Bedard's Daily Briefing 04.11.19: Bruins finally start, Marcus Smart out, Patriots showing movement

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I wonder what kind of vengeance the Lightning will come out with for Game 2...

• In case you missed it last night, the Stanley Cup playoffs started with a bang when the "Best Team Ever" Lightning blew a 3-0 lead at home and lost 4-3 to the Blue Jackets.


• I wouldn't laugh too hard yet. The Bruins beat Tampa 6-2 in Game 1 last year and then proceeded to have the oxygen smothered out of them in four-straight games.


• In any event, the Bruins and Leafs finally go toe to toe tonight at the Garden. Unless Boston really craps the bed in the back, I have a hard time seeing Toronto winning this series when they still have a top D pairing of Morgan Reilly and terrible Ron Hainsey.


• Like the Bruins in six.


• Celtics series schedule was finally released. They'll start with the old Sunday-Wednesday double billing at the Garden. Have to love the NBA.

• No way around it: the loss of Marcus Smart is huge for the Celtics — he's the guy who does the necessary dirty work that is especially important in the postseason — but it likely won't hurt too bad in the first round.


• Patriots are starting to do what they always do: plug holes before the draft because they don't want to tip their hand. It started with TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and could continue with WRs Demaryius Thomas and RB T.J. Yeldon (both visited). All three would check off "needs." That's the Patriots' M.O.


• When it comes to Seferian-Jenkins on the field ... ignore the 2018 film. The '17 version of ASF has a chance to help the Patriots.


• Seferian-Jenkins is a previous violator of the league's substance abuse policy, joining current teammates Josh Gordon and Mike Pennel (multiple violations for them). Might be a good time to lock up that Jack Easterby replacement to make sure a proper program is in place for those guys.


• Frozen Four tonight! Providence in Game 1 at 5, UMass in the nightcap.

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