Jessica Belmosto

I’m an incredibly sentimental person. This Bruins season has meant the world to me for so many different reasons.

To be completely honest, I always thought I would strictly write about baseball. It was simple, straightforward and something I could make sense of. I figured I couldn’t go wrong. However, I was wrong. I’ve always been interested in hockey. I doubted my knowledge. I didn’t think I could write like the people I read. I like a challenge though. I tried branching out. Some blogs were better than others. I forced myself to learn what I didn’t know. I wanted a better understanding. Following along with writers on twitter and having a friend who broke down the confusing calls made a major difference. ( Bless Jess’ heart for putting up with my hypotheticals. )

Let’s start from the beginning. I was ready for the hockey season. I was itching and ready to go. The Red Sox season was winding down and I needed something to fill the inevitable void the offseason would leave. Something was different this time. Many NFL teams were protesting against Donald Trump by taking a knee. Trump took to Twitter and lashed out at anyone who didn’t stand for the anthem. That same weekend, the Pittsburgh Penguins accepted Trump’s offer to the White House. It was very poor timing in my opinion. I decided to write an open letter and well, that’s how writing about hockey ( and sports in general ) began.

Just like most Octobers, I was ready for disappointment. I joked about the Bruins being the only men who could disappoint me. Going into this season I tried to remain level-headed. I wanted to look at it as a “journalist” rather than a fan. It was very difficult for me to separate the two. As time went on, I learned it was okay to not share the same takes as the big voices in Boston. It’s good to actually watch the game as a whole and not pick apart the littlest things.

You know what really made me look at things differently? It was the goalie controversy. I loved Tuukka. I thought he was a great goalie who sucked in big games. Only at this time, he wasn’t sucking in big games. It was only a month into the season. Everyone was writing and talking about it. You hear what everyone has to say. Yeah, Rask sucked. He needed to be taught a lesson. Do I think Khudobin deserved the starting spot? Absolutely not. Cassidy showed Rask who was boss and that lit a fire under him. I remember waiting for the tweet. Who would be starting tonight? I wanted the reactions. Reactions lead to takes and takes lead to articles. I had a fair share drafted but never felt confident enough to post them.

If you’re reading this, I’m sure you watched the team. You saw how incredible the rookies looked. Jake DeBrusk is the player we all wanted Seguin to be. Charlie McAvoy is unbelievable. You watch him and you sit there in disbelief. The plays he made this season had my jaw on the floor. His MCL injury went treated but it looks now like there’s some lingering pain. Funny thing is, I had a blog about Andres Bjork ready to go back in October. I was so excited to see him play and really make a name for himself! I jinxed him. He saw minimal playing time and was forced out by injury. My hope is that he comes back and is able to do so much more than I hoped for.

I can’t give all the credit to the young guys though. I can say with confidence that the first line produced numbers that made them the best line in the NHL. You hate to love and love to hate Marchand. If he was on any other team I’m sure I’d hate his guts. It’s his grit that gets me. The dude grew up being told he’d never be good enough. Hell, Claude Julien even said he’d never be as good as Patrice Bergeron. Apples and oranges, Claude… Apples and oranges. Patrice Bergeron was on the road to MVP and Hart Trophy candidacy before his injury. How can anyone hate this man? Pastrnak is young. He’s got his special tape job. He’s got his heart and he’s certainly got the talent.

I don’t want it to seem like I’m singling out certain players because there is no “I” in team. I was blown away from every single player. They all contributed something that made this team what it was. I love Bruce Cassidy. This man knows how to coach. He is the exact opposite of Claude and that’s what this team needed.

As a writer, you have to be objective. There are writers out there who follow a narrative that is completely fabricated. They’ll drag a player’s performance through the mud and start an angry mob. That’s their brand. There are writers who write and give it to you cut and dry. Then there are writers who will challenge said narrative and let me tell you, some of them are convincing. I’ve taken things from all of them. Not all of them are from this market. Some work in other markets and just happen to cover the league. I’m so thankful for them.

Sports keep me motivated. I don’t play them. I don’t have an athletic fiber in my body. They’re what I want to make a living off of. I will challenge myself in any way possible. I strive to be a better writer/reporter. I want to be in locker rooms asking the questions. I want to create conversations and engage with fans. Regardless of what sport it is, I just want to do it. The 2017-2018 Bruins taught me so much about myself and what I want to do with my future.