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Jaffe On Toucher & Rich: Bruins Set To Face Tim Thomas

BOSTON (CBS) - The Bruins are in Florida tonight, and will see a familiar face in net for the Panthers.

After taking last year off, Tim Thomas is back in the NHL after signing a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers. Thomas will start tonight against his former team after missing the last week with a groin injury.

Bruins analyst Billy Jaffe joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Thursday, and said life will be very different for Thomas in Florida compared to his days in Boston.

"Florida is not a good team. This is a little bit different defense than when Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg were in front of him," said Jaffe. "He's going to see shots from different angles and more repetition than he saw with the Bruins. The Bruins play a very strict defensive system and protect a lot on the second and third opportunities. This is going to be a challenge for Timmy in many ways."

Jaffe said it could take up to half a season for Thomas to get into physical shape after his year off, but Florida gives him a chance to play the 40-50 games he was looking for on his new team.

They moved on to discuss this Bruins team, and comments out of Brad Marchand saying he's concerned about suspensions since being dealt a five-game suspension in 2012.

"It's easy for me to sit here and say not to worry about it, but obviously he is worrying about it a little bit. To me he just plays, he gets into his flow, he's a natural born pest, which is great, but he's got a ton of skill."

They also went on to talk of the slowing production on the power play. What can be done to fix things with the man advantage?

Billy Jaffe On Toucher & Rich: Bruins Face Tim Thomas In Goal

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