Yesterday’s practice lineup for the Boston Bruins, may they fail in all their endeavours for all of time, was interesting. They seem to be moving some scoring and offensive threat to the press box to ice a more conservative lineup. That’s what we want to see!

Word is that both Nash, that’s R. Nash, um, Nash the lesser, will be skating today and that Acciari will fit into the game lineup somewhere.

Now I could give you a deep and meaningful analysis of the Bruins, may their hopes turn to ashes in their mouths, but instead, I want to talk about something else with regards to this lineup.

Who do you hate the most?

Brian Gionta

When the Bruins, may they all yearn for that one thing they cannot have, signed Gionta, it just seemed the man was going to his natural home at last. He has played 26 competitive games of hockey all season, so he is the least tired of the Boston old men, and he has taken only one minor penalty so far in the NHL, but he is and shall always be the man who did this:

David Backes

What’s not to hate here? He’s been on the receiving end of a lot of dirty stuff, and he’s dealt it out freely over many years. The Bruins, may they never learn to manage their cap, signed Backes to a five-year six-million cap hit deal, and in year two, he is a solid sub 40 point man. When the Leafs went out looking for an old man to overpay, they got a genial dad who is fast and scores goals, and they only gave him three years. So there.

Backes also did this to Freddie’s childhood friend this season.

This is Backes’ MO and always has been. He plied his somewhat dirty trade in relative obscurity in St. Louis as the captain of the Blues, but he is and always has been very hateable. I have to call him relatively dirty because, of course, he’s got a teammate who makes Corey Perry look like a nice young man in comparison.

Brad Marchand

If you need me to give you reasons to hate Brad Marchand, you aren’t paying attention.

Zdeno Chara

Chara has this thing going on where he posts genial photos to Instagram emphasizing his height, a charming self-awareness about his looks, and a quasi-philosophical and cerebral nature.

A post shared by Zdeno Chara (@zeechara33) on

All of this is just so damn adorable, I can’t quite keep my lunch down.  He’s also is one of the NHL’s players who low-key gets away with shit that would have Roman Polak serving five-minute majors. Now, I’ll grant you, if he was a Leaf, we’d love him, but he’s not, so hate, baby, it settles the stomach.

You Decide

Who do you hate the most?

Which Bruins player do you hate the most?

Brian Gionta44
David Backes39
Brad Marchand736
Zdeno Chara57
Some other Bruin, may they never know joy37
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