross-Zach Trotman

GOALTENDERS
Chad Johnson
Malcolm Subban

UP NEXT: With the first of seven preseason games in the book, the Bruins travel to Baltimore on Tuesday and will face the Washington Capitals.

BOSTON -- Bruins forward Carl Soderberg is competing for a roster spot during training camp and he's hoping the brief contributions he made last spring will help his cause.

He arrived at camp in great shape and wants to prove he can help the Bruins. After he signed with Boston late last season, and transferred to the NHL from the Swedish Elite League, Soderberg played only six regular-season and two playoff games. Now, getting a fresh start at camp, he believes it will help his chances at earning a roster spot.

"Of course it's pretty nice to be here at the beginning of training camp, but the 11 weeks I had here last season meant so much to me," Soderberg said. "I got to know the guys and the staff, the game in the NHL, too. I had a good workout summer and I came back in good shape."

When Bruins forward Gregory Campbell suffered a broken right leg in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bruins coach Claude Julien was forced to tweak his lineup. At first, he inserted Kaspars Daugavins into the lineup, but in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, Soderberg made his NHL playoff debut.

"It was a great experience," he said. "I got to play games in the NHL and it means a lot to me. I'm new here but I don't feel that new."

A natural centerman, Soderberg can play the wing, too. Even though he's been working as a center in the first two days of camp, he'll play any position in order to stay in the lineup.

"It depends what [Julien] wants to do," Soderberg said. "I can play winger or I can play center, it doesn't matter."

Bruins newcomer Loui Eriksson played against Soderberg in the SEL.

"He's a pretty strong player. He's pretty big and he can use his size over here. He has a good shot and he's pretty dangerous," Eriksson said.

At the end of last season, Julien admitted he didn't see enough of Soderberg to give an honest evaluation, but he's been impressed in the early going of training camp.

"He's looking good," Julien said. "He's lost weight but he's also gained some muscle. He was already a strong player to start with. I think he's looking good. When you see him in those battle drills, he's pretty strong on the puck and we like that about him. He's got a good skill level, he can shoot the puck well and make plays so he'll get a great opportunity in those preseason games to showcase himself and show the improvement."

* Only two days into camp, newcomer Jarome Iginla already appears comfortable playing with David Krejci and Milan Lucic.

"I've enjoyed it the last couple of days getting to skate with them," Iginla said. "They are great players and have great chemistry together. I'd like to play with them and help them out. As far as building chemistry, it's just time together and getting used to tendencies."

Once the exhibition games begin, it will give the Bruins' top line a chance to showcase its complete skill and there's no reason not to think that trio will have a major impact this season.

* Julien isn't ready to single out any of the young players just yet as to which one has stood out in the first two days of camp. Both he and GM Peter Chiarelli told the group of prospects during rookie camp that there are a few roster spots available for the taking. When asked who has impressed him the most so far, Julien said he's pleased with what he's seeing from all of them.

"There's a lot of them. There's nobody that is kind of on his own but there are a lot of good players who are showing some good things here," Julien said. "I think those kind of answers to me get answered during those preseason games because you've got some players that, going out would look great in practice but get them in a game situation they're really good players. And then you get the opposite, guys that are fine in practice, look great and you think, 'Wow, I can't wait to see them in a game' and the game starts and he becomes invisible or nothing gets accomplished. So you get those kind of players so to me, I'm careful about assessing players before I see them in a real game or a game type situation."

One player who has been really impressive has been forward Reilly Smith. He was one of the three prospects acquired from the Dallas Stars as part of the Tyler Seguin trade.

"Getting traded was obviously mixed emotions," Smith said. "It pretty much came out of left field. I wasn't expecting it at all going into this summer to be traded. I found out on Twitter, actually, so that was kind of funny. But it's a big difference coming from Dallas to Boston. There are higher expectations here."

The first two days Smith has been on the line with Chris Kelly and Jordan Caron.

* Set your DVRs because the second episode of the new all-access "Behind the B" series will air on Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. on NESN.

BOSTON -- Bruins coach Claude Julien didn’t waste any time putting together his potential lineup for the upcoming 2013-14 season.

On the first day of on-ice sessions, newcomers Jarome Iginla and Loui Eriksson found themselves where everyone expected they would be. In the morning session, Eriksson was on the right wing with center Patrice Bergeron and left winger Brad Marchand.

In the afternoon session, Iginla was on the top line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic.

After the morning session concluded, Bergeron and Marchand talked about the new dynamic of Boston’s second line.

“It felt pretty good,” Bergeron said. “You can tell, obviously, that Loui’s a great player and he’s got some great speed and some great skill. I’m very excited to have him with us. It’s only the first practice, so we’ve got some work to do on the chemistry, but still, I thought it was pretty good and it was fun to see those two guys on my side.”

In the previous few seasons, Bergeron and Marchand played with Tyler Seguin, who was traded this summer to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Eriksson. It may take a little time for the new trio to gain that chemistry, but Bergeron doesn’t think it will take too long.

