The Bruins Trade Samsonov - I Now Want Them to Lose Every Game

The Boston Bruins traded Sergei Samsonov to the Edmonton Oilers yesterday. In return the Bruins get centers Marty Reasoner and Yan Stastny and a second-round pick in this year's draft. Make no mistake though, this was a money move. Samsonov made about $2.5 million this year and is a free agent at the end of the season. The Bruins traded him in order to save a few dollars during the rest of the season and nobody will be able to convince me otherwise.

"Part of it was the uncertainty of not being able to sign him," [Boston GM Mike] O'Connell said, adding that he did not attempt to negotiate an extension for Samsonov.

Samsonov is a highly skilled player whose offensive moves can only be described as "nifty" (which in Boston is code for Rick Middletonesque). Samsonov would have cost the Bruins a pretty penny to resign which is why they did not even try. Let me repeat. They did not even attempt to negotiate an extension for Samsonov.

This is truly the stick that broke the camel's back for me. Like many former Bruins fans - I can no longer stomach Jeremy Jacobs cheapskate ways. I now want the 'Ruins to lose every game and will be actively rooting against them. I don't want one penny of playoff money from attendance or concessions to line the pockets of Scrooge McJabobs.

The Bruins will try to spin this move as a trade for "depth" as they make a final playoffs push. The Edmonton Oilers are also making a final playoff push too - yet they traded for a skill player not spare cheap parts.

Samsonov was a fan favorite. He was a good player and a good citizen. Now he's gone.

The other night I was out and I had to ask to have the Bruins game put on (the Celtics were on all three HD screens at the bar). The 'Ruins were playing Buffalo (a game they lost 3-2) and my friend Tim mentioned that in the 70's and 80's he used to be able to name every 'Ruin player but now he would be lucky to name five. With the trade of Samsonov - there's one less that a fan like Tim could name. That is a huge problem. 'Ruins fans don't root for laundry. We won't root for a player just because his jersey has a spoked "B" on the front. A line like "Who are these guys?" might be catchy in a Butch and Sundance movie but its no marketing slogan for a hockey team.

My name is Chris Lynch and I used to be a Boston Bruins fan. Now I hope they lose every game and I vow never to pay to see the team play as long as Jeremy Jacobs is the owner of the team.