We'll Love Tyler, But How About Nathan?

With all of the hype surrounding 18 year-old forward Tyler Seguin, the Bruins' prized pick from the last NHL draft, the acquisition of winger Nathan Horton went somewhat unnoticed. The B's traded porous defenseman Dennis Wideman to the Panthers for Horton, who is a former 3rd overall pick from the 2003 draft. The 25 year-old Horton has been considered an underachiever thus far, but has been more than decent the past 2 seasons, posting 45 and 57 point campaigns, respectively. The knock on Horton was that after posting consecutive 62 point seasons from 2006-2008, he has been hampered by injuries and lack of production, missing 32 games and tallying less total goals each of the past 4 seasons. Nevertheless, expectations of Horton in Boston should be nothing short of high, as he has shown over the first two games.
In Boston's season opener against the Coyotes in Prague, the defense played sluggishly and the Coyotes had a 4-0 lead going into the 3rd period. Horton sparked a comeback attempt for the Bruins early in the third, tallying his first and second goals as a Bruin at the 3 and 9 minute mark, closing the gap to 4-2. That was all the Bruins would get, giving up an empty-netter with a minute left to fall by a final score of 5-2. The good? Horton not only showed that he can be the scoring threat the Bruins desperately need and lacked last season, but he also displayed an ability to produce with the first line of Kreiji and Lucic.
In the B's second game, again facing Phoenix, Tim Thomas posted a 3-0 shutout in his first start of the season. Horton was again a factor in the game, assisting Lucic on the first goal at the 12 minute marker in the second period, and then scoring off a Recchi/Kreiji assist to open up a 2-0 lead. After the first 2 games, Horton has an impressive 4 points, tied for second in the NHL, and a plus/minus of +2. Seguin scored his first NHL goal in the win, and B's fans got a peek at the potential success of this young Bruin team that sports 15 regulars under the age of 26.