Bruins Set To Say Good-bye to Three Special Players

It's always bittersweet to end off a hockey season with the Bruins. On one hand it's sad to see the players season come to an end on the ice, but on the other hand it's always nice to celebrate the season that was with the team. I'm sure I'll say it again over the next few days but I can't thank the players enough for everything they did for me this season.

A more season recap will come after the awards banquet on Sunday night but for now I just wanted to talk about the three graduating players with the Bruins Derek Whitehill, Dominic Perrault and Matthew Dochylo. It was a no brainer for me to give the three stars of the game to these players for all of their work they did this season.

Whitey's providing a Slap Shot moment, photo courtesy Jennifer Durr

Derek Whitehill was a late acquisition for the Bruins this summer, Whitehill previously played for Bruins Head Coach Keith Cassidy in the MJHL and he was expected to bring a veteran presence to the team. He certainly did that this season as on the ice he was usually on a line with a pair of rookies, Whitehill contributed the odd goal for the Bruins but he'll remembered for being a  speedy hardworking player and gave everything he had on the ice and would never take a shift.

Whitehill wasn't only a hardworking person on the ice but off the ice as well. I would run into Whitehill a lot at the Library in Estevan as he spent a significant studying for school. Me and Whitey had some great chats about some school stuff like psychology. (Surprisingly I remember stuff from my first year in university)

I remembered the first time I met Whitehill, back at training camp he came up and introduced himself to me and he predicted we would get along great and I'm happy to say that was true and it was a pleasure to get to know Derek this season.

Right after Perrault scored the OT winner, once again I borrowed from Dom's facebook

Dominic Perrault spent the last two years with the Bruins and provided some classic moments with the Bruins. Of course for years to come he'll be remembered for his OT winner last year against Melville in the Survivor Series. That goal was the last game winning goal for the Bruins inside of the Civic Auditorium, and for me it will probably be my favourite call I've ever called. For anybody who may have missed the goal here it is once again.




There was a lot of expectations for Perrault this season and much like last year Perrault really came into his own at the end of the season. Perrault once again provided the Bruins with plenty of offence and physical play at the end of the season. He scored another timely goal for the Bruins during the postseason when he scored the tying goal against Notre Dame in Game 3 of the series.

Off the ice, Perrault was a great guy as well. Like I discussed in the post game show on Wednesday, this summer I needed to find somewhere to park my car for a week in Regina when I was gone to Vancouver. I mentioned to Perrault about my trip and my dilemma and immediately said that I would be able to leave my car at his parents house. I can't thank Dom and his parents for that and by the way Dom's parent are two of the nicest people I've met and it's been a pleasure meeting with them over these last two years. It's been great getting to know Dom for these last two years and there's no doubt he has a bright hockey future somewhere in the University ranks.

Anytime you mention Matthew Dochylo's name to anyone the first thing  that person will do is smile, it's really hard for me to remember a time when I've ran into Dochylo over the past couple of years and I didn't see him smile right away.

On the ice Dochylo was one of the hardest working players I've ever seen, I think the only person who might work harder than Dochylo is Josh Jelinski. The two have played together a lot over the past two seasons and formed great chemistry and it's sad to think they will never play together again. Dochylo was a strong player along the boards which made it very difficult to knock him off the puck. He's strong as moose or caribou which is why I dubbed him the "Christopher Lake Caribou" a nickname that he loved. Dochylo's best hockey with the Bruins came at the end of the season with Jelinski and Tyler Paslawski. Dochylo wasn't a top scorer for the most part in his junior career but in the final two months of the season Dochylo and his linemates were big contributors at both ends of the ice for the Bruins.  Unfortunately Dochylo was playing his final game with a very heavy heart with a family issue, but it was so great to see him score the final goal of the season for the Bruins and he scored in his final game of Junior Hockey.

Like I said before off the ice, I, like everyone else would run into Dochylo off the ice and he would always be in high spirits. There's no doubt he's one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He always had a positive mind set. His parents are also two of the nicest people I've ever met and are also two of my biggest fans. They're pretty much my adoptive parents supplying me with a great birthday cake and a beautiful pen for my birthday. (still haven't used the pen, it's just too nice) It's been great meeting them for the last two years and it will be sad not seeing them at the rink next season.
 
Dochylo like Whitehill and Perrault has a bright hockey future waiting for them next season somewhere in the University ranks.  After the game on Wednesday I had a great chat with Dochylo for good 20 minutes about hockey, life and so much more.  Here's a 5 minute interview I did with him.



The Bruins officially wrap up the season with the awards banquet on Sunday, cocktails at 5:00 with the dinner at 6:00, hopefully I'll see you there and I'm looking forward to speaking with you all once again.