“We’re all smart players and smart enough to realize where to be on the ice and read off each other,” he said. “It’ll take a little bit of time but not that much. Playing games will be the best indicator for where we stand and to help us work on that chemistry. So far it was pretty good.”

One of the differences is that Seguin was a right-handed shot and Eriksson is a left-handed shot, so Bergeron needs to get used to passing the puck to Eriksson’s backhand.

Marchand was pleased with the early progress alongside his new linemate.

"He’s a great player and he’s shown that in the past," said Marchand. "You can see that by just watching him on the ice. It’ll be a lot of fun playing with him.”

It’s no secret Marchand and Seguin were close teammates and that friendship extended off the ice, too. But it’s a business and Marchand realizes that.

“Definitely no disrespect to Seggs, he’s a phenomenal player and we clicked very well and had a couple of great years together, but Loui's a bit of a different player,” explained Marchand. “He’s a very good goal scorer, a very good playmaker and he plays hard in our end. I’m sure he’ll complement us very well and hopefully we can all play well together.”

BOSTON -- Bruins coach Claude Julien was pleased that all players passed their physicals, including forwards Patrice Bergeron and Gregory Campbell. Both suffered severe injuries during the final two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs and three months later, they’re prepared for training camp. Julien said both players are cleared for practice, but if games were to start Thursday, they wouldn’t be ready.

"When it comes time to play those exhibition games, it'll be a conversation again with our trainers in making sure if they're going to play that there's not a risk factor," Julien said. “Right now, I would tell you that they would not be cleared to play a game if we started today, but that might change in the upcoming days or in a week from now.”

Bergeron suffered torn rib cartilage, a broken rib on his left side, a separated right shoulder and a punctured lung that ended up collapsing and forced him to spend three days in the hospital after the Bruins lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals last June.

Campbell broke his right fibula in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against Pittsburgh when he blocked a slap shot by the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin.

The Bruins have their first of seven exhibition games Monday at Montreal against the Canadiens.

• When the Bruins hit the ice for their first official practice Thursday morning at TD Garden, Julien will get his first look at what could be the team’s lineup when the season begins on Oct. 3. The Bruins’ top line of center David Krejci and left winger Milan Lucic will welcome new linemate Jarome Iginla. Second-line center Bergeron and left winger Brad Marchand will be working with new right wing Loui Eriksson.
  
  Julien admitted Wednesday he was pleased with the way forwards Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly meshed during the Stanley Cup finals, so it could be possible to see those two, along with a host of right-wing candidates, during training camp.
  
  “In the real perfect world, you’ve got your top two lines, and you’d like to see them score on a regular basis. Your third line should be able to give you some secondary scoring and then your third line should also be able to give you some secondary grit that the fourth line gives you,” Julien explained. “So they're kind of, to me, caught in the middle where they give you a little bit of both, and that is what we are looking for from that line. We need more than just two lines to score. We know our fourth line has given us that, but our third line needs to give us that as well, and, at the same time, defensively and on the gritty side of the game they got to be able to give us that, too.”
  
  That leaves the team’s energy line of Campbell and Shawn Thornton. If Paille makes the jump to the team’s third line, it will leave a spot open on the fourth line.
• Youth and depth will be a key factor for the Bruins during camp and into the season. GM Peter Chiarelli has made it known that in order for this team to win, it will need contributions from an influx of younger players. There are roster spots to be won on both the offensive and defensive ends of the ice. Julien reiterated that point on Wednesday, and his advice to the prospects was simple.
  
  “Take advantage of it,” he told them. “We’ve been clear, and it hasn’t just come from me. Peter is the one who has kind of came out and said, 'Listen, we’re going to bring some youth into our lineup, so if some guys want a spot on this hockey club, here is a good opportunity to do that right now.' And it’s open. I think we’ve got some guys on [Boston's AHL development team] Providence last year that deserve that look. We’ve got some guys who we got in some trades that are going to certainly be battling for those spots as well.”
  
  Forwards Anthony Camara, Craig Cunningham, Jordan Caron, Matt Fraser and Reilly Smith are all in the mix.
• With a few tweaks to their roster, the Bruins and coach Julien will focus on the team’s systems play during training camp. Julien believes the team can be a little “tighter” in that area.
  
  “Those are things we’re going to be working on and making sure that’s at the top of our list,” Julien said. “I thought that was one of the things that we could do better, and when we did it well, it gave us success but we didn’t do it on a consistent basis, so that’s one of the things we’re going to be tweaking. It’s a bunch of little things. It’s minor maybe to you guys, but to me, it’ll make some big difference in games, some of the things that we’re going to be working on.”
  
  Julien likes consistency and chemistry, so if he likes what he sees early in camp, then expect to see those lines and special-team units remain the same.
• Earlier this week, Julien said he believed his team was ready to make amends for the way last season ended with a Game 6 loss to the Blackhawks. When asked how long it would take in order to get a feel for his team’s motivation, Julien said he already knows.
  
