The Boston Bruins drafted Trent Whitfield with the one hundredth overall pick in 1996.
Five organizational switches, 16 years and 14 going on 15 professional seasons later, Whitfield’s hopes of becoming a steady NHL regular are virtually dashed. His two lengthiest single-season runs in the top circuit were a 61-game ride with the Washington Capitals in 2000-01 and 44 appearances with the same team in 2003-04.
After he missed the past weekend’s action with the Providence Bruins, the team he has captained for two-plus years, his entire pro hockey hourglass may be on its last grains of sand. The 35-year-old has not had a reasonably smooth, healthy campaign since his first year back with the organization that originally drafted him.
In turn, the best Whitfield might be able to hope for is to bring a little symmetry to his career. That is, assuming the NHL lockout is resolved in time, put in a mid-to-late-April appearance with the parent club after the playoff picture has settled before retiring.
Otherwise, he is reduced to a Reg Dunlop (or Crash Davis in Joe Haggerty’s terms) position of spending his final strides trying to ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Al Daniel
Boston Bruins: Will the 2012-13 Season Be Trent Whitfield’s Last?
November 6th, 2012 by Al Daniel Leave a reply »
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