Today on Bruins Daily

Its the last day of 2013 and the Bruins are looking to end it on a high note when they host the New York Islanders at the TD Garden. Of course, we will have you covered with live tweets @BruinsDaily and be sure to use #DailyLive in your tweets.

In case you missed it

Your’s truly explains why the Bruins and Stars are benefitting from their July 4th trade that featured Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley, Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith and Matt Fraser.

Anthony Travalgia gave this weeks Bruins Daily Player of the Week award to the red hot Jarome Iginla.

Know the enemy

Last year, the Islanders surprised many hockey pundits by making it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season. After giving the top seeded Pittsburgh Penguins all they could handle in last year’s first round loss, those same experts predicted that the Isles would take another step forward in 2013-14, but that has not been the case through the first 40 games of the year.

Even with the addition of Thomas Vanek in November, the Isles are still finding ways to lose. Thanks to the lack of secondary scoring and woeful goaltending, the Isles find themselves in last place in the Metropolitan Division through the first half of the season. Yet the Bruins should not take this team lightly – after all they dropped the first meeting of the season in Long Island.

With the team getting healthier, the B’s should be able to get two points and extend their unbeaten streak at the TD Garden to 16 against the lowly Islanders.

Bruins linkage

Loui Eriksson and Carl Soderberg skated with their teammates at the morning skate, but none of them will suit up tonight. (Joe Haggerty/CSNNE)

Shawn Thornton will not appeal his 15-game suspension for his slew foot and suckerpunch of Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik. (DJ Bean/WEEI)

After missing Friday’s game in Ottawa, captain Zdeno Chara returns to the Bruins’ lineup against the Isles. (Joe McDonald/ESPN Boston)

League linkage

The Winter Classic is an easy buy at Ann Arbor, but the league is having trouble selling tickets for the “Stadium Series” games in New York and Los Angeles. (Greg Wyshynski/Puck Daddy)

Jaromir Jagr has a chance to make history against his former team this afternoon. (Jamie Kelly/The Hockey News)

Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf signed a head scratching seven-year contract extension. (Doug Harrison/CBC)

Bruins’ projected lines

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Jarome Iginla
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Reilly Smith
Matt Fraser-Ryan Spooner-Nick Johnson
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Jordan Caron

Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Matt Bartkowski-Kevan Miller
Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid

Tuukka Rask
Chad Johnson

Islanders’ projected lines

Thomas Vanek-John Tavares-Kyle Okposo
Eric Boulton-Frans Nielsen-Brock Nelson
Peter Regin-Ryan Strome-Cal Clutterbuck
Colin McDonald-Casey Cizikas-Matt Martin

Thomas Hickey-Andrew McDonald
Calvin de Hann-Travis Hamonic
Matt Carkner-Brian Strait

Evgeni Nabokov
Kevin Poulin

Tweets of interest

Thornton explains why he dropped his suspension appeal:

Thornton: “I’d rather not be a distraction around here and I’d rather just focus on getting ready for Jan 11 (in San Jose)” ^CS

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 31, 2013

And another view of the Winter Classic ice from the top row of “The Big House.”

More like Cold House pic.twitter.com/nD7XxQ5dC5

— Sean Leahy (@Sean_Leahy) December 31, 2013

For something completely different…

The Bruins Daily staff would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Be responsible and be safe tonight!