  “I feel it right now,” he said. “I think our group is in the right place. I like the feeling of our hockey cub right now. These tests today just kind of solidified what I thought. Guys are in great shape, and it would have been easier for guys after finishing so late to just kind of shut it down for the summer, but they’ve kept themselves in great shape and they look excited to get off to a new start here.”
• With the disappointing ending to the 2012-13 season in the books, Julien and his players are looking forward to a fresh start. There are some new faces in the mix, and with the Stanley Cup-winning core from 2011 intact, this should be another successful season in Boston.
  
  “I think it's important every once and a while to get some fresh faces in and continue to create that excitement of being competitive and wanting to win every year,” Julien said. “Things can get stale after a while. That's a known fact. And I think what we've done right now is kept our core together; we got some great leaders, a great core group of guys, and we've added some quality people in there, too. But also we've left room for some guys to come in and win themselves a spot.”
  
  Now, it’s ice time as the first practice will be held Thursday at the Garden.

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins have been a close group for the last few seasons, and it didn't take long for newcomers Jarome Iginla and Loui Eriksson to fit in.

The Bruins acquired Eriksson, along with prospects Matt Fraser, Reilly Smith and Joe Morrow, from the Dallas Stars in exchange for forwards Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley on July 4. The next day, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli signed Iginla as a free agent.

Now, two months later, both Eriksson and Iginla are ready to go in Boston as training camp officially began Wednesday morning with players’ physicals.

“I’m feeling good and ready to get going here,” Eriksson said.

After the trade, many Western Conference coaches described Eriksson as one of the most underrated players in the NHL, saying that he would fit perfectly into the Bruins’ style of play.

“That’s been going on for a couple of years, actually, with that underrated [classification],” Eriksson said. “I’m just glad to be here and I’m going to show them I’m a good player and it’s nice to come and play in this town. I’ve heard a lot of good things, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

With the team’s first on-ice session scheduled for Thursday, it appears he’ll be playing the right wing along with center Patrice Bergeron and left winger Brad Marchand. Eriksson believes his style of play will compliment his new linemates.

“For sure that would help me a lot,” he said. “[Bergeron] is a good two-way player and he can make really good plays, too. It’ll be good to get going here and try to find some chemistry with everyone here and [Thursday’s] going to be a good skate.”

Iginla seemed comfortable in his new surroundings, too.

Both he and the organization have put aside last season’s trade deadline snafu when Iginla chose the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Bruins.

The future Hall of Famer will start camp playing on the team’s top line with center David Krejci and left winger Milan Lucic.

“I’m looking forward to it. They’ve been a great line and have great chemistry. I love that they play hard and compete hard and do a little bit of everything,” Iginla said. “Krejci’s a very smooth player and he just finds way to score or makes things happen. He’s a great passer and I like to shoot the puck, so you always love to play with a great passer. Looch is the best power forward in the game and as tough as they come, but also a smart player and creates a lot of room for his linemates, so I’m looking forward to that opportunity.”

Prior to his trade to the Penguins, Iginla spent his entire career with the Calgary Flames and was in his 10th season as captain. Coming to Boston, with a Bruins locker room filled with leaders, including captain Zdeno Chara, Bergeron, Chris Kelly and Shawn Thornton, Iginla only wants to fit in.

“I plan on just being myself,” he said. “I definitely don’t come in thinking that they need any leadership or help. They’re a very strong crew and have had a lot of success together and been together a long time and know each other well. I don’t want to be just a fly on the wall; I want to be part of it. The biggest thing is just play hard and compete and that’s what these guys do so well.”

BOSTON -- If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

The Boston Bruins signed free-agent forward Jarome Iginla, 36, to a one-year deal worth $6 million.

The Bruins announced that Iginla's base salary is $1.8 million, and another $4.2 million in incentives adds up to a $6 million salary-cap figure. A source had told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun that the incentives include a games-played bonus of $3.7 million and a goal-scoring/team playoff performance bonus of $500,000.

Bruins assistant captain Patrice Bergeron was a teammate of Iginla's on Team Canada when they won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

"It's a great signing for us. He is a terrific player and leader. His experience will definitely help us. Looking forward to being his teammate," Bergeron told ESPNBoston.com.

A little more than three months ago, the Bruins thought they had won the Iginla sweepstakes before the trade deadline to acquire the veteran forward from the Calgary Flames. In the 11th hour, however, Iginla decided he wanted to play with the Pittsburgh Penguins, thinking he'd have a better chance to win the Stanley Cup with Sidney Crosby & Co.

The Bruins and the Penguins eventually faced off in the Eastern Conference finals and Boston finished with a four-game sweep to earn its second trip the Stanley Cup finals in a three-year span.

After the Bruins completed their sweep on June 7, Boston's Milan Lucic was asked about how it felt to prove to Iginla that he chose the wrong team.

"First off, he's a great player. He's a legend, he's a future Hall of Famer and I think looking back at that day, he earned the right to make the decision that he made," Lucic said. "You can never blame a guy for going with his heart and making that type of decision. I'm not going to insult him in any way. He's a guy that I always looked up to as a teenager and seeing the way that he played. As a Canadian, seeing what he did in the Olympics and all that type of stuff, he's definitely an idol of mine. But like I said, he earned that right to make the decision that he made. I'm sure if he could go back he would make a different decision, but in saying that, he's still a great player. He's got a few more years ahead of him, and you wish him nothing but the best."

Lucic added that Iginla's decision motivated the Bruins.

"We kind of took it that way, in that sense that when a guy chooses another team over your team, it kind of does light a little bit of a fire underneath you. Fortunately, we were able to turn it into a positive more than a negative," Lucic said.

Now, they're teammates and possibly linemates when the puck drops on the 2013-14 season.

CLICK HERE to read the full story.

Claude Julien’s statement at the trade deadline in late March, when Jarome Iginla used his no-trade rights to steer himself to the Penguins instead of the Bruins, has proven prophetic:

"It'll be at the end of the year he'll see whether he made the right decision or not,” he said, adding the team didn’t have any animosity toward Iginla for choosing Pittsburgh over Boston.

Now that the Bruins and Penguins are facing off for the right to play for the Stanley Cup, you’d think the B’s would use Iglina’s deadline diss as motivation, right? If they are, they’re not saying so. Reporters have asked a number of players about Iginla this week and they’re all steering clear of the topic, not wanting to give an opponent any bulletin board material.

Iginla, who has 12 points so far this postseason, is taking a similar tack.

“I knew Boston was a great team,’’ Iginla said. ‘‘It was one of those situations when I [chose Pittsburgh] that I knew there was a big possibility we'd be in this situation [in the Eastern Conference finals], and here we are. I'm looking forward to the challenge.’’

As GM Peter Chiarelli tells it, the Bruins had been told early on the day of the trade deadline on March 28 that they had a deal: Iginla would be traded to Boston and Matt Bartkowski, Alexander Khokhlachev, and a first-round pick would he headed to Calgary. As the hours ticked away and they hadn’t heard anything further from the Flames, they knew something wasn’t right.

“We believed we had a deal,” Chiarelli said. “We operated on the premise that we had a deal. When things were silent, in my experience, when things go silent, things are usually going screwy from your end. And it was.”

The Flames had given Iginla, who had a no-trade clause, the chance to think things over. He decided he’d rather play for the Penguins, who at the time were riding a 13-game winning streak, and the Boston deal was off.

Iginla recently downplayed his role in the breakdown of the deal.

‘‘I never said yes and then no,’’ he said.

The Bruins instead traded for Jaromir Jagr a few hours later. So now Jagr is facing the team for which he played 11 seasons, and Iglina goes up against the team he spurned to join the front-running Penguins.

Can Saturday get here already?

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Less than 24 hours after Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli publicly explained how a trade for Jarome Iginla fell through because the veteran forward chose Pittsburgh over Boston, the Bruins' players showed no animosity toward the future Hall of Famer.

The Bruins held practice at Ristuccia Arena late Friday morning in preparation for their road game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. After the 80-minute skate, coach Claude Julien and several players said they believe they can compete for a Stanley Cup without the addition of Iginla -- or anyone else, for that matter.

“That was his entitlement,” Julien said. “He’s got a no-trade clause, and when you look at what Pittsburgh’s done, you’ve got to respect the guy’s decision. It was his decision to make, and he made that. It’ll be at the end of the year he’ll see whether he made the right decision or not. Certainly there’s no animosity here. We’re a good team. If he came here, he would have made us better. He’s not here because he went somewhere else. We turn the page because it’s about us right now, it’s not about him.

“I’m still one of those guys who believes we have a really good team here," he added. "Just because we haven’t played our best lately doesn’t make us less of a team. My belief is we will get better here and we’ll move on. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Bruins assistant captain Andrew Ference was a teammate of Iginla's in Calgary and said he thinks the nondeal is a nonstory.

"You can do fantasy hockey all you want. You can do that with any guy around the league,” Ference said. “We’d love to have [Tampa’s Steven] Stamkos; he’d probably help our power play. I’m sure you could keep doing that, but until something happens, until someone is putting on your sweater, I don’t think there are too many guys who get wrapped up in it. It makes for good TV, I guess, and it’s fun for people to speculate, but within the locker room, we have what we have. If something gets added, it gets added. I don’t think too many guys get wrapped up in it.”

During Chiarelli’s news conference Thursday, he made a point to say the Bruins weren’t going to lie down for any team, especially the Penguins just because their roster is loaded with talent. The Bruins host the Penguins at TD Garden on April 19, and if these teams meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs, no doubt it’ll be high drama given the recent events.

According to Ference, winning a Stanley Cup should be motivation enough no matter what happened with Iginla.

“It’s not sore feelings or insulting,” Ference said. “We have a great team. It’s fully in his right to make that choice where he wants to go. That’s what he’s earned throughout his career with the type of contract that he had, and so be it. It’s no less or more motivating to go win a Stanley Cup. I don’t think anybody’s feelings in this room have changed about that. If you need to look for that much external motivation, I don’t think you’re fit to win one anyways.

“From a team perspective, we’ve had high expectations of ourselves the whole way through and it hasn’t changed," he added. "We fully believe in our ability to win, and that hasn’t changed.”

Thanks to social media, everyone in the hockey world knew the Bruins were on the verge of acquiring Iginla from the Flames in exchange for defenseman Matt Bartkowski, prospect Alexander Khokhlachev and a first-round draft pick. It did not come to fruition because Iginla picked the Penguins, saying he wanted an opportunity to play with Sidney Crosby.

Bruins assistant captain Patrice Bergeron is a close friend of Crosby's (and a Team Canada teammate) and said he understands Iginla’s decision.

“He’s definitely a great player, probably the best player in the world,” Bergeron said of Crosby. “It is fun to play with him, but it’s his decision and there’s nothing we can do about it.

“They’re a great team, so there’s always motivation to play Pittsburgh, so I don’t think it should change anything. We’re confident in our team, and it’s always been that way. To me, it doesn’t matter.

"It comes down to the game’s got to be played on the ice. It’s never on paper you win games. They’re a great team, obviously, but so are we.”

Realistically, there has to be some sort of disappointment for the Bruins. Still, they said all the right things after practice, and seem focused on improving their game down the stretch and into the playoffs.

“I can guarantee there’s no deflation here,” Julien said. “We’re a good team, and our guys believe in themselves in there. Would he have made our team better? Sure. We know what he brings, but we’re still a good team. We’ve got good chemistry in that dressing room, and right now we’re very comfortable with what we’re going to move forward with and we’ll get the most out of everybody because they’re committed to it.”

Chiarelli explained to Bartkowski the business aspect of the game, then the GM reiterated what he said during Wednesday’s news conference, that the young defenseman is a talented player. On Tuesday, the Bruins signed Bartkowski to a one-year, one-way deal worth $650,000, which seemed to be a precursor to a trade. When the Iginla deal did not go through, Bartkowski said he was happy.

“It was out of my hands,” Bartkowski said. “During the game, I was hearing rumors and everybody was saying, ‘It’s a done deal,’ and stuff like that. Then at 12:30, look on the Internet and he’s traded to Pittsburgh, so I was pretty relieved and happy because I wouldn’t have signed that deal if I didn’t want to be here and didn’t like it here. I was pretty happy when I heard it didn’t go through.”

Since Chiarelli already had the discussion with the young defenseman, Julien did not talk with Bartkowski.

“Players know, just like coaches, that we’re expendable and it’s part of the business. I look at it in a different way where no matter what, [at least] somebody wants you, and you’re good enough that you’re considered, so I certainly wouldn’t take it as an insult. To get that kind of player, you had to give up something good, and that’s what he is, a good player,” he said.

There was one player in the Bruins' locker room who seemed anxious to play the Penguins on April 19.

“Every time we play against them, it’s a tight battle, so I’m sure it’s not going to be any different when we play them in three weeks,” Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. “We love having challenges in this room. We seem to thrive in them, and it’ll be a good game.”

BOSTON -- Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli felt compelled Thursday to explain how things went south after coming agonizingly close to acquiring this season's biggest trade chip in forward Jarome Iginla, who ended up in Pittsburgh instead.

It was a crushing disappointment for the Bruins organization, and Chiarelli wanted to explain to the fans exactly what happened.

"It's tough," Chiarelli said. "We're talking about a really good player. It's like on July 1 when you're trying to sign a player, and you do everything you can to try to convince the player, and while we couldn't talk to the player in this instance, and then you don't get him, there's a real high, then a real low. You get used to it. This kind of stuff happens all the time. It shouldn't but it does. The reality of no-move and no-trade clauses, it's going to happen more.

"It's a disappointment, but you get back on your horse and you find some more players."

Chiarelli showed no ill will toward the Calgary Flames organization or GM Jay Feaster.

"He's a gentleman," Chiarelli said. "I don't know Jarome, but I've obviously being from Canada I've followed him close over the years, and obviously his career speaks for itself."

In the end, Iginla opted for the hotter team in joining the Penguins, who've won 13 straight. The future Hall of Famer explained his decision Thursday afternoon in Calgary.

"I wasn't fully sure what was going on, but I knew Pittsburgh was in the mix with Boston," he said. "They're both amazing cities, very successful organizations, and great teams. As far as when it comes down to the choice that I had in one or the other, it's really hard as a player to pass up the opportunity to play on a team with Sid Sidney Crosby] and [[Evgeni] Malkin and the roll that they're on and the success they had."

The Bruins and the Penguins are two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and even though Pittsburgh's roster is loaded with talent and seemed to be the favorites to win the conference, Chiarelli said the Bruins aren't ready to concede anything.

"They're a lock, right?" Chiarelli said sarcastically. "They're a good team.

"Here's what I think. Pitt, and God bless them because I like [general manager] Ray Shero and the whole group there, Pitt has been on this amazing run and we've been a little in and out lately. We're a very good team and as the winds blow the last couple of days, that's how it goes."

The thought of the Bruins facing the Penguins in the Stanley Cup playoffs entices Chiarelli.

"They're a real good team," Chiarelli said. "You've seen our games against them and I would welcome it. When we're going, we play a real good game that matches up well against them. We're shutting them down and we're playing a heavier game. You see what they've added, they've added heavier players, so they know what it takes. Again, I'm not laying down for them, but they know what it takes."

ESPN.com's Scott Burnside and ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald debate the fallout of the Bruins losing out on the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes.

BURNSIDE: Greetings, Joe, must be a lot of long faces among the Boston Bruins faithful today, many of whom might have gone to bed Wednesday night imagining they were going to wake up Thursday and find Calgary captain Jarome Iginla was a Bruin. But that’s not how it shook down as Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero snatched the highly coveted winger away from the B's and added him to an already formidable Penguins lineup in a late-night/early-morning deal. Shero has become a kind of Professor Moriarty to Boston GM Peter Chiarelli’s Sherlock Holmes (or something like that); Shero has also added former Dallas captain Brenden Morrow, whom the Bruins were likewise interested in acquiring. Throw in a couple of recent losses to Pittsburgh (not to mention Wednesday’s blown lead in a shootout loss to Montreal, the surprise leader in the Northeast Division), and there must be significant pressure on Chiarelli to make something happen rosterwise between now and the April 3 deadline. What’s your take on the Iginla switcheroo and where the Bruins are now?

McDONALD: Scotty, my friend, it was a crazy turn of events in Boston. Many, and I mean many, Bruins fans went to bed thinking Mr. Iginla would be wearing No. 12 for the Bruins this weekend. I had numerous text messages from irate fans this morning for that very reason. Tip your cap to Shero for staying in constant contact with the Flames and getting this deal done. I spoke with a few NHL front-office types this morning, and one indicated that Pittsburgh was Iggy's front-runner because of his desire to play with Sidney Crosby. As far as the Bruins, yes, there's pressure on Chiarelli to improve his team before the deadline, but I think he's motivated now more than ever to pull something off. How incredible would it be if the Bruins and Penguins meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs?

BURNSIDE: Oh, that would be a barn burner, for sure. And you know that Chiarelli is quite capable of making trade-deadline magic happen, as was the case in 2011, when the Bruins added key pieces in the form of Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley and Tomas Kaberle (OK, in the case of Kaberle, "key" is a relative term) and went on to their first championship since 1972. If there are areas you think Chiarelli will be targeting, what do you imagine his priority might be? A lot of folks imagine that Ryane Clowe is now in Chiarelli’s sights. The Sharks winger would add a prototypical Bruins forward to the mix with his grit and skill set (a skill set that has been more or less hidden this season in San Jose). Or does a guy like Derek Roy, who isn’t likely to sign in Dallas and could become an unrestricted free agent in July, factor in, given the depth he would bring down the middle and to the power play? There’s also the blue line, where Ryan Whitney’s name has come up frequently in recent days. It seems inevitable the Edmonton defenseman, who grew up in the Boston area and played at Boston University, is going to be traded. Does he end up wearing a Bruins’ jersey when all is said and done?

McDONALD: Even though Chiarelli was left at the altar holding a bouquet of flowers on this deal, you can be sure he has a Plan B. As you mentioned, he's not shy about pulling the trigger, as he did in 2011. He still wants add a forward and a defenseman before April 3. In a perfect hockey world, Chiarelli would like to add to the current roster without subtracting from it. Clowe's name has been mentioned and is a strong possibility. I really like his skill set, and that reckless-abandon style of play would fit perfectly in Boston. Since the Bruins could not land Iginla, what about pursuing a player like Martin St. Louis? I think he would want a chance to play in Boston, and his contract status (locked up for another two years) could fit with what Chiarelli is looking for. The Bruins haven't been scoring goals on a consistent basis and St. Louis would help fix that issue, especially on the power play. On the blue line, a possible return to Boston for Whitney doesn't sound so bad. The Bruins are looking for a veteran presence to add to their mix on defense, and he's a solid choice. Another defenseman who comes to mind is the Islanders' Lubomir Visnovsky. Either way, you can bet Chiarelli will make deals before Wednesday's deadline.

BURNSIDE: Good stuff, as always, Joe. Before we part ways, what’s your sense of this Bruins squad with a month left in the regular season? All teams hit a little rough patch (see the Anaheim Ducks for the most recent example of that), but for a long time I had lumped the Bruins in with the Penguins as a team that occupied a different strata than the rest of the Eastern Conference teams. But the Bruins have won just twice in their past six outings and have been unable, yet, to reel in the pesky Habs. Most assumed the Northeast Division title would belong to Boston -- along with home-ice advantage and the second seed that will undoubtedly come with that position -- but now there’s a germ of doubt. What’s your gut tell you? Do the Bruins end up where most expected they would, atop the division and headed to the postseason as the second seed behind the Pens -- thus setting up at least the promise of a much-anticipated Pittsburgh-Boston conference finals? Or is there too much work yet to be done with this Boston team to be looking that far ahead?

McDONALD: We should do this more often, Scotty, and I'm sure we will with the Stanley Cup playoffs quickly approaching. The Bruins do this every season. There's always a bit of a dull spot where the team struggles in one aspect of its game or another. But the Bruins always come out of it, and they will again this time, despite their recent struggles. Once Chiarelli finishes his task at hand, and the pressures of the deadline are gone, I expect this team to surge down the stretch and into the playoffs. It will be a tight race for the Northeast Division title, but in the end it will be the Bruins in first place. My one remaining question is the play of Tuukka Rask. He's proved he can be a No. 1 goaltender in Boston, but I remain skeptical about how he will perform in big games, especially in the playoffs. With what has transpired in the last 24 hours in regards to Iginla, I hope the Bruins and the Penguins face each other in the playoffs because it would be a gift to the fans from the hockey gods. Hope to see you in Boston soon, my friend.

BOSTON -- For an hour or two on Wednesday night, it seemed Jarome Iginla was going to be a member of the Boston Bruins.

How else can one explain the mood of Bruins president Cam Neely immediately after a crushing 6-5 shootout loss to the hated Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden?

Normally, it's wise to stay clear of No. 8 after a loss, never mind one like Wednesday's, in which the Bruins twice blew two-goal leads in the third period and gave up the tying goal with 8.2 seconds left in regulation. But after this one, Neely was uncharacteristically happy and even was seen smiling in the elevator.

Rumors were rampant throughout the day and night that the Bruins were on the verge of acquiring Iginla from the Calgary Flames, and word was that defenseman Matt Bartkowski, prospect Alexander Khokhlachev and a first-round draft pick could be the price. Shortly after midnight, a TSN report said it was a done deal, and Twitter was abuzz about line combinations and contract extensions.

But after the Flames' 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary announced that Iginla would indeed be wearing black and gold -- but he was headed to Pittsburgh, not Boston. The Penguins sent college prospects Kenneth Agostino and Ben Hanowski and a first-round pick this year to Calgary.

There are certainly people in the Bruins' organization who thought they had him at one point Wednesday, but the deal never closed.

Why? Because Iginla himself chose Pittsburgh as his team of choice, Flames GM Jay Feaster said at a news conference late Wednesday night in Calgary.

"We began negotiations with teams and in the final analysis, we had offers from three different clubs," Feaster said. "In having those offers, again the player in this trade has a no-trade [clause], a no-move, so the player is part of that process. And so, we worked with the player and concluded a deal this evening with the Pittsburgh Penguins."

Those three teams, according to an ESPN.com source, were the Bruins, Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.

Not only did the Bruins lose out on Iginla, but the trade talks may have contributed to their loss on the ice.

In the locker room after the game, players already had heard the Iginla rumors and were talking about the possible deal. Even coach Claude Julien admitted the trade talks were floating around the room.

"I don't know if it affected the game, but I know it's present," Julien said. "There's a lot of rumors circling around our team, and I called a couple of players in my office just to talk before the game about certain things, and they were a little jumpy. It's present and it's pretty obvious why."

The coach was asked if he'd be glad when it's over.

"If it works out," Julien said with a smile.

The rumors began to heat up when the Bruins recalled defenseman Torey Krug from Providence of the AHL Wednesday afternoon, and later when Bartkowski was a healthy scratch prior to the game.

Then the Flames announced Iginla would be a healthy scratch hours before their game in Calgary. The 35-year-old captain reportedly exited the Saddledome.

In the locker room, the Bruins were disappointed with the loss, but the players seemed at least a little upbeat with the strong speculation that Iginla could be on the way.

"He's a legend. He's a phenomenal player. He's such a great leader," Brad Marchand said. "He's a guy you'd love to have on your team, one of those guys that's definitely a playoff player. If we get him, great; if not, that's how it is."

Yup, that's how it is.

All eyes are on the Boston Bruins now after fellow Eastern powerhouse Pittsburgh upped the ante with a pair of additions.

But it doesn’t change what Boston had planned to do, really.

The plan all along for the B’s was to try to improve both their forward group and their defense corps before the April 3 trade deadline, and that remains the case regardless of what the Penguins did.

"I certainly don’t gauge our strategy on what other teams are doing, but Pittsburgh is a very good team and they’ve made themselves better," Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli told ESPN.com Tuesday morning. "It doesn’t accelerate anything, you can’t force anything; you try to find a fit and you try to improve your team. The Penguins made themselves better. We’ll see in the coming week in a bit how other teams make themselves better, and we plan on doing the same thing."

The Bruins are believed to have made an offer for Brenden Morrow but lost out to the Penguins. The big fish remains Jarome Iginla, the Flames' captain in play, with the likes of Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Los Angeles showing interest.

It’s believed the price for Iginla is a first-round pick plus two young assets, a hefty sum, but one I believe the Bruins would be willing to pay.

Regardless, if they can’t get Iginla, there are other possibilities. Keep an eye on Ryane Clowe in San Jose, a pending UFA the Sharks will likely move. He’d fit well in Boston. And while the Dallas Stars are trying to re-sign Jaromir Jagr to keep him for next season, if those talks fail, he’d be another possibility.

Either way, the Morrow deal on Sunday helped loosen up the trade market.

"Certainly, there was a lot more chatter on Monday morning," said Chiarelli. "But that’s how it goes every year. There’s an ebb and flow."

What's up, Mike Smith?

An under-the-radar story in some ways has been the situation of Mike Smith in Phoenix.

The 31-year-old netminder, coming off a sensational 2011-12 season, is slated for unrestricted free agency in July. Sources say there have been talks between Smith’s camp and Coyotes management, but I’d be pretty surprised if Smith signs before he has a clearer idea of the ownership situation in Phoenix.

Which puts the Coyotes in a bit of a pickle come April if the team continues to fall out of the playoff race. The team has gone winless in six games to fall four points behind the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. If the Coyotes get to April 3 and Smith remains unsigned, what do they do if teams are calling about him? Do they recoup assets or hang in with him, hoping to get him signed before July 5?

It’ll be interesting to monitor.

A pending pursuit of Clarkson

Alexander Semin's signing Monday night further depleted what will be a meager-looking UFA crop come July 5.

But some intriguing names are still left out there, including two of the game’s premier power forwards.

We’ve talked before about Ryane Clowe and how contract talks with the Sharks haven’t produced an extension, so he’s looking likely to be dealt before April 3, and thus perhaps will be free-agent bound July 5.

But another name to keep an eye on is David Clarkson. A source told ESPN.com Monday night that the Devils and Clarkson’s camp have not talked once this season about an extension, which isn’t surprising because veteran GM Lou Lamoriello has often shown he’s content to wait until after the season to get that going with his UFAs. And Lamoriello told ESPN.com recently teams should know better than to phone about Clarkson because he’s not available.

However, if Lamoriello can’t get the center re-signed after the season, there won't be many more desirable players on the market than Clarkson, a top-six goal scorer with toughness and grit. Can you say Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, Minnesota? So many teams are looking for that kind of player. It’s a good year to be David Clarkson.

Semin rewarded for stepping up

The Carolina Hurricanes certainly raised some eyebrows when they signed winger Alexander Semin to a $35 million, five-year extension Monday night.

But the Hurricanes had seen enough of him in this lockout-shortened season to keep him on board long-term. Signed to a one-year, $7 million deal last summer, Semin has produced a point per game, meshing well with Eric Staal and Jiri Tlusty on the top line.

"He’s given the Hurricanes a dominant first line," veteran Carolina GM Jim Rutherford told ESPN.com Tuesday. "All three of those guys on that line have played well and all deserve credit in their own way as a contributing factor. Alex is an elite player who can put points up, which is always hard to find. Our experience with Alex has been very good, so we’re pleased we could retain him."

Fact is, while some team executives around the league wondered about the term given to Semin, you can’t blame Rutherford for wanting to keep the winger. It’s a thin free-agent crop this summer, and Semin would have been very difficult to replace. In fact, the Hurricanes had been looking for that kind of scoring winger for a few years before finally adding him last summer. So they wanted to keep him.

No doubt, there are those who will say Semin is a bad gamble, that the reason Washington kept him on those one-year contracts is because the Capitals didn’t trust him enough to stay motivated under a long-term deal.

Well, he’s been terrific in Carolina and his teammates like him. Furthermore, nobody batted an eye when Anaheim signed Ryan Getzlaf to an eight-year extension earlier this month, and it just so happens that while the Ducks' captain is on fire this season, he had a pair of disappointing seasons (at least by his standards) before this season.

High-end, offensive talent costs money to keep around. Carolina has no qualms about its decision to retain Semin.

A day after signing Semin, the Hurricanes placed forward Jussi Jokinen on waivers Tuesday. In part it's because the Hurricanes feel good about Riley Nash as their third-line center -- Nash was recalled from the AHL on Monday -- but also in part so the Hurricanes can hopefully get another team to scoop up Jokinen's contract. He's got one more year left on his deal at $3 million next season.